“Here Comes Honey Boo Boo“, the reality spin-off of “Toddlers & Tiaras“, debuted on TLC in 2012. The series about the Thompson family featuring Alana “Boo Boo” and Mama June aired for four seasons within a two-year span. A fifth season had been filmed but wound up airing as a two-hour “lost episodes” special in April 2017…”The Knick“, the early 1900’s-set medical drama starring Clive Owen, debuted on Cinemax in 2014, during the pay cable’s brief foray into original scripted programming. Award-winning director Steven Soderbergh served as one of the critically acclaimed series’ executive producers. Twenty episodes were produced across two seasons — all of which were directed by Soderbergh.

The Walt Disney Company announced plans to create its own streaming service in 2017, cancelling ties with Netflix. That service would become Disney+.

Movies:
Notable films released: “White Lightning” starring Burt Reynolds in 1973; Olivia Newton-John musical “Xanadu” in 1980; coming-of-age flick “Stand By Me“, animated “Transformers: The Movie” and comedy “A Fine Mess” — all in 1986; Spike Lee’s romantic comedy “She’s Gotta Have It” in 1988…Hindi film “Chennai Express” opened in 2013. It was the fastest Bollywood film to earn $1 billion.

Music:
Iain Macmillan photographed The Beatles in their famous cover shot for the album “Abbey Road” in 1969 outside EMI Recording Studios in London, England.

Reaching No. 1 on the Billboard Hot 100 chart: “I Still Haven’t Found What I’m Looking For” by U2 in 1987 and “This Used To Be My Playground” by Madonna (from her movie “A League Of Their Own“) in 1992… legendary rap album “Straight Outta Compton” by N.W.A. was released in 1988… the original version of the single “Missing” by Everything But The Girl was released in 1994. It did not achieve commercial success until a Todd Terry remix was subsequently released fifteen months later, making “Missing” one of the iconic dance songs of the 90’s. It became the first single in Billboard magazine history to remain on its Hot 100 chart for an entire calendar year uninterrupted…Single “Gangster’s Paradise” was released by Coolio in 1995. In was named the Billboard Song of the Year.

News:
In 1974, Richard Nixon addressed the nation on TV that he’d resign from the office of President of the United States the following day…Sylvester Stallone and former heavyweight boxing contender Chuck Wepner settled a lawsuit out of court for an undisclosed sum in 2006. Wepner claimed he was the inspiration for the “Rocky” movies.

Sports:
The United States Olympic men’s basketball team, also known as “The Dream Team“, won the gold medal in Barcelona, Spain in 1992. The team that featured Michael Jordan, Magic Johnson, Charles Barkley, Larry Bird and many other Hall of Famers, helped catapult the NBA’s prominence as a global entity in sport… In 2008, Beijing produced a four-hour Olympics opening ceremony considered by many to be the most spectacular Olympic opener ever staged. Directed by Chinese filmmaker Zhang Yimou, the show featured more than 15,000 performers, ranging from children to martial arts masters.

Celebrity Birthdays:
Actress Nita Talbot (“Hogan’s Heroes”) is 94; two-time Oscar winner Dustin Hoffman is 87; actress-singer Connie Stevens is 86; actor Larry Wilcox (“CHiPs”) is 77; actor Keith Carradine (“Madam Secretary”) is 75; drummer Anton Fig (“Late Show with David Letterman”) is 71; actor Donny Most (“Happy Days”) is 71; actor Harry Crosby (“Friday the 13th”) is 66; “Inside Edition” host Deborah Norville is 66; U2 guitarist David Evans aka The Edge is 63; rapper Mohammad Dewese aka Kool Moe Dee is 62; Crees lead singer Scott Stapp is 51; ‘NSYNC singer J.C. Chasez is 48; 98 Degrees singer-“DWTS” champion Drew Lachey is 48; actress Countess Vaughn (“The Parkers”) is 46; actor Michael Urie (“Ugly Betty”) is 44; actress Meagan Good (“Think Like A Man”) is 43; actress Jackie Cruz (“Orange Is the New Black”) is 40; singer-songwriter Shawn Mendes is 26.

Did You Know?
The original “Honeymooners” sketches aired on the DuMont network’s variety series “Cavalcade of Stars” with Jackie Gleason as Ralph Kramden, Art Carney as Ed Norton, Pert Kelton as wife Alice Kramden and, in one episode, Elaine Stritch as Trixie Norton. The popularity of the sketches led Gleason to rework “The Honeymooners” as a filmed half-hour series, which debuted on Oct. 1, 1955 on CBS in place of Gleason’s then variety series on the Eye net. After one season (and 39 episodes), the sketches were reverted back into the variety series on CBS. For a look, click here

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Documentary miniseries “Watergate,“ based on the book “Watergate: The Corruption and Fall of Richard Nixon” by the former correspondent for the Washington Times, Fred Emery, premiered on Discovery in 1994. The five-part series, a co-production with BBC America, was the first film to offer a comprehensive look at one of Washington’s biggest scandals.

Movies
“Who’s That Girl” starring Madonna and Griffin Dunne premiered in 1987. The title song, performed by Madonna, reached No. 1 on the Billboard Hot 100…“Crazy Rich Asians,” the first Hollywood film to feature the majority of the cast of Chinese descent in a modern setting since “The Joy Luck Club” opened in Los Angeles on this day in 1993. It starred Constance Wu, Henry Golding and Michelle Yeoh. And it resulted in Constance Wu publicly complaining about the renewal of her then ABC sitcom, “Fresh Off the Boat.”

Music:
Barbra Streisand recorded “Broadway Album” in 1985…Garth Brooks recorded a free concert in NYC’s Central Park for HBO, later releasing it as “Garth: Live from Central Park” in 1997.

Kesha released her “Tik Tok” single in 2009, which was named the Billboard Song of the Year in 2010… Reaching No. 1 on the Billboard Hot 100 chart: “How Can You Mend a Broken Heart” by The Bee Gees in 1971; “Don’t Go Breaking My Heart” by Elton John and Kiki Dee in 1976; “Slow Motion” by Juvenile featuring Soulja Slim in 2004.

Books:
“Eclipse,“ the third book in Stephenie Meyer’s “Twilight Saga” was published by Little Brown in 2007. The initial print run was for one million copies.

News:
Philippe Petit performed a high wire act between the Twin Towers of the World Trade Center in New York City in 1974…. Nike first launched its “Just Do It” advertising campaign in 1988.

Sports:
Yogi Berra, Sandy Koufax, Lefty Gomez, Early Wynn, Josh Gibson, Will Harridge, Buck Leonard and Ross Youngs were inducted into Baseball Hall of Fame in 1972…The Orlando Magic signed NBA No. 1 draft pick Shaquille O’Neal in 1992…Jerry Rice, Emmitt Smith, John Randle, Russ Grimm, Rickey Jackson, Floyd Little and Dick LeBeau were inducted into the Pro Football Hall of Fame in 2010…American swimmer Katie Ledecky set a new world record with a time of 3:56.46 to win the gold medal in the women’s 400m freestyle at the Rio de Janeiro Olympics in 2016.

Celebrity Birthdays
Author and radio host Garrison Keillor (“A Prairie Home Companion”) is 82; actor John Glover (“Smallville”) is 80; actor David Rasche (“Sledge Hammer!”) is also 80; “Seinfeld” star Wayne Knight (Newman) is 69; Iron Maiden lead singer Bruce Dickinson is 66; “The X-Files” star David Duchovny is 64; actor Harold Perrineau (“Lost”) is 61; actor Michael Shannon (“Boardwalk Empire”) is 50; Oscar winner Charlize Theron is 49; All-Star hockey player Sidney Crosby is 37.

Did You Know?
Wayne Knight as Newman had the biggest role of any of the secondary supporting characters on “Seinfeld.“ He appeared in 45 episodes.

Following the success of “Crazy Rich Asians,“ Constance Wu tweeted a slew of angry comments following the announcement of the renewal of her ABC sitcom, “Fresh Off the Boat,“ in 2019. “I love ‘Fresh Off the Boat,'” she later wrote in a statement. “I was temporarily upset not because I hate the show but because its renewal meant I had to give up another project that I was really passionate about. So my dismayed social media replies were more about that other project and not about ‘Fresh Off the Boat.'” Ultimately, “Fresh Off the Boat” was canceled after that now final season and Constance Wu was put out of her misery.

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Garth Brooks performed at a free concert in New York City’s Central Park for HBO in 1997…Jon Stewart hosted Comedy Central’s “The Daily Show” for the last time in 2015.

Movies
Harrison Ford starred in the blockbuster motion picture version of the 60’s TV series “The Fugitive“, which was released in 1993. Tommy Lee Jones won an Academy Award for Best Supporting Actor.

“The Thomas Crown Affair,” starring Pierce Brosnan and Rene Russo, opened on this day in 1999. It was a remake of the film of the same name in 1968.

Lindsay Lohan and Jamie Lee Curtis starred in “Freaky Friday” which premiered in 2003…Two notable films were released in 2004: action drama “Collateral” starring Tom Cruise and Jamie Foxx; indie shark thriller “Open Water.”

Music:
The revival of nudie musical “Oh! Calcutta!” closed at the Edison Theater in New York City after 5959 performances, making it Broadway’s longest-running musical revue…Punk rock band the Ramones performed for the last time at the Palace in Hollywood in 1996…From the film “Reality Bites“, the song “Stay (I Missed You)” by Lisa Loeb and Nine Stories hit No. 1 on the U.S. Billboard Hot 100 chart in 1994.

News:
In 1965, President Lyndon B. Johnson signed into law the historic Voting Rights Act which made it illegal to impose restrictions on federal, state and local elections designed to deny the vote to Black Americans…As a guest on NBC’s “The Tonight Show with Jay Leno” in 2003, Arnold Schwarzenegger announced his candidacy for the Governor of California. He would win that race that October and last eight years at the position.

Sports:
Tiger Woods at age 30 became the youngest player to compile 50 PGA Tour wins with a 3 stroke victory over Jim Furyk in the Buick Open at Grand Blanc, Michigan in 2006.

Celebrity Birthdays
Children’s music performer Ella Jenkins is 100; actor Ray Buktenica (“Rhoda”) is 81; actress Catherine Hicks (“7th Heaven”) is 73; actress Stepfanie Kramer (“Hunter”) is 68; actress Michelle Yeoh (“Crouching Tiger, Hidden Dragon”) is 62; former San Antonio Spurs center David Robinson is 59; director M. Night Shyamalan (“The Sixth Sense”) is 54; actress Merrin Dungey (“Alias”) is 53; pop singer Geri Halliwell (Ginger Spice) is 52; actress Vera Farmiga (“Bates Motel”) is 51; sports TV host Max Kellerman is also 51; former child star Soleil Moon Frye (“Punky Brewster”) is 48; actress Melissa George (“Grey’s Anatomy”) is also 48; actor Leslie Odom Jr. (“Hamilton”) is 43; “America’s Next Top Model” season one winner Adrianne Curry is 42.

Did You Know?
“Punky Brewster,” which aired for four seasons (two on NBC: 1984-86; and two in first-run syndication: 1986-88) spawned an animated spin-off, “It’s Punky Brewster.” The series featured the original cast voicing their respective characters, and it aired from September 14, 1985 to December 6, 1986. It was revived for an additional season on Peacock in 2021.

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“Whose Line Is It Anyway?”, starring Ryan Stiles, Colin Mochrie, and Wayne Brady, debuted on ABC in 1998. It ran on ABC through 2004 and moved to cable network ABC Family (now Freeform) from 2005 to 2007. The CW revived it effective in 2013, where it still airs with Aisha Tyler as host…”Insomniac with Dave Attell” premiered on Comedy Central in 2001. The series followed the comedian exploring various cities’ sights and hotspots during the wee hours of the night. Four seasons were produced, along with six hour-long specials throughout its run…”Lingo“, the rebooted version of the 1987-88 game show original, debuted on Game Show Network in 2002. Hosted by Chuck Woolery and having lasted six seasons, it became the longest running version of the game that involved guessing five-letter words while attempting to fill Bingo-style numbered boards…Primetime teen soap opera “The O.C.” launched on Fox in 2003. The series, which starred Ben McKenzie, Adam Brody, Mischa Barton, Rachel Bilson, Tate Donovan, Peter Gallagher and Kelly Rowan became an instant hit, with the latter half of its freshman season having benefitted from its mega-hit “American Idol” lead-in in the spring of 2004. Ratings drastically plunged once Barton exited the show after season three and “The O.C.” ultimately concluded after four seasons.

“The Simple Life“, the “Green Acres”-like docuseries starring Paris Hilton and Nicole Richie, concluded after five seasons in 2007. Its first two season aired on Fox, its last three on E!.

“How’d You Get So Rich?“, the docuseries starring comedienne Joan Rivers interviewing self-made wealthy people, debuted on TV Land in 2009. It only ran for 12 episodes. Rivers’ former “Fashion Police” co-host Giuliana Rancic fared better with her reality show, “Giuliana & Bill” (with her husband Bill Rancic) which also debuted in 2009, but on E!’s sister channel Style Network; 79 episodes were produced across seven seasons…Mary Hart announced in 2010 that she would depart syndicated newsmagazine “Entertainment Tonight” after its 30th season. Hart was co-host of the hit program for 29 years.

Movies:
“From Here To Eternity”, based on the book by James Jones and starring Burt Lancaster, Montgomery Clift, Frank Sinatra and Donna Reed, opened in theaters in 1953. It won 8 Oscars (including Best Picture and Frank Sinatra and Donna Reed for Best Actor and Actress in a Supporting Role, respectively).

Music:
The Beatles recorded single “Leave My Kitten Alone” in 1964…The Beatles released their “Revolver” album in the UK in 1966…Bobby Gentry released hit single “Ode to Billy Joe” in 1967…The Moody Blues re-issued their 1967 single “Nights in White Satin” in 1972, and it reached No. 2 on US charts, higher than the initial release…Stevie Wonder signed a $13M contract with Motown in 1975.

Periodicals:
Comic strip “Andy Capp” made its debut in 1957. Andy is a working-class figure who never actually works, living in Hartlepool in northeast England. The title of the strip is a pun on the local pronunciation of “handicap”; and the surname “Capp” signifies how Andy’s cap always covered his eyes along with, metaphorically, his vision in life.

News:
Harry Houdini stayed in a coffin under water for one and one-half before escaping in 1926.

In 2009, TV journalists Laura Ling and Euna Lee were released from a North Korea prison through negotiations between the government and former U.S. President Bill Clinton. In the year prior, the two women had accidentally crossed the border into North Korea from China for a story, which led to them being sentenced 12 years of hard labor.

Celebrity Birthdays:
Actress Loni Anderson (“WKRP in Cincinnati”) is 79; actress Erica Slezak (“One Life To Live”) is 78; singer Rick Derringer is 77; actress Holly Palance (“Under Fire,” “The Omen”) is 74; singer Samantha Sang is 73; actress Maureen McCormick (“The Brady Bunch”) is 68; director James Gunn (“Guardians of the Galaxy”) is 58; actor Jonathan Silverman (“The Single Guy”) is 58; country singer Terri Clark is 56; actress Stephanie Szostak (“A Million Little Things”) is 53; actor Albert Tsai (“Dr. Ken”, “Trophy Wife”) is 20.

Did You Know?:
Prior to “The Brady Bunch,” Maureen McCormick did guest appearances on sitcoms “The Farmer’s Daughter,“ “Bewitched,” “I Dream Of Jeannie,“ “My Three Sons” and “Camp Runamuck;“ and western drama “Honey West.“

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Michael Landon’s final series, “Highway to Heaven,” concluded on NBC in 1989. It ran for five seasons…Crime drama “One West Waikiki” starring Cheryl Ladd  as a forensic expert debuted on CBS in 1994. It aired six episodes on the broadcast network before it headed into syndication in the fall of 1995 where an additional 13 episodes had aired.

Two syndicated late night talk shows debuted in 1997 in search of the audience missing Arsenio Hall: “The Keenen Ivory Wayans Show” and “Vibe,” which was based on the magazine of the same name. Both did not last one full season…Cooking program “America’s Test Kitchen” debuted on PBS in 2001. It was originally hosted by Christopher Kimball; Julia Collin Davison and Bridget Lancaster have both hosted the long-running show since 2017… reality competition “The Player” launched on UPN in 2004. The contestants were all men who competed using their “player skills” to seduce attractive women. The program, which lasted just a single 8-episode season, was initially hosted by an anonymous figure called “Ultimate Player” via phone, but by the end of the season, it was revealed to be “Boston” Rob Mariano from “Survivor”…”It’s Always Sunny in Philadelphia” debuted on FX in 2005. The wacky comedy about a group of friends who run a bar stars Charlie Day, Glenn Howerton (the show’s co-developer), Kaitlin Olson and Olson’s real-life husband/show creator Rob McElhenney; Danny DeVito joined the show in season two. At 16 seasons to-date, “It’s Always Sunny in Philadelphia” is now the longest running live action comedy in TV history.

In 2009, Paula Abdul tweeted that she stepped down as judge of Fox’s “American Idol” (then, TV’s No. 1 show) after eight seasons.

Movies
“Sex, Lies and Videotape“, the provocative adult drama starring Andie MacDowell and James Spader opened in limited release in 1989. It was the directorial breakthrough film for Steven Soderbergh and it was the winner of the Palme d’Or at the Cannes Film Festival.

Academy Award-nominated family flick “Babe” was released in 1995.

Music:
Elvis Presley released single “Hound Dog” in 1956...John Lennon and Yoko Ono begin recording “Double Fantasy” in 1980…Prince’s “Purple Rain” album went #1 and stayed in the top spot for 24 weeks…“Dreamgirls” closed at the Imperial Theater New York City after 1522 performances in 1985…The soundtrack to the film “Dirty Dancing” was released in 1987. It feature the hits “Hungry Eyes” by Eric Carmen, “She’s Like The Wind” by the film’s star Patrick Swayze and the Academy Award-winning Best Original Song of the Year, “(I’ve Had) The Time of My Life” by Bill Medley and Jennifer Warnes…Reaching No. 1 on the U.S. Billboard Hot 100 chart: “The Morning After” by Maureen McGovern in 1973; Mariah Carey‘s debut solo studio single “Vision of Love” in 1990; “Bootylicious” by Destiny’s Child in 2001.

Books:
Danielle Steele’s romance novel “Thurston House” was published in 1983.

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Movies
Football comedy “North Dallas Forty“ starring Nick Nolte and Mac Davis premiered in 1979… “Unforgiven,“ directed by Clint Eastwood and starring Eastwood, Gene Hackman and Morgan Freeman opened in Los Angeles in 1992. It was the recipient of four Oscars, including Best Picture, Eastwood for Best Director, and Hackman for Best Actor in a Supporting Role…”Clear and Present Danger” starring Harrison Ford as the famous Tom Clancy character Jack Ryan was released in 1994…Two hit films opened in 2001: the action-comedy “Rush Hour 2” starring Jackie Chan and Chris Tucker; and, “The Princess Diaries,“ starring Anne Hathaway in her film debut, and Julie Andrews.

Music:
The Billboard Hot 100 was founded in 1958…Allan Sherman released “Hello Muddah, Hello Fadduh” in 1963. Sherman based the lyrics on letters of complaint which he received from his son Robert who was attending Camp Champlain, a summer camp in Westport, New York…Paul McCartney announced the formation of his group Wings in 1971…Irish band Boyzone release their best-selling single “No Matter What” composed by Andrew Lloyd Webber and Jim Steinman… “Macarena (Bayside Boys Mix)” by Spanish Latin pop duo Los del Rio, the song that sparked a global dance craze of the same name, began its 14-week stint at No. 1 on the U.S. Billboard Hot 100 chart in 1996.

Celebrity Birthdays
Actor Martin Sheen (“Grace and Frankie”) is 84; Martha Stewart is 83; director John Landis is 74; actress Jo Marie Payton (“Family Matters”) is also 74; former child star Jay North (“Dennis the Menace”) is 73; actor John C. McGinley (“Scrubs”) is 65; Metallica lead singer James Hetfield is 61; actor Isaiah Washington (“Grey’s Anatomy”) and actress Lisa Ann Walter (“Abbott Elementary”) are also 61; musician Diedre Roper aka Spinderella from Salt-N-Pepa is 53; actor Michael Ealy (“Stumptown”) is 51; NFL great Tom Brady is 47; actress Evangeline Lilly (“Lost”) is 45; actress Mamie Gummer (“The Good Wife”, “Mr. Robot”; daughter of Meryl Streep) is 41; Olympic swimmer Ryan Lochte is 40.

Did You Know?
Singer Tony Bennett is also a painter, having created works under the name Anthony Benedetto that are on permanent public display in several institutions. Bennett has released over 70 albums during his career, with almost all being for Columbia Records…Robert Reed is remembered, of course, as everyone’s favorite TV Dad, Mike Brady, on “The Brady Bunch” and the countless spinoffs. But also in contention for the role was young Gene Hackman, who was nixed by the network and advised by his agent not to take the role. Needless to say, he made the right career move!

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Mystery drama “The Sinner” debuted on USA Network in 2017. Based on Petra Hammesfahr’s novel of the same name, it was initially billed as an eight-episode miniseries that starred Jessica Biel. Critical acclaim and high ratings led to its transition to an anthology series with Bill Pullman’s Detective Harry Ambrose at its center in each season…Drama “Kingdom” concluded its three-season run on DirecTV’s Audience Network in 2017. The series set at a mixed martial arts gym starred Frank Grillo, Kiele Sanchez, Matt Lauria, Jonathan Tucker and Nick Jonas…Musical made-for-cable movie “Descendants 3” premiered on Disney Channel in 2019. It was directed by musical movie director/choreographer Kenny Ortega, and starred Dove Cameron (who later won for Favorite Movie Actress at the Kids Choice Awards in the following year). Co-star Cameron Boyce passed away from an epileptic seizure shortly prior to its premiere…HBO comedy “A Black Lady Sketch Show”, created by Robin Thede and co-executive produced by “Insecure’s” Issa Rae, launched in 2019.  It ran for four seasons.

Movies:
Theatrical “In the Heat of the Night,” which was spun-off into the long-running drama of the same name on NBC, opened in theaters in 1967.

“The Sixth Sense”, starring Bruce Willis, Toni Collette and Haley Joel Osment opened in 1999. The film grossed $26.6 million in its opening weekend and spent five weeks as the No. 1 film at the U.S. box office, becoming only the second film after “Titanic” in 1997 to have grossed more than $20 million a weekend for five weekends.

Theater”
“Gilda Radner Live from New York” began on Broadway in 1979.

Books:
“Breaking Dawn”, the 4th book in Stephenie Meyer’s “Twilight Saga” was published by Little Brown in 2008.

Sports:
Tom Seaver, Rollie Fingers, Hal Newhouser and Bill McGowan were inducted into Baseball Hall of Fame in 1992…Also in 1992, American Jacki Joyner-Kersee became the first athlete to win consecutive gold medals in the heptathlon with a 199 point win over Irina Belova (Soviet Union) at the Barcelona Olympics…Michael Phelps ended the World Swimming Championships in Rome with his 5th gold medal as part of the US 4x100m medley relay team in 2009.

Celebrity Birthdays:
Actress Joanna Cassidy (“Blade Runner”) is 79 actress Kathryn Harrold (“MacGruder and Loud”) is 73; Butch Patrick (Eddie on sitcom “The Munsters”) is 71; actress Victoria Jackson (“Saturday Night Live”) is 65; actress Apollonia (“Purple Rain”) is also 65; actress Cynthia Stevenson (“Men in Trees,” ″Hope and Gloria”) is 62; ;“Weeds” star Mary-Louise Parker is 60; director-actor Kevin Smith (“Clerks,” ″Jay and Silent Bob Strike Back”) is 54; actor Sam Worthington (“Terminator Salvation”) is 48; actor Edward Furlong (“Terminator 2: Judgment Day”) is 47; “Today’s” Dylan Dreyer is 43; actress Marci Miller (“Days of Our Lives”) is 39; singer Charlotte Aitchison (aka Charli) XCX is 32.

Did You Know?
“In the Heat of the Night’s” movie tagline, “They call me Mister Tibbs!,” was voted as the No. 16 movie quote of all time by the American Film Institute.

The post Today in History: Friday, August 2, 2024 appeared first on Programming Insider.

CBS sitcom “Good Times” ended its five-and-one-half season run in 1979. For more on “Good Times,” click here

Cable network MTV debuted in 1981 at 12:01 a.m. ET with the words “Ladies and gentlemen, rock and roll” played over footage of the first Space Shuttle launch countdown of Columbia, which took place earlier that year, and footage of the launch of Apollo 11. The initial goal was to play music videos guided by on-air hosts known as VJs…Rush Limbaugh began his national radio show in 1988.

Several series debuted: HBO’s NFL training camp docuseries “Hard Knocks” in 2001, Game Show Network’s initial reboot of “Chain Reaction” in 2006, The CW’s revival of “Masters of Illusion” in 2014, “Good Morning Football” on NFL Network in 2016, and cooking competition “BBQ Brawl” on Food Network in 2019.

Music
Chubby Checker released “The Twist” in 1960.

Also in 1960 was Aretha Franklin’s first recording session.

Sports
Reggie Jackson was inducted into the Baseball Hall of Fame in Cooperstown, New York in 1993.

Books
George R.R. Martin published the epic fantasy novel “A Game of Thrones”, the first in his series “A Song of Ice and Fire”, in 1996.

Celebrity Birthdays
Singer Ramblin’ Jack Elliott is 93; blues musician Robert Cray is 71; singer Michael Penn is 66; singer Joe Elliott of Def Leppard is 65; rapper Chuck D of Public Enemy is 64; singer Adam Duritz of Counting Crows is 60; director Sam Mendes (“Skyfall,” “American Beauty”) is 59; actress Jennifer Gareis (“The Bold and the Beautiful”) is 54; actress Tempestt Bledsoe (“The Cosby Show”) is 51; actor Jason Momoa (“Aquaman,” “Game of Thrones”) is 45; singer Ashley Parker Angel (O-Town) is 43.

Did You Know?
When we first met Florida Evans (Esther Rolle), she was employed as Maude Findlay’s (Bea Arthur) housekeeper in Tuckahoe, New York on sitcom “Maude.“ Her husband, played by John Amos, was named Henry. So, how did she get to the projects of Chicago, with Amos now referred to as James, on spin-off “Good Times”?

The post Today in History: Thursday, August 1, 2024 appeared first on Programming Insider.

Chet Huntley retired from NBC in 1970, which resulted in the renaming of daily newscast “The Huntley-Brinkley Report” to the “NBC Nightly News.” The initial anchors of the “NBC Nightly News” were David Brinkley, John Chancellor and Frank McGee…In 1984, Leeza Gibbons made her first appearance on “Entertainment Tonight”…

Movies
“The Living Daylights,” the 15th film of the James Bond franchise, opened in wide release in 1987. It marked Timothy Dalton‘s debut in the role of 007; the first of his two films as Bond…Two dark comedies opened in 1992: Robert Zemeckis‘ “Death Becomes Her” starring Bruce Willis, Meryl Streep and Goldie Hawn; and “Buffy the Vampire Slayer” starring Kristy Swanson and Luke Perry. “Buffy” made a greater impression five years later as a TV series for The WB network which starred Sarah Michelle Gellar.

Music:
As a posthumous honor in 1995, Selena became the first Latin artist to have an album debut at No. 1 on the Billboard Hot 100 chart. That album was entitled “Dreaming of You“…Reaching No. 1 on the U.S. Billboard Hot 100: the Carole King-penned “You’ve Got A Friend” by James Taylor in 1971; “Genie in a Bottle” by Christina Aguilera in 1999.

News
The “Peanuts” comic strip in 1968 introduced its first African American character, who was named Frankin…The last of the remaining Playboy Clubs closed in Lansing, Michigan in 1988…Nintendo released the hand-held gaming device Game Boy in the United States in 1989.

Books:
“Harry Potter and the Cursed Child,“ a play by Jack Thorne with contributions by J.K. Rowling was published worldwide in 2016.

Sports:
The United States upset world champion China to capture the team gold medal in men’s gymnastics at the Summer Olympics in Los Angeles in 1984…In 1990, Nolan Ryan of the Texas Rangers became the 20th pitcher in MLB history to win at least 300 career games…New York Yankees shortstop Phil Rizzuto and Philadelphia Phillies pitcher Steve Carlton celebrated their inductions into the Baseball Hall of Fame in Cooperstein, NY in 1994…In 2007, the Boston Celtics traded seven players to the Minnesota Timberwolves to acquire former MVP and then-10-time All-Star Kevin Garnett in what was the then-largest-ever NBA trade for one player. The acquisition immediately paid dividends: 11 months later, the Celtics became NBA champions for the first time since 1986.

Celebrity Birthdays
Actress Susan Flannery (“The Bold and the Beautiful”) is 84; “Shark Tank’s” Mark Cuban is 66; actor Wesley Snipes (“Passenger 57”) is 61; musician Norman Cook aka Fatboy Slim is 60; “Harry Potter” author J.K. Rowling is 58; actor Dean Cain (“Lois & Clark”) is 57; actor B.J. Novak (“The Office”) is 44: “Modern Family” co-star Rico Rodriguez is 25.

Did You Know?
Rico Rodriguez appeared opposite his “Modern Family” TV cousin Ariel Winter in 2009 movie “Opposite Day.” 

The post Today in History: Wednesday, July 31, 2024 appeared first on Programming Insider.

“The Profit”, the docuseries about entrepreneur Marcus Lemonis investing in select small businesses, debuted on CNBC in 2013…In 2014, “Penn & Teller: Fool Us” debuted on The CW…Also in 2014 was the final episode of syndicated daytime talk show “Katie”, hosted by Katie Couric. It aired for two seasons.

Movies
Walt Disney’s animated “Flowers and Trees” premiered in 1932. It was the first Academy Award winning cartoon and first cartoon short to use Technicolor.

“Deliverance” starring Burt Reynolds, Jon Voight and Ned Beatty, opened in 1972. In 2008, the film was selected for preservation in the United States National Film Registry by the Library of Congress as being “culturally, historically, or aesthetically significant.”

Ron Howard made his feature film directorial debut with “Night Shift” which opened in 1982. It starred Howard’s “Happy Days” co-star Henry Winkler as well as Michael Keaton and Shelley Long…Science fiction family film “Flight of the Navigator” opened in 1986. It starred Joey Cramer, Paul Reubens, Sarah Jessica Parker and Howard Hesseman…”Pretty Woman” stars Richard Gere and Julia Roberts and its director Garry Marshall all reunited for the romantic comedy “Runaway Bride” released in 1999…“Harold & Kumar Go to White Castle,” starring Kal Penn and John Cho, was released in 2004.

Music:
Duke Ellington’s “Golden Brown & the Green Apple” was released in 1965…George Harrison released “Bangladesh” in 1971… Reaching No. 1 on the U.S. Billboard Hot 100 chart: “Wild Thing” by The Troggs in 1966; “I Just Want to Be Your Everything” by Andy Gibb in 1977; “Roll With It” by Steve Winwood in 1988…Heavy metal band Metallica released their single “Enter Sandman” in 1991. It later became the official entrance song for Hall of Fame New York Yankees closer Mariano Rivera.

News
President Lyndon B. Johnson signed into law the Social Security Act of 1965 which established Medicare and Medicaid. The signing took place at the Harry S. Truman Library auditorium in Independence, Missouri with former President Truman present alongside Johnson.

Sports
England won its first (and, to-date, only) FIFA World Cup soccer title in 1966 when it defeated West Germany 4-2 in extra time at Wembley Stadium in London…American track & field star Bruce Jenner (now known as Caitlyn Jenner) won the gold medal and set a then-world record in the decathlon at the Summer Olympics in Montreal, Canada in 1976…Mike Schmidt and Richie Ashburn officially enter the Baseball Hall of Fame in Cooperstown, NY in 1995.

Celebrity Birthdays
Singer Paul Anka is 83; Arnold Schwarzenegger is 77; singer-actor Frank Stallone is 74; actor-director Ken Olin (“thirtysomething”) is 70; actress Delta Burke (“Designing Women”) is 68; attorney Anita Hill is also 68; director Richard Linklater (“Boyhood”) is 64; actor Laurence Fishburne (“The Matrix”, “black-ish”) is 63; actress-producer Lisa Kudrow (“Friends”) is 61; actress Vivica A. Fox (“Independence Day”) is 60; Terry Crews (“Brooklyn Nine-Nine”) is 56; actor Simon Baker (“The Mentalist”) is 55; director Christopher Nolan is 54; actor-comedian Tom Green is 53;  actress Christine Taylor (“The Brady Bunch Movie”) is 52; Two-time Oscar winner Hilary Swank is 50; actress Jaime Pressly (“My Name Is Earl”, “Mom”) is 47; American soccer player Hope Solo is 43; actress Yvonne Strahovski (“The Handmaid’s Tale”, “Chuck”) is 42; actress Gina Rodriguez (“Jane the Virgin”) is 40.

Did You Know?
Hilary Swank got her first break in a recurring role on Fox drama “Beverly Hills, 90210” in the 1997-98 season.

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