- Jan 9 First episode of "Third Rock from the Sun" screened on NBC
Golden Globes
Jan 21 53rd Golden Globes: "Sense and Sensibility", Nicolas Cage, & Sharon Stone win
Nicolas Cage
Film Release
Feb 23 "Trainspotting" directed by Danny Boyle based on the book by Irvine Welsh, starring Ewan McGregor, Robert Carlyle and Jonny Lee Miller opens in cinemas in the UK and Ireland
Ewan McGregor
Robert Carlyle
Event of Interest
Feb 27 American film production company "Happy Madison Productions" is founded by Adam Sandler
Adam Sandler
- Mar 6 10th American Comedy Award: James Burrows
Film Release
Mar 8 "Fargo" directed and written by Joel and Ethan Coen, starring Frances McDormand, William H. Macy and Steve Buscemi released in the US
Frances McDormand
Academy Awards
Mar 25 68th Academy Awards: "Braveheart", Nicholas Cage & Susan Sarandon win
Susan Sarandon
- Mar 31 WrestleMania XII, Arrowhead Pond of Anaheim, CA - Shawn Michaels beats Bret Hart for WWF Heavyweight title
Event of Interest
Apr 5 Marlon Brando makes anti-semetic remarks about hollywood on Larry King
Marlon Brando
Larry King
Film Release
Apr 29 "Rent", starring Idina Menzel and Taye Diggs, opens at Nederlander Theater NYC
Idina Menzel
- May 5 Renette Cruz, Vancouver, wins Miss Canadian Universe
Event of Interest
May 7 Comedian Martin Lawrence suffers a nervous breakdown
Martin Lawrence
Event of Interest
May 10 "Twister" disaster film written by Michael Crichton starring Helen Hunt and Bill Paxton premieres
Helen Hunt
Michael Crichton
- May 17 Venezuelan Alicia Machado, aged 18, crowned 45th Miss Universe
- May 20 49th Cannes Film Festival: "Secrets & Lies" directed by Mike Leigh wins the Palme d'Or
- May 22 Emmy 23rd Daytime Award presentation - Susan Lucci loses for 16th time
- May 24 "Spy Hard" starring Leslie Nielsen is released
- May 30 John Tesh's final day as host of "Entertainment Tonight"
Event of Interest
Jun 1 Woody Harrelson is arrested in Lee County, Kentucky, after he symbolically planted four hemp seeds to challenge the state law which did not distinguish between industrial hemp and marijuana
Woody Harrelson
Film Release
Jun 14 "Cable Guy" starring Jim Carrey is released
Jim Carrey
Film Premier
Jun 25 "Independence Day" directed by Roland Emmerich and starring Will Smith, Bill Pullman and Jeff Goldblum premieres in Westwood, California
Film Release
Jun 28 "Nutty Professor" starring Eddie Murphy opens in theaters in the USA
Eddie Murphy
Historic Publication
Aug 1 George R.R. Martin publishes the epic fantasy novel "A Game of Thrones", the first in his series "A Song of Ice and Fire"
George R.R. Martin
- Aug 21 Christie Lee Woods, 18, of Texas, crowned 14th Miss Teen USA
Television Debut
Aug 26 "7th Heaven", starring Jessica Biel, debuts on The WB
Jessica Biel
- Aug 28 53rd Venice Film Festival: "Michael Collins" directed by Neil Jordan wins Golden Lion
Event of Interest
Sep 2 Jerry Lewis' 31st Muscular Dystrophy telethon raises $49,200,000
Jerry Lewis
- Sep 8 48th Emmy Awards: ER, Dennis Franz & Kathy Baker win
- Sep 14 Tara Dawn Holland (Kansas), 23, crowned 70th Miss America 1997
- Oct 9 Howard Stern's book "Miss America" released in paperback
- Nov 1 Shaquille O'Neil makes his Hollywood debut as Los Angeles Lakers beat Phoenix Suns, 96-82 at the Forum, Inglewood; O'Neil scores 23 points and pulls down 14 rebounds in 35 minutes
Film Premier
Nov 6 "The English Patient" based on the novel by Michael Ondaatje, directed by Anthony Minghella and starring Ralph Fiennes, Juliette Binoche and Kristen Scott Thomas premieres in Los Angeles (Best Picture 1997)
Ralph Fiennes
Film Premier
Nov 18 "Star Trek: First Contact" film directed by Jonathan Frakes and starring Patrick Stewart and Jonathan Frakes premieres
Patrick Stewart
Film Release
Dec 20 Horror film classic "Scream", starring Neve Campbell and Courteney Cox, is released
Courteney Cox
Neve Campbell
- Dec 26 Six-year-old beauty queen JonBenét Ramsey is found beaten and strangled in the basement of her family's home in Boulder, Colorado