Police Squad! The TV Comedy That Got Canceled For Being Too Funny
Today in 1982, the premiere of the short-lived but critically acclaimed cop spoof Police Squad, a show TV executives said was essentially too funny to stay on the air.
The “Hairy Eagle” Is A Decoration Made Partly With Abraham Lincoln’s Hair
It's Abe Lincoln's birthday, and if you want to see a small bit of the man himself, you could try heading to Syracuse, New York, where there’s a bit of Abe Lincoln’s hair in a very unusual decoration known as the Hairy Eagle.
Jean Carroll, TV’s First Female Standup Comedy Star
Today in 1949, a first for American network TV: a female comedian did a standup routine on the air. Here's the story of comic Jean Carroll.
Schoolhouse Rock Taught Generations About Bills, Adverbs And Magic Numbers
This week in 1973, the premiere of Schoolhouse Rock! We'll explain how this show got kids singing and learning every Saturday morning.
The UK Reality Show “Shattered” Was Essentially A Sleep Deprivation Contest On TV
Twenty years ago today, Channel Four in the UK first aired "Shattered," a show where contestants tried to stay awake the longest to win a grand prize.
Alberto Manzi Convinced Italians That “It’s Never Too Late” To Learn
Today in 1924, the birthday of Alberto Manzi, who taught millions of Italian adults to read and write through a TV show.
An Urban Legend Says The Devil Took Over Everybody’s TV Screens In 1968
There’s an urban legend floating around the web that claims today in 1968, the television industry was briefly stopped in its tracks by the devil. We'll unpack this wild story.
On Live TV, The Show Must Go On, Even If A Cast Member Collapses And Dies
Live broadcasting is a place where a lot can go wrong. Like a 1950s broadcast in the UK in which a key actor in a live drama had a fatal heart attack mid-show.
Irna Phillips Brought The World Of Soap Operas To Life
Today in 1952, the first TV episode of the soap opera Guiding Light. It was one of many hit shows led by a writer and producer sometimes called the “queen of soaps,” Irna Phillips.
Guy Goma Became An Internet Expert By Accident On Live TV
Today in 2006, IT job candidate Guy Goma rose to the occasion when a BBC TV producer mistakenly brought him onto a live show to talk about the internet, even though they were actually supposed to interview a different Guy on the air.