Events in Film & Television in 1996

Jan 21 53rd Golden Globes: "Sense and Sensibility", Nicolas Cage, & Sharon Stone win

Feb 15 Tamil romantic comedy film "Poove Unakkaga" released directed by Vikraman, starring Sangita and Vijay in his breakthrough role

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

Feb 27 American film production company "Happy Madison Productions" is founded by Adam Sandler

Mar 8 "Fargo" directed and written by Joel and Ethan Coen, starring Frances McDormand, William H. Macy and Steve Buscemi released in the US

Mar 10 22nd People's Choice Awards: Tom Hanks & Demi Moore win (Dramatic Motion Picture) and Tim Allen & Candice Bergen win (TV)

Mar 25 68th Academy Awards: "Braveheart", Nicholas Cage & Susan Sarandon win

Apr 6 Marlon Brando makes anti-Semetic remarks about hollywood on Larry King Live, stating that the 'Jews control Hollywood'

Apr 29 "Rent", starring Idina Menzel and Taye Diggs, opens at Nederlander Theater NYC

May 7 Comedian Martin Lawrence suffers a nervous breakdown

May 10 "Twister" disaster film written by Michael Crichton starring Helen Hunt and Bill Paxton premieres

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

Jun 14 "Cable Guy" starring Jim Carrey is released

Jun 25 "Independence Day" directed by Roland Emmerich and starring Will Smith, Bill Pullman and Jeff Goldblum premieres in Westwood, California

Jun 28 "Nutty Professor" starring Eddie Murphy opens in theaters in the USA

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"

Aug 26 "7th Heaven", starring Jessica Biel, debuts on The WB

Sep 2 Jerry Lewis' 31st Muscular Dystrophy telethon raises $49,200,000

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)

Nov 18 "Star Trek: First Contact" film directed by Jonathan Frakes and starring Patrick Stewart and Jonathan Frakes premieres

Dec 20 Horror film classic "Scream", starring Neve Campbell and Courteney Cox, is released