Today in History: Wednesday, November 20, 2024

Television
“Time Enough at Last,” the classic episode of “The Twilight Zone” with Burgess Meredith as a bookish little man named Henry Bemis who survives a nuclear war, arrived in 1959. The episode was adapted from a short story in the January 1953 edition of the magazine “If: Worlds of Science Fiction.“

Drew Barrymore hosted NBC’s “Saturday Night Live” at age 7 in 1982…ABC miniseries “The Day After,” which showed the aftermath of a fictional nuclear war, debuted in 1983. The cast included JoBeth Williams, Steve Guttenberg, John Cullum, Jason Robards and John Lithgow.

Movies:
“Terms of Endearment” from the book by Larry McMurtry, directed by James L. Brooks and starring Shirley MacLaine, Debra Winger and Jack Nicholson premiered in New York in 1983. It won 5 Oscars, including Best Picture, Director, Actress and Supporting Actor.

“Die Another Day,“ the 20th James Bond film, opened in 2002. It starred Pierce Brosnan and Halle Berry.

Music:
Ringo Starr released his “Stop & Smell Roses” album in 1981…Josh Groban released his debut album “Josh Groban” in 2001.

History:
Ronald Reagan announced his candidacy for Republican nomination for US President in 1975.

Sports:
Brazilian soccer icon Pele scored his 1,000th goal in 1969.
 
Celebrity Birthdays:
Estelle Parsons (“The Conners”) is 97; comedian Dick Smothers is 86; President Joe Biden is 82; singer Norman Greenbaum is 82; actress Veronica Hamel (“Hill Street Blues”) is 81; PBS news anchor Judy Woodruff is 78; actor Samuel E. Wright (“The Little Mermaid”) is 78; singer-guitarist Joe Walsh is 767; actor Richard Masur (“One Day At A Time”) is 76; actress Bo Derek (“10”) is 68; actress Sean Young (“No Way Out”) is 65; “Marvel’s Agents of S.H.I.E.L.D.” star Ming-Na Wen is 61; Joel McHale (“Community”) is 53.

Did You Know?
Burgess Meredith is also remembered, of course, for his role as The Penguin on 1960s ABC camp classic “Batman.“ While The Riddler, The Joker, Catwoman and the Penguin were the four main villains, there were actually over 30 in total who taunted the Caped Crusader and the Boy Wonder. And they are…in alphabetical order…Archer; Black Widow; Bookworm; Cabala; Calamity Jan; Chandell; Clock King; Colonel Gumm; Egghead; False Face; King Tut; Lola Lasagne; Lord Marmaduke Pflogg; Louie the Lilac; Ma Parker; Marsha, Queen of Diamonds; The Mad Hatter; Minerva; The Minstrel; Mr. Freeze; Nora Clavicle; Olga, Queen of the Cossacks; Lady Penelope Peasoup; The Puzzler; Sandman; Shame; Siren; Dr. Cassandra Spellcraft and Zelda the Great.