| May 26 |
| 1911 -- There was Frank Gannon in the '60s version of 'Dragnet' to aid Sgt. Joe Friday, but in the '50s there was Frank Smith, who got his start this date when actor Ben Alexander was born Nicholas Benton Alexander in Goldfield, Nevada. Alexander worked extensively in radio and also had a notable film career that included a supporting role in 'All Quiet on the Western Front.' Ben died of natural causes died July 5, 1969, at age 58. 1919 -- Jay Silverheels, who appeared in 220 episodes as faithful Indian companion Tonto to Clayton Moore's Lone Ranger, was born Harold J. Smith, son of a Mohawk chief, at the Six Nations Reserve near Brantford, Ontario. According to imdb.com, Jay and Clayton also appeared in four feature films that had nothing to do with the Masked Man: Perils of Nyoka (1942), The Cowboy and the Indians (1949), Cyclone Fury (1951) and The Black Dakotas (1954). Jay died following a stroke on March 5, 1980. He was 60. 1924 -- the man who portrayed Marshall Matt Dillon on the long-running western 'Gunsmoke,' James Arness, is born James King Aurness in Minneapolis. It's often forgotten that after 'Gunsmoke' was cancelled, James starred in a modern police drama, 'McLain's Law,' that aired for one season. The 6'6" Arness is four inches taller and three years older than his younger brother Peter Aurness (best known as Peter Graves from 'Mission Impossible). 1959 -- Joe Kelly, who hosted NBC's Quiz Kids in the '50s, died this date in Oak Park, Illinois. He was 57. 1965 -- It was a good night to watch 'Shindig!' as The Rolling Stones, Sonny and Cher, Jimmie Rodgers and Jackie De Shannon all performed. 1970 -- the last episode of "I Dream of Jeannie" aired. Co-star Barbara Eden originally broke into show business as a singer under her real name, Barbara Huffman. Was she talented? According to the Feb. 5 - 11, 1966, edition of TV Guide, Barbara made 14 appearances on CBS's 'The Johnny Carson Show,' which lasted for just a little more than a year (and pre-dated his host's role on 'The Tonight Show' by nearly a decade). 1977 -- Jim Boles, who played Doc Long on radio's 'I Love a Mystery' and then, beginning with 'Captain Video' in 1949, he worked consistently in television and films throughout his life, died of a heart attack this date. He was 63 years old. |