December 1956 in Film & Television History

Events in Film & TV

The Girl Can't Help It

Dec 1 Musical comedy film "The Girl Can't Help It" starring Jayne Mansfield with cameos by rock 'n' roll stars Little Richard, Eddie Cochran, and Gene Vincent premieres

Singer-Songwriter and Rock 'n' Roll Pioneer Little Richard

Dec 3 KFSA (now KFSM) TV channel 5 in Ft Smith, AR (CBS) 1st broadcast

Happy Hunting

Dec 6 Harold Karr and Matt Dubey's musical "Happy Hunting", starring Ethel Merman and Fernando Lamas, opens at Majestic Theater, NYC; runs for 412 performances

Dec 7 Helen O'Connell joins Today Show panel (NBC)

Anastasia

Dec 13 "Anastasia" comeback film for Ingrid Bergman is released in the US, role wins Bergman Academy Award for Best Actress.

Dec 15 KGW TV channel 8 in Portland, OR (NBC) begins broadcasting
Dec 15 WRAL TV channel 5 in Raleigh-Durham, NC (CBS) begins broadcasting
Dec 18 "To Tell the Truth" debuts on CBS-TV

Radio History

Dec 18 Phil Rizzuto signs as NY Yankees radio-TV announcer

Sportscaster and MLB Shortstop Phil Rizzuto

Dec 28 Miss Frances [Horwich], last Ding Dong School on NBC-TV

Birthdays in Film & TV

Dec 1 Julee Cruise, American singer (Falling) and stage actress, born in Creston, Iowa (d. 2022)
Dec 2 Steven Bauer, Cuban-American actor (Scarface, Thief of Hearts), born in Havana, Cuba
Dec 3 Hart Bochner, actor and director (Rich & Famous), born in Los Angeles, California
Dec 5 Brian Backer, American actor (Fast Times at Ridgemont High), born in Brooklyn, New York
Dec 11 Lani Brockman, American actress and theatre director, born in Seattle, Washington
Dec 12 Ana Alicia Ortiz, Mexican-American actress (Melissa-Falcon Crest), born in Mexico City
Dec 17 Peter Farrelly, American film director
Dec 18 Ron White, American comedian, born in Fritch, Texas
Dec 18 T. K. Carter, American actor (Punky Brewster - "Mike"; Just Our Luck - "Shabu"), born in Los Angeles, California
Dec 19 Alice Barrett, American actress (Frankie Frame-Another World), born in NYC, New York
Dec 20 Blanche Baker, American actress, Carroll Baker's Daughter (French Postcard), born in NYC, New York
Dec 24 Stephanie Hodge, American actress & comedian (I Madman, Happily Ever After), born in Wilmington, Ohio
Dec 29 Fred MacAulay, Scottish comedian, born in Perth, United Kingdom
Dec 30 Patricia Kalember, American actress (Sisters - "Georgie Whitsig"; Law & Order: Special Victims Unit), born in Schnectady, New York
Dec 30 Sheryl Lee Ralph, American actress on stage (Dreamgirls) in film (To Sleep with Anger); and television (Abbott Elementary), born in Waterbury, Connecticut

Weddings in Film & TV

Elizabeth Montgomery

Dec 28 Actress Elizabeth Montgomery (23) weds actor Gig Young (43)

Deaths in Film & TV

Dec 7 Huntley Gordon, Canadian actor, dies at 77
Dec 17 Eddie Acuff, actor (Guns of Pecos), dies at 48
Dec 26 Holmes Herbert, British actor (Dr. Jekyll and Mr. Hyde, The Kiss), dies at 74
Dec 30 Ruth Draper, American actress and dramatist (The Italian Lesson), dies at 72