"A Christmas Carol"
Jan 7 Limited run of Patrick Stewart's one-man show "A Christmas Carol", based on Charles Dickens' novel, closes at Richard Rodgers Theater, NYC, after 18 performances
"Guys & Dolls"
Jan 8 Revival of Frank Loesser's musical "Guys & Dolls", starring Nathan Lane, closes at Martin Beck Theater, NYC, after 1143 performances, winning 4 Tony and 7 Drama Desk Awards
Television Premiere
Jan 10 "The Late Late Show" with Tom Snyder premieres on CBS at 12:30 AM; hosts the program until 1999
52nd Golden Globes
Jan 21 52nd Golden Globes: "Forrest Gump", Tom Hanks, & Jessica Lange win
Howard Stern Rest Stop
Jan 26 NJ Governor Christine Whitman, dedicates a rest stop to Howard Stern
- Jan 29 11th Sundance Film Festival: "The Brothers McMullen" and "The Young Poisoner's Handbook" (tie) win Grand Jury Prize Dramatic
- Jan 30 Belgium's TV channel 2 in Flanders goes on the air
- Feb 1 Belgium's TV channel VT4 goes on the air
- Feb 9 45th Berlin International Film Festival: "The Bait" wins the Golden Bear
- Feb 10 Chelsi Smith, 21, (Texas), crowned 44th Miss USA
- Feb 17 11th US Soap Opera Digest Awards - "Days of Our Lives" wins
A Woman of Independent Means
Feb 19 Dramatic mini-series "A Woman of Independent Means" starring Sally Field, premieres on NBC-TV, airing 6 hours over 3 nights
Sinatra's Last Performance
Feb 25 Singer Frank Sinatra performs for final time before a live audience of 1200 select guests at the Palm Desert Marriott Ballroom, in Palm Desert, California, on the closing night of his charity golf tournament
People's Choice Awards
Mar 5 21st People's Choice Awards: Tom Hanks & Jodie Foster win (Dramatic Motion Picture) and Tim Allen & Roseanne Barr win (TV)
Film & TV History
Mar 6 9th American Comedy Award: Rodney Dangerfield
- Mar 19 Revival of Brien Friel's stage drama "Translations", starring Brian Dennehy, opens at Plymouth Theater NYC for 25 performances
- Mar 21 New Jersey officially dedicates the Howard Stern Rest Area along Route 295
- Mar 26 15th Golden Raspberry Awards: "Color of Night" wins
- Mar 27 67th Academy Awards: "Forrest Gump", Jessica Lange & Tom Hanks win
WrestleMania
Apr 2 WrestleMania XI, Hartford Civic Centre, CT: NFL linebacker Lawrence Taylor defeats Bam Bam Bigelow
- Apr 3 Howard Stern gets in trouble for disparaging remarks about Selena
- Apr 9 Brian Friel's stage drama "Translations", starring Brian Dennehy, closes at Plymouth Theater, NYC, after 25 performances
Music Concert
Apr 12 Rock for the Rainforest benefit concert held at Carnegie Hall, NYC; performers include: Sting, Elton John, James Taylor, Jon Bon Jovi, Bruce Springsteen, Paul Simon, Billy Joel, Jessye Norman, and Geoffrey Oryema
- Apr 19 Chopper 4 1st used on WNBC TV (NYC) news
- Apr 21 British sitcom "Father Ted" written by Arthur Mathews & Graham Linehan, starring Dermot Morgan premieres on Channel 4
- Apr 25 Revival of Ivan Turgenev's stage drama "A Month in the Country", starring F. Murray Abraham and Helen Mirren, opens at Roundabout Theater, NYC; runs for 79 performances
- Apr 29 Final TV broadcast of "Empty Nest" on NBC TV
- May 6 Classic Sports Network begins on cable TV
- May 7 Revival of Budd Schulberg's stage drama "On the Waterfront", adapted from his screenplay for the 1954 film, closes at the Atkinson Theater, NYC, after 8 performances [1]
- May 13 Chelsi Smith, 21, of USA, crowned 44th Miss Universe Shanna Lynn Moakler, (19-NY), replaces Chelsi Smith as Miss USA
Braveheart
May 18 "Braveheart" directed by and starring Mel Gibson and Sophie Marceau premieres at the Seattle Film Festival (Best Picture 1996)
Daytime Emmy Awards
May 19 Emmy 22nd Daytime Award presentation - Susan Lucci loses for 15th time
- May 20 CBS News fires co-anchor Connie Chung
Film & TV History
May 22 TV sitcom Laverne & Shirley 20th anniversary reunion special, televised
Film & TV History
May 27 Actor Christopher Reeve is paralyzed from the neck down after falling from his horse in a riding competition in Culpeper, Virginia
- May 28 48th Cannes Film Festival: "Underground" directed by Emir Kusturica wins the Palme d'Or
- May 28 Revival of J.B Priestley's stage drama "An Inspector Calls", starring Philip Bosco, closes at Royale Theater, NYC, after 454 performances and Drama Desk and Tony Award wins
- Jun 3 1st Blockbuster Entertainment Awards held at Pantages Theatre, Hollywood
Jackie Mason: Politically Incorrect
Jun 4 "Jackie Mason: Politically Incorrect" closes at Golden Theater, NYC, after 347 performances
Batman Forever
Jun 16 "Batman Forever" opens with a record $528 million weekend starring Val Kilmer, Chris O'Donnell, Tommy Lee Jones and Nicole Kidman
Film & TV History
Jun 18 Memorial service for Elizabeth Montgomery is held at the Canon Theatre in Beverly Hills
- Jun 27 Mason City Iowa's TV news personality Jodi Huisentruit disappears
Music Concert
Jul 2 Ringo Starr's third All-Starr Band debuts in concert; members include: Randy Bachman, Mark Farner, Billy Preston, Felix Cavaliere, John Entwistle, Zak Starkey, and Mark Rivera
Clueless
Jul 19 Teen comedy film "Clueless" is released, loosely based on Jane Austen's book "Emma" starring Alicia Silverstone, directed by Amy Heckerling
- Jul 27 28th San Diego Comic-Con International opens at San Diego Convention Center
- Jul 31 Walt Disney announces the acquisition of Capital Cities/ABC for $19 billion; network of properties now consists of Disney, ABC Sports, ESPN and ESPN2
- Aug 1 Westinghouse purchases CBS-TV network
- Aug 3 CNN en Espanol premieres
Damn Yankees
Aug 6 Revival of Richard Adler and Jerry Ross' musical comedy '"Damn Yankees", starring Jerry Lewis and Bebe Neuwirth, closes at Marquis Theater, NYC, after 519 performances
- Aug 15 Keylee Sue Sanders, 18, of Kansas, crowned 13th Miss Teen USA
Film & TV History
Aug 23 Actor Larry Hagman receives a liver transplant
Arcadia
Aug 27 Tom Stoppard's comedic play "Arcadia" closes at Vivian Beaumont Theater, NYC, after 204 performances
- Aug 30 52nd Venice Film Festival: "Cyclo" directed by Anh Hung Tran wins Golden Lion
- Sep 1 Infinity Broadcasting, syndicator of the Howard Stern Show, agrees to voluntarily pay $1.7 million to US Treasury - without admitting guilt to settle fines levied by the FCC
Xena: Warrior Princess
Sep 4 Cult TV series "Xena: Warrior Princess" starring Lucy Lawless and Renee O'Connor debuts in the US
- Sep 4 Jerry Lewis' 30th Muscular Dystrophy telethon raises $47,800,000
- Sep 10 47th Emmy Awards: NYPD Blue, ER, Frasier and Candice Bergen win
Se7en
Sep 15 "Se7en" directed by David Fincher and starring Morgan Freeman, Brad Pitt and Kevin Spacey premieres in New York
- Sep 16 20th Toronto International Film Festival: "Antonia's Line" directed by Marleen Gorris wins the People's Choice Award
- Sep 16 Shawntel Smith (Okla), 24, crowned 69th Miss America 1996
Pride and Prejudice
Sep 24 TV adaptation of Jane Austen's "Pride and Prejudice", starring Jennifer Ehle and Colin Firth debuts on BBC One
Film & TV History
Sep 28 Mary Tyler Moore returns to series TV in "New York News" on CBS; cancelled after 8 episodes
- Sep 28 Superhero film "Batman Forever" released in Czech Republic
Film & TV History
Oct 13 Pamela Anderson Lee rushed to hospital with flu like symptoms
Victor/Victoria
Oct 25 Henry Mancini, Leslie Bricusse, and Blake Edwards' musical adaptation of the film "Victor/Victoria", starring Julie Andrews, opens at Marquis Theater, NYC; runs for 738 performances; Andrews declined Tony Award nomination because she felt other cast and crew should have been recognized
Leaving Las Vegas
Oct 27 Dramatic film "Leaving Las Vegas" directed by Mike Figgis and starring Nicolas Cage (Oscar for Best Actor) and Elisabeth Shue premieres
- Nov 1 Revival of William Shakespeare's "The Tempest", starring Patrick Stewart, opens at Broadhurst Theater, NYC; runs for 71 performances
- Nov 7 Howard Stern's second book "Miss America" released (fastest selling ever)
- Nov 8 Comedy revue "Danny Gans on Broadway: The Man of Many Voices" opens at Neil Simon Theater, NYC; runs for 6 performances
- Nov 12 Comedy revue "Danny Gans on Broadway: The Man of Many Voices" closes at Neil Simon Theater, NYC, after 6 performances
GoldenEye
Nov 13 "GoldenEye", 17th James Bond film released, starring Pierce Brosnan for the first time, Robbie Coltrane and Judi Dench as M
- Nov 18 Jacqueline Aguilera Marcano (19), of Venezuela, crowned 45th Miss World
- Nov 19 "The Beatles Anthology" documentary series premieres in US on ABC-TV; the 6-hour program airs over three nights that week
- Nov 22 "Toy Story", the first feature-length film created completely using computer-generated imagery, directed by John Lasseter and starring Tom Hanks and Tim Allen, is released
- Nov 29 CNNfn, a financial network by Turner Enterprises is launched
Michael Jackson Collapses
Dec 6 Michael Jackson collapses while rehearsing for an HBO special
- Dec 12 CBC announces Radio Canada International service to end on March 31
- Dec 13 Christopher Reeve released from physical rehab center after his fall from his horse in a riding competition
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