Today in Entertainment History: "Tonight Show" debuted

By The Associated Press
Posted 9/17/23

On Sept. 27, 1954, “The Tonight Show” made its debut on NBC with host Steve Allen.

In 1964, the Beach Boys made their first appearance on “The Ed Sullivan Show.”

In 1972, singer Rory …

You must be a member to read this story.

Join our family of readers for as little as $5 per month and support local, unbiased journalism.


Already a member? Log in to continue.   Otherwise, follow the link below to join.

Please log in to continue

Log in

Today in Entertainment History: "Tonight Show" debuted

Posted

On Sept. 27, 1954, “The Tonight Show” made its debut on NBC with host Steve Allen.

In 1964, the Beach Boys made their first appearance on “The Ed Sullivan Show.”

In 1972, singer Rory Storme of Rory Storme and the Hurricanes died in an apparent suicide pact with his mother. He reportedly couldn’t accept that his band didn’t enjoy the same success as other bands from the Liverpool scene.

In 1980, the Stray Cats were signed to Arista Records in Britain.

In 1986, bassist Cliff Burton of Metallica was killed when the band’s tour bus skidded off an icy road in Sweden. He was 24.

Also in 1986, The Beatles song “Twist and Shout” re-entered the pop charts after it was featured in the movies “Ferris Bueller’s Day Off” and “Back to School.” It eventually rose to number 23.

In 1987, the variety show “Dolly,” starring Dolly Parton, premiered on ABC. It was canceled after one season.

In 1998, Phil Hartman’s voice was featured for the last time on “The Simpsons” as Troy McClure. Hartman was killed by his wife in a murder-suicide the previous May.

In 2014, actor George Clooney married lawyer Amal Alamuddin (ah-MAHL’ ah-luh-muh-DEEN’) at a palace in Venice.

In 2021, singer R. Kelly was convicted on all nine counts in his sex-trafficking trial in New York. He was sentenced to 30 years in prison the following June.

Today’s Birthdays: Actor Kathleen Nolan is 90. Actor Claude Jarman Jr. (“The Yearling”) is 89. Singer-guitarist Randy Bachman of Bachman-Turner Overdrive is 80. Actor Liz Torres (“Gilmore Girls”) is 76. Actor A Martinez (“LA Law,” ″Santa Barbara”) is 75. Actor Cary-Hiroyuki Tagawa (“Pearl Harbor”) is 73. Actor-opera singer Anthony Laciura (lah-CHOOR’-ah) (“Boardwalk Empire”) is 72. Singer-actor-director Shaun Cassidy is 65. Comedian Marc Maron (“Maron”) is 60. Singer-guitarist Stephan (STEE’-fan) Jenkins of Third Eye Blind is 59. Actor Patrick Muldoon (“Melrose Place”) is 55. Singer Mark Calderon of Color Me Badd is 53. Actor Gwyneth Paltrow is 51. Actor Indira Varma (“For Life”) is 50. Singer Brad Arnold of 3 Doors Down is 45. Bassist Grant Brandell of Underoath is 42. Actor Anna Camp (“The Mindy Project,” ″True Blood”) is 41. Rapper Lil’ Wayne is 41. Singer Avril Lavigne (AV’-ril la-VEEN’) is 39. Bluegrass musician Sierra Hull is 32. Actor Sam Lerner (“The Goldbergs”) is 31. Actor Ames McNamara (“The Connors”) is 16.

Members and subscribers make this story possible.
You can help support non-partisan, community journalism.

x
X