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...
 
 
 
  
 
 
2012
May
6
2004: 'FRIENDS': THE LAST ONE By Christy Slewinski
 
 
Today in 2004, six friends headed off to their favorite coffee house for one last latte and then, to the tune of Jefferson Airplane's "Embryonic Journey," presumably headed their separate ways. And so ended Friends, one of television's most popular sitcoms...
 
 
 
  
 
 
2012
May
5
1992: 'PERRY MASON' TELEFILM KILLS OFF GERALDO By Christy Slewinski
 
 
Twelve years after the legal drama Perry Mason disappeared from the CBS lineup, an NBC reunion movie led to the production of a series of telefilms, with Raymond Burr reprising his original role and Barbara Hale playing Della Street, Mason's loyal secretary. One of the most memorable Mason movies, Perry Mason: The Case of the Reckless Romeo, aired today in 1992...
 
 
 
  
 
 
2012
May
4
2000: "CHICAGO HOPE" ENDS ITS RUN ON CBS By Christy Slewinski
 
 
Chicago Hope presented its final episode on this day in CBS. The series starred Mandy Patinkin and Adam Arkin as doctors and best friends operating at a Chicago hospital. Additional stars included  E.G. Marshall, Hector Elizondo and Roxanne Hart. For its entire run, the critically-acclaimed medical drama aired in the shadow of NBC's more popular ER...
 
 
 
  
 
 
 
 
 
 
 

This Day in TV History

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By TV WW