| June 17 |
| 1904 -- legendary actor Ralph Rexford Bellamy is born in Chicago. He starred in one of the first tv series, 'Man Against Crime' (1949-1954)' and later portrayed President Franklin Roosevelt on the mini-series 'The Winds of War' and 'War and Remembrance.' He died November 29, 1991, of a lung condition. 1941 -- WNBT-TV in New York City is granted the first commercial construction permit. It signs on two weeks later. (WNBT signed on the air on July 1, 1941 at 1:29 p.m.) The station changed its call letters on October 18, 1954 to WRCA-TV May 22, 1960, became WNBC. 1974 -- Sadly, television's first 'Blondie' (and, we assume, TV's first landlady to an E.T.) dies of a brain tumor. Born the daughter of a noted actress, Armilda Jane Owen changed her name to Pamela Britton and went on to co-star in 'D.O.A.' with Edmund O'Brien and Beverly Garland. On television, besides her starring role in 1957's 'Blondie,' she went on to the recurring role of the brownie-baking, befuddled landlady to Tim O'Hara and his 'Uncle Martin' (Bill Bixby and Ray Walston) for four years on 'My Favorite Martian.' Pamela/Armilda was just 50 years old at the time of her death. 1985 -- 'The Discovery Channel' signs on the air. Its first program was 'Iceberg Alley.' 1987 -- a Florida real estate agent files suit against both Motley Crue and their concert promoter for alleged loss of hearing resultant from a 1985 concert. 'Hearing loss.' No, HEARING LOSS! . . .. Reportedly, the case is settled by the band's insurance company for more than thirty thousand dollars. Thousand . . . THOU-ZUN!!! Aw, never mind. 1991 -- the 100th episode of 'Star Trek: The Next Generation' airs. |