1951 in Film & Television

• Jan 23 3rd Emmy Awards: Alan Young Show, Alan Young and Gertrude Berg win
• Jan 28 "La Vie Commence Demain" the 1st X-rated movie, depicting artificial insemination, opens in London
• Feb 3 "Victor Borge Show" debuts on NBC TV
• Feb 10 "John and Marsha" by Stan Freberg, a parody of daytime soap operas which had only two voices repeating each other's names, peaks at #21 in the USA
• Feb 22 4th British Film and Television Awards (BAFTAS): "All About Eve" Best Film

• Apr 20 4th Cannes Film Festival: "Miss Julie" directed by Alf Sjoberg and "Miracle in Milan" directed by Vittorio De Sica jointly awarded the Grand Prix du Festival International du Film
• May 14 Ernie Kovacs Show, TV Variety debut on NBC
• May 28 The Jerry Colonna Show debuts on ABC-TV

• Jun 6 1st Berlin International Film Festival opens
• Jun 9 "Doodles Weaver Show" debuts on NBC-TV
• Jun 22 Gene Rayburn & Dee Finch show premieres on NBC radio
• Jun 25 1st color TV broadcast-CBS' Arthur Godfrey from NYC to 4 cities


• Jun 28 "Amos 'n' Andy" premieres on CBS TV
• Jun 30 "Victor Borge Show" last airs on NBC-TV
• Jul 2 "Bob & Ray show" premieres on NBC radio
• Jul 14 1st color telecast of a sporting event (CBS-horse race)

• Aug 11 1st televised baseball game in color, on WCBS in New York City (Boston Braves beat the Brooklyn Dodgers 8-1)

• Aug 26 "An American in Paris" with music by George Gershwin, directed by Vincente Minnelli, starring Gene Kelly and Leslie Caron premieres in London (Academy Awards Best Picture 1952)
• Sep 3 TV soap opera "Search for Tomorrow" debuts on CBS
• Sep 4 1st transcontinental TV broadcast, by US President Harry Truman
• Sep 4 NBC extends to become a 61 station coast-to-coast network
• Sep 9 1st broadcast of "Love of Life" on CBS-TV

• Sep 19 1st broadcast of "Search for Tomorrow" on CBS-TV
• Sep 29 1st color telecast of football game on network, Philadelphia (CBS)
• Oct 2 1st Netherland TV broadcast (Toverspiegel)
• Oct 3 CBS-TV airs the first coast-to-coast telecast of a prize fight; Australian light-heavyweight Dave Sands outpoints Carl 'Bobo' Olson in 10 rounds at Chicago Stadium

• Nov 18 Former Cubs 1st baseman & future TV star of Rifleman Chuck Connors is 1st player to oppose the major league draft
• Dec 16 NBC premiere of "Dragnet" in black and white
• Dec 23 National Football League Championship, LA Memorial Coliseum: Los Angeles Rams beat Cleveland Browns, 24-17; first coast-to-coast televised NFL title game
• Dec 24 1st televised opera (Amahl & Night Visitor)

Birthdays 1 - 100 of 182

• Jan 1 Nana Patekar, Indian Bollywood actor, writer, philanthropist and filmmaker (Parinda, Angaar), born in Murud-Janjira, Bombay State
• Jan 2 Nadia Cassini, [Gianna Lou Muller], Woodstock NY, model (Oui)
• Jan 8 John McTiernan, American actor (Predator, Die Hard, Medicine Man), born in Albany, New York
• Jan 10 Kathleen Bradley, American model (Price is Right), born in Girard, Ohio
• Jan 12 Kirstie Alley, American actress (Star Trek II, Cheers-Rebecca), born in Wichita, Kansas

• Jan 24 Yakov Smirnoff, Russian comedian (It's a wonderful country)
• Jan 26 Walt Willey, actor (Jackson Montgomery-All My Children), born in Ottawa, Illinois
• Jan 27 Scott Lane, American actor (Gary-McKeever & the Colonel), born in NYC, New York
• Jan 30 Charles S. Dutton, American actor (Alien 3, Crocodile Dundee 2, Roc), born in Baltimore, Maryland
• Feb 2 Kim Zimmer, actress (Guiding Light, Doctors, One Life to Live), born in Grand Rapids, Michigan
• Feb 2 Ken Bruce, Scottish broadcaster (The Ken Bruce Show), born in Glasgow, Scotland
• Feb 4 Patrick Bergin, Irish actor
• Feb 6 Jacques Villeret, French film actor, born in Loches, France (d. 2005)
• Feb 9 Penny Peyser, American actress (Rich Man Poor Man, Knots Landing), born in Irvington, New York
• Feb 10 Bob [Robert] Iger, American entertainment executive (CEO of The Walt Disney Company), born in NYC, New York
• Feb 13 David Naughton, US actor (My Sister Sam, Separate Vacations), born in Hartford, Connecticut
• Feb 15 Jane Seymour [Joyce Frankenberg], British actress (Live and Let Die, Somewhere in Time, Dr Quinn), born in London, England
• Feb 16 William Katt, American actor (Greatest American Hero, Carrie), born in Los Angeles, California
• Feb 19 Stephen Nichols, actor (Witchboard, Days of our Lives), born in Cincinnati, Ohio
• Feb 20 Edward Albert, actor (Jeff-Falcon Crest, Butterflies are Free), born in Los Angeles, California
• Feb 23 Patricia Richardson, American actress (Double Trouble, Home Improvement), born in Bethesda, Maryland
• Feb 24 Helen Shaver, Ontario Canada, actress (WIOU, Praise of Older Women)
• Feb 24 Debra Jo Rupp, American actress
• Feb 25 James Brown, American sportscaster (CBS News, The NFL Today), born in Washington, D.C.
• Feb 27 Stathis Psaltis, Greek actor, born in Velo, Greece (d. 2017)
• Mar 2 Cassie Yates, Macon Ga, actress (Osterman Weekend, Dynasty)
• Mar 4 Gwen Welles, American actress (Desert Hearts, Sticky Fingers), born in NYC, New York (d. 1993)
• Mar 5 Giorgos Ninios, Greek actor
• Mar 12 Caren Kaye, actress (My Tutor, Bambi-Blansky's Beauties), born in NYC, New York
• Mar 13 Fred Berry, African-American actor (Rerun-What's Happening), born in St Louis, Missouri (d. 2003)
• Mar 14 Rigdon "Rick" Dees, American actor, voice artist and radio disc jock (The Rick Dees Weekly Top 40 Countdown), born in Jacksonville, Florida
• Mar 16 Kate Nelligan, actress (Bethune, Eye of the Needle), born in London, Ontario

• Mar 20 Tanya Boyd, actress (Celeste-Days of our Life), born in Detroit, Michigan
• Mar 23 Lis Howell, director of programs (GMTV)
• Mar 28 Matti Pellonpää, Finnish actor and musician, born in Helsinki, Finland (d. 1995)

• Apr 13 Peter Davison, English actor (fifth Doctor in Doctor Who, All Creatures Great and Small), born in London
• Apr 17 Olivia Hussey, Argentine-British actress (Romeo & Juliet, Death on Nile), born in Buenos Aires, Argentina
• Apr 19 Barry Brown, American actor (Frederick Winterbourne-Daisy Miller), born in San Jose, California (d. 1978)
• May 4 Jackie Jackson [Sigmund], American rocker (Jackson 5-ABC), born in Gary, Indiana
• May 7 Robert Hegyes, American actor (Underground Aces, Welcome Back Kotter), born in Perth Amboy, New Jersey (d. 2012)
• May 8 Deborah Harmon, American actress (Ted Knight Show, M*A*S*H, Just the 10 of Us), born in Chicago, Illinois
• May 9 Alley Mills, actress (Norma Arnold-Wonder Years), born in Chicago, Illinois
• May 13 Selina Scott, TV newscaster (West 57th)
• May 14 Season Hubley [Susan], American actress (Vice Squad, Hardcore), born in NYC, New York
• May 18 Denny Dillon, comedian (SNL, Dream On)
• May 18 James Stephens, actor (Paper Chase, Devil's Island), born in Mount Kisco, New York
• May 19 Dick Slater, American professional wrestler
• May 20 William Cullen Bryant, actor (Hell Squad)
• May 21 Al Franken, US politician (Senate-D-Minnesota 2009-) comedian, writer, actor (SNL), born in NYC, New York
• May 23 Don Warrington [Donald Williams], Trinidadian-born British actor (Rising Damp), born in Trinidad
• May 25 Bob Gale, American screenwriter
• May 30 Stephen Tobolowsky, Tx, actor (Single White Female, Thelma & Louise)
• Jun 4 David Yip, actor (Ping Pong)
• Jun 5 Suze Orman, American financial advisor, writer, and television personality.
• Jun 7 Anne Twomey, American actress (Secret, Deadly Friend, Imagemaker), born in Boston, Massachusetts
• Jun 9 James Newton Howard, American film composer
• Jun 12 Alan Dysert, American actor (Sean Cudahy-All My Children), born in Vermilion County, Illinois
• Jun 13 Jonathan Hogan, actor (House on Carroll St), born in Chicago, Illinois
• Jun 13 Richard Thomas, American actor (John Boy - The Waltons, Last Summer, Johnny Belinda), born in NYC, New York
• Jun 13 Stellan Skarsgard, Swedish actor (Breaking the Waves)
• Jun 16 John Salthouse, English actor (Abigail's Party), born in London
• Jun 16 Sonia Braga, Maringa Brazil, actress (Dona Flor & Her 2 Husbands)
• Jun 17 Joe Piscopo, comedian (SNL, Miller Lite commercials), born in Passaic, New Jersey
• Jun 18 Henny Huisman, Dutch TV host (Playback Show)
• Jun 19 Daria Nicolodi, Italian actress (Terror, Shock), born in Florence, Italy
• Jun 20 Tress MacNeille, American voice actress
• Jun 24 David Rodigan, radio DJ/actor
• Jun 25 Lee Wilkof, American actor (WEB, Delta House, Elliot-Newhart), born in Canton, Ohio
• Jun 26 Pamela Bellwood [King], American actress (Ellen-W.E.B., Claudia-Dynasty), born in NYC, New York
• Jun 27 Julia Duffy [Julia Margaret Hinds], American actress (Newhart, Baby Talk), born in Minneapolis, Minnesota
• Jul 1 Daryl Anderson, actor (Animal-Lou Grant), born in Seattle, Washington
• Jul 1 Trevor Eve, Wales, actor (Shadow Chasers)
• Jul 1 Terrence Mann, American actor and dancer

• Jul 7 Roz Ryan, actress (Amelia-Amen, Occupied), born in Detroit, Michigan

• Jul 9 Chris Cooper, American actor (Thousand Pieces of Gold, Matewan), born in Kansas City, Missouri
• Jul 10 Phyllis Smith, American actress (Phyllis Vance-The Office), born in The Hill, St. Louis, Missouri
• Jul 12 Cheryl Ladd, American actress (Charlie's Angels, Purple Hearts), born in Huron, South Dakota
• Jul 12 Jamey Sheridan, American actor (Another World), born in Pasadena, California
• Jul 12 Brian Grazer, American film producer, born in Los Angeles, California
• Jul 13 Didi Conn, [Bernstein], American actress (Denise-Benson, Grease), born in Brooklyn, New York
• Jul 14 Erich Hallhuber, German actor (d. 2003)
• Jul 15 Jesse Ventura [James Janos], American professional wrestler, actor and politician (Governor of Minnesota 1999-2003), born in Minneapolis, Minnesota
• Jul 16 Lorraine Chase, English actress and model (Lame Ducks, Love & Bullets), born in Deptford, England
• Jul 17 Lucie Arnaz, actress (Kim-Here's Lucy, Jazz Singer), born in Los Angeles, California
• Jul 18 Margo Martindale, American actress
• Jul 19 Abel Ferrara, American filmmaker (King of New York), born in The Bronx, New York
• Jul 20 Jeff Rawle, English actor

• Jul 22 Tisa Farrow, actress (Zombie, Fingers, Grim Reaper), born in Los Angeles, California
• Jul 23 Edie McClurg, American actress (Cinderella-1985, Hogan Family), born in Kansas City, Missouri
• Jul 23 Terry Davis, American actress (Stacey Winthrop-Another World), born in NYC, New York
• Jul 24 Lynda Carter, American actress (Wonder Woman, Sky High) and Miss USA (1973), born in Phoenix, Arizona
• Jul 25 Vanessa [Connie Witteman], Dutch model and singer, born in Voorburg, Netherlands
• Jul 27 Janet Eilber, American actress (Hard to Hold, Romantic Comedy), born in Detroit, Michigan
• Jul 29 Deborah Pryor, California, actress (The Godson)/(Rep-R-Ohio)

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• Sep 28 Actor Franchot Tone weds actress Barbara Payton

• Jan 18 Jack Holt, American golddigger and actor (Cat People, San Francisco, Brimstone), dies from a heart attack at 62
• Feb 21 Anton Roemer, Dutch actor (Potasch & Perlemoer, Boefje), dies at 63
• Mar 6 Ivor Novello [David Ivor Davies], Welsh composer, writer and actor (Keep the Home Fires Burning, The Truth Game), dies at 58
• Mar 31 Ralph Forbes, actor (Riptide, Shock, Shock), dies at 45
• Apr 4 Al Christie, Canadian film director and producer (b. 1881)
• Apr 5 Edward Rigby, British actor (Star Look Down, Young & Innocent), dies at 72
• Apr 22 Stanley Ridges, actor (possessed, Sgt York, Mr Ace), dies at 59
• Apr 29 Jules Verstraete [Julien Gustave de Graef], Flemish actor (rubber, The Three Wishes), dies at 67
• May 5 Eddie Dunn, comedian (Face to Face, Spin the Picture), dies at 54

• May 29 Fanny Brice, American Zeigfield Girl and commedienne (Baby Snooks Show), dies at 59
• Jun 6 Olive Tell, American actress (b. 1894)
• Jul 23 Robert Flaherty, American filmmaker and the father of documentary film (Nanook of North), dies at 67
• Aug 16 Louis Jouvet, French actor (Volpone, Topaze, La Marseillaise), dies from a heart attack at 63
• Aug 28 Robert Walker, American actor and writer (Strangers on a Train, Bataan, Madame Curie), dies from an adverse reaction to prescription drugs at 32
• Sep 7 María Montez [Vidal], Dominican actress known as The Queen of Technicolor (Cobra Woman, Arabian Nights), dies of heart seizure at 39
• Sep 9 Gibson Gowland, British actor (Greed, Blind Husbands, The Phantom of the Opera), dies at 74
• Sep 17 Gelett Burgess, American humorist and author (The Purple Cow), dies at 85
• Sep 29 Bradley Barker, American silent actor and film director, dies at 68
• Oct 12 Leon Errol, Australian actor (Ziegfeld Follies, What a Blonde!), dies at 70
• Dec 6 J Edward Bromberg, Hungarian actor (The Mark of Zorro, Under 2 Flags), dies from a heart attack at 47
• Dec 19 Barton Yarbrough, actor (Dragnet), dies at 51

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