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Television
“Meet the Press” premiered on radio in 1945…In 1951, “The Honeymooners” debuted as a sketch on Jackie Gleason’s first variety series, “Cavalcade of Stars,” on the long-running defunct network Dumont.
“Monty Python‘s Flying Circus” began airing on BBC TV in 1969…PBS (Public Broadcasting Service) launched in 1970…The TV movie “Sidney Shorr: A Girl’s Best Friend” starring Tony Randall premiered on NBC in 1981. It served as a pilot to its half-hour sitcom version “Love, Sidney” which launched three weeks later, also on NBC. It ran for two seasons and is known as the first U.S. network TV prime time series to feature a gay individual as the central character. Lorna Patterson was Randall’s co-star in the TV movie; Swoosie Kurtz replaced Patterson for the series version.
“Angel“, the vampire drama spinoff of “Buffy the Vampire Slayer“, debuted on The WB in 1999. It starred David Boreanaz in the title role as a vampire cursed with a soul who moved from Sunnydale to Los Angeles in search of redemption. Other former “Buffy” stars Charisma Carpenter, Alexis Denisof and James Masters later joined the five-season series, alongside J. August Richards, Amy Acker and Vincent Kartheiser …Family dramedy “Gilmore Girls” created by Amy Sherman-Palladino and starring Lauren Graham and Alexis Bledel debuted on The WB in 2000. The series, where Melissa McCarthy first gained recognition in her role as Lorelai’s best friend Sookie, ran for seven seasons; its final season aired on The CW. It returned in 2016 as a four-episode miniseries on Netflix entitled “Gilmore Girls: A Year in the Life“…Family sitcom “Reba” starring country music superstar Reba McEntire debuted on The WB in 2001. The series that also starred Christopher Rich, JoAnna Garcia, Steve Howey and Melissa Peterman ran for six seasons. The final season aired on The CW …”American Horror Story“, Ryan Murphy‘s hit horror anthology series, debuted on FX in 2011. Actors Evan Peters, Sarah Paulson and Lily Rabe have appeared most frequently throughout the franchise. Its inaugural season, subtitled “Murder House“, also starred Jessica Lange, Connie Britton, Dylan McDermott, Denis O’Hare, Frances Conroy and Alexandra Brockenridge.
Movies:
“The Ten Commandments,“ directed by Cecil B, DeMille and starring Charlton Heston and Yul Brynner, was released in theaters in 1956…“Breakfast at Tiffany’s,“ based on the novella by Truman Capote, directed by Blake Edwards and starring Audrey Hepburn and George Peppard opened in 1961…“Dr. No,“ the fjrst James Bond film based on the novel by Ian Fleming and starring Sean Connery and Ursula Andress, premiered in London in 1962…Comedy “10,” which catapulted Dudley Moore and Bo Derek into major movie stardom, opened in 1979… gritty detective drama “Training Day” starring Denzel Washington and Ethan Hawke premiered in 2001. It was Washington’s role in this film that earned him Best Actor honors at the Academy Awards…“Michael Clayton,” starring George Clooney, Tom Wilkinson and Tilda Swinton opened in 2007.
Songs:
“Goodbye Yellow Brick Road,” the seventh studio album by Elton John was released in 1973… reaching No. 1 on the U.S. Billboard Hot 100 chart: “Good Vibrations” by Marky Mark & the Funky Bunch featuring Loleatta Holloway in 1991.
News:
The 13th Space Shuttle Mission (41-G) Challenger 6 launched with the first Canadian in space Marc Garneau on board…During the vice presidential debate in 1988, Lloyd Bentsen famously retorts to Dan Quayle: “Senator, I served with Jack Kennedy. I knew Jack Kennedy. Jack Kennedy was a friend of mine. Senator, you’re no Jack Kennedy.”… in 1989, Jim Bakker, televangelist and founder of Praise the Lord Ministries, was convicted on eight counts of mail fraud, 15 counts of wire fraud and one count of conspiracy… The New York Times published investigation into sexual harassment behavior by Hollywood producer Harvey Weinstein in 2017.
Sports:
San Francisco Giants slugger Barry Bonds hits his 71st home run of the season in 2001, surpassing the single-season home run mark set three years prior by Mark McGwire.
Books:
The vampire novel “Twilight” by Stephenie Meyer was first published in 2005.
Celebrity Birthdays
Actress Glynis Johns (“Mary Poppins”) is 100; former Dallas Cowboys head coach Barry Switzer is 86; singer-guitarist Steve Miller is 80; AC/DC lead singer Brian Johnson is 76; baseball statistician Bill James is 74; actress Karen Allen (“Raiders of the Lost Ark”) is 72; singer-activist Bob Geldof is also 72; astrophysicist Neil deGrasse Tyson is 65; actor Daniel Baldwin (“Homicide: Life on the Street”) is 63; Indy race car driver Michael Andretti is 61; legendary Pittsburgh Penguins hockey player Mario Lemieux is 58; actor Guy Pearce (“Memento”) is 56; actress Josie Bissett (“Melrose Place”) is 53; basketball analyst Grant Hill is 51; singer-actress Heather Headley (“Chicano Med”) is 49; Oscar winner Kate Winslet is 48; “Fuller House” star Scott Weinger and actress Parminder Nagra (“ER”) are also 48; TV host/football analyst Jesse Palmer is 45; actor Jesse Eisenberg (“The Social Network”) is 40.
Did You Know?
Glynis Johns appeared in a three-part installment of ABC camp classic “Batman” as villainess Lady Penelope Peasoup in 1967. Teamed with her brother Lord Fflog (Rudy Vallee), the duo tormented Batman, Robin and Batgirl in fictional Londonium. Earlier, she headlined short-lived CBS sitcom “Glynis” in the fall of 1963.
