December 1966 in Film & Television History

Events in Film & TV

Dec 3 Television pop group "The Monkees" make their live concert debut at the Honolulu International Centre Arena, in Hawaii
Dec 4 KETS TV channel 2 in Little Rock, AR (PBS) begins broadcasting

Music Premiere

Dec 5 Harvey Schmidt and Tom Jones' musical "I Do! I Do!", starring Robert Preston and Mary Martin, and directed by Gower Champion, opens at 46th St Theater, NYC; runs for 561 performances

Film Premiere

Dec 12 "A Man for All Seasons" based on the play by Robert Bolt, directed by Fred Zinnemann and starring Paul Scofield premieres in New York (Best Picture 1967)

Television Debut

Dec 18 Dr. Seuss' "How the Grinch Stole Christmas!" airs for 1st time on CBS; animated special directed by Chuck Jones, features voices of Boris Karloff, June Foray, and Thurl Ravenscroft, with songs by Albert Hague

Film Premiere

Dec 21 Cult film "King of Hearts" (Le Roi de cœur) premieres directed by Philippe de Broca starring Alan Bates

Dec 22 WCVW TV channel 57 in Richmond, VA (PBS) begins broadcasting
Dec 23 Britain's rock TV show "Ready Steady Go" last program

Birthdays in Film & TV

Dec 1 Katherine LaNasa, American actress, born in New Orleans, Louisiana
Dec 1 Matthew Laborteaux, American actor (Killing Stone, Deadly Friend), born in Los Angeles, California
Dec 2 Jinsei Shinzaki, Japanese pro wrestler (Michinoku Pro Wrestling; WWF, "Hakushi"), born in Tokushima, Japan
Dec 3 Flemming Povlsen, Danish soccer forward and broadcaster (62 caps; Borussia Dortmund), born in Brabrand, Denmark
Dec 4 Fereydun "Fred" Armisen, American comedian (Saturday Night Live), actor, writer (Portlandia), and musician (8G Band), born in Hattiesburg, Mississippi
Dec 5 Joseph Barbara, American actor (Joe Carlino-Another World), born in New Smyrna Beach, Florida
Dec 7 C. Thomas Howell, American actor (Red Dawn, Tank, Soul Man), born in Los Angeles, California
Dec 8 Jeff Tremaine, American television and film director, born in Rockville, Maryland
Dec 8 Matthew Laborteaux, American actor (Albert-Little House on Prairie), born in Los Angeles, California
Dec 9 Toby Huss, American actor
Dec 11 Gary Dourdan, American actor (CSI), born in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania
Dec 11 Leon Lai, Chinese-born Hong Kong actor and singer, born in Beijing, China
Dec 12 Kouichi Nagano, Japanese voice actor, born in Sakura, Chiba Prefecture, Japan
Dec 13 Don Roff, American writer and filmmaker, born in Walla Walla, Washington
Dec 14 Lucrecia Martel, Argentine film director (La Ciénaga), born in Salta, Argentina
Dec 15 Manos Papayiannis, Greek fashion model and actor, born in Servia, Greece

Dec 18 Gianluca Pagliuca, Italian actress (Ugly Dirty & Bad)
Dec 18 Makiko Esumi, Japanese actress
Dec 19 Robert MacNaughton, American actor (ET), born in NYC, New York
Dec 20 Myrra Malmberg, Swedish pop singer, actress, and photographer, born in Farsta, Stockholm
Dec 20 Paul Ritter [Simon Paul Adams], British actor (Friday Night Dinner; Chernobyl; Quantum of Solace), born in Gravesend, Kent, England (d. 2021)
Dec 21 Karri Turner, American actress, born in Fort Worth, Texas
Dec 21 Kiefer Sutherland, American actor (Lost Boys, 24), born in London, England
Dec 24 Deidrich Bader, American actor (Drew Carey Show), born in Washington, D.C.
Dec 25 Sandy Corn, model/Penthouse Pet (March, 1991)
Dec 27 Bill Goldberg, American football player and professional wrestler
Dec 27 Eva LaRue, American actress
Dec 29 Jason Gould, American actor and singer, son of actor Elliott Gould and singer and actress Barbra Streisand, born in NYC, New York
Dec 31 Paula Barbieri, American model & actress (Dangerous), born in Panama City, Florida

Weddings in Film & TV

Strother Martin

Dec 18 American actor Strother Martin (47) weds Helen Meisels (56), until his death in 1980

Deaths in Film & TV

Dec 13 Charles Watts, actor (Lone Ranger & Lost City of Gold), dies of cancer
Dec 14 Emma Dunn, British-American stage, silent and sound film actress (Dr. Monica; Dr. Kildare (films); Hideaway), dies at 91
Dec 14 Richard Whorf, American actor (Yankee Doodle Dandy; Keeper of Flame), and director (It Happened In Brooklyn), dies from a heart attack at 60
Dec 14 Verna Felton, American actress (Hilda-December Bride), dies at 76

Walt Disney (1901-1966)

Dec 15 American animator (Mickey Mouse), producer and co-founder of Walt Disney Co., dies of lung cancer at 65

Dec 18 Gene Gauntier [Liggett], American silent film screenwriter and actress. dies at 81
Dec 22 Robert Keith [Rolland Keith Richey], American character actor (Guys and Dolls; The Wild One; Battle Circus; Branded), dies at 68
Dec 31 Chief Nipo Strongheart, Native American actor (Pony Soldier), dies at 75