| July 5 |
1928 -- one of our favorite character actors, Warren Mercer Oates, is born in tiny Depoy, Kentucky. After leaving the military he goes to New York City to break into acting but his slow drawl works against him. Deciding that his style will work best in Westerns, he moves to Hollywood and begins to make his mark, most notably in Sam Peckinpaugh's 'The Wild Bunch.' His TV tray was full, as well, with multiple appearances on 'The Rifleman' and Jack Lord's 'Stoney Burke.' He also had two noted appearances in 'The Twilight Zone.' One oddity, however, is that not only did his final two films appear posthumously, but his last television appearance, on the 'Nothin' Short of Highway Robbery' of Season Eight, Episode Three of the syndicated 'Tales from the Darkside' aired on July 25, 1985 -- two and a half years after Warren's death. (Why the episode was shelved so long we're still trying to figure out). Warren died of a sudden heart attack on April 3, 1982, at the age of 53. (By the way, if you want to see him in a fun, spooky film, watch Race With the Devil with Warren, Peter Fonda, Loretta Swit and Lara Parker as two married couples off on an RV vacation who run afoul of satanists). 1948 -- 'My Favorite Husband,' with Lucille Ball, hits the airwaves of CBS. The popularity of this show paves the way for 'I Love Lucy' three years later. 1954 -- Elvis Presley records 'That's All Right' and 'Blue Moon of Kentucky' in his first session for Sun Records in Memphis. 1960 -- Speaking of Memphis, Marc Craig Cohn, who won a Grammy for his 1991 debut album, is born in Cleveland. (Wait, there's more.) The eponymous release, which features the rousing, gospel-laced 'Walking in Memphis,' went platinum. (Told you there was more.) Marc, by the way, is married to ABC anchor/newscaster Elizabeth Vargas. They have 2 children. 1969 -- Ben Alexander, who received two Emmy nominations for his work as Frank Smith, Joe Friday's partner on the first version of 'Dragnet,' dies of natural causes. Beginning as a child actor at the age of five, he appeared in films directed by early greats as D.W. Griffith and Cecile B. DeMille. Ben, who later wore a badge again as Desk Sergeant Dan Briggs on Howard Duff's 'Felony Squad,' started Ben Alexander Ford in 1953 and was still the owner/operator at his death, was just 58 at his death. 'Felony Squad' had ended its two and one/half run just seven months before. 1989 -- The pilot episode of 'Seinfeld' airs on NBC under its original title, 'The Seinfeld Chronicles.' 1991 -- stately Mildred Dunnock, whose career carried her onto stage, screen and television, dies of natural causes. In both an oddity and a tribute to her ability, she portrayed Linda, wife of salesman-on-the-brink Willy Loman, opposite Fredric March in the big screen version of 'Death of a Salesman' in 1951 and received an Academy Award nomination. Fifteen years later she reprised the role on television opposite Lee J. Cobb and received an Emmy nomination. Linda was 90 years old when she died. |