Tonight in 1973 — LILY aired on CBS.

Lily Tomlin's Emmy-winning variety special co-starred Alan Alda and Richard Pryor (who also wrote).

It's on YouTube w/ original ads. A delightful, funny and surprisingly poignant time capsule:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=xMi87H3iLFw

#LilyTomlin #1970sTV

Charlie Chaplin’s speech in THE GREAT DICTATOR (1940) got cheers from a packed house at Film Forum NYC today.

And it was a family screening, so we also had kids giggling at the slapstick.

If this isn’t an endorsement for seeing old movies on the big screen, I don’t know what is. It was an experience I'll never forget.

#CharlieChaplin #CoSoFilm

Tonight in 1970 — ABC interrupted mid-term election coverage for THE MOD SQUAD.

The cop drama starring Peggy Lipton, Clarence Williams III, and Michael Cole is not streaming but airs daily on MeTV+.

#TheModSquad #ClassicTV #1970sTV

Mike Evans (1949–2006) was born on this date.

He played Lionel Jefferson on ALL IN THE FAMILY and THE JEFFERSONS + was the co-creator of GOOD TIMES.

An unsung hero of 1970s TV.

#ClassicTV #1970sTV

Farewell to composer, producer, and arranger Quincy Jones (1933-2024) — Emmy winner for ROOTS, 28-time Grammy winner, Tony winner for THE COLOR PURPLE, and honorary Oscar awardee.

https://www.nytimes.com/2024/11/04/arts/music/quincy-jones-dead.html #QuincyJones

“He had exquisite timing.” — Jackie Gleason

Art Carney (1918–2003) was born on this date.

He’s beloved for THE HONEYMOONERS, but I also adore his poignant 1970s performances in HARRY AND TONTO, THE LATE SHOW, and GOING IN STYLE.

#TheHoneymooners #ArtCarney

"You vote. And that's all there is to it!"

William Demarest reminds us to do our civic duty in Preston Sturges's THE GREAT McGINTY (1940).

#ElectionDay #FilmMastodon #TCMParty

And now a word from John McGiver, born on this date in 1913

#Vote

Tonight in 1976 — GONE WITH THE WIND made its network TV debut on NBC.

65% of the nation’s total TV audience watched over two nights.

And NBC paid off its $5 million license fee w/ 80 minutes of ads.

#GoneWithTheWind #CoSoFilm

"I was a starving young actor. I got WONDER WOMAN when I was down to my last 25 dollars!"

THE NEW ORIGINAL WONDER WOMAN starring Lynda Carter debuted as TV movie on ABC tonight in 1975.

#lyndacarter #WonderWomann #ClassicTV #1970sTV

Tonight in 1961 — Anne Francis guest starred on ALFRED HITCHCOCK PRESENTS.

The soon-to-be star of HONEY WEST plays a neglected housewife who dallies with a cop in this Noir-ish tale from Henry Slesar.

Slesar’s crime-with-a-twist style would reach its apex as head writer of THE EDGE OF NIGHT.

#AlfredHitchcockPresents #1960sTV #ClassicTV

MONTY PYTHON’S FLYING CIRCUS (1969-74) is now streaming on Prime in beautifully remastered HD — thanks to a recently announced distribution deal with Shout! Studios.

https://variety.com/2024/film/global/shout-monty-python-catalog-1236185462/

#montypython

MIDDLE OF THE NIGHT (1959) w/ Kim Novak and Fredric March is now on Tubi, if you'd like to lean into your melancholy.

#TCMParty #CoSoFilm

Norman Lloyd (1914-2021) was born on this date.

He appeared in two Hitchcock films, produced his TV show for 10 years, directed 22 episodes, and acted in 5. And that’s just *part* of a career that lasted nearly a century.

“He is the history of our industry,” friend Karl Malden said in 2007.

#NormanLloyd #AlfredHitchcock

HBO debuted tonight in 1972.

Codenamed "The Green Channel" during development, Home Box Office was initially available to only 365 subscribers in Wilkes-Barre, Pennsylvania.

Programming aired 8-12 hours daily and subscribers paid $6/month.

#HBO #1970sTV

DINNER AT EIGHT (1933) is on Tubi and Criterion Channel, if you'd like to celebrate Marie Dressler's birthday (and enjoy one of the funniest takes in film history).

#DinnerAtEight #CoSoFilm #TCMParty

Tonight in 1972 — DO NOT FOLD, SPINDLE OR MUTILATE debuted on ABC.

Helen Hayes, Myrna Loy, Sylvia Sidney, and Mildred Natwick star as 4 ladies of a certain age who investigate a murder.

An adorable TV movie w/ a proto-GOLDEN GIRLS vibe. On YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Et95TvEc948

#ClassicTV #1970sTV

Tonight in 1990 — Laura Palmer’s killer was revealed on TWIN PEAKS.

ABC insisted, and David Lynch and Mark Frost delivered a chilling episode.

But Lynch hated closure, and he got his payback with a finale cliffhanger it took 25 years to resolve. And even then, he still left us wondering.

#TwinPeaks #1990sTV

SESAME STREET debuted on this date in 1969 — and changed the face of children's TV.

#SesameStreetDay #SesameStreet