Today in History: Wednesday, June 19, 2024

Television:
In sports, the first Belmont Stakes was held at Jerome Park Racetrack in the Bronx, New York in 1867…Classic game show “I’ve Got a Secret” debuted on CBS in 1952 with Garry Moore as host. The original version ran until April 3, 1967 (switching to a color format in 1966).

In 1956, Jerry Lewis and Dean Martin ended their partnership after 16 films…Variety half-hour “The Lux Show Starring Rosemary Clooney” concluded on NBC after one season in 1958…Sitcom “The Tim Conway Show,“ which reunited Tim Conway with his former “McHale’s Navy” co-star Joe Flynn, ended on CBS after just one half-season in 1970. A total of 13 episodes were produced…In 1970, former baseball player Jim Bouton’s controversial book “Ball Four” was published, which was spun-off into a short-lived CBS sitcom in the fall of 1976 of the same name.

Bette Midler’s concert at the Cleveland Music Hall in 1976 became HBO’s premiere “Standing Room Only” presentation…“Garfield,” created by Jim Davis, debuted as a comic strip in 1978…“The Hollywood Game,“ hosted by Bob Goen, opened on CBS in 1992. It lasted only five weeks.

Movies:
“Anna & the King of Siam,“ starring Rex Harrison and Irene Dunne, opened in theaters in 1946. The film won two Academy Awards: Best Cinematography and Best Art Direction.

The Tasmanian Devil debuted in Warner Bros. cartoon “Devil May Hare” in 1954.

“Batman Returns,“ starring Michael Keaton, Danny DeVito and Michelle Pfeiffer was released in 1992…“Transformers: Revenge of the Fallen,“ starring Shia LaBeouf and Megan Fox, was released in 2009…Pixar animated “Inside Out,” featuring the voices of Amy Poehler, Phyllis Smith, Lewis Black, Bill Hader and Mindy Kaling, hit the theaters in 2015.

Music:
“Whole Lotta Shakin’ Goin’ On” by Jerry Lee Lewis debuted on the national pop music charts in 1956…Loretta Lynn recorded “I’m a Honky Tonk Girl” in 1960…The song “Rainy Days And Mondays” by the Carpenters peaked at #2 on the pop singles chart in 1971…Also in 1971: “It’s Too Late” by Carole King peaked at #1 on the pop singles chart and stayed there for five weeks.

Celebrity Birthdays
Actress Gena Rowlands is 94; actress Phylicia Rashad is 76; actress Kathleen Turner is 70; singer-dancer-former “American Idol” judge Paula Abdul is 62; actress Mia Sara (“Ferris Bueller’s Day Off”) is 57; actress Zoe Saldana (“Star Trek” films) is 46; “The Middle” star Atticus Shaffer is 26.

Did You Know?
After several months of rotating panelists, game show host Bill Cullen, comedian Henry Morgan, TV hostess Faye Emerson and actress Jayne Meadows became the first four regular panelists on “I’ve Got a Secret“…Tim Conway was featured in four short-lived TV series bearing his name: “The Tim Conway Comedy Hour” and “The Tim Conway Show,“ both on CBS in 1970; another series called “The Tim Conway Show” on CBS in the 1980-81 TV season; and “Tim Conway’s Funny America” on ABC in 1990. Conway, no doubt, was better suited as a “second banana.”