Yesterday is history. Tomorrow is a mystery. Today is a gift.

Film and TV History on December 12

  • 1897 Rudolph Dirks' 1st "The Katzenjammer Kids" cartoon strip appears in NY Journal
  • 1928 Robert Nichols and Maurice Browne's play "Wings over Europe" premieres in New York City
  • 1937 NBC & RCA sends 1st mobile-TV vans onto the streets of NY

The Rose Tattoo

1955 Film adaptation of "The Rose Tattoo", starring Anna Magnani and Burt Lancaster, premieres at the Astor Theatre in Times Square, NYC

A Man for All Seasons

1966 "A Man for All Seasons" based on the play by Robert Bolt, directed by Fred Zinnemann and starring Paul Scofield premieres in New York (Best Picture 1967)

Missing Stones Film

1968 Rolling Stones film TV show "Rock and Roll Circus"- guest performers include The Who, Jethro Tull, Taj Mahal, Marianne Faithfull, and John Lennon and Yoko Ono; the program never airs aired

The Magic Christian

1969 Comedy film "The Magic Christian", starring Peter Sellers and Ringo Starr premieres in London, England

The Poseidon Adventure

1972 "The Poseidon Adventure", starring Gene Hackman, Ernest Borgnine, Shelley Winters and Jack Albertson premieres in NYC

Saturday Night Fever

1977 "Saturday Night Fever", film starring John Travolta, with music by the Bee Gees, premieres in NYC

Rainman

1988 "Rainman" directed by Barry Levinson and starring Dustin Hoffman and Tom Cruise premieres in New York (Best Picture 1989)

  • 1992 Julia Kurotchkina, 18, of Russia, crowned 42nd Miss World
  • 1995 CBC announces Radio Canada International service to end on March 31

Crosby Claimant Sentenced

1997 Fed judge sentences Autumn Jackson, who claims to be Bill Cosby's daughter, to 26 months for trying to extort $40 million from him

Winona Ryder Arrested

2001 Winona Ryder is arrested on shoplifting charges in Beverly Hills, California

Hilton's TikTok Ban

2020 Media personality Perez Hilton is banned from TikTok