This Day in Humor with Mike Durrett


1935: Bob Hope debuts on national radio in "The Intimate Revue." His feature film career is three years away, starting in "The Big Broadcast of 1938," where he introduces his signature tune, "Thanks for the Memory," in a duet with Shirley Ross.

Born 1905: Sterling Holloway, 87, squeaky, soft-spoken character actor in films and television for more than 50 years. Best remembered from his voice work in Walt Disney cartoons, especially as Winnie the Pooh and "Alice in Wonderland's" Cheshire Cat.

Born 1917: Jesse White, 80, specialized in lovably crusty and easy-going characters, from Vaudeville and Broadway's "Harvey" with James Stewart, through numerous films and TV ("Private Secretary," "Make Room for Daddy"). His longest-running role came at age 50: The Maytag Repair Man (1968-1989).

Died 1955: Clyde Bruckman, 60, comedy writer and director for W.C. Fields, The Three Stooges, Abbott and Costello, and Buster Keaton. Fallen on hard times, he is said to have committed suicide with Keaton's gun.

Born 1956: Ann Magnuson, comic actress in films and television's "Anything but Love" (1989-92).

1957: "Blondie", the TV sitcom version, begins a one season stint on NBC with Arthur Lake, the movies' Dagwood, and Pamela Britton as his wife.

Born 1958: Matt Frewer, actor recalled for his starring roles in "The Max Headroom Show" (1985) and "Doctor Doctor" (1989-1991). He is also the voice of The Pink Panther in a series of 1993 cartoons.

Born 1963: Dave Foley, youngest member of the improvisational comedy group The Kids in the Hall. After a sketch TV series with The Kids, Foley finds success as an actor, most notably as the Bob Newhart-like centerpiece in the "NewsRadio" sitcom (1995-1999).

1984: "Night Court" premieres on NBC-TV, starring Harry Anderson as the offbeat judge.

Died 1998: Mae Questel, 89, the original cartoon voices of Betty Boop, Little Audrey, Winky Dink, and Olive Oyl. In her later years, she appears onscreen in commercials and several comedy films, including "It's Only Money" (1962), "Funny Girl" (1968), "New York Stories" (as Woody Allen's mother) (1989), and "National Lampoon's Christmas Vacation" (1989).

Copyright ©2003 Mike Durrett. All rights reserved.