May 26: This Day in TV History

[Stanislav]

Just a few random TV related events that happened on May 26. Discuss or comment as you please……

1912: Actor Jay Silverheels (The Lone Ranger) is born on the Six Nations Indian Reserve near Brantford, Ontario.

1920: Singer Peggy Lee is born (as Norma Deloris Egstrom) in Jamestown, North Dakota.

1923: Actor James Arness (Gunsmoke) is born in Minneapolis, Minnesota.

1949: Actor Philip Michael Thomas (Miami Vice) is born in Columbus, Ohio.

1950: After 8 months, the FCC’s hearings on color television end, with 10,000 pages of testimony and 265 exhibits submitted for the record. Three competing methods of color were proposed for development: the Field Sequential method by CBS; the Dot Sequential approach of RCA; and the Line Sequential proposed by Color Television Incorporated. The CBS system would get the nod (temporarily, as it would turn out) from Uncle Charlie on September 1.

1962: Actress Genie Francis (General Hospital) is born in Englewood, New Jersey.

1970: I Dream of Jeannie ends its NBC network run.

1971: Animator/producer/director/writer Matt Stone (South Park) is born in Houston, Texas.

1990: The last first-run Tracey Ullman Show is broadcast on Fox.

1991: The Red Green Show premieres on CBC.

2005: Actor Eddie Albert (Green Acres, Switch) dies of pneumonia in Pacific Palisades, California, aged 99.

2008: Movie and TV composer Earle Hagen dies of natural causes in Rancho Mirage, California, aged 89. He is best known for composing the instrumental classic "Harlem Nocturne" used as the theme to Mickey Spillane's Mike Hammer, and co-writing and whistling "The Fishin' Hole", the melody of the main theme to The Andy Griffith Show.

(Just a little featurette I hope to do as time permits. It’s an entirely random selection based on a quick Net search, and is not meant to be comprehensive. So, don’t post nasty messages about “you forgot THIS” or “how could you not mention THAT?” Do so, and I’ll just take my keyboard and go home…..)

 

[azumanga]

1991: The Red Green Show premieres on CBC.

Actually, CHCH in Hamilton was the first to show Red Green in 1991. CBC did not get the show in 1997, the show having shifted during the six years to CFPL in London and Global, before reaching CBC.

More here:

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/The_Red_Green_Show

 

[mleach]

Just a few random TV related events that happened on May 26. Discuss or comment as you please……


2005: Actor Eddie Albert (Green Acres, Switch) dies of pneumonia in Pacific Palisades, California, aged 99.

Found this about Eddie Albert.

http://www.johnnyleeclary.com/eddiealbert.htm

OK reading but that pic of Eddie Albert taken shortly before he died, perhaps days. Some may consider it a "tribute" others may call it "tasteless". You be the judge.

 

[radioman148]

>>2008: Movie and TV composer Earle Hagen dies of natural causes in Rancho Mirage, California, aged 89. He is best known for composing the instrumental classic "Harlem Nocturne" used as the theme to Mickey Spillane's Mike Hammer, and co-writing and whistling "The Fishin' Hole", the melody of the main theme to The Andy Griffith Show>>

I did not know that Hagen wrote the melody to Andy Griffith.

 

[radioman148]

Just a few random TV related events that happened on May 26. Discuss or comment as you please……


2005: Actor Eddie Albert (Green Acres, Switch) dies of pneumonia in Pacific Palisades, California, aged 99.

Found this about Eddie Albert.

http://www.johnnyleeclary.com/eddiealbert.htm

OK reading but that pic of Eddie Albert taken shortly before he died, perhaps days. Some may consider it a "tribute" others may call it "tasteless". You be the judge.

I say tasteless.

 

[KeithE4]

Just a few random TV related events that happened on May 26. Discuss or comment as you please……


2005: Actor Eddie Albert (Green Acres, Switch) dies of pneumonia in Pacific Palisades, California, aged 99.

Found this about Eddie Albert.

http://www.johnnyleeclary.com/eddiealbert.htm

OK reading but that pic of Eddie Albert taken shortly before he died, perhaps days. Some may consider it a "tribute" others may call it "tasteless". You be the judge.

I say tasteless.

Agreed 100%. If I were a member of Eddie Albert's family, I would have asked to have that picture removed.

 

[bk77]

Just a few random TV related events that happened on May 26. Discuss or comment as you please……


2005: Actor Eddie Albert (Green Acres, Switch) dies of pneumonia in Pacific Palisades, California, aged 99.

Found this about Eddie Albert.

http://www.johnnyleeclary.com/eddiealbert.htm

OK reading but that pic of Eddie Albert taken shortly before he died, perhaps days. Some may consider it a "tribute" others may call it "tasteless". You be the judge.

I say tasteless.

Agreed 100%. If I were a member of Eddie Albert's family, I would have asked to have that picture removed.

Same here but I would be surprised if Albert's family would have any legal ground to get that pic removed. Of couse I am not a lawyer so I can't say for sure but there are worse photos out there on the web such as the one of Sharon Tate after she was murdered that appeared on a site about the Manson murders. Tate's family was actually split on that with some thinking the public has the right to know what the killers had done to Sharon while others felt it was an invasion of privacy. It was the same with Chris Farley too. That close up photo taken of him dead on the floor. There are those who believe by allowing the public to see that photo it is a good way to show to people what drugs can do or again, is it an invasion of privacy. I don't think Farley's family had ever said anything public about that picture.

 

[radioman148]

Just a few random TV related events that happened on May 26. Discuss or comment as you please……


2005: Actor Eddie Albert (Green Acres, Switch) dies of pneumonia in Pacific Palisades, California, aged 99.

Found this about Eddie Albert.

http://www.johnnyleeclary.com/eddiealbert.htm

OK reading but that pic of Eddie Albert taken shortly before he died, perhaps days. Some may consider it a "tribute" others may call it "tasteless". You be the judge.

I say tasteless.

Agreed 100%. If I were a member of Eddie Albert's family, I would have asked to have that picture removed.

In Albert's case because of the state of his mind at the time, he probably wasn't aware of the picture.

 

[LKellerIII]

Johnny Lee Clary seems like a somewhat clueless dude - I don't think he meant it to be tasteless. In truth, Eddie doesn't look that bad for a man of 99 suffering from Alzheimers. From everything I've read, he was a great guy, worked for worthwhile environmental causes, and had a great career. He was awarded a bronze star for his participation in one of the bloodiest battles of World War II - and was credited with saving as many as 70 wounded Marines while under enemy fire.

I have a friend who worked worked on film crews in Hollywood in the 70s and 80s, and had the privilege to work with Mr. Albert a couple of times. There is no star that he respected more.

Eddie's last credits (imdb) were in 1997, when he was 91. It's sad that Alzheimer's robbed him of his faculties in his last few years, but he led a very rich life.

http://www.imdb.com/name/nm0000734/bio

 

[onairb]

>>2008: Movie and TV composer Earle Hagen dies of natural causes in Rancho Mirage, California, aged 89. He is best known for composing the instrumental classic "Harlem Nocturne" used as the theme to Mickey Spillane's Mike Hammer, and co-writing and whistling "The Fishin' Hole", the melody of the main theme to The Andy Griffith Show>>

I did not know that Hagen wrote the melody to Andy Griffith.

Have you ever seen 'The Andy Griffith Show?'

 

[LKellerIII]

>>2008: Movie and TV composer Earle Hagen dies of natural causes in Rancho Mirage, California, aged 89. He is best known for composing the instrumental classic "Harlem Nocturne" used as the theme to Mickey Spillane's Mike Hammer, and co-writing and whistling "The Fishin' Hole", the melody of the main theme to The Andy Griffith Show>>

I did not know that Hagen wrote the melody to Andy Griffith.

Have you ever seen 'The Andy Griffith Show?'

It's my understanding that Hagen not only wrote the theme, he also whistled it.

 

[radioman148]

>>2008: Movie and TV composer Earle Hagen dies of natural causes in Rancho Mirage, California, aged 89. He is best known for composing the instrumental classic "Harlem Nocturne" used as the theme to Mickey Spillane's Mike Hammer, and co-writing and whistling "The Fishin' Hole", the melody of the main theme to The Andy Griffith Show>>

I did not know that Hagen wrote the melody to Andy Griffith.

Have you ever seen 'The Andy Griffith Show?'

It's my understanding that Hagen not only wrote the theme, he also whistled it.

That's great.

 

[FreddyE1977]

Just a few random TV related events that happened on May 26. Discuss or comment as you please……


2005: Actor Eddie Albert (Green Acres, Switch) dies of pneumonia in Pacific Palisades, California, aged 99.

Found this about Eddie Albert.

http://www.johnnyleeclary.com/eddiealbert.htm

OK reading but that pic of Eddie Albert taken shortly before he died, perhaps days. Some may consider it a "tribute" others may call it "tasteless". You be the judge.

I say tasteless.

Agreed 100%. If I were a member of Eddie Albert's family, I would have asked to have that picture removed.

Yes, I agree. Needlessly cruel and offensive to the dignity of someone who gave us so much pleasurable entertainment. I had seen an equally tasteless photo of Bob Hope taken shortly before he died.

 

[mleach]

Just a few random TV related events that happened on May 26. Discuss or comment as you please……


2005: Actor Eddie Albert (Green Acres, Switch) dies of pneumonia in Pacific Palisades, California, aged 99.

Found this about Eddie Albert.

http://www.johnnyleeclary.com/eddiealbert.htm

OK reading but that pic of Eddie Albert taken shortly before he died, perhaps days. Some may consider it a "tribute" others may call it "tasteless". You be the judge.

I say tasteless.

Agreed 100%. If I were a member of Eddie Albert's family, I would have asked to have that picture removed.

Yes, I agree. Needlessly cruel and offensive to the dignity of someone who gave us so much pleasurable entertainment. I had seen an equally tasteless photo of Bob Hope taken shortly before he died.

I have seen that Bob Hope pic..yes that was tasteless.

There is a guy in Hollywood named Scott Michaels who over the years has made a rather decent sized living at taking pics of stars just before their deaths like Bob Hope, Dean Martin, Shelley Winters and George Burns ( in his wheelchair outside his home waiting for someone..while he was smoking his cigar ). I believe he also runs some tour where people can visit the "tragic side of Southern California" like visiting the apartment where Jack Cassidy was burned to death or the hotel where John Belushi was found dead.

I think Michaels has been sued a few times over the taking those pics and I also seem to recall he has banned from having his tour from entering Palm Springs such as that viewing of the front yard were Joan Davis had her fatal heart attack. Some people can be quite touchy about have tourists coming over to their houses because their homes just happened to a be a piece of infamous Hollywood history.

 

[LKellerIII]

In this 500 plus TV channel and internet 24 hour a day media world, we'd better get used to seeing a lot of cruel things. Anybody can put up their own website and post photos taken serepticiously with their cell phones.

A few years ago - a San Francisco disc jockey played a short ambush interview he'd done with Bob Hope right before Hope's death..at age 100, if I remember correctly. It was clear that Hope was not too sharp mentally that day, but the jock played it on air anyway to ridicule Hope - probably because he had a long-time disagreement with Hope's politics (the DJ was a left-winger).

I was incensed by the tastlesness the DJ demonstrated by playing the interview - even though I was never a big Bob Hope fan, and my political views are much closer to the DJ's than Hope's.

Knowing what I know about that radio personality, he's likely to be a drooling idiot at age 100, or even more likely - dead 20 years.

 

[Tim from Springfield IL]

1939: Sportscaster Brent Musburger is born in Portland, OR.