Events in Film & TV
- Jan 10 "Pete the Tramp" cartoon strip by C D Russell debuts
Film Premier
Feb 3 "Shanghai Express" directed by Josef von Sternberg and starring Marlene Dietrich, Clive Brook and Anna Mae Wong premieres in Los Angeles
Marlene Dietrich
- Feb 12 Sonja Henie of Norway wins her 2nd of 3 consecutive Olympic gold medals in women’s figure skating at the Lake Placid Winter Games; beats Austria’s Fritzi Burger into 2nd place for 2nd straight Games
- Feb 14 The George Burns and Gracie Allen Show debuts on CBS radio, airing there until 1937, moving to NBC until 1949, and returning to CBS in 1949, before moving to television
- Feb 18 Sonja Henie wins her 6th straight World Women's figure skating title
- Mar 24 1st US radio broadcast from a moving train (Belle Baker WABC from MD)
Event of Interest
Mar 29 Jack Benny debuts on radio, on Ed Sullivan's New York interview program
Ed Sullivan
Jack Benny
Film Premier
Apr 12 "Grand Hotel" directed by Edmund Goulding and starring Greta Garbo and John Barrymore premieres in New York, includes the line "I want to be alone" (Best Picture/Production 1932)
Greta Garbo
Film Release
Apr 16 Short film "The Music Box" released in the US, starring Stan Laurel and Oliver Hardy (1932 Academy Award Best Live Action Short Film)
Stan Laurel
Oliver Hardy
- Apr 29 1st broadcast of "One Man's Family" on NBC radio, longest-running dramatic serial on US radio (ends 1959)
Event of Interest
May 2 Jack Benny's 1st radio show premieres (NBC Blue Network)
Jack Benny
- May 25 Goofy, aka Dippy Dawg, 1st appears in 'Mickey's Revue' by Walt Disney
Film Release
Jul 28 "White Zombie" - 1st feature length zombie film directed by Victor Halperin and starring Bela Lugosi is released in the US
Bela Lugosi
- Aug 6 1st Venice Film Festival opens, the world's oldest film festival
- Aug 22 BBC begins experimental regular TV broadcasts
- Sep 18 Actress Peg Entwistle commits suicide by jumping from the letter "H" in the Hollywood sign
- Oct 11 1st political telecast (Democratic National Committee) at CBS, NYC
- Oct 20 Journalist Robert Trout joins CBS
Film Premier
Oct 22 Film "Red Dust" directed by Victor Fleming, starring Clark Gable, Jean Harlow and Mary Astor premieres
Academy Awards
Nov 18 5th Academy Awards: Fredric March and Wallace Beery in 1st ever tie for Best Actor. "Grand Hotel" and Helen Hayes also win.
Event of Interest
Nov 28 Groucho Marx performs on radio for the first time
Groucho Marx
- Dec 2 "Adventures of Charlie Chan" 1st heard on NBC-Blue radio network
Film Premier
Dec 22 Fred Astaire & Ginger Rogers 1st joint movie "Flying Down to Rio," directed by Thornton Freeland, premieres in NYC
Fred Astaire
Ginger Rogers
Film Release
Dec 22 "The Mummy" directed by Karl Freund and starring Boris Karloff is released in the US - 1st Mummy horror film
Boris Karloff
Birthdays in Film & TV
- Jan 3 Mara Corday [Marilyn Joan Watts], American actress, model and Playboy Playmate (Foxfire, Black Scorpion), born in Santa Monica, California
- Jan 4 Richard Stahl, American actor (Howard-It's a Living), born in Detroit, Michigan (d. 2006)
- Jan 9 Jane Ross [Breslaw], American actress (Star Trek, Rocket Attack U.S.A., Wild Is My Love), born in NYC, New York (d. 1985)
- Jan 10 Elaine Devry [Thelma Mahnken], American actress (The Atomic Kid, The Boy Who Cried Werewolf), born in Compton, California
- Jan 11 Alfonso Arau, Mexican film director
- Jan 12 Des O'Connor, British television presenter, singer and comedian, born in Stepney, London (d. 2020)
- Jan 14 Harriet Andersson, Swedish actress (Cries & Whispers), born in Stockholm, Sweden
- Jan 15 Dean Smith, American actor & relay runner (Olympic gold 1952), born in Emporia, Kansas (d. 2015)
- Jan 19 Richard Lester, movie director (Hard Day's Night, Help!, Petulia)
- Jan 22 Piper Laurie [Rosetta Jacobs], American actress (Twin Peaks, Carrie, The Hustler), born in Detroit, Michigan
- Jan 26 Ronald Allison, British author/broadcaster
- Jan 30 Knock Yokoyama, Japanese comedian & politician, born in Kobe, Japan (d. 2007)
- Feb 1 John Hart, American TV journalist (CBS News Retrospective, NBC News), born in Denver, Colorado
- Feb 2 Robert Mandan, American actor best known for his role as Chester Tate in US sitcom "Soap", born in Clever, Missouri (d. 2018)
- Feb 3 Peggy Ann Garner, American actress (Little Women, Daisy Kenyon), born in Canton, Ohio (d. 1984)
John Williams
Feb 8 John Williams, American composer responsible for some of the most recognizable film scores (Jaws, Star Wars, Harry Potter, India Jones, E.T. the Extra-Terrestrial), born in NYC, New York
John Williams
- Feb 12 Lincoln Kilpatrick, American actor (BJ-Leslie Uggams Show), born in St Louis, Missouri (d. 2004)
- Feb 13 Susan Oliver, American actress (Ann-Peyton Place, Star Trek-Cage), born in NYC, New York (d. 1990)
- Feb 14 Alexander Kluge, German author and film director (Yesterday Girl), born in Halberstadt, Province of Saxony
- Feb 16 Gretchen Wyler, American actress, dancer and animal rights activist (Silk Stockings), born in Bartlesville, Oklahoma (d. 2007)
- Feb 16 Nand Baert, Belgian radio/TV-host
- Feb 16 Harry Goz, American musical theatre actor and voice actor, born in St. Louis, Missouri (d. 2003)
- Feb 23 Majel Barrett, American actress and producer (Star Trek), and the widow of Gene Roddenberry, born in Cleveland, Ohio (d. 2008)
- Feb 24 John Vernon [Adolphus Agopsowicz], Canadian actor (Animal House, Chained Heat, Dirty Harry), born in Zehner, Saskatchewan (d. 2005)
- Feb 25 Faron Young, American country singer and actor (Hidden Guns, Daniel Boone), born in Shreveport, Louisiana (d. 1996)
Elizabeth Taylor
Feb 27 Elizabeth Taylor, English-American actress, businesswoman, and humanitarian (Father of the Bride, Butterfield 8, Cleopatra), born in London, England (d. 2011)
Elizabeth Taylor
- Feb 28 Donald "Don" Francks, Canadian actor, singer and musician (Terminal Choice; Finian's Rainbow), born in Vancouver, British Columbia (d. 2016)
- Mar 6 Jean Boht, English actress (Bread, Distant Voices, Still Lives), born in Bebington, England
- Mar 9 Walter Mercado, Puerto Rican astrologist and actor, born in Ponce, Puerto Rico (d. 2019)
- Mar 11 Valerie French, British actress (Jubal), born in London, England (d. 1990)
- Mar 24 William Smith, Columbia Mo, actor (Rich Man Poor Man, Any Which Way You Can, Hawaii 5-0), born in Columbia, Missouri
- Apr 1 Debbie Reynolds, American actress (Kathy Selden-Singin' in the Rain, The Unsinkable Molly Brown), born in El Paso, Texas (d. 2016)
- Apr 1 Gordon Jump, American actor (Arthur Carlson-WKRP, Growing Pains), born in Dayton, Ohio (d. 2003)
Anthony Perkins
Apr 4 Anthony Perkins, American actor and singer (Psycho, Friendly Persuasion, Fear Strikes Out, Pretty Poison), born in NYC, New York (d. 1992)
Anthony Perkins
- Apr 4 Andrei Tarkovsky, Soviet filmmaker (Andrei Rublev, Mirror, Stalker), born in Zavrazhye, Russia, Soviet Union (d. 1986)
- Apr 9 Cheetah [Cheeta, Cheta, Chita], chimpanzee actor (1930s Tarzan franchise), is born (d. 2011)
- Apr 10 Delphine Seyrig, French actress (Freak Orlando, Reperages), born in Beirut Lebanon (d. 1990)
- Apr 10 Hari Rhodes, American actor (Mike-Daktari, Roots), born in Cincinnati, Ohio (d. 1992)
- Apr 10 Omar Sharif [Michel Dimitri Shalhoub], Egyptian actor (Doctor Zhivago, Lawrence of Arabia), born in Alexandria (d. 2015)
- Apr 11 Joel Grey [Joe Katz], American actor (Cabaret, Remo Williams, 7% Solution), born in Cleveland, Ohio
- Apr 13 Barney Simon, South African theatre director and writer, born in Johannesburg, South Africa (d. 1995)
- Apr 14 Bob Grant [Robert St Clair Grant], British actor, comedian and writer (on the Buses), born in Hammersmith, London (d. 2003)
- Apr 16 Goopy Geer, Warner Bros. cartoon character created by Rudolf Ising(Looney Tunes and Merrie Melodies series), first debuts in "Goopy Geer"
- Apr 21 Elaine May, American comedienne, writer and actress (New Leaf, Primary Colors), born in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania
- Apr 24 Coen Flink, Dutch actor (Pastorale 1943, Havinck, Honneponnetje), born in Amsterdam (d. 2000)
- Apr 25 William Roache, British actor (Ken Barlow-Coronation Street), born in Basford, Nottinghamshire, England
- Apr 26 Francis Lai, French film music composer (Love Story), born in Nice, Alpes-Maritimes, France (d. 2018)
Casey Kasem
Apr 27 Casey Kasem, American radio personality (creator of American Top 40), born in Detroit, Michigan (d. 2014)
Casey Kasem
- Apr 27 Anouk Aimée, French actress (A Man and A Woman), born in Paris
- Apr 29 King Hu, film director
- May 2 Bruce Glover, American actor (Diamonds are Forever), born in Chicago, Illinois
- May 3 Robert Osborne, American film historian (Turner Classic Movies), born in Colfax, Washington (d. 2017)
- May 5 Will Hutchins, American actor (Sugarfoot, Hey Landlord), born in Atwater, California
- May 7 Hans Boskamp [Johannes Hendricus Gerardus Hoelscher], Dutch actor and producer (Oh My Papa), born in Rotterdam, Netherlands (d. 2011)
- May 8 Phyllida Law, Scottish actress (Much Ado About Nothing, The Time Machine), born in Glasgow, Scotland
- May 9 Geraldine McEwan, British actress (Agatha Christie's Miss Marple), born in Old Windsor Berkshire (d. 2015)
- May 10 Francoise Fabian, French actress (Happy New Year), born in Algiers, French Algeria
- May 19 Claude Blanchard, French-Canadian singer, comedian and actor, born in Joliette, Canada (d. 2006)
- May 26 "Grishata" Grigor Vachkov, Bulgarian actor (At Each Kilometer), born in Tranchovitsa, Bulgaria (d. 1980)
- Jun 4 John Drew Barrymore, American actor (Pantomine Quiz), born in Beverly Hills, California (d. 2004)
- Jun 6 Billie Whitelaw, British actress (Omen, Adding Machine), born in Coventry, Warwickshire (d. 2014)
- Jun 10 Gardner McKay, American actor and author (Adventures in Paradise, Pleasure Seekers, Boots & Saddles), born in NYC, New York (d. 2001)
- Jun 10 George Burns, British TV host
- Jun 10 Branko Lustig, film producer
- Jun 19 Marisa Pavan, Italian actress (Solomon & Sheba; The Rose Tattoo), born in Cagliari, Sardinia
- Jun 19 Pier Angeli [Anna Maria Pierangeli], Italian actress (Sodom & Gomorrah, Vintage, Battle of the Bulge), born in Cagliari, Sardinia, Italy (d. 1971)
- Jun 22 Amrish Puri, Indian actor (Indiana Jones and the Temple of Doom- Mola Ram, Mr. India- Mogambo), born in Lahore, Punjab (d. 2005)
- Jun 22 Prunella Scales, British actress (Fawlty Towers, A Question of Attribution), born in Sutton Abinger, Surrey
- Jun 27 Magali Noël [Guiffray], French actress and singer, born in Izmir, Turkey (d. 2015)
- Jun 28 Noriyuki 'Pat' Morita, American actor (Happy Days, Karate Kid), born in Isleton, California (d. 2005)
- Jul 2 Kenneth McMillan, American actor (Malone, Concrete Beat), born in Brooklyn, New York (d. 1989)
- Jul 5 Billy Laughlin, American child actor (Froggy- Our Gang), born in San Gabriel, California (d. 1948)
- Jul 6 Della Reese [Delloreese Patricia Early], American singer and actress (Della Reese Show, Royal Family), born in Detroit, Michigan (d. 2017)
- Jul 11 Alex Hassilev, American actor and folk musician (The Limeliters), born in Paris, France
- Jul 11 Bob McGrath, American musician, voice artist and actor (Sesame Street), born in Ottawa, Illinois
- Jul 14 Roosevelt "Rosey" Grier, American actor, minister, and former professional American football player (Pennsylvania State University), born in Cuthbert, Georgia
- Jul 15 Nina Van Pallandt, Danish actress and singer (American Gigolo), born in Copenhagen Denmark
- Jul 16 Milly Vitale, Italian actress (7 Little Foys, War & Peace, Juggler), born in Rome, Italy (d. 2006)
- Jul 17 Wojciech Kilar, Polish classical and film score composer (Bram Stoker's Dracula; The Pianist), born in Lwów, Second Polish Republic (now Ukraine) (d. 2013)
- Jul 17 Johnny Kerr, American basketball forward (NBA All Star 1956, 59, 63; Syracuse Nats/Philadelphia 76ers), coach (Chicago Bulls, Phoenix Suns) and broadcaster (Chicago Bulls), born in Chicago, Illinois (d. 2009)
- Jul 17 Quino [Joaquín Salvador Lavado Tejón], Argentine cartoonist (Mafalda), born in Mendoza, Argentina (d. 2020)
- Jul 18 Robert Ellis Miller, American film director, born in NYC, New York (d. 2017)
- Jul 20 Nam June Paik, Korean video artist (Medium is the Medium; hommage à john cage), born in Seoul, Korea (d. 2006)
- Jul 29 Marguerite Empey [Diane Webber], American model and Playboy playmate (May 1955, Feb 1956), born in Los Angeles, California (d. 2008)
- Jul 30 Edd Byrnes, American actor (77 Sunset Strip, Jack the Ripper), born in Los Angeles, California (d. 2020)
Ted Cassidy
Jul 31 Ted Cassidy, American actor (Lurch-Addams Family), born in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania (d. 1979)
Ted Cassidy
Peter O'Toole
Aug 2 Peter O'Toole, Irish actor (Lord Jim, Beckett, Lawrence of Arabia), born in Leeds (d. 2013)
Peter O'Toole
- Aug 6 Anneli Sauli [Savolainen], Finnish actress (Milkmaid), born in Pyhäjoki, Finland
- Aug 7 Edward Hardwicke, British actor (Sherlock Holmes), born in London, England (d. 2011)
- Aug 14 Barry Frank, American television sports impresario (CBS, ABC and IMG), born in Columbus, Ohio (d. 2019)
- Aug 20 Anthony Ainley, British actor (Doctor Who), born in Stanmore, Middlesex (d. 2004)
- Aug 21 Melvin Van Peebles, American actor and director (Sophisticated Gent), born in Chicago, Illinois
- Sep 3 Richard Tyler, American actor (Henry Aldrich-Aldrich Family), born in NYC, New York
- Sep 3 Eileen Brennan, American actress (Laugh-In, Pvt Benjamin), born in Los Angeles, California (d. 2013)
- Sep 4 Dinsdale Landen, British actor (The Mask of Janus), born in Margate, Kent, England (d. 2003)
- Sep 10 Bo Goldman, American screenwriter (One Flew Over the Cuckoo's Nest), born in New York City
- Sep 16 Joan Tabor, American actress (Teenage Millionaire), born in Sioux Falls, South Dakota (d. 1968)
- Sep 18 Jack Mullaney, American actor (My Living Doll, It's About Time), born in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania (d. 1982)
Weddings in Film & TV
Wedding of Interest
Feb 1 Film director Frank Capra (34) weds secretary Lucille Reyburn
Frank Capra
Wedding of Interest
Jul 2 Platinum blonde screen goddess Jean Harlow (21) weds MGM producer Paul Bern (42)
Jean Harlow
- Aug 3 Austro-Hungarian-American theatre and film director Otto Preminger (26) weds Marion Mill
Wedding of Interest
Aug 18 Actress Bette Davis (24) weds musician Harmon Nelson (25)
Bette Davis
Wedding of Interest
Sep 30 Actor and director Ray Milland (27) weds Muriel Frances Weber
Ray Milland
Deaths in Film & TV
- Jan 7 Henri Stroethoff, Dutch actor (A Chique Little Boy, Bright Paradise), dies at 60
- Feb 15 Minnie Maddern Fiske, American actress (Henrik Ibsen's plays), dies at 66
- Jun 22 Tommy Treichel, American professional wrestler (b. 1892)
- Aug 10 Rin Tin Tin, American Hollywood shepherd dog (Clash of the Wolves), dies at 13
- Nov 4 Belle Bennett, American actress (Stella Dallas, Iron Mask), dies of cancer at 41
- Nov 23 Percy Pitt, English composer (BBC), dies at 63
- Nov 27 Evelyn Preer, African-American actress (Homesteader, Spider's Webs), dies at 36