October 1939 in Film & Television History

Events in Film & TV

Oct 11 Samson Raphaelson's play "Skylark" starring Gertrude Lawrence premieres in NYC

Oct 16 George Kaufman and Moss Hart's comedy "The Man Who Came to Dinner" opens at the Music Box Theatre, NYC; runs for 739 performances

Oct 17 "Mr. Smith Goes to Washington", directed by Frank Capra and starring James Stewart and Jean Arthur, is released

Oct 22 NBC becomes first network to televise a pro football game; Brooklyn Dodgers beat Philadelphia Eagles, 23-14 at Brooklyn's Ebbets Field

Oct 28 Warner Bros, releases gangster film "The Roaring Twenties", directed by Raoul Walsh, starring James Cagney and Humphrey Bogart

Oct 1 Geoffrey Whitehead, English actor
Oct 3 'Bullet' Bob Armstrong, American pro wrestler (WWE Hall of Fame), born in Marietta, Georgia (d. 2020)
Oct 5 Marie Laforêt, French singer and actress, born in Soulac-sur-Mer, Gironde France
Oct 6 Melvyn Bragg, British broadcaster (The South Bank Show, 1978–2010), born in Carlisle, England
Oct 7 Clive James, Australian television presenter, poet writer, born in Kogarah, Australia (d. 2019)
Oct 8 Paul Hogan, Australian actor (Crocodile Dundee, Lightning Jack), born in Lightning Ridge, New South Wales, Australia
Oct 13 Melinda Dillon, American actress (Close Encounters; Slap Shot; A Christmas Story), born in Hope, Arkansas (d. 2023)
Oct 22 Tony Roberts, actor (Annie Hall, Edge of Night, Lucie Arnaz Show), born in NYC, New York

Oct 24 American actor (All the President's Men and Amadeus), born in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania

Oct 25 Robin Spry, Canadian filmmaker and producer (Action: The October Crisis of 1970), born in Toronto, Ontario (d. 2005)

Oct 27 English actor and comedian (Monty Python), born in Weston-super-Mare, Somerset

Oct 28 Jane Alexander, American actress (Betsy, Kramer vs Kramer), born in Boston, Massachusetts
Oct 31 Ron Rifkin, American actor (Arvin Sloane-Alias, L.A. Confidential), born in NYC, New York
Oct 31 Tom O'Connor, British comedian and TV game show host, born in Bootle, Lancashire, England (d. 2021)

Oct 11 Actor Jackie Coogan (24) divorces actress Betty Grable (22) after 2 years of marriage

Oct 28 Alice Brady, American silent and talkie film actress (My Man Godfrey; The Gay Divorcee; Zenobia), dies of cancer at 46