On this day in movie history - Mad Max 2 (1981):

Mad Max 2

aka The Road Warrior,

directed by George Miller,

written by Robert Benton, Terry Hayes, George Miller and Brian Hannant,

was released in Australia on December 24, 1981.
Narrated by Harold Baigent.
Music by Howard Shore.

Cast:

Mel Gibson, Bruce Spence, Michael Preston, Max Phipps, Vernon Wells, Kjell Nilsson, Emil Minty, Virginia Hey, William Zappa, Arkie Whiteley, Steve J. Spears, Syd Heylen, Moira Claux, David Downer, David Slingsby, Kristoffer Greaves, Max Fairchild, Tyler Coppin, Jerry O'Sullivan, Tony Deary, Kathleen McKay, Guy Norris, Anne Jones, James McCardell, Harold Baigent, Stewart Finlay-McLennan, Joanne Samuel.

Born on this day – Clarence Gilyard:

Clarence Gilyard

Professor

Actor

Writer

December 24, 1955 – November 28, 2022

Credits:

227 (1987); A Matter of Faith (2014); artScene (2013); Boondoggle (1999); CHiPs (1982–1983); Christmas on the Coast (2017); Die Hard (1988); DieHard is Back (2020); Diff'rent Strokes (1981); Eleanor's Bench (2020); Fan des années 80 (2010); From Above (2013); L.A. Takedown (1989); Left Behind II: Tribulation Force (2002); Left Behind: The Movie (2000); Legacy of a Spy (2021); Little Monsters (2012); Making the Grade (1982); Matlock (1989–1993); Off the Mark (1987); Orange Bowl Parade (1997); Riptide (1984); Simon & Simon (1986); Solomon's Universe (1985); Sons of Thunder (1999); Soul Train (1996); The 29th Annual Screen Actors Guild Awards (2023); The Beast (2016); The Duck Factory (1984); The Facts of Life (1979); The Great Los Angeles Earthquake (1990); The Karate Kid Part II (1986); The Kid with the 200 I.Q. (1983); The Making of 'Left Behind II: Tribulation Force' (2002); The Making of 'Left Behind: The Movie' (2000); The Perfect Race (2019); The Sector (2016); The Track (2015); Things Are Looking Up (1984); Top Gun (1986); Top Gun 2: Back to Traffic School (2012); Walker Texas Ranger 3: Deadly Reunion (1994); Walker, Texas Ranger (1993–2001); Walker, Texas Ranger: Trial by Fire (2005); Walker: Behind the Scenes with TV's Toughest Cop (1996).

Born on this day – Sharon Farrell:

Sharon Farrell

Actress

Dancer

December 24, 1940 – May 15, 2023

Credits:

Broken at Love (2013–2014); JAG (1999); Last Chance Love (1997); The Young and the Restless (1991–1997); Timeless Obsession (1996); White Cargo (1996); Yakuza Connection (1995); Beyond Desire (1995); A Gift from Heaven (1994); Arcade (1993); Sworn to Vengeance (1993); Matlock (1992); Lonely Hearts (1991); Freddy's Nightmares (1989); One Man Force (1989); Can't Buy Me Love (1987); Rituals (1984-1985); Night of the Comet (1984); Lone Wolf McQuade (1983); Small & Frye (1983); T.J. Hooker (1983); Sweet Sixteen (1983); Born to Be Sold (1981); Separate Ways (1981); Rage! (1980); Out of the Blue (1980); Hawaii Five-O (1977–1980); The Stunt Man (1980); Mrs. Columbo (1979); The Last Ride of the Dalton Gang (1979); The Fifth Floor (1978); The Magical World of Disney (1978); Confessions of the D.A. Man (1978); Man from Atlantis (1978); Switch (1977); Gibbsville (1976); Police Woman (1974–1976); Doc (1976); Bronk (1975); The Premonition (1975); McCloud (1975); Police Story (1973–1975); Kolchak: The Night Stalker (1975); Harry O (1975); The Six Million Dollar Man (1974); The Wide World of Mystery (1973–1974); Petrocelli (1974); Police Surgeon (1974); The Underground Man (1974); It's Alive (1974); Insight (1968–1974); This Is the Life (1974); Chase (1974); The F.B.I. (1974); Love, American Style (1974); The New Perry Mason (1973); Marcus Welby, M.D. (1972); Banyon (1972); The Eyes of Charles Sand (1972); The D.A. (1971); The Love Machine (1971); The Name of the Game (1969–1971); Men at Law (1970); Medical Center (1970); Quarantined (1970); The Reivers (1969); Marlowe (1969); Premiere (1968); A Lovely Way to Die (1968); The Wild Wild West (1968); The Virginian (1967); The Man from U.N.C.L.E. (1964–1967); Iron Horse (1967); Not with My Wife, You Don't! (1966); Run for Your Life (1965); The Wackiest Ship in the Army (1966); Dr. Kildare (1964–1965); My Three Sons (1965); I Dream of Jeannie (1965); Rawhide (1965); Ben Casey (1963–1965); The Spy with My Face (1965); The Fugitive (1965); The Alfred Hitchcock Hour (1964–1965); The Beverly Hillbillies (1965); Burke's Law (1964); Gunsmoke (1963–1964); Bob Hope Presents the Chrysler Theatre (1964); The Movie Maker (1964); Wagon Train (1962–1964); Arrest and Trial (1964); The Lieutenant (1963); Kraft Suspense Theatre (1963); Death Valley Days (1953); My Favorite Martian (1963); Saints and Sinners (1962–1963); Empire (1963); 40 Pounds of Trouble (1962); Alfred Hitchcock in Alfred Hitchcock Presents (1962); Naked City (1961); Kiss Her Goodbye (1959).

Born on this day – Julian Barry:

Julian Barry

Writer

December 24, 1930 – July 25, 2023

Credits:

A Marriage: Georgia O'Keeffe and Alfred Stieglitz (1991); Eyes of Laura Mars (1978); Goodyear Playhouse (1955); Lenny (1974); Me Myself and I (1992); Mission: Impossible (1966); Pablo (2012); Rhinoceros (1974); Spuiten en slikken (2005); Suspense (1954); The River (1984); The Wackiest Ship in the Army (1965).

Born on this day – Mary Higgins Clark:

Mary Higgins Clark

Writer

December 24, 1927 – January 31, 2020

Credits:

A Cry in the Night (1982); A Stranger is Watching (1977); All Around the Town (1992); All By Myself, Alone (2017); All Dressed in White (2015); All Through the Night (1998); As Time Goes By (2016); Aspire to the Heavens / Mount Vernon Love Story (1968); Bad Behavior (1995); Before I Say Good-Bye (2000); Burned (2005); By Hook or By Crook and 27 More of the Best Crime and Mystery Stories of the Year (2010); Caribbean Blues (1988); Caribbean Blues (1988); Cursed (2009); Daddy's Gone A-Hunting (2013); Daddy's Little Girl (2001); Dashing Through the Snow (2008); Death on the Cape and Other Stories (1989); Death Wears a Beauty Mask and Other Stories (2015); Deck the Halls (2000); Deck the Halls (2000); Decked (1991); Double Vision (1988); Every Breath You Take (2017); Fleeced (2001); Ghost Ship (2007); Gypped / Scammed (2012); He Sees You When You're Sleeping (2001); Hitched (2006); I Heard That Song Before (2007); Iced (1994); I'll Be Seeing You (1993); I'll Walk Alone (2011); Inherit the Dead (2013); I've Got My Eyes on You (2018); I've Got You Under My Skin (2014); Jinxed (2002); Just Take My Heart (2009); Justice in Manhattan (1995); Kiss the Girls and Make Them Cry (2019); Kitchen Privileges (2002); Laced (2007); Let Me Call You Sweetheart (1995); Loves Music, Loves to Dance (1991); Malice Domestic 1 (1992); Malice Domestic 14 (2019); Malice Domestic 2 (1993); Manhattan Mayhem (2015); Master's Choice: Mystery Stories by Today's Top Writers and the Masters Who Inspired Them (2000); Mobbed (2011); Moonlight Becomes You (1996); More Malice Domestic (1997); Murder For Love (1996); Murder in Manhattan (1988); Murder on the Aisle (1987); Murder on the Run (1998); My Gal Sunday (1996); Nighttime is My Time (2004); No Place Like Home (2005); On a Raven's Wing (2009); On the Street Where You Live (2001); Piece of My Heart (2020); Popped (2003); Pretend You Don't See Her (1995); Remember Me (1994); Santa Cruise (2006); Silent Night (1995); Sisters in Crime 2 (1990); Snagged (1993); Stillwatch (1984); The Anastasia Syndrome (1989); The Best American Mystery Stories 1998 (1998); The Body in the Closet and Plumbing for Willy (1998); The Christmas Thief (2004); The Christmas Thief (2004); The Cinderella Murder (2014); The Cradle Will Fall (1980); The Crown Crime Companion (1995); The Lost Years (2012); The Lottery Winner (1994); The Magical Christmas Horse (2011); The Melody Lingers On (2015); The Night Awakens (1998); The Plot Thickens (1997); The Second Time Around (2003); The Shadow of Your Smile (2010); The Sleeping Beauty Killer (2016); The Year's 25 Finest Crime and Mystery Stories 1996 (1995); Twanged (1997); Two Little Girls in Blue (2006); Weep No More, My Lady (1987); We'll Meet Again (1999); Where Are the Children Now? (2023); Where are the Children? (1975); Where Are You Now? (2008); While My Pretty One Sleeps (1989); Women of Mystery (1992); Wrecked (2010); You Belong To Me (1999); You Don't Own Me (2018); Zapped (2008).

Movies and television:

A Crime of Passion (2003); A Cry in the Night (1992); A Stranger Is Watching (1982); All Around the Town (2002); Books Equal Gifts Commercial (2008); Bouillon de culture (1999); C à vous (2011); Café Picouly (2011); Campus, le magazine de l'écrit (2003); CBS News Sunday Morning with Jane Pauley (2017); Ce Que Vivent les Roses (2018); Collection Mary Higgins Clark, la reine du suspense (2014); Crier Today (2000–2001); Deck the Halls (2011); Deux Petites Filles en Bleu (2014); Double Vision (1992); En aparté (2003); Encore with John Palmer (2006–2010); Ex Libris (1989–1995); Haven't We Met Before (2002); Imus in the Morning (2014); La Clinique du Docteur H (2015); Le cercle de minuit (1994); Le divan (1992); Le grand journal de Canal+ (2006); Les Années Perdues (2015); Let Me Call You Sweetheart (1997); L'invité (2006); Loves Music, Loves to Dance (2001); Lucky Day (2002); Moonlight Becomes You (1998); My Gal Sunday (2014); NOS Uit het Leven (2020); Nulle part ailleurs (1995); On a tout essayé (2003); On the Money (2005); Où Es-Tu Maintenant? (2014); Party Planner with David Tutera (2005); Pretend You Don't See Her (2002); Remember Me (1995); Rien ne vaut la douceur du foyer (2018); Souviens-toi (2015); Stillwatch (1987); Terror Stalks the Class Reunion (1992); The Cradle Will Fall (1983); The Joan Rivers Show (1991); The Last Horsemen of New York (2018); The Morning Show with Mike & Juliet (2007); The Mystery Cruise (2013); Thé ou café (2008); The Rosie O'Donnell Show (1997); The Scent of Fear (1960); The View (2004); The Write Stuff (1988); Today (2010–2017); Toi Que J'Aimais Tant (2014); Tout le monde en parle (2003); Weep No More, My Lady (1992); Where Are the Children? (1985); While My Pretty One Sleeps (1997); You Belong to Me (2002).

Born on this day – Ava Gardner:

Ava Gardner

Actress

December 24, 1922 – January 25, 1990

Born on this day – Carlo Rustichelli:

Carlo Rustichelli

Composer

December 24, 1916 – November 13, 2004