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Television
CBS sitcom“Green Acres”concluded in 1971, which was part of the so-called “rural purge.” In search of a more sophisticated urban audience, the network also axed“The Beverly Hillbillies,” “Mayberry, R.F.D.”and“Hee Haw”that season, and“Petticoat Junction”one year earlier…NBC drama“Operation: Runway,“starring“Brady Bunch”patriarchRobert Reed, debuted in 1978. It aired for only four episodes…In 1986, electrical engineer John MacDougall jammed the signal ofHBOto announce his protest of the channel’s hefty subscription fee. Using the pseudonym “Captain Midnight“, the display of his statement remained on the air for 4.5 minutes and interrupted the showing of the film“The Falcon and the Showman”…”21 Jump Street” concluded its five-season run in 1991. The series about a group of young cops going undercover at a high school was Fox’s first drama in the network’s history. After four seasons there, it ran original episodes in syndication for its fifth and final season. 103 episodes had aired, in total…Part one of three-part ABC miniseries “The Shining,” starringSteven WeberandRebecca De Mornay, and written byStephen Kingopened in 1997…The final telecast of the CBS police drama“Brooklyn South,”from“Hill Street Blues”creator Steven Bochco, aired in 1998. It ran for just one season… Other several short-lived series concluded: ABC spy drama “Masquerade” in 1984; NBCpolice drama “Reasonable Doubts” in 1993; NBC sitcom “Everything’s Relative” in 1999; ABC sitcom “I’m With Her” in 2004; two NBC series in 2007: detective drama “Raines” and game show “Identity“…Made-for television reunion“The Patty Duke Show Rockin’ in Brooklyn Heights”premiered on CBS in 1999. Featured alongside Patty Duke were the returns ofWilliam Schallert(Martin),Jean Byron(Natalie),Paul O’Keefe(Ross) andEddie Applegate(Richard).Cindy Williamsalso appeared…Inspirational drama “Touched By An Angel”, the once-top-10 hit that starredRoma DowneyandDella Reeseand was a CBS Sundays mainstay throughout the late 90’s, ended its nine season run in 2003…ABC launched its daily lifestyle digital subchannelLive Well Networkin 2009. It was rebranded asLocalishin February 2020…“Last Week Tonight with John Oliver”, the late-night talk and news show hosted byJohn Oliver, premiered on HBO in 2014.Hosted by the former “Daily Show” correspondent, it has since picked up the Emmy award mantle from “The Daily Show with Jon Stewart” by winning for Outstanding Variety Talk Series for the past five consecutive years…Critically-acclaimed comedy “Never Have I Ever” debuted on Netflix in 2020. Created byMindy Kaling(“The Office”, “The Mindy Project”), it stars newcomerMaitreyi Ramakrishnan as a high school student who aimed to make the most out of her sophom*ore year after a tumultuous freshman year. The series is narrated by tennis great John McEnroe.
Music:
Amy Grant’s“Baby Baby”hit No. 1 in the U.S. Billboard Hot 100 in 1991…George Harrisonreleased single“Love Comes to Everyone” in 1979…Paul McCartney’ssolo rock band Wings disbanded in 1981…Ariana Grande’sfirst single from her second debut album, “Problem” featuring Iggy Azalea, was released in 2014.
News:
U.S. PresidentBarack Obama, coerced by incessant false “birther” accusations, publicly released a copy of his birth certificate in 2011.
Technology:
Xerox PARC introduced thecomputer mousein 1981.
Books:
John Lennon’s“In His Own Write”was published in 1964.
Sports:
Babe Ruth Daywas celebratedat Yankee Stadium and throughout the United States in 1947.
Celebrity Birthdays:
SingerKate Pierson of the B-52’s is 76; actor Douglas Sheehan (“Knots Landing”) is 75; KISS guitarist Ace Frehley is 73; singer Sheena Easton is 65; actor James Le Gros (“Ally McBeal”) is 62; “America’s Next Top Model” judge Nigel Barker is 52; actress Sally Hawkins (“The Shape of Water”) is 48; actor Francis Capra (“Veronica Mars”) is 41; Fall Out Boy frontman Patrick Stump is 40; rapper Lizzo is 36.
-Did You Know?
ABC had expressed interest in a fourth season of sitcom“The Patty Duke Show,”which aired from 1963 to 1966. The networkwanted to shift the show’s production permanently to Los Angeles, but Duke refused and the production company, United Artists Television, did not want to switch the series from black and white to color...CBS may have canceled“Hee Haw,”but it was far from over. The weekly variety hour debuted in first-run syndication in 1971 and remained there through 1993. In an attempt to give it a more contemporary feel, “Hee Haw” was revamped in January 1992, with a new cast of young unknowns and the cornfield backdrop replaced by a city street and a shopping mall. But viewers fled and the series concluded at the end of that season…”Hee Haw”spun-off sitcom“Hee Haw Honeys,”which was set in a Nashville nightspot and featuredKathie Lee Johnson(pre-morning talker“Live! with Regis & Kathie Lee”). It aired in the 1978-79 TV season...Sheena Eastonappeared in five episodes of NBC’s“Miami Vice”as Caitlin Davies in the 1987-88 season…After his five-season stint on“Knots Landing,“Douglas Sheehan headlined NBC sitcom“Day By Day”from 1987-88. The series co-starredLinda Kelsey(“Lou Grant”) andJulia Louis-Dreyfus.
Sports:
Babe Ruth Daywas celebratedat Yankee Stadium and throughout the United States in 1947.
Celebrity Birthdays:
SingerKate Pierson of the B-52’s is 74; actorDouglas Sheehan (“Knots Landing”) is 73; KISS guitaristAce Frehley is 71; singerSheena Easton is 63; actorJames Le Gros (“Ally McBeal”) is 60; “America’s Next Top Model” judgeNigel Barker is 50; actress Sally Hawkins (“The Shape of Water”) is 46; actorFrancis Capra (“Veronica Mars”) is 39; Fall Out Boy frontmanPatrick Stump is 38; rapperLizzo is 34.
-Did You Know?
ABC had expressed interest in a fourth season of sitcom“The Patty Duke Show,”which aired from 1963 to 1966. The networkwanted to shift the show’s production permanently to Los Angeles, but Duke refused and the production company, United Artists Television, did not want to switch the series from black and white to color...CBS may have canceled“Hee Haw,”but it was far from over. The weekly variety hour debuted in first-run syndication in 1971 and remained there through 1993. In an attempt to give it a more contemporary feel, “Hee Haw” was revamped in January 1992, with a new cast of young unknowns and the cornfield backdrop replaced by a city street and a shopping mall. But viewers fled and the series concluded at the end of that season…”Hee Haw”spun-off sitcom“Hee Haw Honeys,”which was set in a Nashville nightspot and featuredKathie Lee Johnson(pre-morning talker“Live! with Regis & Kathie Lee”). It aired in the 1978-79 TV season...Sheena Eastonappeared in five episodes of NBC’s“Miami Vice”as Caitlin Davies in the 1987-88 season…After his five-season stint on“Knots Landing,“Douglas Sheehan headlined NBC sitcom“Day By Day”from 1987-88. The series co-starredLinda Kelsey(“Lou Grant”) andJulia Louis-Dreyfus.
