Events in Film & TV
Television Debut
Oct 1 Jackie Gleason's sitcom "The Honeymooners" debuts on CBS, replacing his variety series; production ends after 39 episodes
- Oct 1 WORA TV channel 5 in Mayaguez, PR (TCI) begins broadcasting
- Oct 2 "Alfred Hitchcock Presents" premieres on CBS television in the US
- Oct 2 WHTN (now WOWK) TV ch 13 in Huntington-Charleston, WV (CBS) begins
- Oct 3 "Captain Kangaroo" premieres on CBS-TV, Good Morning, Captain!
- Oct 3 WDBJ TV channel 7 in Roanoke, VA (CBS) begins broadcasting
- Oct 3 WTVS TV channel 56 in Detroit, MI (PBS) begins broadcasting
Music History
Oct 20 Calypso singer Harry Belafonte records his signature tune "Day-O" (Banana Boat Song) in NYC
- Oct 20 Ira Levin's stage comedy "No Time for Sergeants", based on Mac Hymans's novel, starring Andy Griffith, and featuring Don Knotts, opens at Alvin Theatre, NYC; runs for 796 performances
Historic Publication
Oct 20 Publication of "The Return of the King", the 3rd and final volume of "The Lord of the Rings" by J. R. R. Tolkien by George Allen and Unwin in London
- Oct 22 WWNY TV channel 7 in Carthage-Watertown, NY (CBS) begins broadcasting
Film Release
Oct 27 "Rebel Without a Cause", directed by Nicholas Ray, starring James Dean and Natalie Wood, is released
Birthdays in Film & TV
- Oct 3 Ángela Molina, Spanish actress (Lola, Streets of Gold, Half of Heaven), born in Madrid, Spain
- Oct 8 Darrell Hammond, American comedian (SNL), born in Melbourne, Florida
- Oct 9 Linwood Boomer, Canadian-American actor (Adam-Little House on the Prairie), born in Vancouver, British Columbia
- Oct 16 Ellen Dolan, Monticello IO, actress (Guiding Light, Margo Hughes-ATWT)
- Oct 17 Sam Bottoms, actor (Prime Risk, Savages), born in Santa Barbara, California
- Oct 18 David Twohy, American movie director and screenwriter
- Oct 18 Timmy Mallett, British TV presenter
- Oct 19 Melpo Kosti, Greek actress
- Oct 19 Pat Klous, Hutchinson Ks, actress (Marcy-Flying High, Judy-Love Boat)
- Oct 20 Robert ten Brink, Dutch TV host (All You Need Is Love), born in Amsterdam, Netherlands
- Oct 20 Thomas Newman, American film score composer (The Shawshank Redemption; Finding Nemo; Six Feet Under; WALL-E), born in Los Angeles, California
- Oct 25 Glynis Barber, South African-English actress (Dempsey and Makepeace), born in Durban, South Africa
- Oct 25 Tim Rosaforte, American golf writer (Sports Illustrated, Golf Digest) and broadcaster (USA Network, Golf Channel), born in Mount Kisco, New York (d. 2022)
- Oct 29 Boy Abunda, Filipino journalist and television personality, born in Borongan, Philippines
- Oct 30 Shanna Reed, American actress (Major Dad, Mirrors), born in Kansas City, Kansas
Weddings in Film & TV
- Oct 2 Actress Joyce Randolph marries publisher Richard Charles
Deaths in Film & TV
- Oct 1 Charles Christie, American film studio owner, dies at 75
- Oct 2 O B Clarence, English actor (Penn of Pensnsylvania), dies at 85
- Oct 9 Alice Joyce, American actress (Song O' My Heart), dies at 65
- Oct 15 Fumio Hayasaka, Japanese film score composer (Rashomon; Seven Samurai), dies of tuberculosis at 41
- Oct 19 John Hodiak, American actor (Battleground, A Bell for Adamo, Lifeboat), dies from coronary thrombosis at 41
- Oct 26 Anthony Ross [Rosenthal], American stage (Bus Stop), and screen character actor (The Telltale Clue), dies of a heart attack at 46
