Events in Film & TV
Television Premiere
Jan 12 "Arthur Godfrey & his Friends" premieres on CBS TV

Arthur Godfrey
- Jan 16 KNBH (now KNBC) TV channel 4 in Los Angeles, CA (NBC) 1st broadcast
- Jan 16 WTOP (now WUSA) TV channel 9 in Washington, D.C. (CBS) 1st broadcast
- Jan 17 Radio series "The Goldbergs" by Gertrude Berg premieres on US TV on CBS
- Jan 18 "They Stand Accused" courtroom drama premieres on CBS (later DuMont)
Event of Interest
Jan 20 J. Edgar Hoover gives Shirley Temple a tear gas fountain pen

J. Edgar Hoover

Shirley Temple
- Jan 20 1st inaugural parade televised, for Harry Truman, watched by 10 million people
- Jan 25 1st Emmy Awards: Shirley Dinsdale & Pantomime Quiz (KTLA) win
- Jan 26 WHIO TV channel 7 in Dayton, OH (CBS) begins broadcasting
- Jan 31 1st daytime soap on TV "These Are My Children" (NBC in Chicago)
- Feb 21 US TV soap opera "A Woman to Remember" is 1st broadcast on DuMont Television Network
- Mar 8 WAGA TV channel 5 in Atlanta, GA (CBS) begins broadcasting
- Mar 15 WICU TV channel 12 in Erie, PA (NBC) begins broadcasting
- Mar 15 WLWD (now WDTN) TV channel 2 in Dayton, OH (NBC) begins broadcasting
- Mar 16 KFMB TV channel 8 in San Diego, CA (CBS) begins broadcasting
Golden Globes
Mar 16 6th Golden Globes: Johnny Belinda, Laurence Olivier, & Jane Wyman win

Jane Wyman

Laurence Olivier
Academy Awards
Mar 24 21st Academy Awards: "Hamlet", Laurence Olivier & Jane Wyman win, Walter & John Huston become 1st father-and-son team to win awards

Laurence Olivier

Jane Wyman
- Apr 3 KQW-AM in San Francisco CA changes call letters to KCBS
- Apr 3 WLWS (now WCMH) TV channel 4 in Columbus, OH (NBC) begins broadcasting
- Apr 4 WKRC TV channel 12 in Cincinnati, OH (ABC) begins broadcasting
- Apr 5 Fireside Theater debuts on US television.
- May 5 KGO TV channel 7 in San Francisco, California (ABC) begins broadcasting
- May 27 Martin Canine, cartoon character, spoofs Martin Kane
- May 29 Candid Camera, TV comedy show, moves to NBC
- May 29 1st British Film and Television Awards (BAFTAS): "The Best Years of Our Lives" Best Film
- May 29 2nd British Film and Television Awards (BAFTAS): "Hamlet" Best Film
- May 30 WRTV TV channel 6 in Indianapolis, IN (ABC) begins broadcasting
- Jun 1 KSL TV channel 5 in Salt Lake City, UT (CBS) begins broadcasting
- Jun 6 "It Pays To Be Ignorant" game show debut on CBS-TV
- Jun 6 WKY (now KTVY) TV channel 4 in Oklahoma City, OK (NBC) 1st broadcast
- Jun 14 WROC TV channel 8 in Rochester, NY (NBC) begins broadcasting
- Jun 24 "Hopalong Cassidy" becomes 1st network western (NBC)
- Jun 25 Long-Haired Hare is released in Theaters starring Bugs Bunny.
- Jul 1 WBRC TV channel 6 in Birmingham, AL (ABC) begins broadcasting
- Jul 1 WCCO TV channel 4 in Minneapolis-St Paul, MN (CBS) begins broadcasting
- Jul 2 "Red Barber's Clubhouse" sports show premieres on CBS (later NBC) TV
- Jul 7 "Dragnet" premieres on NBC radio; also a TV series in 1951 & 1967
- Jul 10 WJAR TV channel 10 in Providence, RI (NBC) begins broadcasting
- Jul 15 WBTV TV channel 3 in Charlotte, North Carolina (CBS) begins broadcasting
- Jul 26 WCPO TV channel 9 in Cincinnati, OH (CBS) begins broadcasting
- Aug 11 10th Venice Film Festival: "Manon" directed by Henri-Georges Clouzot wins the Golden Lion (1st one)
- Aug 15 WOTV TV channel 8 in Grand Rapids, MI (NBC) begins broadcasting
- Aug 30 WTVN (now WSYX) TV channel 6 in Columbus, OH (ABC) begins broadcasting
- Sep 1 KMTV TV channel 3 in Omaha, NB (CBS/NBC) begins broadcasting
Film Release
Sep 2 "The Third Man", directed by Carol Reed, starring Joseph Cotten, Alida Valli and Orson Welles, is released in the United Kingdom (Academy Awards Best Cinematography 1950)

Orson Welles
- Sep 15 "Lone Ranger" premieres on ABC-TV. Hi-yo, Silver! Away!
- Sep 15 WJAC TV channel 6 in Johnstown, PA (NBC/ABC) begins broadcasting
- Sep 15 WJXT TV channel 4 in Jacksonville, FL (CBS) begins broadcasting
- Sep 16 KABC TV channel 7 in Los Angeles, CA (ABC) begins broadcasting
- Sep 17 WFAA TV channel 8 in Dallas-Fort Worth, TX (ABC) begins broadcasting
- Sep 17 3rd Cannes Film Festival: "The Third Man" directed by Carol Reed wins the Grand Prix du Festival International du Film
- Sep 19 "Late Spring", Japanese film directed by Yasujirō Ozu, starring Chishū Ryū, Setsuko Hara and Haruko Sugimura, is released in Japan
- Sep 22 WFMY TV channel 2 in Greensboro-High Point, NC (CBS) 1st broadcast
Hollywoodland
Sep 26 Groundbreaking ceremony for the Hollywood sign in Hollywood, Los Angeles; old Hollywoodland sign torn down, reconstruction of a replacement begins with just Hollywood
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Event of Interest
Sep 28 "My Friend Irma" is 1st of 12 films starring Dean Martin & Jerry Lewis

Jerry Lewis

Dean Martin
- Sep 29 "Front Page" debuts on CBS-TV
- Sep 29 "Inside USA With Chevrolet" debuts on CBS-TV
- Sep 29 Elia Kazan's "Pinky" starring Ethel Waters opens at Rivoli
- Oct 5 WBNS TV channel 10 in Columbus, OH (CBS) begins broadcasting
- Oct 5 WOR (now WWOR) TV channel 9 in NY-Secaucus, NY (IND) begins
- Oct 16 WDAF TV channel 4 in Kansas City, MO (NBC) begins broadcasting
- Oct 31 WOC (now KWQC) TV channel 6 in Davenport, IA (NBC) 1st broadcast
Film Premier
Nov 8 "All The King's Men" based on Robert Penn Warren's Pulitzer winning novel, directed by Robert Rossen and starring Broderick Crawford premieres in New York (Best Picture 1950)

Broderick Crawford
- Nov 11 WTTV TV channel 4 in Bloomington-Indianapol, IN (IND) 1st broadcast
- Nov 30 KOTV TV channel 6 in Tulsa, OK (CBS) begins broadcasting
- Dec 1 WBNG TV channel 12 in Binghamton, NY (CBS) begins broadcasting
- Dec 1 WKTV TV channel 2 in Utica, NY (NBC) begins broadcasting
- Dec 3 KRLD (now KDFW) TV channel 4 in Dallas-Fort Worth, TX (CBS) begins
Film Release
Dec 8 "On the Town", the film adaptation of the Broadway musical, starring Gene Kelly, Frank Sinatra, Ann Miller and Vera-Ellen, is released
Film Premier
Dec 21 "Samson and Delilah", directed and produced by Cecil B. DeMille, starring Hedy Lamarr and Victor Mature, premieres in New York

Hedy Lamarr

Cecil B. DeMille
Birthdays in Film & TV
Birthdays 1 - 100 of 195
- Jan 2 Christopher Durang, playwright/actor (Sister Mary), born in Montclair, New Jersey
- Jan 7 Anne Schedeen, American actress, born in Portland, Oregon
- Jan 10 Teresa Graves, American actress (Laugh-in, Get Christie Love!), born in Houston, Texas
- Jan 12 Wayne Wang, American film director (Chan is Missing, Slamdance), born in Hong Kong
- Jan 13 Brandon Tartikoff, TV exec (NBC)
- Jan 14 Christine Belford, American actress (Banacek, Empire, 90210), born in Amityville, New York
- Jan 14 Lawrence Kasdan, American screenwriter & director (Accidental Tourist), born in Miami, Florida
- Jan 14 Paul Chubb, Australian actor, born in Arncliffe, Australia (d. 2002)
- Jan 15 Panos Mihalopoulos, Greek actor, born in Kalamata, Greece
- Jan 16 Caroline Munro, English actress & model (The Spy Who Loved Me, Maniac), born in Windsor, Berkshire
- Jan 17 Andy Kaufman, American comedian & actor (Latka Gravas-Taxi), born in New York City, New York (d. 1984)
- Jan 17 Debbie Watson, American actress (Karen, Tammy), born in La Mirada California,
- Jan 24 John Belushi, American comedian & actor (SNL: Animal House: Blues Brothers), born in Chicago, Illinois (d. 1982)
- Jan 26 Paul Nurse, English geneticist (Imperial Cancer Research Fund), born in Norwich, United Kingdom
- Jan 26 David Strathairn, American actor (LA Confidential, The Bourne Ultimatum), born in San Francisco, California
- Jan 31 Carol Hawkins, English actress (Dialing for Dingbats), born in Chipping Barnet, United Kingdom
- Feb 2 Sherry Mathis, actress (Search for Tomorrow)
- Feb 2 Brent Spiner, American actor (Data-Star Trek the Next Generation), born in Houston, Texas
- Feb 4 Michael Beck, actor (Hans Helms-Holocaust), born in Memphis, Tennessee
- Feb 6 Mike Batt, British director, actor, composer, and former Deputy Chairman (British Phonographic Industry), born in Southampton, England
- Feb 8 Brooke Adams, American actress (Cynthia-OK Crackerby, Body Snatchers), born in NYC, New York
- Feb 8 Julia Barr, Ft Wayne Ind, actress (Brooke-All My Children)
- Feb 10 Harold Sylvester, American actor
- Feb 15 Jess Walton, Mich, actress (Jill Foster Abbott-Young & Restless)
- Feb 20 Ivana Trump, Czech-American model and ex-wife of Donald Trump (1st Wives Club), born in Gottwaldov, Moravia, Czechoslovak Republic
- Feb 24 Manuel De Sica, Italian composer, chiefly of film scores, born in Rome (d. 2014)
Ric Flair
Feb 25 Ric Flair, American professional wrestler (NWA/WWF/WCW/AWA), born in Memphis, Tennessee

Ric Flair
- Mar 2 Gates McFadden, American actress (Beverly Crusher-Star Trek Next Generation), born in Cuyahoga Falls, Ohio
- Mar 12 Mary Alice Williams, American television news reporter and anchor (CNN; NBC; WNET; CBS; NJN), born in Minneapolis, Minnesota
- Mar 12 Sara Lane, American actress (Elizabeth Grainger-The Virginian), born in NYC, New York
- Mar 12 Moctesuma Esparza, Mexican-American producer & filmmaker
- Mar 15 John Duttine, actor (Day of the Triffids)
- Mar 16 Erik Estrada, actor (CHiPs), born in NYC, New York
- Mar 16 Victor Garber, actor (Days & Nights of Molly Dodd), born in Montreal, Quebec
- Mar 17 Patrick Duffy, actor (Bobby-Dallas, Man from Atlantis), born in Townsend, Montana
- Mar 19 Denny Albee, American actor (Dr Janssen-One Life to Live), born in Oklahoma City, Oklahoma
- Mar 22 Brian Hanrahan, British TV newsman (BBC)
- Mar 22 Fanny Ardant, Monte Carlo, actress (Australia, Confidentially Yours)
- Mar 26 Vicki Lawrence, American actress (Carol Burnett, Mama's Family), born in Inglewood, California
- Mar 26 Patrick Süskind, German writer and screenwriter, known for novel "Perfume: The Story of a Murderer", born in Ambach, Bavaria, Germany
- Mar 30 Leslie Joan Corn, theatre producer/director/writer
- Mar 30 Sue Cook, British broadcaster
- Mar 30 Naomi Sims, American fashion model and businesswoman
- Mar 30 Dana [Richenda Antoinette de Winterstein] Gillespie, English actress and singer (Jesus Christ Superstar), born in Surrey, England
- Apr 2 Pamela Reed, actress (Grand, Kindergarten Cop, Home Court), born in Tacoma, Washington
- Apr 3 Lyle Alzado, NFL defensive linesman (LA Raiders) and actor (Oceans of Fire, Hangfire), born in Brooklyn, New York (d. 1992)
- Apr 5 John Berg, American actor (Star Trek: Nemesis), born in Wichita Falls, Texas (d. 2007)
- Apr 6 Jane Actman, American actress (Barbara-Paul Lynde Show), born in NYC, New York
- Apr 8 Jim Lampley, Hendersonville NC, newscaster (Monday Night Baseball)
- Apr 11 Carl Franklin, American actor (Devil in a Blue Dress), born in Richmond, California
- Apr 11 Bernd Eichinger, German film producer and director, born in Neuburg an der Donau, Germany (d. 2011)
- Apr 14 Sonja Kristina [Shaw], English songwriter and actress (Hair, Curved Air), born in Brentwood, England
- Apr 14 John Shea, actor (Honeymoon, New Life, Lois & Clark), born in North Conway, New Hampshire
- Apr 14 Chris Langham, English comedian and actor (The Thick of It, Help), born in London, England
- Apr 15 Craig Zadan, American film producer, born in Miami, Florida
- Apr 16 Melody Patterson, American actress (F Troop), born in Inglewood, California (d. 2015)
Jessica Lange
Apr 20 Jessica Lange, American actress (King Kong, Tootsie, American Horror Stories), born in Cloquet, Minnesota

Jessica Lange
- Apr 20 Veronica Cartwright, English-American actress (Invasion of the Body Snatchers), born in Bristol, England
- Apr 21 Patti LuPone, actress/singer (Evita, Life Goes On), born in Northport, New York
- Apr 23 Blair Brown, American actress (Altered States, Molly Dodd), born in Washington, D.C.
- Apr 23 Joyce DeWitt, American actress (Janet Wood-Three's Company), born in Wheeling, West Virginia
- Apr 26 Jerry Blackwell, American professional wrestler, born in Stone Mountain, Georgia (d. 1995)
- Apr 27 Doug Sheehan, American actor (Ben-Knots Landing, Joe Kelly-General Hospital), born in Santa Monica, California
- Apr 27 Yoshiaki Fujiwara, Japanese professional wrestler (NJPW/PWF/UWF), born in Iwate, Japan
- Apr 28 Paul Guilfoyle, American actor (CSI, Mrs. Doubtfire), born in Boston, Massachusetts
- Apr 28 Bruno Kirby, American actor (d. 2006)
- Apr 29 Anita Dobson, England, actress (Annie Watts-EastEnders)
- May 1 Douglas Barr, actor (Howie-Fall Guy), born in Cedar Rapids, Iowa
- May 2 Alan Titchmarsh, English gardener and broadcaster (Gardener's World), born in Iilkley, England
- May 3 Ken Hom, Chinese-American chef, author and BBC TV presenter (OBE for "services to culinary arts" 2009), born in Tucson, Arizona
- May 4 Sybil Danning, Austrian-American actress (Chained Heat), born in Wels, Austria
- May 5 Anna Bergman, Swedish actress (Agent 69), born in Stockholm, Sweden
- May 7 Stuart Marshall, British film director (Desire), born in Manchester (d.1993)
- May 13 Franklyn Ajaye, American comedian and actor (Car Wash, The Jazz Singer, Bridesmaids), born in Brooklyn, New York
- May 13 Zoe Wanamaker, American actress (Raggedy Rawney), born in NYC, New York
- May 15 Eric J Beekes, actor/singer (Hunk)
- May 24 Jim Broadbent, English actor (Iris), born in Lincoln, Lincolnshire
Roger Deakins
May 24 Roger Deakins, English cinematographer (Blade Runner 2049), born in Torquay, Devon, England

Roger Deakins
- May 26 Dayle Haddon, Montreal Quebec Canada, actress (Bedroom Eyes)
- May 26 Pam Grier, actress (Big Bird Cage, Tough Enough), born in Winston-Salem, North Carolina
- May 26 Philip Michael Thomas, actor (Miami Vice), born in Columbus, Ohio
- May 28 Sue Holderness, English actress (Marlene-Only Fools & Horses, Sandbaggers), born in London, England
- May 31 Steven Kampmann, actor (Kirk-Newhart), born in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania
- May 31 Tom Berenger, actor (Big Chill, Someone to Watch Over Me), born in Chicago, Illinois
- Jun 4 Gabriel Arcand, French Canadian actor (The Crime of Ovide Plouffe), born in Deschambault, Quebec, Canada
- Jun 6 Holly Near, American folksinger, actress and activist, born in Ukiah, California
- Jun 8 Jeffrey Mylett, American actor and songwriter, born in North Canton, Ohio (d. 1986)
- Jun 9 Francis Monkman, British film composer, musician and songwriter (Curved Air, Sky), born in Hampstead, North London
- Jun 10 Kevin Corcoran, actor (Swiss Family Robinson, Babes in Toyland), born in Santa Monica, California (d. 2015)
- Jun 14 Rochelle Firestone, American actress (Hellhole), born in Kansas City, Missouri
- Jun 15 Simon Callow, English actor (Four Weddings and a Funeral), born in London, England
- Jun 15 Jim Varney, American actor (Ernest Goes to Jail, Hey Vern), born in Lexington, Kentucky
- Jun 16 Kale Browne, San Rafael California, actor (Michael Hudson-Another World)
- Jun 22 Lindsay Wagner, American actress (Bionic Woman, Paper Chase, Nighthawks), born in Los Angeles, California
Meryl Streep
Jun 22 Meryl Streep, American actress (French Lieutenant's Woman, Sophie's Choice), born in Summit, New Jersey

Meryl Streep
- Jun 25 Brenda Sykes, American actress (Ozzie's Girls, Getting Straight), born in Shreveport, Louisiana
- Jun 25 Kene Holliday, American actor (Tyler-Matlock, Carter Country), born in NYC, New York
- Jun 25 Phyllis George, Miss America (1971) and sportscaster (CBS), born in Denton, Texas (d. 2020)
- Jul 2 Hanno Pöschl, Austrian actor
- Jul 3 Jan Smithers, American actress (Bailey-WKRP), born in Hollywood, California
Weddings in Film & TV
Wedding of Interest
Feb 22 Future Portuguese President Mário Soares (24) weds actress Maria de Jesus Barroso (24) at the 3rd Conservatory of the Civil Register of Lisbon

Mário Soares
Wedding of Interest
Mar 11 CBS news correspondent Mike Wallace (30) weds actress Buff Cobb (21) in Cook County, Illinois

Mike Wallace
Wedding of Interest
May 21 Film director David Lean (41) weds actress and producer Ann Todd (40) in London

David Lean
Wedding of Interest
Jun 1 Lucille Ball & Desi Arnaz wed for the second time

Lucille Ball

Desi Arnaz
Wedding of Interest
Jun 11 Actress Hattie McDaniel (54) weds interior decorator Larry Williams in Yuma, Arizona

Hattie McDaniel
Wedding of Interest
Jun 30 Filmmaker Billy Wilder (43) weds former singer Audrey Young

Billy Wilder
Wedding of Interest
Jul 13 Oscar-winning actress Jennifer Jones (30) weds "Rebecca" film producer David O. Selznick (47) in Beverly Hills, California

Jennifer Jones
Wedding of Interest
Aug 9 Film and stage actor Jimmy Stewart (41) weds former model Gloria Hatrick McLean (31) at the Brentwood Presbyterian Church in Los Angeles

James Stewart
Wedding of Interest
Aug 12 Multi-Tony award-winning actress Angela Lansbury (23) weds actor and producer Peter Shaw (31) at St. Columba's Presbyterian Church of Scotland in London, England

Angela Lansbury
- Sep 15 Figure skater and actress Sonja Henie (36) weds Winthrop Gardner Jr
Wedding of Interest
Oct 1 Television host and comedian Johnny Carson (23) weds Joan Morrill Wolcott (23) at the North Platte Episcopalian Church

Johnny Carson
Wedding of Interest
Dec 20 "Gone with the Wind" actor Clark Gable (48) weds socialite Sylvia Ashley (45)

Clark Gable
Wedding of Interest
Dec 25 British actor Cary Grant (45) weds actress Betsy Drake (26)

Cary Grant
Divorces in Film & TV
Divorce of Interest
Jun 8 Actor Burgess Meredith (41) divorces actress Paulette Goddard (39) after 5 years of marriage

Burgess Meredith
Divorce of Interest
Sep 7 Actress Janet Leigh (22) divorces Stanley Reames after 4 years of marriage

Janet Leigh
Deaths in Film & TV
Victor Fleming
Jan 6 Victor Fleming, American film director (The Wizard of Oz, Gone With Wind), dies at 65

Victor Fleming
- Jan 31 Henri de Vries [Hendricus Van Walterop], Dutch actor (Cleopatra, White Cargo), dies at 84
- Mar 12 Maria "Beppie" Bakker, Dutch actress abd wife of Piet Vink Sr, dies at 95
- Mar 17 Felix Bressart, German actor (Ninotchka, Escape, Crossroads), dies from Leukemia at 57
- Apr 6 Seymour Hicks, British actor and theatrical impresario (Scrooge), dies at 78
- Apr 13 C. V. France, British actor (The Skin Game, Adventure in Blackmail), dies at 80
Wallace Beery
Apr 15 Wallace Beery, American circus performer (Ringling Brothers Circus) & actor (Alias a Gentleman, Dinner at 8), dies from a heart attack at 64

Wallace Beery
- Apr 18 Will Hay [William Thomson Hay], British comedian, actor and amateur astronomer, dies from a stroke at 60
- Jun 10 John T. McCutcheon, American cartoonist (Pulitzer Prize-1931), dies at 79
- Aug 9 Harry Davenport, American actor and director (Her Unborn Child, My Sin), dies at 83
- Aug 27 Arthur Chesney, actor (Lodger, Chelsea Life), dies at 67
- Sep 18 Frank Morgan, American actor (The Wizard of Oz), dies at 59
- Sep 19 Will Cuppy, American humorist (The Decline and Fall of Practically Everybody), dies at 65
- Sep 20 Richard Dix, American actor (10 Commandments, Cimarron, The Ghost Ship), dies from a heart attack at 56
- Sep 22 Sam Wood, American communist fighter and director (For Whom the Bell Tolls), dies at 66
Bill Robinson
Nov 25 Bill Robinson "Bojangles" American famed tap dancer (The Little Colonel, Stormy Weather), dies at 71

Bill Robinson