Events in Film & TV
Event of Interest
Jan 6 Dakota Fanning receives the Rising Star Award at the 20th Annual Palm Springs International Film Festival
Dakota Fanning
Film and TV Awards
Jan 7 35th People's Choice Awards: Will Smith & Reese Witherspoon win (Movie Star) and Hugh Laurie & Christina Applegate win (TV)
- Jan 8 14th Critics' Choice Movie Awards: Slumdog Millionaire wins Best Film
Golden Globes
Jan 11 66th Golden Globes: Slumdog Millionaire, Mickey Rourke, Kate Winslet win
Kate Winslet
- Jan 25 25th Sundance Film Festival: "Precious" based on the Novel "Push" by Sapphire" wins Grand Jury Prize Dramatic
Music Single
Jan 26 "Blame It (On the Alcohol)" single released by Jamie Foxx featuring T-Pain (Billboard Song of the Year 2009)
Jamie Foxx
- Feb 5 59th Berlin International Film Festival: "The Milk of Sorrow" wins the Golden Bear
BAFTA Awards
Feb 8 62nd British Film and Television Awards (BAFTAS): "Slumdog Millionaire" Best Film, Danny Boyle Best Director
Danny Boyle
- Feb 12 40th NAACP Image Awards: "The Secret Life of Bees" wins Outstanding Motion Picture
- Feb 21 29th Golden Raspberry Awards: "The Love Guru" wins
- Feb 22 81st Academy Awards: "Slumdog Millionaire", Sean Penn & Kate Winslet win
Academy Awards
Feb 22 Heath Ledger posthumously wins Academy Award, Best Supporting Actor, for his performance as the Joker in "The Dark Knight"
Heath Ledger
WrestleMania
Apr 5 WrestleMania XXV, Reliant Stadium, Houston, TX (72,744): The Undertaker defeats Shawn Michaels; John Cena beats Edge and The Big Show; Triple H downs Randy Orton
John Cena
Triple H
Shawn Michaels
Film Premier
Apr 6 "Star Trek" film reboot directed by J.J. Abrams, starring Chris Pine and Zachary Quinto premieres in Austin, Texas
J. J. Abrams
Television Debut
Apr 9 Mockumentary "Parks and Recreation" starring Amy Poehler, Nick Offerman and Aziz Ansari debuts on NBC in the US
Amy Poehler
Chris Pratt
Event of Interest
Apr 25 Elijah Wood is honored with the Midnight Award by the San Francisco International Film Festival
Elijah Wood
- Apr 26 55th British Academy Television Awards: "Harry and Paul" Best Comedy, "Wallander" Best Drama
Event of Interest
May 15 "Farrah's Story" documentary following Farrah Fawcett's battle with cancer airs on NBC in the US
Farrah Fawcett
Film Release
Jun 19 "Transformers: Revenge of the Fallen" directed by Michael Bay and starring Shia LaBeouf and Megan Fox is released
Megan Fox
Shia LaBeouf
Film Release
Jul 1 Animated film "Ice Age: Dawn of the Dinosaurs" directed by Carlos Saldanha and Mike Thurmeieris with voices by Ray Romano and John Leguizamo is released
Ray Romano
John Leguizamo
Film Release
Jul 15 "Harry Potter and the Half-Blood Prince", the 6th film based on the books by J. K. Rowling is released worldwide
Event of Interest
Sep 14 David Attenborough and Prince William officially open the Darwin Centre at the National History Museum London, in what is the Museum's most significant expansion since 1881
David Attenborough
Prince William
- Sep 18 The 72 year run of the soap opera The Guiding Light ends as its final episode is broadcast.
Event of Interest
Sep 19 34th Toronto International Film Festival: "Precious" directed by Lee Daniels wins the People's Choice Award
Lee Daniels
Emmy Awards
Sep 20 61st Emmy Awards: Mad Men, 30 Rock, Bryan Cranston & Glenn Close win
Bryan Cranston
Glenn Close
Television Premiere
Sep 22 Crime drama "NCIS LA" starring Chris O'Donnell, LL Cool J and Daniela Ruah premieres on CBS
Chris O'Donnell
LL Cool J
Event of Interest
Sep 23 "Modern Family" premieres on ABC, starring Ed 'Neill and Sofia Vergara
Sofía Vergara
- Oct 21 55th National Film Awards (India): "Kanchivaram" wins the Golden Lotus
Film Premier
Nov 16 "The Twilight Saga: New Moon", based on the book by Stephenie Meyer, directed by Chris Weitz, starring Kristen Stewart and Robert Pattinson, premieres in Los Angeles
Event of Interest
Dec 6 Final Broadway performance of "A Steady Rain", starring Hugh Jackman and Daniel Craig
Hugh Jackman
Daniel Craig
Film Release
Dec 18 James Cameron's "Avatar" starring Sam Worthington, Zoe Saldana and Sigourney Weaver, released in the US, becomes highest-grossing film of all time
Theater Premiere
Dec 28 Scarlett Johansson makes her debut on Broadway in the Arthur Miller play "A View from the Bridge"
Scarlett Johansson
Arthur Miller
Weddings in Film & TV
- Jan 9 High School Musical actress KayCee Stroh (24) weds Ben Higginson (24) at Salt Lake Temple in Salt Lake City, Utah
Wedding of Interest
Feb 14 Actress Salma Hayek (42) weds French billionaire and PPR CEO Francois-Henri Pinault (46) in Paris
Salma Hayek
- Feb 14 Victoria's Secret Angel model Adriana Lima (31) weds NBA player Marko Jaric (33) in Jackson Hole, Wyoming
Wedding of Interest
Feb 14 Cricketer Martin Crowe (46) weds former Miss Universe Lorraine Downes (44) in an intimate ceremony
Martin Crowe
- Feb 20 "Dog The Bounty Hunter" actress Lyssa Chapman (21) weds Brahman Galanti (35) at Lanikuhonua at Ko Olina in Oahu, Hawaii
- Mar 11 Actress and singer Mandy Moore (28) weds alt-country/rock singer-songwriter Ryan Adams (37) in Savannah, Georgia
Wedding of Interest
Mar 19 Talk show host David Letterman (61) weds longtime girlfriend Regina Lasko (48) at a civil ceremony in Choteau, Montana
David Letterman
Wedding of Interest
Mar 21 Star of Die Hard film Bruce Willis (52) weds model and actress Emma Heming (29) in Turks and Caicos Islands
Bruce Willis
- Mar 22 "The Wonder Years" actress Danica McKellar (36) weds composer Mike Verta (36) at St. James by the Sea Episcopal Church in La Jolla, California
Wedding of Interest
Apr 13 Actor Michael Biehn (52) weds actress Jennifer Blanc (35)
Michael Biehn
Wedding of Interest
Apr 17 World's no. 1 professional tennis player Andy Roddick (29) weds fashion model and actress Brooklyn Decker (25) in Austin, Texas
Andy Roddick
- Apr 25 TV personality Spencer Pratt (28) weds media personality and singer Heidi Montag (25) at Westminster Presbyterian Church in Pasadena
Wedding of Interest
May 2 Actress Maggie Gyllenhaal (32) weds film and stage actor Peter Sarsgaard (38) in a small chapel in Brindisi, Italy
Maggie Gyllenhaal
- May 4 Two-time Tony winner singer-actress Bebe Neuwirth (50) weds Napa Valley's Destino vineyard founder Chris Calkins at the Players Club in New York
- May 8 Westlife singer Kian Egan (29) weds actress Jodi Albert (25) in Barbados
- May 9 "The O.C." actress Autumn Reeser (28) weds writer-director Jesse Warren (31) under a 200-year old oak tree at the Ojai Valley Inn & Spa in Ojai, California
- May 16 Actress Jennifer Freeman (23) weds NBA guard Earl Watson (29) in Beverly Hills, California
Wedding of Interest
Jun 12 Tennis ace Boris Becker (41) weds model Sharlely Kerssenberg in St Moritz, Switzerland
Boris Becker
- Jun 27 "Playboy Playmate" model Kendra Wilkinson (24) weds NFL player beau Hank Baskett (26) at the Playboy Mansion in Bel Air, California
Wedding of Interest
Jul 9 Actress Anna Faris (32) weds actor Chris Pratt (30) in a small ceremony in Bali, Indonesia
Chris Pratt
Wedding of Interest
Jul 11 Actor and film director Robert Redford (71) weds artist Sibylle Szaggars (51) at the luxurious Louis C. Jacob Hotel in Hamburg, Germany
Robert Redford
- Jul 25 "Buffy The Vampire Slayer" actor Marc Blucas (37) weds journalist Ryan Haddon (38) in Erie, Pennsylvania
Wedding of Interest
Aug 1 Fashion model Rhea Durham (34) weds actor and producer Mark Wahlberg (41) at Good Shepherd Catholic Church in Beverly Hills
Mark Wahlberg
- Aug 1 "Heroes" actress Ali Larter (33) weds stand-up comedian and actor Hayes MacArthur (32) in Kennebunkport, Maine
Wedding of Interest
Aug 1 Actress-comedian Mary Lynn Rajskub (38) weds personal trainer Matthew Rolph in an impromptu wedding in Las Vegas
Mary Lynn Rajskub
- Aug 8 International opera group Il Divo singer David Miller weds singer and theater actress Sarah Joy Kabanuck in New York City
Wedding of Interest
Aug 15 Charmed actress Alyssa Milano (39) weds CAA agent David Bugliari in Bernardsville, New Jersey
Alyssa Milano
Wedding of Interest
Aug 15 Actor Joseph Fiennes (39) weds model María Dolores Diéguez in Tuscany, Italy
Joseph Fiennes
Wedding of Interest
Aug 22 Actress and model Milla Jovovich (36) weds film director Paul W. S. Anderson (47) in Beverly Hills, California
Milla Jovovich
- Sep 4 Singer and actress Christina Milian (27) weds singer-songwriter The-Dream (31) at the Little White Chapel in Las Vegas, Nevada
- Sep 12 Financial analyst and only son of Prince and Princess Michael of Kent, Lord Frederick Windsor (30) weds actress Sophie Winkleman (29) at Hampton Court Palace in Surrey, England
Wedding of Interest
Sep 19 "500 Days of Summer" actress Zooey Deschanel (29) weds "Death Cab for Cutie" singer Ben Gibbard (33) in Seattle, Washington
Zooey Deschanel
- Sep 26 Actress and model Jaime Pressly (35) weds entertainment lawyer Simran Singh (33) at Dick Clark estate in Malibu
- Sep 26 "Half and Half" actress Essence Atkins (37) weds football free safety Jaime Mendez (38) at Ambassador Mansion and Gardens in Pasadena, California
- Sep 26 "American Idol" runner-up Justin Guarini (30) weds Reina Capodici (27) at a private estate in Doylestown, Pennsylvania
Wedding of Interest
Sep 27 Businesswoman and TV personality Khloé Kardashian (28) weds NBA basketball forward Lamar Odom (32) in Beverly Hills, California
Khloé Kardashian
- Sep 29 American Idol's first runner-up Justin Guarini (30) weds Reina Capodici (27) in Doylestown, Pennsylvania
Wedding of Interest
Oct 10 Ice hockey right winger Pavel Bure (38) weds model Alina Khasanova (23) in Moscow, Russia
Pavel Bure
- Oct 11 "Mad Men" actress Christina Hendricks (37) weds actor Geoffrey Arend (34) at the couple's favorite Il Buco restaurant in New York City
- Nov 2 "Sex and the City" actor Ron Livingston (41) weds actress Rosemarie DeWitt (34) in San Francisco
- Nov 8 "The Practice" actress Marla Sokoloff (29) weds composer Alec Puro (34) at Il Cielo restaurant
- Dec 19 Actor and singer Kevin Jonas (22) weds Danielle Deleasa (23) at Oheka Castle in Huntington, New York
Divorces in Film & TV
- Mar 20 "Dawson's Creek" actor Kerr Smith (37) divorces actress Harmoni Everett (34) due to irreconcilable differences after 6 years of marriage
- Jun 5 "Lost" actress Emilie de Ravin (27) divorces actor Josh Janowicz (27) after three years of marriage
- Jun 19 "Malcolm in the Middle" actress Jane Kaczmarek (53) divorces actor Bradley Whitford (49) after 16 years of marriage
- Jul 6 Actress Rachael Bella (25) divorces "Terminator 2" actor Eddie Furlong (31) due to irreconcilable differences after 3 years of marriage
- Aug 24 American actor Eddie Cibrian (36) divorces TV personality Brandi Glanville (35) due to irreconcilable differences
- Sep 8 90s pop sensation singer Peter Andre (36) divorces glamour model Katie Price (31) due to unreasonable behaviour after 3 years of marriage
Deaths in Film & TV
- Jan 1 Edmund Purdom, British actor (The Egyptian, Asissi Underground, Pieces), dies at 84
- Jan 2 Jett Travolta, son of actors John Travolta and Kelly Preston, dies of a seizure at 16
- Jan 3 Martin Patterson "Pat" Hingle, American actor (Hang 'em High, Splendor in the Grass, Batman Returns), dies of myelodysplastic syndrome at 84
- Jan 3 Olga San Juan, American actress, dancer and comedian (Variety Girl, 1 Touch of Venus), dies at 81
- Jan 5 Ned Tanen, American movie executive (b. 1931)
- Jan 8 Don Galloway, American actor (Arrest & Trial, Ironside), dies at 71
- Jan 11 David Vine, British sports broadcaster (BBC Match of the Day, World Snooker C'ships, Olympics coverage), dies of a heart attack at 74
- Jan 12 Claude Berri, French actor, director and screenwriter, dies at 74
- Jan 12 Russ Conway, Canadian-American character actor (Richard Diamond Private Eye), dies at 95
- Jan 13 Patrick McGoohan, American-born Irish actor, writer, and director (The Prisoner, Secret Agent/ Danger Man), dies at 80
- Jan 14 Ricardo Montalbán, Mexican actor (Fantasy Island, Star Trek II, Naked Gun), dies of congestive heart failure at 88
- Jan 16 John Mortimer, British barrister, screenwriter and author. (b. 1923)
- Jan 18 Tony Hart, English artist and television presenter (Take Hart, Hartbeat), dies at 83
- Jan 18 Bob May, American actor (b. 1939)
- Jan 18 Kathleen Byron, British actress (Abdication, Profile, Saving Private Ryan), dies of breast cancer at 88
- Jan 25 Kim Manners, American television producer and director (b. 1951)
- Jan 31 Nagesh, Indian comedian actor in Kollywood (b. 1933)
- Feb 6 James Whitmore, American actor (The Shawshank Redemption, Give 'em Hell Harry), dies of lung cancer at 87
- Feb 7 Brian Naylor (broadcaster), Australian television presenter (b. 1931)
- Feb 13 Gianna Maria Canale, Italian actress (Go For Broke), dies at 81
- Feb 15 Phil Carey, American actor (One Life to Live), dies at 83
- Feb 17 Gazanfer Özcan, Turkish actor (b. 1931)
- Feb 26 Wendy Richard, English actress (EastEnders), dies of cancer at 65
- Feb 26 Norm Van Lier, American basketball point guard (NBA All Star 1974, 76, 77; Chicago Bulls) and broadcaster (Comcast SportsNet), dies at 61
- Feb 26 Johnny Kerr, American basketball forward (NBA All Star 1956, 59, 63; Syracuse Nats/Philadelphia 76ers), coach (Chicago Bulls, Phoenix Suns) and broadcaster (Chicago Bulls), dies of prostate cancer at 76
- Mar 3 Sydney Chaplin, American actor and son of Charlie Chaplin (Limelight, Adding Machine), dies at 82
- Mar 4 Yvon Cormier, Canadian professional wrestler (b. 1938)
- Mar 4 Horton Foote, American Pulitzer Prize-winning playwright and Academy Award-winning screenwriter (b. 1916)
- Mar 4 Salvatore Samperi, Italian film director (b 1944)
- Mar 7 Jang Ja-yeon, South Korean actress (b. 1982)
- Mar 8 Ali Bongo [William Oliver Wallace], British comedy musician and magician (President of The Magic Circle - Shriek of Araby), dies at 79
- Mar 13 Andrew Martin, Canadian professional wrestler (b. 1975)
- Mar 13 Betsy Blair [Elizabeth Boger], American actress (Marty, A Double Life), dies at 85
- Mar 14 Alain Bashung, French singer, songwriter, comedian and actor. (b. 1947)
- Mar 15 Ron Silver, American actor (Reversal of Fortune, Timecop), dies of cancer at 62
- Mar 17 Clodovil Hernandes, Brazilian politician and TV host (b. 1937)
Natasha Richardson
Mar 18 Natasha Richardson, English actress (Gothic, Handmaid's Tale), dies of a traumatic brain injury at 45
Natasha Richardson
- Mar 22 Jade Goody, English reality TV Star and Entrepreneur, dies of cancer at 27
- Mar 24 Martin Brozius, Dutch actor (Goede Tijden Slechte Tijden), dies at 67
- Mar 27 Irving R. Levine, American journalist (NBC News), dies at 86
- Mar 29 Andy Hallett, American actor and singer (b.1975)
- Apr 8 Herbie Lovelle, America drummer, studio musician (Hot Lips Page) and actor (Law & Order), dies at 85
- Apr 15 Clement Freud, British writer, broadcaster and former liberal MP, dies at 84
- Apr 18 Stephanie Parker, Welsh actress, dies at 22
- Apr 22 Jack Cardiff, British cinematographer (Black Narcissus), dies at 94
- Apr 25 Bea Arthur, American comedian, singer and actress (All in the Family, The Golden Girls), dies at 86
- Apr 27 Feroz Khan, Indian actor, producer and director (known as Clint Eastwood of Bollywood), dies at 69
- Apr 27 Woo Seung-yeon, South Korean actress & model, dies at 25
- May 4 Dom Deluise, American comedian, actor (b. 1933)
- May 4 Jane Randolph, American actress (Cat People, Railroaded!), dies of complications after hip surgery at 93
- May 13 Frank Aletter, American character actor (Mac-It's About Time, Tom-Nancy), dies of lung cancer at 83
- May 14 Bob Rosburg, American golfer, broadcaster (PGA Championship 1959), dies of head injuries from a fall at 82
- May 15 Charles 'Bud' Tingwell, Australian actor, pilot and radio announcer, dies at 86
- May 17 Jung Seung-hye, South Korean film producer (b. 1965)
- May 18 Wayne Allwine, American voice actor, dies at 62
- May 20 Lucy Gordon, British model and actress (b. 1980)
- May 21 Joan Alexander [Louise Abrass], American actress (The New Adventures of Superman, The Tales of Hoffmann), dies of an intestinal ailment at 94
- May 28 Terence Alexander, English actor (Bergerac), dies at 86
- Jun 3 David Carradine, American actor (Kung Fu, Mean Streets, Kill Bill V.1 & 2), dies at 72
- Jun 10 Tenniel Evans, British actor and clergyman (10 Rillington Place, My Brother's Keeper), dies at 83
- Jun 13 Mitsuharu Misawa, Japanese professional wrestler (b. 1962)
- Jun 23 Ed McMahon, American television personality (b. 1923)
Farrah Fawcett
Jun 25 Farrah Fawcett, American actress (Charlie's Angels, The Burning Bed), dies of anal cancer at 62
Farrah Fawcett
- Jun 27 Gale Storm [Josephine Owaissa Cottle], American singer and actress (My Little Margie, Gale Storm Show), dies at 87
- Jun 28 Fred Travalena, American comedian and impressionist (b. 1942)
- Jun 28 A. K. Lohithadas, Indian screenwriter, director, and producer (b. 1955)
- Jun 29 Joe Bowman (marksman), American sharpshooter, Hollywood consultant, famed bootmaker & master showman (b. 1925)
- Jun 30 Harve Presnell, American actor (Unsinkable Molly Brown), dies at 75
- Jul 1 Karl Malden [Mladen George Sekulovich], American actor (Streets of San Francisco, American Express, A Streetcar Named Desire), dies of natural causes at 97
- Jul 1 Mollie Sugden, English actress (Are You Being Served?), dies at 86
- Jul 4 Brenda Joyce [Betty Graffina Leabo], American actress (Tarzan, The Rains Came), dies of complications from pneumonia at 92
- Jul 4 Lasse Strömstedt, Swedish writer and actor, dies at 74
- Jul 12 Donald MacCormick, British broadcaster, dies at 70
- Jul 14 Zbigniew Zapasiewicz, Polish actor (b. 1934)
Walter Cronkite
Jul 17 Walter Cronkite, American broadcast journalist and news anchor (CBS Evening News 1962-81), dies of cerebrovascular disease at 92
Walter Cronkite
- Jul 22 Peter Krieg, German documentary filmmaker, producer and writer (b. 1947)
- Jul 25 Alexis Cohen, American Idol contestant (unsuccessful), viral phenomenon (b. 1984)
- Jul 25 Yasmin Ahmad, Malaysian film director, writer and scriptwriter (b. 1958)
- Jul 31 Harry Alan Towers, English film producer and screenwriter (b. 1920)
- Aug 4 Blake Snyder, American screenwriter (b. 1957)
- Aug 5 Budd Schulberg, American screenwriter and novelist (On the Waterfront), dies at 95
- Aug 6 John Hughes, American film director (Breakfast Club, Ferris Bueller), dies of a heart attack at 59
- Aug 7 Gerard van den Berg, Dutch TV host (Like Father, Like Son), dies at 76
- Aug 19 Don Hewitt, television news producer & director; creator of 60 Minutes (b. 1922)
- Sep 1 Jang Jin-young, South Korean actress (b. 1974)
- Sep 4 Iain Cuthbertson, Scottish actor (Guilty, Scandal, Rep, Danger UXB), dies at 79
- Sep 8 Raymond "Ray" Barrett, Australian actor (The Troubleshooters, Gillette Summer Sports Reel), dies at 82
- Sep 8 Mike Bongiorno, Italian television host (b. 1924)
- Sep 13 Paul Burke, American actor (Naked City, Thomas Crown Affair, Neal-Dynasty), dies at 83
- Sep 14 Patrick Swayze, American actor, dancer, and songwriter (Dirty Dancing), dies of cancer at 57
- Sep 14 Henry Gibson, American actor and comedian (Nashville, Laugh-In's poet), dies at 73
- Sep 19 Eduard Zimmermann, German broadcaster (b. 1929)
- Sep 20 John Hart, American actor (The Lone Ranger, The Adventures of Captain Africa), dies from complications of dementia at 91
- Sep 27 Ivan Dykhovichnyy, Russian film director and screenwriter (b. 1947)
- Sep 28 Ulf Larsson, Swedish actor (b. 1956)
- Sep 29 Sperantza Vrana, Greek actress (b. 1926 or 1932)
- Oct 6 Douglas Campbell, Scottish born Canadian actor (b. 1922)
- Oct 11 Veronika Neugebauer, German actress and voice actress (b. 1969)
- Oct 13 Al Martino [Jasper Cini], American singer and actor (Here in My Heart, The Godfather), dies at 82
- Oct 14 Captain Lou Albano. American Professional Wrestler and Manager. (b. 1933)