Milton Berle Show
Jan 6 "Milton Berle Show" last airs on ABC-TV
- Jan 6 KHTV TV channel 39 in Houston, TX (IND) begins broadcasting
Theatrical Finale
Jan 7 Murray Schisgal's stage comedy "Luv", directed by Mike Nichols. and starring Alan Arkin and Eli Wallach, closes at the Helen Hayes Theater, NYC, after 901 performances, and 3 Tony Award wins
- Jan 12 NBC revival of Jack Webb's police drama "Dragnet", now broadcast in color, debuts; runs through 1970
Rolling Stones Alter Lyrics for Show
Jan 15 Rolling Stones appear for the fifth time on the Ed Sullivan Show, reluctantly agree to alter lyrics of "Let's Spend The Night Together" [1] [2]
- Jan 29 WDAZ TV channel 8 in Devils Lake, ND (NBC) begins broadcasting
- Feb 1 WCLP TV channel 18 in Chatsworth, GA (PBS) begins broadcasting
- Feb 5 "The Smothers Brothers Comedy Hour" variety show premieres on CBS TV [1]
- Feb 12 Promotional films (music videos) for the Beatles' forthcoming single "Penny Lane" & "Strawberry Fields" debut on the Ed Sullivan Show in the US
Golden Globes
Feb 15 24th Golden Globes: A Man for All Seasons, Paul Scofield, and Anouk Aimée win
- Mar 1 WMET (now WHSW) TV channel 24 in Baltimore, MD (IND) 1st broadcast
Grammy Awards
Mar 2 9th Grammy Awards: "Strangers in the Night" by Frank Sinatra wins best record, "Michele" by The Beatles best song
The Happening
Mar 20 The Supremes release single "The Happening"
- Mar 20 WOET (now WPTD) TV channel 16 in Dayton, OH (PBS) begins broadcasting
Thoroughly Modern Millie
Mar 21 Musical comedy film "Thoroughly Modern Millie", starring Julie Andrews, Mary Tyler Moore, and Carol Channing, premieres at the Criterion Theatre, NYC
Academy Awards
Apr 10 39th Academy Awards: "A Man For All Seasons," Best Picture, Elizabeth Taylor & Paul Scofield best actress/actor
Rosencrantz & Guildenstern are Dead
Apr 11 Tom Stoppard's play "Rosencrantz & Guildenstern are Dead" debuts in London at the Old Vic
Casino Royale
Apr 19 "Casino Royale" James Bond comedy film starring David Niven and Peter Sellers premieres. Based on the Ian Fleming novel.
Music History
May 29 Elvis and Priscilla Presley hold a wedding reception at Graceland for friends and family not at the original ceremony
Emmy Awards
Jun 4 19th Emmy Awards: "Mission Impossible", "The Monkees", Don Knotts & Lucille Ball win
- Jun 4 KTVN TV channel 2 in Reno, NV (CBS) begins broadcasting
- Jun 5 WSBE TV channel 36 in Providence, RI (PBS) begins broadcasting
- Jun 9 The Monkees appear at the Hollywood Bowl in Los Angeles, California
- Jun 10 American pole vaulter Bob Seagren sets a world record mark of 17'7" in San Diego, California
You Only Live Twice
Jun 12 "You Only Live Twice", 5th James Bond film starring Sean Connery, screenplay by Roald Dahl, premieres in London
The Steve Allen Comedy Hour
Jun 14 "The Steve Allen Comedy Hour" premieres on CBS-TV
To Sir, with Love
Jun 14 British film "To Sir, with Love" written and directed by James Clavell, and starring Sidney Poitier is 1st released in the US
The Dirty Dozen
Jun 15 "The Dirty Dozen", based on E. M. Nathanson's novel, directed by Robert Aldrich and starring Lee Marvin, Ernest Borgnine and Charles Bronson is released in the US
Music Concert
Jun 17 Barbra Streisand performs a "A Happening in Central Park" concert in NYC
- Jun 23 17th Berlin International Film Festival: "The Departure" wins the Golden Bear
- Jun 25 First global satellite television program: "Our World" broadcast features 19 acts representing 19 nations including The Beatles singing "All You Need Is Love"
- Jun 25 KPBS TV channel 15 in San Diego, CA (PBS) begins broadcasting
- Jul 1 1st British colour TV broadcast, on BBC 2
- Jul 1 BBC starts its World Radio Club
- Jul 1 Jule Styne and Bob Merrill's musical "Funny Girl", starring Barbra Streisand as Fanny Brice, closes at Winter Garden Theater, NYC, after 1348 performances
- Jul 9 WRET TV channel 36 in Charlotte, North Carolina (NBC/CBS) begins broadcasting
- Jul 11 "The Newlywed Game" premieres in the US on ABC TV
Sweet Charity
Jul 15 Neil Simon, Cy Coleman, and Dorothy Fields' musical "Sweet Charity", starring Gwen Verdon, and directed by Bob Fosse, closes at the Palace Theater, NYC, after 608 performances; wins a Tony Award for choreography
- Aug 1 WBRA TV channel 15 in Roanoke, VA (PBS) begins broadcasting
- Aug 2 "In the Heat of the Night" film directed by Norman Jewison, based on John Ball's novel of the same name, starring Sidney Poitier and Rod Steiger premieres in New York (5 Academy Awards including Best Picture, and Best Actor for Steiger, 1968)
- Aug 9 KYAY TV channel 39 in West Monroe, LA (IND) begins broadcasting
Bonnie and Clyde
Aug 13 "Bonnie and Clyde" crime film directed by Arthur Penn and starring Warren Beatty and Faye Dunaway, is released
- Aug 13 WQLN TV channel 54 in Erie, Pennsylvania (PBS) begins broadcasting
Film & TV History
Aug 14 Celebrity hairdresser Vidal Sassoon cuts actress Mia Farrow's hair into the famous pixie cut, costing $5,000. In reality, just a publicity stunt, Farrow had previously cut her own hair.
- Aug 16 WFIQ TV channel 36 in Florence, AL (PBS) begins broadcasting
- Aug 26 28th Venice Film Festival: "Belle de Jour" directed by Luis Bunuel wins Golden Lion
- Aug 27 Naomi Sims is 1st black model on US cover (Fashion of the Times)
- Aug 28 WCBS-AM (880) radio in NYC begins its all-news format; the AM station was knocked off the air just beforehand, moving the debut to the FM sister station (101.1)
- Aug 29 Final TV episode of "The Fugitive" starring David Janssen watched by 78 million people
- Sep 1 KMNE TV channel 7 in Bassett, NB (PBS) begins broadcasting
- Sep 1 WIRT TV channel 13 in Hibbing, MN (ABC) begins broadcasting
- Sep 1 WJRJ (WTCG, WTBS) TV channel 17 in Atlanta, GA (IND) begins
- Sep 2 KUHI (now KSNF) TV channel 16 in Joplin, MO (CBS) begins broadcasting
- Sep 3 WJPM TV channel 33 in Florence, SC (PBS) begins broadcasting
Telethon
Sep 4 Jerry Lewis' 2nd Muscular Dystrophy telethon
The Carol Burnett Show
Sep 11 "The Carol Burnett Show" starring Carol Burnett premieres on CBS-TV in the US
- Sep 11 WSRE TV channel 23 in Pensacola, FL (PBS) begins broadcasting
- Sep 11 WUNE TV channel 17 in Linville, NC (PBS) begins broadcasting
- Sep 11 WUNF TV channel 33 in Asheville, NC (PBS) begins broadcasting
- Sep 11 WUNG TV channel 58 in Concord, NC (PBS) begins broadcasting
- Sep 15 KPOB TV channel 15 in Poplar Bluff, MO (ABC) begins broadcasting
- Sep 16 KPAZ TV channel 21 in Phoenix, AZ (IND) begins broadcasting
TV Show Appearance
Sep 17 American rock band "The Doors" appear for 1st and last time on "The Ed Sullivan Show"; singer Jim Morrison reneges on promise to change a lyric, prompting producers to offer no further invitations [1]
Television Debut
Sep 17 British rock band "The Who" make US television debut, performing "My Generation" on "The Smothers Brothers Comedy Hour", and detonating Keith Moon's drum kit
- Sep 20 WCAE TV channel 50 in St John, IN (PBS) begins broadcasting
- Sep 20 WCIX TV channel 6 in Miami, FL (CBS) begins broadcasting
- Sep 25 WGBX TV channel 44 in Boston, MA (PBS) begins broadcasting
- Sep 30 BBC starts its own popular music radio station (Radio 1)
- Oct 1 KBFI (now KDAF) TV channel 33 in Dallas-Fort Worth, TX (IND) begins
- Oct 3 KGSC (now KICU) TV channel 36 in San Jose, CA (IND) begins
- Oct 13 CBS radio cancels "House Party"
- Oct 16 WETK TV channel 33 in Burlington, VT (PBS) begins broadcasting
- Oct 16 WGNO TV channel 26 in New Orleans, LA (ABC) begins broadcasting
- Oct 17 Barbra Streisand stars on "Belle of 14th Street" special on CBS
The Jungle Book
Oct 18 Walt Disney's animated musical adaptation of Rudyard Kipling's "The Jungle Book" film is released; cast features voices of Phil Harris, Louis Prima, Sterling Holloway, and Sebastian Cabot
Cool Hand Luke
Nov 1 "Cool Hand Luke", starring Paul Newman, George Kennedy, and Strother Martin, is released
- Nov 10 KXNE TV channel 19 in Norfolk, NB (PBS) begins broadcasting
- Nov 15 WLTV TV channel 23 in Miami, FL (IND) begins broadcasting
- Nov 19 The establishment of TVB, the first wireless commercial television station in Hong Kong
- Nov 22 BBC unofficially bans "I Am the Walrus" by Beatles, due to the suggestive lyric “Boy, you've been a naughty girl you let your knickers down."
The Producers
Nov 22 Mel Brooks' first film, "The Producers" starring Zero Mostel and Gene Wilder has a disastrous premiere and is almost shelved - later goes on to win an Oscar and achieve cult status
- Dec 10 CBS officially renames CBS-TV Studio 50 in New York (built in 1927 as Hammerstein's Theatre), as "The Ed Sullivan Theater" in celebration of the 20th anniversary of his program
Guess Who's Coming to Dinner
Dec 11 "Guess Who's Coming to Dinner", directed by Stanley Kramer, starring Spencer Tracy, Sidney Poitier and Katharine Hepburn, premieres in NYC (Hepburn - Academy Award for Best Actress 1968)
"The Graduate"
Dec 22 "The Graduate", American comedy-drama film directed by Mike Nichols, starring Dustin Hoffman and Anne Bancroft, premieres (Best Director, 1968)
Paul McCartney, Jane Asher Engaged
Dec 25 Beatle Paul McCartney and British actress Jane Asher get engaged; engagement publicly broken six months later
Actors
Actresses
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