2012
May
16
2004: CBS REVISITS 'HELTER SKELTER' By Christy Slewinski
 
 
On this day in 2004, CBS presented the miniseries, Helter Skelter, a film based on the 1969 murder spree that left seven people — including actress Sharon Tate, coffee heiress Abigail Folger, and supermarket president Leno LaBianca and his wife, Rosemary — dead. Jeremy Davies (Justified, Lost) portrayed convicted killer Charles Manson...
 
 
 
  
 
 
2012
May
15
1989: NBC DRAMATIZES ROE VS. WADE By Christy Slewinski
 
 
In 1989, NBC presented the telefilm Roe vs. Wade, a dramatization of the 1973 Supreme Court case that legalized abortion in the United States. Holly Hunter portrayed Norma McCorvey (called Ellen Russell in the telefilm), the pseudonymous plaintiff in the landmark case..
 
 
 
  
 
 
2012
May
14
1998: 76 MILLION VIEWERS SAY SO LONG TO 'SEINFELD' By Christy Slewinski
 
 
On this day in 1998, NBC's "show about nothing" came to an end. More than 76 million people tuned in to see the Seinfeld finale, making it the third most-watched series finale in TV history...The two-part event — during which Jerry, George, Elaine and Kramer were put on trial for failing to come to the aid of a crime victim — featured cameo appearances by many of the most memorable characters from the series' nine-season run...
 
 
 
  
 
 
2012
May
13
1993: CBS SAYS GOODBYE TO 'KNOTS LANDING' By Christy Slewinski
 
 
This day in 1993 marked the final broadcast of Knots Landing. The CBS series - which was built around the lives of four couples living in a southern California cul-de-sac - was presented as a spinoff of the network's popular series, Dallas...
 
 
 
  
 
 
2012
May
12
1987: 'GIMME A BREAK' ENDS ITS SEVEN-SEASON RUN By Christy Slewinski
 
 
This day in 1987 marked the last telecast of NBC's Gimme a Break!. The sitcom, which ran seven seasons, starred Tony Award-winner Nell Carter as the housekeeper for a widowed police chief (Dolph Sweet) with three daughters, played by Kari Michaelson, Lauri Hendler and Lara Jill Miller...
 
 
 
  
 
 
2012
May
11
1989: THE END OF 'DYNASTY' By Christy Slewinski
 
 
This day in 1989 marked the last telecast of Dynasty, ABC's answer to the CBS success, Dallas. The opulent prime-time soap centered around the Carringtons — oil baron Blake (John Forsythe) and his trophy wife  — During its eight-year run, Dynasty added its share of footnotes to TV history...
 
 
 
  
 
 
2012
May
10
1989: GORE VIDAL'S BILLY THE KID DEBUTS ON TNT By Christy Slewinski
 
 
On this day in 1989, TNT debuted the made-for-TV movie Gore Vidal's Billy the Kid. The film, starring Val Kilmer, told the story of legendary American outlaw William H. Bonney. Kilmer's co-stars included Wilford Brimley, Duncan Regehr, John O'Hurley and Ned Vaughn. Author Gore Vidal had an uncredited role as a preacher in the film...
 
 
 
  
 
 
2012
May
9
1961: FCC CHAIRMAN NEWTON MINOW DELIVERS HIS 'VAST WASTELAND' SPEECH By Christy Slewinski
 
 
On this day in 1961, at the the National Association of Broadcasters convention, the newly-appointed Federal Communications Commission chairman Newton N. Minow delivered his "Vast Wasteland" speech, which challenged broadcasters to create more intelligent, educational programming...
 
 
 
  
 
 
2012
May
8
1988: ABC PRESENTS A TV VERSION OF 'BOURNE IDENTITY' By Christy Slewinski
 
 
Today in 1988, ABC kicked off the four-hour miniseries The Bourne Identity. Like the movie franchise starring Matt Damon, the telefilm was based on the Robert Ludlum novel of the same name - although the telemovie is considered by many to be more true to the novel than the big-budget theatrical version...
 
 
 
  
 
 
2012
May
7
1989: THE INCREDIBLE HULK GOES TO TRIAL By Christy Slewinski
 
 
On this day in 1989, NBC presented The Trial of the Incredible Hulk, a telefilm featuring the key characters - and stars, Bill Bixby and Lou Ferrigno - from the CBS series, The Incredible Hulk. In the film, which was directed by Bill Bixby, mild-mannered David Banner is accused of a crime he didn't commit...
 
 
 
  
 
 
 
 
 
 
 

This Day in TV History

1957: Julie Andrews Stars in 'Cinderella'
By TV WW