Events in Film & TV
Music Premiere
May 2 Revival of Rodgers & Hammerstein's musical "The King & I"', with Yul Brynner reprising the role he created in 1951, opens at Uris Theater, NYC; runs for 695 performances
- May 6 "Beatles at Hollywood Bowl" released in UK
- May 12 Emmy 4th Daytime Award presentation: "Ryan's Hope" and "Family Feud" win
- May 16 TV drama “Alexander: The Other Side of Dawn”, starring Leigh McCloskey, follow up to "Dawn: Portrait of a Teenage Runaway" premieres on US network NBC, focusing on what happened to him after Dawn left L.A. to return to her hometown
Film Premiere
May 19 Film "Smokey & the Bandit" starring Burt Reynolds, Sally Field and Jackie Gleason premieres in NYC
Television Finale
May 25 "Brady Bunch Hour" last airs on ABC-TV
Film Release
May 25 Original "Star Wars" movie (Episode IV – A New Hope), directed by George Lucas and starring Mark Hamill, Carrie Fisher and Harrison Ford, first released
- May 27 30th Cannes Film Festival: "Padre Padrone" directed by Paolo and Vittorio Taviani wins the Palme d'Or
Music History
May 27 The Sex Pistols release "God Save the Queen", sparking major controversy and leading to a ban on the song by the BBC
- May 29 NBC News & Information Service (24 hr news) ends on radio
Birthdays in Film & TV
- May 2 Jenna Von Oy, American actress (Blossom - "Seven"), born in Danbury, Connecticut
- May 4 Emily Perkins, Canadian actress (Hiccups), born in Vancouver, British Columbia
- May 5 Choi Kang-hee, South Korean actress (Sweet Buns), born in Seoul, South Korea
- May 9 Choi Jeong-yoon, South Korean actress
- May 10 Chas Licciardello, Australian comedian, member of The Chaser
- May 11 Matthew Newton, Australian actor
- May 12 Rebecca Herbst, American actress (General Hospital), born in Encino, California
- May 13 Neil Hopkins, American actor (Lost), born in Trenton, New Jersey
- May 13 Samantha Morton, English actress (Sweet and Lowdown, Longford), born in Nottingham, England
- May 14 Sophie Anderton, English model and television personality
- May 14 Ada Nicodemou, Australian actress
- May 20 Angela Goethals, American actress (VI Warshawski, Heartbreak Hotel), born in NYC, New York
- May 20 Matt Czuchry, American actor
- May 20 Miriam Parrish, American television actress
- May 22 Vinnie Potestivo, American TV Producer
- May 22 Alastair Ralphs, Canadian professional wrestler
- May 23 Richard Ayoade, English comedian, actor and director (The IT Crowd), born in London, England
- May 24 Kym Valentine, Australian actress (Neighbours), born in Sydney, New South Wales
- May 28 Jeremy Borash, American professional wrestling announcer
- May 29 Danny Gerard, American actor (Alan Silver-Brooklyn Bridge), born in Mt Vernon, New York
- May 30 Rachael Stirling, British actress
- May 31 Eric Christian Olsen, American actor (NCIS: Los Angeles), born in Eugene, Oregon
- May 31 Debbie King, English TV presenter
- May 31 June Sarpong, British television presenter
Deaths in Film & TV
Joan Crawford
May 10 Joan Crawford [Lucille Le Sueur], American actress (Mildred Pierce), dies of a heart attack between 69 and 74 [year of birth disputed]
Actors
Actresses
Comedians
Directors
Models
TV Stars