| July 6 |
| 1918 -- he was the perfect gentleman's gentleman, a frightening howling demon, and his daughter reportedly blames Hollywood for his death -- and he's born today in London. Charles Sebastian Thomas Cabot is best remembered as the put-upon Mr. French in 'Family Affair' and his voice is warmly remembered by a younger generation as the narrator of various Disney and Winnie the Pooh projects. Prior to that, though, he co-starred with Doug McClure from 1960-1962 as high-priced private detectives in 'Checkmate.' But Sebastian memorably showed a ghoulish side in the classic 'Twilight Zone' episode 'A Nice Place to Visit.' Rocky Valentine, played by Larry Blyden, is a smalltime hood shot and killed following a robbery. When he comes to he's greeted by white-suited, white-bearded Sebastian Cabot who informs him that Rocky is, indeed, dead and that he, Mr. Pip, is there to see that everything Rocky desires comes true. The lack of 'adventure' soon bores the lifetime criminal and Rocky informs Pip that maybe Heaven isn't quite right for him, that maybe he could give 'the other place' a try. Mr. Pip's eyes gleam delightedly and he laughs maniacally, telling Blyden's character, 'Why, Mr. Valentine, this is the other place!' and keeps laughing for a very long time. Creeped me out! (I kept thinking there was a lost-episode of 'Family Affair' somewhere in which the two youngest children approach Mr. French after supper with bowls extended and say 'More, please, Mr. French' and Mr. French throws back his head and howls that same laugh and says 'More? MORE?! Why, Buffy. Jody. There is no mooooorrrrrrree!!!!' . . . but maybe that's just me . . .) But it was Sebastian's girth that was his trademark to most viewers, however (just 5'8," at times he reportedly weighed close to 300). After his death, his daughter blamed Hollywood producers and casting agents for contributing to her father's death by harassing him whenever Sebastian lost weight because they wanted that Sebastian Cabot. Health problems indeed led to a fatal stroke and Sebastian Cabot died August 22, 1977. He was just 59 years old. 1927 -- deadpan comedian Patrick Layton Paulsen is born in Washington state. After serving as a Marine in the waning days of WWII, the 5'8" Paulsen worked as a miner, truck driver and postal clerk before trying his hand at entertainment. After meeting Tommy and Dick Smothers while performing at San Francisco's The Purple Onion, he was invited to join the cast on The Smothers Brothers's comedy show. It was at the brothers's urging that dour-faced Pat began his satirical 1968 campaign as candidate for the STAG ('Straight Talking American Government) Party. Afterward, Pat's presidential bids became nearly as frequent as Harold Stassen's but with a lot more humor. (According to imdb.com, Pat's last campaign slogan was 'Send Pat Paulsen to the White House! He has to sleep somewhere!') Pat died in Mexico April 24, 1997, while undergoing experimental treatments for colon cancer, which he had battled for 18 months. Pat Paulsen was 69 years old at the time of his death. 1947 -- a hidden microphone eavesdrops on unsuspecting people for the first time as 'Candid Microphone' hits the radio airwaves. Even though this show lasted only one season, as opposed to 'Candid Camera's' much longer run on television, I think Allen Funt showed his genius as the first reality show producer here, rather than on 'Camera, because here he not only had to incorporate audible responses into the show but also had to interweave descriptions of what was happening without interrupting the flow of humor. 1954 -- WHBQ in Memphis becomes the first radio station in America to broadcast an Elvis Presley song as disc jockey Dewey Phillips plays 'That's Alright Mama' on his show. 1957 -- John Lennon and Paul McCartney meet for the first time. Interestingly, Paul did not have any Grey Poupon and John had to search elsewhere. (Okay, I made that part up. According to funtrivia.com, they met cute while each was playing at the Woolton Parish Church Garden Fete. But our version had more whimsy.) 1971 -- jazz great Louis Armstrong died. He had turned 71 two days earlier. Learn more about the great Satchmo and the museum dedicated to him here. Louis was posthumously inducted into the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame in 1990 as a forefather of rock music. 1973 -- Patrick McVey, who spent 5 seasons as crusading newspaper editor Steve Wilson on television's 'Big Town,' dies at age 63. 2003 -- beloved actor Buddy Ebsen, who starred as both Jed Clampett and Barnaby JonesTV's The Beverly Hillbillies and Barnaby Jones, dies of complications from pneumonia. His film career began in 1936; his last performance was a voiceover part in a 1999 episode of 'King of the Hill.' Buddy was 95 years young. |