Year 1952 in Film & Television

Events in Film & TV

Film Premier

Jan 10 "The Greatest Show on Earth", directed and produced by Cecil B. DeMille, starring James Stewart and Charlton Heston, premieres in New York (Best Picture 1953)

Actor James Stewart — Actor
James Stewart

Filmmaker and Director Cecil B. DeMille — Filmmaker and Director
Cecil B. DeMille

Actor Charlton Heston — Actor
Charlton Heston

Jan 14 "Today Show" premieres with Dave Garroway & Jack Lescoulie on NBC-TV

Event of Interest

Feb 4 1st African American executive of a major TV station (Jackie Robinson-WNBC NY)

Baseball Player Jackie Robinson — Baseball Player
Jackie Robinson

Feb 8 "RCA Victor Show Starring Dennis Day" debuts on NBC TV
Feb 18 4th Emmy Awards: first time awards presented based on nationwide basis, "The Red Skelton Show", Sid Caesar and Imogene Coca win

Film Release

Feb 20 "African Queen" film directed by John Huston, starring Humphrey Bogart and Katharine Hepburn is released in the US

Actor Humphrey Bogart — Actor
Humphrey Bogart

Actress Katharine Hepburn — Actress
Katharine Hepburn

Golden Globes

Feb 21 9th Golden Globes: "A Place in the Sun", Fredric March, & Jane Wyman win

Actor Fredric March — Actor
Fredric March

Mar 20 24th Academy Awards: "An American in Paris", Humphrey Bogart & Vivien Leigh win

Film Premier

Mar 27 "Singin' in the Rain", musical comedy directed by Gene Kelly and Stanley Donen, starring Gene Kelly and Debbie Reynolds, premieres at Radio City Music Hall in NYC

Actor and Dancer Gene Kelly — Actor and Dancer
Gene Kelly

Apr 30 Mr Potato Head is 1st toy advertised on television
May 8 5th British Film and Television Awards (BAFTAS): "La Ronde" Best Film

Event of Interest

May 10 5th Cannes Film Festival: "The Tragedy of Othello: The Moor of Venice" directed by Orson Welles and "Two Cents Worth of Hope" directed by Renato Castellani jointly awarded the Grand Prix du Festival International du Film

Actor and Director Orson Welles — Actor and Director
Orson Welles

Jun 5 1st sporting event televised nationally-Walcott vs Charles boxing
Jun 12 2nd Berlin International Film Festival: "One Summer of Happiness" wins Golden Bear (audience vote)
Jun 19 "I've Got A Secret" debuts on CBS-TV with Garry Moore as host

Jun 30 "Guiding Light" soap opera moves from radio to TV
Jul 18 KWGN TV channel 2 in Denver, Colorado (IND) begins broadcasting

Film Release

Jul 21 "The Quiet Man" film directed by John Ford and starring John Wayne and Maureen O'Hara is released in the UK

Film director John Ford — Film director
John Ford

Film Release

Jul 24 "High Noon", American Western film directed by Fred Zinnemann, starring Gary Cooper and Thomas Mitchell, is released

Film Awards

Aug 20 13th Venice Film Festival: "Genghis Khan" directed by Manuel Conde wins the Golden Lion

Great Khan of the Mongol Empire Genghis Khan — Great Khan of the Mongol Empire
Genghis Khan

Aug 29 New York premiere of history-based film "The Miracle of Our Lady of Fatima"

Event of Interest

Sep 12 Noël Coward's "Quadrille," premieres in London

Playwright, Director and Singer Noël Coward — Playwright, Director and Singer
Noël Coward

Television Premiere

Sep 19 "Adventures of Superman" TV series starring George Reeves premieres in syndication in the US

Actor George Reeves — Actor
George Reeves

Event of Interest

Sep 19 The United States bars Charlie Chaplin from re-entering the country after a trip to England

Comedian, Actor and Filmmaker Charlie Chaplin — Comedian, Actor and Filmmaker
Charlie Chaplin

Sep 20 KPTV TV channel 12 in Portland, OR (IND) begins broadcasting
Sep 29 "Lights Out" last airs on NBC-TV
Oct 1 1st ultra high frequency (UHF) television station, Portland Or
Oct 3 1st video recording on magnetic tape in Los Angeles, California

Event of Interest

Oct 7 First "Bandstand" broadcast in Philadelphia on WFIL-TV (Dick Clark joins in 1955 as a substitute-host)

Radio and TV Personality Dick Clark — Radio and TV Personality
Dick Clark

Oct 12 KBTV (now KUSA) TV channel 9 in Denver, CO (ABC) begins broadcasting
Oct 23 Charlie Chaplin's "Limelight", starring himself and Claire Bloom, with an appearance by Buster Keaton, premieres in New York City; Not released in Los Angeles until 1972, winning Chaplin his only competitive Academy Award for original score
Nov 13 KLBK TV channel 13 in Lubbock, TX (CBS) begins broadcasting
Nov 27 KTBC TV channel 7 in Austin, TX (CBS) begins broadcasting
Nov 30 Jackie Robinson accuses the NY Yankees of racial bias on national television
Dec 2 First human birth televised to public on KOA-TV Denver, Colorado
Dec 3 1st TV broadcast in Hawaii
Dec 7 KKTV TV channel 11 in Colorado Spgs-Pueblo, CO (CBS) 1st broadcast
Dec 10 WSLS TV channel 10 in Roanoke, VA (NBC) begins broadcasting
Dec 14 KROD (now KDBC) TV channel 4 in El Paso, TX (CBS) begins broadcasting
Dec 15 KHON TV channel 2 in Honolulu, HI (NBC) begins broadcasting
Dec 20 KHQ TV channel 6 in Spokane, WA (NBC) begins broadcasting
Dec 21 WSBT TV channel 22 in South Bend, IN (CBS) begins broadcasting
Dec 22 WSBA (now WPMT) TV channel 43 in York, PA (IND) begins broadcasting

Birthdays in Film & TV

Jan 2 Man-Tat Ng, Hong Kong actor (The Final Combat), born in Xiamen, China
Jan 2 Wendy Phillips, American actress (Executive Suite, Promised Land), born in Brooklyn, New York
Jan 3 Jim Ross, American pro wrestling announcer (WWE), born in Fort Bragg, California
Jan 6 Armelia McQueen, American actress, born in Montgomery County, North Carolina
Jan 6 Larry Booker (Moondog Spot), American pro wrestler (WWF Tag Team champion 1981), born in Louisiana, United States (d. 2003)
Jan 6 Frank Sivero, Italian-born American actor, born in Siculiana, Italy
Jan 7 Sammo Hung, Hong Kong actor, director and martial artist (Winners and Sinners), born in Hong Kong
Jan 8 Lauri Walters, American actress (8 is Enough, Harrad Experiment), born in San Francisco, California
Jan 11 Massimo Lopez, Italian comedian
Jan 11 Bille Brown, Australian actor and playwright
Jan 13 Sharon Gabet, actress (Edge of Night, Another World), born in Fort Wayne, Indiana
Jan 17 Larry Fortensky, former husband of actress Elizabeth Taylor (7th), born in Stanton, California (d. 2016)
Jan 17 Ryuichi Sakamoto, Japanese musician (Yellow Magic Orchestra) and Academay Award-winning film composer (The Last Emperor), born in Tokyo, Japan
Jan 21 Fausto Bara, Mexican-American actor (The Renegades - "Gaucho"), born in Mexicali, Mexico (d, 1994)
Jan 22 Ace Vergel, Filipino actor (d. 2007)
Jan 29 Tim Healy, English actor (Auf Wiedersehen, Pet), born in Benwell, England
Feb 2 Genichiro Tenryu, Japanese professional wrestler
Feb 4 Lisa Eichhorn, actress (Cutter's Way, Yanks), born in Reading, Pennsylvania
Feb 12 Salvador Pineda, Mexican actor, born in Huetamo, Mexico
Feb 12 Simon MacCorkindale, English actor (Falcon Crest, Manimal), born in Ely, Cambridgeshire (d. 2010)
Feb 28 Cristina Raines [Tina Herazo], actress (Sentinel), born in Manila, Philippines
Feb 28 Jennie Lynn, actress (Love & Marriage), born in San Diego, California
Feb 29 Susan Sennett, American actress (Big Bad Mama), born in Santa Monica, California
Feb 29 Sharon Dahlonega Raiford Bush, American television personality
Mar 1 Leigh Matthews, Australian Football Hall of Fame rover (Hawthorne FC), coach (Collingwood 1990 premiers; Brisbane 2001-03 premiers) and broadcaster (7 Network; 3AW), born in Melbourne, Australia
Mar 2 Laraine Newman, comedienne/actress (Saturday Night Live), born in Los Angeles, California
Mar 4 Ronn Moss, actor (Ridge-Bold & Beautiful, Santa Barbara), born in Los Angeles, California
Mar 9 William Kirby Cullen, American actor (How the West Was Won), born in Santa Ana, California
Mar 11 Susan Richardson, Coatesville Pa, actress (Susan-8 is Enough)
Mar 16 Graham Cole [Graham Coleman-Smith], English actor (The Bill), born in London, England

Harvey Weinstein

Mar 19 Harvey Weinstein, American film producer (Miramax) and convicted sex offender whose actions helped spark the #MeToo movement, born in NYC, New York

Mar 24 Nicholas Campbell, actor (Nick-Insiders), born in Toronto, Ontario
Mar 27 Chick Vennera, American actor (High Risk, Milagro Beanfield War), born in Herkimer, New York
Mar 27 Maria Schneider, French actress (Last Tango in Paris, Crime of Honor), born in Paris, France (d. 2011)
Mar 31 Dermot Morgan, Irish actor and comedian (Father Ted Crilly-Father Ted), born in Dublin, Ireland (d. 1998)
Apr 1 Annette O'Toole, American actress (Cat People, Superman III), born in Houston, Texas
Apr 1 Tirso Cruz III, Filipino actor and singer, born in Sampaloc, Manila, Philippines
Apr 2 Thierry Le Luron, French humorist, born in Paris (d. 1986)
Apr 5 Mitch Pileggi, American actor (The X-Files), born in Portland, Oregon
Apr 6 Judith McConnell, actress (Sophia Capwell-Santa Barbara)
Apr 6 Marilu Henner, actress (Taxi, Man Who Loved Women, Eve Shade), born in Chicago, Illinois
Apr 11 Michael Shea, American director and actor (The Fugitive, The Wild Wild West, Mission: Impossible), born in Queens, New York
Apr 12 Ralph Wiley, American sports journalist and writer (Sports Illustrated and ESPN's Page 2), born in Memphis, Tennessee (d. 2004)
Apr 13 Erick Avari, American-Indian actor, born in Darjeeling, West Bengal, India
Apr 15 Sam McMurray, American actor (Tracey Ullman), born in NYC, New York
Apr 15 Kym Gyngell, Australian comedian, born in Melbourne, Australia
Apr 16 Michel Blanc, French actor and director, born in Courbevoie, Hauts-de-Seine, France
Apr 16 William Richard "Billy" West, American voice actor (Futurama), born in Detroit, Michigan
Apr 17 Joseph Francis "Joe" Alaskey, American stand-up comedian, actor, voice artist, and impressionist (Bugs Bunny, Daffy Duck), born in Troy, New York (d. 2016)
Apr 22 François Berléand, French actor
Apr 23 Lionel Johnston, American actor (Sons & Daughters), born in Augusta, Georgia
Apr 28 Mary McDonnell, Wilkes-Barre PA, actress (Sneakers, Independence Day)
Apr 29 Deborah Van Valkenburgh, Schnectady, actress (Too Close for Comfort)
Apr 29 Nora Dunn, comedienne (SNL, Miami Blues, Working Girl), born in Chicago, Illinois
Apr 30 Jacques Audiard, French film director
May 2 Christine Baranski, American actress (Maryann-Cybill, Birdcage), born in Buffalo, New York
May 2 Mari Natsuki, Japanese singer, dancer and actress, born in Tokyo
May 3 Caitlin Clarke, American actress (Dragonslayer), born in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania (d. 2004)
May 4 Michael Barrymore, English comedian, actor, quiz master and entertainer, born in Bermondsey, London
May 5 Louis Cortelezzi, American rock and jazz saxophonist (Mink DeVille) and film composer (Pokemon), born in New Galilee, Pennsylvania
May 5 Campbell McComas, Australian impersonator and broadcaster, born in Melbourne, Australia (d. 2005)
May 6 Christian Clavier, French actor
May 6 Michael O'Hare, American actor
May 8 Beth Henley, actress/playwright (Miss Firecracker), born in Jackson, Mississippi
May 9 Patrick Ryecart, actor (Silas Mariner)
May 11 Darrow Igus, American comedian (Fridays, Roll Out), born in Newark, New Jersey
May 11 Shohreh Aghdashloo, Iranian actress
May 11 Frances Fisher, English-born actress
May 11 Mike Lupica, American sports journalist and newspaper columnist (New York Daily News, ESPN), born in Oneida, New York
May 14 Robert Zemeckis, American film director (Forrest Gump, Back to the Future), born in Chicago, Illinois
May 14 Scott Irwin, American professional wrestler (d. 1987)
May 15 Chazz Palminteri, American actor (The Usual Suspects, Bronx Tale), born in The Bronx, New York

Mr. T

May 21 Mr. T [Lawrence Tureaud], American actor (A-Team, Rocky III, T & T), born in Chicago, Illinois

May 23 Deborah Adair, actress (Tracey-Dynasty, Kate-Day of Our Life)
May 28 Russell J. Wintner, American film executive
Jun 4 Carlene Watkins, American actress (Tough Enough), born in Hartford, Connecticut
Jun 4 Parker Stevenson, actor (Falcon Crest, Stroker Ace), born in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania
Jun 5 Mukesh Bhatt, Indian film producer (Vishesh Films), born in Mumbai, India

Liam Neeson

Jun 7 Liam Neeson, Irish-American actor (Schindler's List, Les Miserables), born in Ballymena, County Antrim

Jun 14 Eddie Mekka, American actor (Carmine-Laverne & Shirley), born in Worcester, Massachusetts
Jun 18 Carol Kane, actress (Dog Day Afternoon, Simka-Taxi), born in Cleveland, Ohio

Isabella Rossellini

Jun 18 Isabella Rossellini, Italian actress and model (Big Night, Blue Velvet), born in Rome, Italy

John Goodman

Jun 20 John Goodman, American actor (Dan Conner on Roseanne, Babe), born in St Louis, Missouri

Jun 20 Larry Riley, American actor (Harry-Stir Crazy, Knots Landing), born in Memphis, Tennessee (d. 1992)
Jun 22 Graham Greene, Canadian actor
Jun 30 David Garrison, American Broadway and television actor (Wicked), born in Long Branch, New Jersey

Dan Aykroyd

Jul 1 Dan Aykroyd, Canadian-American comedian, writer and actor (SNL, The Blues Brothers; Ghostbusters), born in Ottawa, Ontario

Jul 6 Grant Goodeve, American actor (David-8 is Enough, Dynasty), born in Middlebury, Connecticut
Jul 7 Mando Guerrero, Mexican professional wrestler
Jul 9 John Tesh, American pianist and TV host (ET), born in Garden City, New York
Jul 11 Stephen Lang, American actor (Another You, Death of a Salesman), born in NYC, New York
Jul 14 Eric Laneuville, actor (Larry-Room 222, St Elsewhere), born in New Orleans, Louisiana
Jul 14 Jerry Houser, actor (Slapshot, Summer of '42, Class of '44), born in Los Angeles, California
Jul 14 Stan Shaw, actor (Mississippi, Roots Next Generation), born in Chicago, Illinois
Jul 15 Terry O'Quinn, American actor

David Hasselhoff

Jul 17 David Hasselhoff, American actor (Night Rider, Mitch-Baywatch), born in Baltimore, Maryland

Jul 20 Keiko Matsuzaka, Japanese actress
Jul 24 Gus Van Sant, American film director (Good Will Hunting), born in Louisville, Kentucky
Jul 26 Jan Randall, Canadian film and TV composer, born in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania
Jul 28 Monique van de Ven, Dutch actress (Turkish Fruit)

Weddings in Film & TV

Feb 14 Comedian Joey Adams marries gossip columnist Cindy Heller

Wedding of Interest

Feb 21 Actress Elizabeth Taylor (19) marries for the 2nd time to actor Michael Wilding (39)

Mar 24 Author of 'James Bond' novels, journalist and secret intelligence agent Ian Fleming marries Anne Geraldine Charteris

Wedding of Interest

Jul 9 American educator, Presbyterian minister and TV host Fred Rogers (24) weds Sara Joanne Byrd

Oct 18 Latin actress Maria Felix (38) weds actor and singer Jorge Negreta (40) in Mexico

Divorces in Film & TV

Divorce of Interest

Feb 28 Actress Gene Tierney (31) divorces fashion designer Oleg Cassini (39) after almost 11 years of marriage

Divorce of Interest

Apr 21 American actor Clark Gable (50) and socialite Sylvia Ashley (47) divorce

Divorce of Interest

Jun 11 Actress Agnes Moorehead (51) divorces actor Jack G. Lee (50) after 22 years of marriage

Deaths in Film & TV

Jan 18 Curly Howard {Jerome Lester Horwitz}, American vaudevillian actor and comedian (The Three Stooges), dies from a stroke at 48
Feb 2 Charles De Roche, actor (10 Commandments), dies at 72
Feb 19 Lawrence Grant [Percy Reginald], British actor (Bulldog Drummond), dies at 82
Mar 11 Pierre Renoir, French stage and film actor and director (b. 1885)
Mar 22 "Uncle" Dave Macon, American vaudeville and Grand Ole Opry banjo player, singer-songwriter and comedian, dies at 81
Apr 13 [Rosalie] Julia Cuypers, Flemish actress (Adelaarsjong), dies at 79
Apr 21 Leslie Banks, actor (Henry V, 21 Days, Eye Witness), dies at 61
May 8 William Fox, Austrian-born film producer (b. 1879)
May 9 Canada Lee [Leonard Canegata], African-American actor (Lost Boundaries), dies of a heart attack at 45
May 15 Albert Bassermann, German actor (Foreign Correspondent, Madame Curie), dies at 84
May 21 John Garfield [Jacob Garfinkle], American actor (Four Daughters, Body and Soul), dies of coronary thrombosis at 39
Jul 4 Walter Long, American actor (Moby Dick, Sheik, Sea Devils, Dragnet Patrol), dies at 73
Jul 18 Jack Earle, American actor and sideshow performer known as "The World's Tallest Man," dies at 46
Aug 18 Ralph Byrd, American actor (Dick Tracy TV Show, SOS Coast Guard), dies from a heart attack at 43

Gertrude Lawrence

Sep 6 Gertrude Lawrence, English actress (Mimi, Rembrandt) and musical performer, dies of liver and abdominal cancer at 54

Sep 9 Joseph Allen Sr, American actor, dies at 79
Sep 22 Cor Ruys, Dutch actor (Princess Stage, The Cross-Patch), dies at 63
Oct 20 Basil Radford, British actor (The Lady Vanishes, Whiskey Galore, Night Train), dies from a heart attack at 55
Oct 23 Susan Peters [Suzanne Carnahan], American actress (Random Harvest; Young Ideas), dies of complications resulting from pyelonephritis, pneumonia, and starvation at 31

Hattie McDaniel

Oct 26 Hattie McDaniel, 1st African American actress to win an Oscar (Gone With The Wind -"Mammy"), dies of breast cancer at 57

Nov 2 Maire O'Neill, Irish actress (Juno & the Paycock, Glamorous Night), dies

1951
1953