- Jan 10 "Pete the Tramp" cartoon strip by C D Russell debuts
"Shanghai Express"
Feb 3 "Shanghai Express" directed by Josef von Sternberg and starring Marlene Dietrich, Clive Brook and Anna Mae Wong premieres in Los Angeles
Olympic Gold
Feb 12 Sonja Henie of Norway wins her 2nd of 3 consecutive Olympic gold medals in women’s figure skating at the Lake Placid Winter Games; beats Austria’s Fritzi Burger into 2nd place for 2nd straight Games
- Feb 14 The George Burns and Gracie Allen Show debuts on CBS radio, airing there until 1937, moving to NBC until 1949, and returning to CBS in 1949, before moving to television
- Feb 15 George Burns & Gracie Allen debut as regulars on the "Guy Lombardo Show"
- Feb 18 Norway's Sonja Henie wins her 6th straight World Women's figure skating title
- Mar 24 1st US radio broadcast from a moving train (Belle Baker WABC from MD)
Jack Benny Debut
Mar 29 Jack Benny debuts on radio, on Ed Sullivan's New York interview program
Tarzan the Ape Man
Apr 2 "Tarzan the Ape Man" released starring Olympic swimmer Johnny Weissmuller in the first of his 12 Tarzan films
Too True To Be Good
Apr 4 George Bernard Shaw's comedy play "Too True To Be Good" premieres in NYC; runs for 59 performances
Grand Hotel
Apr 12 "Grand Hotel" directed by Edmund Goulding and starring Greta Garbo and John Barrymore premieres in New York, includes the line "I want to be alone" (Best Picture/Production 1932)
The Music Box
Apr 16 Short film "The Music Box" released in the US, starring Stan Laurel and Oliver Hardy (1932 Academy Award Best Live Action Short Film)
- Apr 29 1st broadcast of "One Man's Family" on NBC radio, longest-running dramatic serial on US radio (ends 1959)
Radio Premiere
May 2 American comedian Jack Benny's 1st radio show premieres (NBC Blue Network)
- May 25 Goofy, aka Dippy Dawg, 1st appears in 'Mickey's Revue' by Walt Disney
White Zombie
Jul 28 "White Zombie" - 1st feature length zombie film directed by Victor Halperin and starring Bela Lugosi is released in the US
Bill of Divorcement
Sep 29 Film "Bill of Divorcement" starring John Barrymore and Katharine Hepburn, directed by George Cukor premieres at the Mayfair
Red Dust
Oct 22 Film "Red Dust" directed by Victor Fleming, starring Clark Gable, Jean Harlow and Mary Astor premieres
The Fred Allen Show
Oct 23 Radio comedy program "The Fred Allen Show" premieres
First Ever Tie
Nov 18 5th Academy Awards: Fredric March and Wallace Beery in 1st ever tie for Best Actor. "Grand Hotel" and Helen Hayes also win.
Groucho Marx
Nov 28 Groucho Marx performs on radio for the first time
- Dec 2 "Adventures of Charlie Chan" 1st heard on NBC-Blue radio network
"The Mummy"
Dec 22 "The Mummy" directed by Karl Freund and starring Boris Karloff is released in the US - 1st Mummy horror film
"Flying Down to Rio"
Dec 29 Fred Astaire and Ginger Rogers' 1st movie together "Flying Down to Rio", directed by Thornton Freeland, premieres in NYC
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