July 19
1924 -- Veteran character actor Martin Patterson Hingle
is born today in Miami. An extensive career in film, stage
and television featured roles in which Pat always held his
own. A latter highlight was the part of Commissioner
Gordon in the first four 'Batman' movies (only actor
Michael Gough, as loyal Wayne Manor butler Alfred, has
that same distinction), but it was a role that he lost that
proved pivotal.
In 1960, Pat won the lead role in an upcoming
blockbuster film while also starring in the Broadway play
'J.B.' as a modern-day Job. Ironically, Pat was trapped
in a stalled elevator car in his apartment building.
Impatient, Pat tried to escape the car, lost his balance
and plummeted 54 feet (more than five stories) down the
elevator shaft, fracturing his his skull, hip, wrist, most of
the ribs on his left side and breaking his left leg in three
places. He was near death for two weeks and his
recovery took nearly a year.
 Needless to say, he had to forfeit his coveted film role,
and what a role to lose under any circumstances: the film
itself went on to win the Academy Award as Best Picture
and Pat's replacement won the Best Actor Oscar for his
vibrant, celebrated performance as the title character
'Elmer Gantry.' Pat's replacement, of course, was none
other than Burt Lancaster.

          
















1948 -- 'Our Miss Brooks,' starring Eve Arden, Richard
Crenna and Gale Gordon, debuts on CBS Radio. The
show stays on radio until 1957, overlapping its
successful television run from 1952 - 1956.  









Trivia: Miss Brooks taught English at Madison H.S.





1949 -- Harry Belafonte begins recording for Capitol
Records. The label quickly concludes Harry isn't
commercial enough and terminate his contract. Harry
signs with RCA where he has an extremely credible --
and commercial -- broadcast career.

          
1966 -- Even though three decades separate their ages,
Frank Sinatra and Mia Farrow get married today. The
union lasts nearly a year for each of those decades; the
couple divorce August 16, 1968, nearly a month after
their 3rd wedding anniversary.








1974 -- Joe Flynn drowns in his pool after suffering a
heart attack.  He was only 49 years old. Reportedly fired
from 'The Joey Bishop Show' because he stole too
many scenes, Joe went onto his most well-known role,
that of Captain Wallace Binghamton in the '60's sitcom
'McHale's Navy.'












1980 -- Billy Joel earns his first gold record with 'It's Still
Rock and Roll to Me.'


1995 -- Elvis' former physician, Dr. George
Nichopoulous, loses his his medical license for being
'too liberal' when prescribing addictive drugs.



          
 In 1963, Pat starred in 'The
Twilight Zone' episode 'The
Wonderful World of Horace
Ford.' It is just his sixth
appearance after recovering
from a five-story fall down
an elevator shaft.        Pat
continued to act for the next
45 years, ending his career
with the role of a judge in
the 2008 flick 'Undoing
Time.'
 Pat died of blood cancer
on January 3, 2009. He was
84 years old.
From left: Richard Crenna, Eve
Arden and Gale Gordon. Richard
went on to become a 'Real
McCoy,' Eve a 'Mother-in-Law,'
and Gale became the tormentor
(to longtime friend Lucille Ball)
and the tormented (as Dennis the
Menaces' next-door neighbor.
Mia, here as
Allison
McKenzie on
'Peyton Place,'
is the daughter
of Maureen
O'Sullivan.
Following the cancellation of
McHale's Navy, Joe really found a
niche with Disney, for whom he did
nine movies, including five with
Kurt Russell: 'The Computer Wore
Tennis Shoes,' 'Now You See Him
Now You Don't,' 'The Strongest Man
in the World,' 'Super Dad' and 'The
Barefoot Executive.'