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October 5, 1969 – The British Empire had been on a long slow decline for many years. The last flourish of that dying world power happened on this date – Monty Python’s Flying Circus made its debut on BBC-TV. The Pythons did almost all of their own stunts, including Graham Chapman (a qualified mountaineer) readingContinue reading “It really was something completely different”

October 5, 1950 –You Bet Your Life, hosted by Groucho Marx with his announcer George Fenneman, premiered on NBC-TV on this date. Its’ run lasted 11 years. George Fenneman, Groucho Marx’s announcer on the show, was once asked if Groucho ever embarrassed him on the air. “Each and every show,” Fenneman replied.

World Smile Day is a moving holiday celebrated on the first Friday of October. (Not to be confused with the start of the Supreme Court’s session which is the first Monday in October.) Harvey Ball created the first smiley face in 1963. Mr. Ball was a commercial artist. The Icon was so popular that inContinue reading “Today is World Smile Day.”

October 4, 1980 –Queen started a three week run at No.1 on the Billboard singles chart with Another One Bites The Dust, on this date. Queen were originally reluctant to release this as a single, but backstage after a Queen gig at the Los Angeles forum, a visiting Michael Jackson convinced them it would beContinue reading “Another One Bites The Dust topped the charts”

October 4, 1964 –Supermarionation was used once again to freak out unsuspecting children when Gerry Anderson’s third series Stingray, premiered in the UK on this date. (It was the first British series to be filmed entirely in Colour: the extra U was particularly expensive.) Some of the main puppet cast are based on real peopleContinue reading “Stand by for action!”

October 4, 1961 – Dave got to yell at Alvin nationally when The Alvin Show debuted on CBS-TV on this date. While it only lasted one season in prime time, the show was first show to feature the singing chipmunks. The Chipmunks’ names were taken from the names of three executives at Liberty Records, whereContinue reading “The Alvin Show premiered”

October 4, 1951 –Vincente Minnelli’s gorgeous technicolor valentine to the movie musical, An American in Paris, opened in NYC on this date. Even though Vincente Minnelli is credited as the sole director, he was sometimes tied up with his divorce from Judy Garland and other directing projects, leaving Gene Kelly to take over the directingContinue reading “An American in Paris premiered”

October 4, 1959 –We all got to meet Mr. Wilson’a favorite neighbor when Dennis the Menace, based on the Hank Ketcham comic strip, starring Jay North, Herbert Anderson, Gloria Henry, Jeannie Russell, Joseph Kearns, and Sylvia Field, premiered on CBS-TV on this date. Ironically, Jay North, who played a rascal and a mischievous child characterContinue reading “Dennis became a menace”

October 3, 1954 –Another in the series of alcoholic actors playing model Dads, Father Knows Best, starring Robert Young first aired on this date. The setting is very possibly Springfield, Illinois, since there is mention of a wedding in Milwaukee, Wisconsin, a new girl from Chicago, and in one episode, Bud’s homing pigeon is releasedContinue reading “Father Knows Best premiered”

October 3, 1961 –The Dick Van Dyke Show premiered on this date. The show wasn’t an immediate success but became a hit. Carl Reiner asked network censors for permission to show Laura and Rob sleeping in one large bed together, reasoning (quite sensibly) that he and his wife did so in real life. The permissionContinue reading “We met the Petries for the first time”