Film Tv Events Date 1961 | History by KabAstro

Gordy Signs Supremes

Jan 15 Berry Gordy signs The Supremes to Motown Records

Founder of Motown Records and Songwriter Berry Gordy

"The Dick Van Dyke Show"

Jan 19 1st episode of "The Dick Van Dyke Show" is filmed

Actor, Comedian, Writer and Director Carl Reiner

Jan 21 KIFI TV channel 8 in Idaho Falls, Idaho (NBC) begins broadcasting
Jan 23 US Supreme Court rules cities and states have the right to censor films

1st Live Presidential News Conference

Jan 25 First live, nationally televised presidential news conference, held by JFK

101 Dalmatians

Jan 25 Walt Disney's animated film "101 Dalmatians", based on the novel by Dodie Smith and directed by Clyde Geronimi and Hamilton Luske is released in the US

Jan 27 "Sing Along with Mitch" [Miller] premieres on NBC TV
Jan 30 Bobby Darin is youngest performer to headline a TV special on NBC
Jan 30 KAET TV channel 8 in Phoenix, AZ (PBS) begins broadcasting

"The Misfits"

Feb 1 John Huston's film drama "The Misfits" officially premieres at the Loews Capitol in NYC, after a sneak preview at Reno, Nevada's Grenada Theatre; the final movie for both Clark Gable and Marilyn Monroe was written by Monroe's husband Arthur Miller, and also featured Montgomery Cliff

Feb 6 KOAP TV channel 10 in Portland, OR (PBS) begins broadcasting

Jane Fonda Debut

Feb 7 Jane Fonda made her acting debut in the NBC drama "A String of Beads"

I Want a Guy

Mar 9 The Supremes release singles "I Want a Guy" and "Never Again"

Golden Globes

Mar 16 18th Golden Globes: "Spartacus", Burt Lancaster, & Greer Garson win

Music History

Mar 25 Jules Styne and Stephen Sondheim's musical "Gypsy", starring Ethel Merman and Jack Klugman, closes at the Imperial Theatre, NYC, after 702 performances

Mar 29 KCPT TV channel 19 in Kansas City, MO (PBS) begins broadcasting
Mar 31 8th National Film Awards (India): "Anuradha" wins the Golden Lotus
Apr 3 Jacques Offenbach and Yip Harburg's musical "The Happiest Girl in the World", starring Cyril Ritchard and Justine Rule, opens at Martin Beck Theatre, NYC; runs for 97 performances

TV Show Appearance

Apr 5 Barbra Streisand appears on "Jack Paar Show"

Singer-Songwriter and Actress Barbra Streisand

Apr 14 1st live television broadcast from Soviet Union
Apr 15 Meredith Willson's musical "The Music Man", starring Robert Preston and Barbara Cook, closes at Majestic Theater, NYC. after 1375 performances, 5 Tony Awards, and a Grammy

Academy Awards

Apr 17 33rd Academy Awards: "Apartment" wins best film, Burt Lancaster & Elizabeth Taylor win best actor, actress

Film & TV History

Apr 17 Jimmy Stewart accepts an honorary Oscar on behalf of his friend Gary Cooper, who is too ill to attend

Apr 29 ABC's "Wide World of Sports" debuts
May 9 US Federal Communication Commission (FCC) Chairman Newton N. Minow criticizes TV as a "vast wasteland" during a speech before the National Association of Broadcasters

Music History

May 10 Alan Bennett, Peter Cook, Dudley Moore and Jonathan Miller comedy revue "Beyond the Fringe" opens at the Fortune Theatre in London's West End

Actor, Comedian and Jazz Musician Dudley Moore

May 15 "Bonanza" by Al Caiola Orchestra hits #19

Emmy Awards

May 16 13th Emmy Awards: Jack Benny Show, Raymond Burr & Barbara Stanwyck win

May 18 14th Cannes Film Festival: "The Long Absence" directed by Henri Colpi and "Viridiana" directed by Luis Bunuel jointly awarded the Palme d'Or

A Raisin in the Sun

May 29 "A Raisin in the Sun", film adaptation of Lorraine Hansberry's stage play, starring the Broadway cast including Sidney Poitier, Ruby Dee, John Fiedler, and Ivan Dixon premieres

Jun 11 "Winston Churchill" last airs on ABC-TV
Jun 13 Billy Barnes' musical revue "Billy Barnes People", starting Ken Berry, Dave Ketchum, and Jo Anne Worley, opens at Royale Theater, NYC; runs for 7 performances
Jun 16 Dave Garroway is fired as host of NBC's "Today Show"
Jun 17 Billy Barnes' musical revue "Billy Barnes People", starting Ken Berry, Dave Ketchum, and Jo Anne Worley, closes at Royale Theater, NYC, after 7 performances
Jun 18 CBS radio cancels Gunsmoke
Jun 18 KBMT TV channel 12 in Beaumont, Texas (ABC) begins broadcasting
Jun 23 11th Berlin International Film Festival: "The Night" wins the Golden Bear
Jul 1 KNDU TV channel 25 in Richland-Pasco-Kennew, WA (NBC) 1st broadcast
Jul 4 Walt Disney is one of the two main speakers on the Independence Day in The Rebuild Hills at Skørping in Denmark
Jul 5 KUSD TV channel 2 in Vermillion, SD (PBS) begins broadcasting
Jul 19 1st in-flight movie shown on TWA
Jul 22 WBNB TV channel 10 in Charlotte Amaile, VI (CBS) begins broadcasting
Jul 24 Edwin Newman becomes news anchor of NBC's "Today Show"
Aug 20 22nd Venice Film Festival: "Last Year at Marienbad" directed by Alain Resnais wins Golden Lion

Radio Premiere

Sep 4 Carol Burnett-Richard Hayes Show premieres on CBS radio

Sep 9 Maria Beale Fletcher (NC), 19, crowned 34th Miss America 1962
Sep 16 WLKY TV channel 32 in Louisville, Kentucky (ABC) begins broadcasting
Sep 23 1st movie to become a TV series, "How to Marry a Millionaire" premieres
Sep 25 KTPS TV channel 62 in Tacoma, WA (PBS) begins broadcasting
Sep 28 "Doctor Kildare" debuts on NBC-TV

Hazel

Sep 28 "Hazel" starring Shirley Booth debuts on NBC-TV

Dr. Kildare

Sep 28 American medical drama series "Dr. Kildare", starring Richard Chamberlain and Raymond Massey, premieres on NBC-TV

Sep 28 Ossie Davis' comedic stage farce "Purlie Victorious", starring the playwright, opens at the Cort Theatre, later transferring to the Longacre, NYC; runs for 261 performances
Sep 28 Walt Disney's movie "Grey Friars Bobby" premieres
Sep 29 "Detectives" TV Crime Drama; moves to NBC-TV
Oct 1 KGIN TV channel 11 in Grand Island, NB (CBS) begins broadcasting
Oct 1 WOLO TV channel 25 in Columbia, SC (ABC) begins broadcasting
Oct 1 WYAH TV channel 27 in Portsmouth, VA (IND) begins broadcasting
Oct 2 American medical drama series "Ben Casey", starring Vince Edwards and Sam Jaffe, premieres on ABC-TV
Oct 2 WETA TV channel 26 in Washington, D.C. (PBS) begins broadcasting
Oct 2 WHRO TV channel 15 in Hampton-Norfolk, Vitginia (PBS) begins broadcasting

The Dick Van Dyke Show

Oct 3 "The Dick Van Dyke Show" created by Carl Reiner, starring Dick van Dyke and Mary Tyler Moore premieres on CBS-TV

Oct 3 KMED (now KTVL) TV channel 10 in Medford, OR (CBS) begins broadcasting

Sail Away

Oct 3 Noël Coward's musical "Sail Away", starring Elaine Stritch, opens at Broadhurst Theater, NYC; runs for 167 performances

Playwright, Director and Singer Noël Coward

Oct 3 TV sitcom "Mr Ed" premieres on CBS

Breakfast at Tiffany's

Oct 5 "Breakfast at Tiffany's" film, based on the novella by Truman Capote, directed by Blake Edwards, and starring Audrey Hepburn, George Peppard, and Buddy Ebsen, premieres

Oct 7 Charles Strouse and Lee Adams' musical "Bye Bye Birdie", starring Dick Van Dyke, Chita Rivera, and Dick Gautier, closes at Martin Beck Theater, NYC, after 607 performances and 4 Tony Awards

The Bob Newhart Show

Oct 10 Variety TV show "The Bob Newhart Show" premieres on NBC in the US

West Side Story

Oct 18 Film adaptation of the 1957 Broadway musical "West Side Story", directed by Robert Wise and Jerome Robbins, and starring Natalie Wood, premieres (Academy Award - Best Picture, 1962)