Video: 'The Clampetts Strike Oil' (Sept. 26, 1962)
(Wednesday, September 26, 1962, 9:00 p.m. EDT) — The Beverly Hillbillies, a television sitcom series about a poor backwoods family transplanted to Beverly Hills, California, after striking oil on their land, debuted tonight on CBS-TV. It starred Buddy Ebsen, Irene Ryan, Donna Douglas, Max Baer, Jr., Raymond Bailey and Nancy Kulp.
Video: Sept. 26, 1942 (at 9:35)
(Saturday, September 26, 1942, during the Battle of Stalingrad, part of the Eastern Front of World War II) — Wilhelm Hoffman, a soldier in the 267th Infantry Regiment, 94th Infantry Division of the German 6th Army who chronicled the Battle of Stalingrad in his journal, wrote today:
“Our regiment is involved in constant heavy fighting. After the elevator was taken the Russians continued to defend themselves just as stubbornly. You don’t see them at all, they have established themselves in houses and cellars and are firing on all sides, including from our rear – barbarians, they use gangster methods . . . Stalingrad is hell . . .”
Video: 'The Longest Day' trailer
(Tuesday, September 25, 1962) — The Longest Day, a war film about D-Day, the Normandy landings on 6 June 1944, during World War II, had its world premiere today in France (it would open in the U.S. on Oct. 4).
Directed by Ken Annakin (British and French exteriors), Andrew Marton (American exteriors), Gerd Oswald (parachute drop scene), Bernhard Wicki (German scenes), and Darryl F. Zanuck (uncredited), the film stars John Wayne, Henry Fonda, Robert Mitchum, Sean Connery, Eddie Albert, Curd Jürgens, Richard Burton, Donald Houston, Peter Lawford, Rod Steiger, Irina Demick, Gert Fröbe, Edmond O’Brien and Kenneth More.
Video: 'Anne Frank Remembered (3/8)' (Sept. 25, 1942 at 0:18)
(Friday, September 25, 1942, part of The Holocaust during World War II) — On her 82nd day in hiding in Nazi-occupied Amsterdam, Anne Frank, a 13-year-old Jewish girl, wrote a farewell letter to her friend Jacqueline. Anne knew that she could not send the letter to her friend, so she placed it inside her diary.
(Friday, September 24, 1982) — Ex-Beatle Paul McCartney completed filming of a promotional video for his single (released 11 days ago) Tug of War today at AIR Studios, London.
Video: 'Sounder' trailer
(Sunday, September 24, 1972) — Sounder, a drama film about the son of a family of black sharecroppers who comes of age in the Depression-era South after his father is imprisoned for stealing food, opened today at the Plaza and New Embassy theaters in New York City.
Directed by Martin Ritt, the film stars Cicely Tyson, Paul Winfield, Kevin Hooks, Carmen Mathews, Taj Mahal, Eric Hooks and Janet MacLachlan.
Video: Sept. 24, 1942 (at 6:48)
(Thursday, September 24, 1942, during the Battle of Stalingrad, part of the Eastern Front of World War II) — German General Franz Halder was dismissed today as Chief of Staff of the Army High Command (OKH) following frequent disagreements with Adolf Hitler, replaced by General Kurt Zeitzler with responsibility for the Russian front.
Video: 'Smilin' Through' clip
(Saturday, September 24, 1932) — Smilin’ Through, a romantic drama film about a young woman who falls in love with the son of an old family enemy, opened today in the U.S.
Directed by Sidney Franklin, the film stars Norma Shearer, Fredric March and Leslie Howard.
Video: 'Romantic Improvisations' (Sept. 23, 1992)
(Wednesday, September 23, 1992, 9:30 p.m. EDT) — Mad About You, a television situation comedy series about a newly married couple in New York City, debuted tonight on NBC-TV. It starred Paul Reiser, Helen Hunt, Anne Ramsay, Leila Kenzle, John Pankow and Richard Kind.
Video: 'Archie's Fraud'
(Saturday, September 23, 1972, 8:00 p.m. EDT) — Archie’s Sunday job, driving taxi cabs for Bert Munson, has been a fine extra job for additional income. However, Archie has failed to report the extra income on his tax returns on tonight’s episode of the CBS-TV sitcom All In The Family.
