Events in Film & TV
- 1896 Vitascope system of movie projection 1st shown at Koster & Bial's Music Hall (NYC)
- 1948 KSTP TV channel 5 in St Paul-Minneapolis, MN (ABC) 1st broadcast
- 1953 KTAR (now KPNX) TV channel 12 in Phoenix, AZ (NBC) begins broadcasting
- 1953 WCOV TV channel 20 in Montgomery, AL (IND/CBS) begins broadcasting
- 1953 "Shane", directed by George Stevens and based on the 1949 novel by Jack Schaefer, starring Alan Ladd and Jean Arthur, is released
- 1969 ABC Masters Bowling Tournament won by Jim Chestney
- 1989 CBS' premiere of fact based "The Littlest Victims", based on Newark, N.J. physician James Oleske as the first doctor to discover AIDS in children
- 1996 49th British Film and Television Awards (BAFTAS): "Sense and Sensibility" Best Film, Michael Radford Best Director
- 1996 42nd British Academy Television Awards: "Father Ted" Best Comedy, "Cracker" Best Drama
Music Single
2001 Fatboy Slim releases single "Weapon of Choice", music video directed by Spike Jonze starring Christopher Walken dancing
Christopher Walken
Film Premier
2013 "Star Trek Into Darkness" directed by J. J. Abrams starring Chris Pine and Zachary Quinto premieres in Sydney
J. J. Abrams
Beyoncé Knowles
Film Premier
2018 Marvel's "Avengers: Infinity War" directed by Anthony and Joe Russo, starring Chris Evans, Robert Downey Jr and large ensemble cast premieres in Los Angeles
Birthdays in Film & TV
- 1890 Marcel L'Herbier, French director and screenwriter (El Dorado), born in Paris (d. 1979)
- 1894 Basil Sydney, British actor (Hamlet, Jassy, Simba, Farmer's Wife), born in St. Osyth, Essex, England (d. 1968)
- 1894 George Renevant [Georges de Cheux], French actor (Moulin Rouge, Scotland Yard, Comrade X), born in Paris, France (d. 1969)
- 1897 John Wengraf, Austrian actor (12 to the Moon, Pride & Passion), born in Vienna, Austria (d. 1974)
- 1900 Harold French, British director and actor (The Cavalier of the Streets, Trio, Quartet), born in Lambeth, London (d. 1997)
- 1900 Joseph Green, Polish-American filmmaker, born in Łódź, Poland (d. 1996)
- 1904 Duncan Renaldo, Spanish actor (The Cisco Kid, The Gay Amigo), born in Oancea, Romania (d. 1980)
- 1904 Leslie French, British actor and singer (Death in Venice, More than a Miracle), born in Bromley, Kent, England (d. 1999)
- 1908 Marcel Hillaire, German actor (Take the Money and Run, Seven Thieves), born in Cologne, Germany (d. 1988)
- 1908 Myron Waldman, American animator (Fleischer Studio), born in Brooklyn, New York (d. 2006)
- 1911 Simone Simon, French actress (All Money Can Buy, Ladies in Love), born in Marseille, Bouches-du-Rhône, France (d. 2005)
- 1914 John Hubbard, American actor (Don't Call Me Charlie, The Tall T, One Million B.C.), born in East Chicago, Indiana (d. 1988)
- 1918 Anthony Craxton, British TV producer, born in London (d. 1966)
- 1919 Dorian Leigh, American supermodel and icon of the fashion industry, born in San Antonio, Texas (d. 2008)
- 1921 Janet Blair [Martha Janet Lafferty], American singer and actress (Leave it to the Girls, Smith Family), born in Altoona, Pennsylvania (d. 2007)
- 1923 Antonino Rocca, Italian-Argentine professional wrestler, born in Treviso, Veneto, Italy (d. 1977)
- 1928 Sir William "Bill" Cotton, British television producer and executive (Noel Gay TV), born in London, England (d. 2008)
Shirley Temple
1928 Shirley Temple, American actress, famous 1930s child star (Bright Eyes, Heidi) and diplomat, born in Santa Monica, California (d. 2014)
Shirley Temple
- 1930 Alan Oppenheimer, American actor (6 Million Dollar Man, Eischied), born in NYC, New York
- 1939 David Birney, American actor (Brigette Loves Bernie, St Elsewhere), born in Washington, D.C.
- 1939 Lee Majors [Harvey Lee Yeary], American film and TV actor ($6,000,000 Man, The Fall Guy), born in Wyandotte, Michigan
- 1941 Ed Stewart, British DJ and broadcaster (Crackerjack), born in Exmouth, Devon (d. 2016)
- 1941 Michael Lynne, American film producer (The Mortal Instruments: City of Bones), born in Brooklyn, New York
- 1942 Sandra Dee, [Zuck], actress (Gidget, Imitation of Life), born in Bayonne, New Jersey
- 1943 [Gerardus] Bob van Toll, actor/interpreter/director (Pastorale 1943)
- 1948 Tessa Wyatt, actress (Beast in the Cellar, Wedding Night)
- 1948 Serge Thériault, French-Canadian comedian and actor
- 1949 Blair Brown, actress (Altered States, Molly Dodd), born in Washington, D.C.
- 1949 Joyce DeWitt, Wheeling WV, actress (Janet Wood-Three's Company)
- 1952 Lionel Johnston, American actor (Sons & Daughters), born in Augusta, Georgia
- 1953 James Russo, American actor (My Own Private Idaho, China Girl), born in NYC, New York
Michael Moore
1954 Michael Moore, American filmmaker (Fahrenheit 9/11, Bowling for Columbine, Sicko), born in Flint, Michigan
Michael Moore
- 1955 Judy Davis, Australian actress (Barton Fink, Husbands & Wives), born in Perth, Australia
- 1955 Su Ingle, British TV hostess
- 1957 Jan Hooks, Decatur Georgia, comedienne actress (SNL, Designing Women)
- 1961 Terry Gordy, American professional wrestler (d. 2001)
- 1961 George Lopez, American actor and comedian
- 1962 John Hannah, Scottish actor
- 1964 Dan Frischman, Whippany NJ, actor (Arvid Engen-Head of the Class)
- 1967 Melina Kanakaredes, actress (Eleni Andros-Guiding Light), born in Akron, Ohio
- 1969 Richard Wolstencroft, Australian Filmmaker
- 1969 Manoj Bajpayee [Bajpai], Indian actor (Satya, Road), born in Narkatiaganj, Bihar
- 1970 Scott Bairstow, American actor
- 1970 Sadao Abe, Japanese actor
- 1971 Charmaine Sinclair, English model
- 1972 Sonya Smith, American actress
- 1974 Barry Watson, American actor
John Oliver
1977 John Oliver, English comedian (The Daily Show, Last Week Tonight with John Oliver), born in Birmingham, West Midlands
John Oliver
- 1979 Yana Gupta, Indian actress & model
- 1979 Jaime King, American actress
- 1981 Joanna Krupa, Supermodel/actress
- 1985 Angel Locsin, Filipina TV and movie actress
- 1986 Jessica Stam, Canadian supermodel
- 1990 Matthew Dillon Underwood, American actor
- 1995 Gigi Hadid [Jelena Noura Hadid], American fashion model, born in Los Angeles, California
Weddings in Film & TV
Wedding of Interest
1925 Film producer Samuel Goldwyn (42) weds actress Frances Howard (21)
Samuel Goldwyn
- 2006 "Rascal Flatts" guitarist Joe Don Rooney (30) weds Playboy's 2005 Playmate of The Year Tiffany Fallon (31) in an intimate ceremony held on the beach at San Jose del Cabo, Mexico
Deaths in Film & TV
- 1827 Johanna Cornelia Wattier-Ziesenis, Dutch actress (Phaedra, Lady Macbeth), dies at 65
- 1957 William Orlamond, Danish actor (Flesh and the Devil, The Wind), dies at 89
- 1965 Josephina J "Fien" de la Mar, Dutch actress (Pygmalion), dies at 67
- 1970 Herb Shriner, humorist/TV host (Herb Shriner Show), dies at 51
- 1975 William Hartnell, English actor (first Doctor in Dr Who), dies at 67
- 1976 James Flavin, American actor (King Kong, In Cold Blood, Man With a Camera), dies from a ruptured aorta at 69
- 1976 Ronald Radd, actor (King Lear, Up Jumped a Swagman), dies at 47
- 1976 Shimen Ruskin, Polish actor (Beau Brummel, Having a Wonderful Time), dies at 69
- 1983 Selena Royale, American actress (Date With Judy, Robot Monster), dies at 78
- 1983 Clarence "Buster" Crabbe, American swimmer (Olympic gold 1932) and actor (Tarzan the Fearless, Flash Gordon), dies of a heart attack at 75
- 1984 August "Guus" Oster, actor and director (Carrie), dies at 68
- 1985 Kent Smith, actor (Peyton Place, Invaders), dies from heart disease at 78
- 1986 Otto Preminger, Austrian director and producer (Advise & Consent, Anatomy of Murder), dies at 79
- 1990 Albert Salmi, American character actor (Caddyshack, Daniel Boone, 79 Park Avenue), kills terminally ill wife & self at 62
- 1990 Palmer Deane, actor (Still of the Night), dies
- 1990 Paulette Goddard, American actress (Modern Times, The Great Dictator, Hazard), dies at 79
- 1992 Victoria Kellem Lederman, model, dies of amyloidosis at 52
- 2005 Sir John Mills, British actor (Ryan's Daughter, Big Sleep, King Rat, War & Peace), dies from a chest infection at 97
- 2011 John Sullivan, British comedy writer (b. 1946)
- 2015 Sawyer Sweeten, American actor (Everyone Loves Raymond), commits suicide at 19
April in History
![World's First Motor Race]()
World's First Motor Race
It was hardly the stuff of today's adrenalin-pumping Formula 1 match ups, but on this day two men climbed aboard their machine for "the world’s first motor race”.
April 20, 1887![A Son, A Son – My Wife For A Son!]()
A Son, A Son – My Wife For A Son!
Henry VIII, who became King of England on this day in history, disposed of two wives in his quest for a son and heir – and was to marry four others.
April 21, 1509![Who Wrote Shakespeare?]()
Who Wrote Shakespeare?
Could the son of a provincial glove-maker, born on this day in history, be the author of the world's greatest plays? The argument rages on.
April 23, 1564![Hitler's Diaries Fail Forensic Tests]()
Hitler's Diaries Fail Forensic Tests
German Magazine revealed the scoop of the century on this day but it's “Hitler’s Diaries” sensation failed a forensic test and was quickly proved a hoax.
April 25, 1983
