Today in History: Thursday, August 15, 2024

Television
In 1992, HBO introduced the satirical comedy “The Larry Sanders Show” with comedian Garry Shandling as host of a “Tonight Show”-style talk show. It ran through May 31, 1998, producing 89 episodes.

Teen horror anthology series “Are You Afraid of the Dark?” debuted on Nickelodeon in 1992. Its initial run lasted five seasons; it was first revived in 1999 for two additional seasons, and its current second revival has produced three more seasons since 2019…”The Great Food Truck Race” launched on Food Network in 2010. Hosted by Tyler Florence, the cooking competition has run for 17 seasons to-date.

“Why Women Kill“, the two season comedy-drama anthology created by Marc Cherry (“Desperate Housewives”), debuted on CBS All Access in 2019. It starred Lucy Liu, Ginnifer Goodwin, Allison Tolman and Lana Parrilla.

Movies
“The Wizard of Oz”, the American musical fantasy film directed by Victor Fleming and King Vidor, opened at Grauman’s Chinese Theatre, Hollywood in 1939. It starred Judy Garland (Dorothy), Ray Bolger (Scarecrow), Jack Haley (Tin Man), Bert Lahr (Cowardly Lion), Frank Morgan (Wizard), Billie Burke (Glinda), and Margaret Hamilton (Wicked Witch). “The Wizard of Oz” received 13 Academy Award nominations (including Best Picture) and it won two: Best Music, Original Song and Best Musical, Original Score.

“Apocalypse Now”, directed by Francis Ford Coppola and Marlon Brando, Robert Duvall and Martin Sheen opened in 1979.

Music
The Beatles performed in front of 60,000 fans at Shea Stadium in Flushing, NY in 1965… The Woodstock Festival opened in Bethel, New York on Max Yasgur’s Dairy Farm in 1969. The performers included Richie Havens, Tim Hardin, Melanie, Arlo Guthrie, and Joan Baez…Romantic ballad “Endless Love” by Lionel Richie and Diana Ross reached No. 1 on the Billboard Hot 100 in 1981…Boyz II Men‘s “End of the Road“, from the romantic comedy film “Boomerang“, began its 13-week reign atop the Billboard Hot 100 chart in 1992.

Celebrity Birthdays
Actor Pat Priest (“The Munsters”) is 88; Drummer Pete York of The Spencer Davis Group is 82; Author-journalist Linda Ellerbee is 80; Songwriter Jimmy Webb is 78; actress Phyllis Smith (“The Office”) is 75; actress Tess Harper is 74; actor Larry Mathews (“The Dick Van Dyke Show”) is 69; actor Zeljko Ivanek (“Madam Secretary,” ″Heroes”) is 67; actor Rondell Sheridan (“That’s So Raven,” ″Cory in the House”) is 66; Director Alejandro Gonzalez Inarritu (“Birdman,” “Babel”) is 61; actor Peter Hermann (“Law and Order: Special Victims Unit”) is 57; actress Debra Messing (“Will and Grace”) is 56; actor Anthony Anderson (“black-ish”) is 54; actor Ben Affleck is 52; actress Natasha Henstridge (“The Whole Nine Yards,” ″Species”) is 50; actress Emily Kinney (“Conviction,” “The Walking Dead”) is 40; actress Courtney Hope (“The Bold and the Beautiful”) is 35; singer Joe Jonas of The Jonas Brothers is 35; actor-singer Carlos PenaVega (“Big Time Rush”) is 35; actress Jennifer Lawrence (“The Hunger Games”) is 34.

Did You Know?
Buddy Ebsen had originally been cast for the part of The Tin Man in “The Wizard of Oz” but had such a serious reaction to the silver paint that he ended up in hospital and ultimately had to leave the production.