Thursday, April 2, 2026

On this day in television history - The Asphalt Jungle (1961):


The Asphalt Jungle

directed by Herman Hoffman, Gerald Mayer and Joseph M. Newman,
was released in the United States on April 2, 1961 and ran for one season until June 25, 1961.
Inspired by The Asphalt Jungle (1950), directed by John Huston, based on the novel by W. R. Burnett.
Music by Calvin Jackson.


Cast:

Jack Warden, Arch Johnson, William Smith, Dallas Mitchell, George Kennedy, Bernard Kates, Terry Becker, Milton Selzer, Adam Williams, Barnaby Hale, Frank Maxwell, Ted Knight, Norma Crane, Douglas Odney, Robert Vaughn, John Ireland, Skip Homeier, Fritz Weaver, Philip Carey, Gerald S. O'Loughlin, Paul Stewart, Leo Penn, Edward Binns, Robert Douglas, Ellen Madison, Eric Berry, Vera Miles, Beverly Garland, Joyce Meadows, Virginia Christine, Linda Watkins, Ross Elliott, Paul Carr, Malcolm Atterbury, Robert F. Simon, Alexander Scourby, Leora Dana, Sydney Pollack, Lurene Tuttle, Ken Lynch, Eileen Ryan, Val Avery, Steve Brodie, Erin O'Brien, Paul Genge, Suzi Carnell, Carl Don, Gavin MacLeod, Morgan Woodward, Dabbs Greer, Robert H. Harris, Arthur Batanides, Jena Engstrom, Robert Sampson, Emile Meyer, Guy Raymond, Barry Russo, John Astin, Elizabeth MacRae, Josip Elic, Maxine Stuart, Nora Marlowe, Lew Gallo, James Bonnet, Robert Bailey, Jerry Wayne, Zolya Talma, Yvette Vickers, John Harmon, Than Wyenn, Jan Arvan, Hugh Sanders, Jack Reitzen, Mary Lawrence, Charles Cantor, Kay Doubleday, Pat Meikle, Michael Constantine, Ellen Corby, Robert Brubaker, Joan Tompkins, Will J. White, Jay Adler, Frank Behrens, Iphigenie Castiglioni, Ken Tilles, Frank Overton, Henry Beckman, James Seay, Warren J. Kemmerling, Gene Roth, Ollie O'Toole, Lou Krugman, Felix Deebank, Joan Staley, Everett Sloane, Frank Ferguson, Abraham Sofaer, Adrienne Marden, John Zaremba, Brad Morrow, Miriam Goldina, Marianne Stewart, Joseph Mell, Arny Freeman, Clegg Hoyt, David White, Joseph Ruskin, Natalie Trundy, William Keene, Dori Simmons, Michael Parks, Warren Parker, Joe Turkel, James Westerfield, Gene Coogan, Ken Berry, John Davis Chandler, Ian Wolfe, Robert Bice, Richard George.

Born on this day – Sharon Acker:


Sharon Acker


Actress

April 2, 1935 – March 16, 2023

Credits:

The Young and the Restless (1992); Rin Tin Tin: K-9 Cop (1988–1989); Street Legal (1989); Days of Our Lives (1987–1988); Adderly (1987); You Again? (1986); Murder, She Wrote (1986); Knight Rider (1985); Crazy Like a Fox (1985); Simon & Simon (1981–1985); Whiz Kids (1984); Trapper John, M.D. (1983); Matt Houston (1983); The Powers of Matthew Star (1983); Texas (1982); Off Your Rocker (1982); Shannon (1981); Flamingo Road (1981); Quincy M.E. (1978–1981); Threshold (1981); Happy Birthday to Me (1981); The Incredible Hulk (1980); Battles: The Murder That Wouldn't Die (1980); The Alan Hamel Show (1977); Matt and Jenny (1979–1980); The Great Detective (1980); Galactica 1980 (1980); Stone (1980); Police Story (1979); The Rockford Files (1978–1979); The Love Boat (1978); The Hostage Heart (1977); The Streets of San Francisco (1975–1977); Executive Suite (1976–1977); Our Man Flint: Dead on Target (1976); Barnaby Jones (1973–1975); Cannon (1971–1975); Harry O (1974); The Hanged Man (1974); The New Perry Mason (1973–1974); The Delphi Bureau (1973); The Stranger (1973); Marcus Welby, M.D. (1971–1973); Hec Ramsey (1972–1973); McMillan & Wife (1972); Mod Squad (1972); Mission: Impossible (1970–1972); Love, American Style (1971); The F.B.I. (1971); Cade's County (1971); Gunsmoke (1971); Alias Smith and Jones (1971); The Bold Ones: The Senator (1970–1971); Act of the Heart (1970); A Clear and Present Danger (1970); Power Trip (1969); Lancer (1969); Waiting for Caroline (1969); The First Time (1969); Don't Let the Angels Fall (1969); It Takes a Thief (1968–1969); Get Smart (1969); Star Trek (1969); Festival (1961–1968); The Wild Wild West (1968); Point Blank (1967); Wojeck (1966); CBC Show of the Week (1965); Time of Your Life (1964); The Serial (1964); Quest (1962–1963); Shoestring Theatre (1962); Playdate (1961–1962); One Plus One / Homecoming (1961); Heritage (1961); Encounter (1955–1961); Macbeth (1961); The Unforeseen (1959); Anne of Green Gables (1958); Lucky Jim (1957); ITV Television Playhouse (1956); Anne of Green Gables (1956); Folio (1955); Ruth (1955); On Camera (1955).

Born on this day – Diane Cilento:


Diane Cilento

Actress

April 2, 1932 – October 6, 2011

Born on this day – Rita Gam:


Rita Gam

Actress

Director

April 2, 1927 – March 22, 2016

Born on this day – Gloria Henry:


Gloria Henry


Actress

April 2, 1923 – April 3, 2021

Credits:

Adventures in Silverado (1948); Air Hostess (1949); Al Jennings of Oklahoma (1951); Alcoa Theatre (1959); Bare Essence (1983); Broken Arrow (1958); Bulldog Drummond Strikes Back (1947); Calamity Jane (1984); Compression (2023); Counterspy Meets Scotland Yard (1950); Dallas (1989–1990); Dennis the Menace (1959–1963); Doin' Time on Planet Earth (1988); Doogie Howser, M.D. (1990–1991); Dragnet (1989); E! True Hollywood Story (2000); Easy Street (1986); Father Knows Best (1957); Feudin' Rhythm (1949); Fireside Theatre (1952); Gang War (1958); General Hospital (1985); Hazel (1963); Her Minor Thing (2005); Her Wicked Ways (1991); Hot News (1953); It Happened in Hollywood (1960); Johnny Allegro (1949); Keeper of the Bees (1947); Kill the Umpire (1950); Law of the Barbary Coast (1949); Lightning Guns (1950); Miss Grant Takes Richmond (1949); Mr. & Mrs. North (1953–1954); Mr. Belvedere (1990); My Little Margie (1953); Navy Log (1957); Newhart (1984); Our House (1987); Parks and Recreation (2012); Perry Mason (1957); Port Said (1948); Racing Luck (1948); Rancho Notorious (1952); Real George (1956); Rescue 8 (1958); Riders in the Sky (1949); Rita Hayworth: The Love Goddess (1983); Rookie Fireman (1950); Rusty Saves a Life (1949); Silver Spoons (1985); Simon & Simon (1984); Sisters (1992); Sport of Kings (1947); Stu's Show (2007–2011); Tales of Wells Fargo (1957); The Abbott and Costello Show (1954); The Arkansas Swing (1948); The Brady Brides (1981); The Farmer's Daughter (1965); The Files of Jeffrey Jones (1952); The Ford Television Theatre (1953); The Life of Riley (1958); The O. Henry Playhouse (1957); The Strawberry Roan (1948); The Thin Man (1959); The Tougher They Come (1950); The Walter Winchell File (1957); Triple Threat (1948); TV Reader's Digest (1956); Yellow Fin (1951).

Born on this day – Jack Webb:


Jack Webb

Actor

Producer

Director

Writer

April 2, 1920 – December 23, 1982

Born on this day – Alec Guinness:


Alec Guinness


Actor

April 2, 1914 – August 5, 2000

Credits:

A Handful of Dust (1988); A Majority of One (1961); A Passage to India (1984); A Run for Your Money (1949); All at Sea (1957); Apostrophes (1986); Aquarius (1976); Arena (1976–1993); Baker's Dozen (1955); Brother Sun, Sister Moon (1972); Caesar and Cleopatra (1976); Cromwell (1970); Damn the Defiant! (1962); Doctor Zhivago (1965); Edwin (1984); Evensong (1934); Eye on New York (1964); Farewell to the Vic (1963); Film '72 (1980–1987); Film Extra (1973); Great Expectations (1946); Great Performances (1986); Hitler: The Last Ten Days (1973); Hollywood Insider (2021); Hotel Paradiso (1966); Interview Day (1996); ITV Playhouse (1974); ITV Saturday Night Theatre (1970); Kafka (1991); Kind Hearts and Coronets (1949); Last Holiday (1950); Late Night with David Letterman (1986); Lawrence of Arabia (1962); Little Dorrit (1987); Little Lord Fauntleroy (1980); Lovesick (1983); Malta Story (1953); Murder by Death (1976); Mute Witness (1995); Oliver Twist (1948); Omnibus (1983–1994); Our Man in Havana (1959); Parkinson (1977); Performance (1992); Q.E.D. (1994); Raise the Titanic (1980); Rowlandson's England (1955); Screen One (1993); Scrooge (1970); Situation Hopeless -- But Not Serious (1965); Smiley's People (1982); Solo (1970); Star Wars: Episode IV - A New Hope (1977); Star Wars: Episode V - The Empire Strikes Back (1980); Star Wars: Episode V - The Empire Strikes Back: Deleted Scenes (2011); Star Wars: Episode VI - Return of the Jedi (1983); Startime (1959); The 12th Annual Primetime Emmy Awards (1960); The 18th Annual Tony Awards (1964); The 52nd Annual Academy Awards (1980); The Bridge on the River Kwai (1957); The British Academy Awards (1983); The Captain's Paradise (1953); The Comedians (1967); The Comedians in Africa (1967); The Detective (1954); The Ed Sullivan Show (1964); The Fall of the Roman Empire (1964); The Film Society Of Lincoln Center Annual Gala Tribute to Alec Guinness (1987); The Horse's Mouth (1958); The Ladykillers (1955); The Lavender Hill Mob (1951); The London Standard Film Awards (1986); The Making of 'Star Wars' (1977); The Man in the White Suit (1951); The Morecambe & Wise Show (1980); The Mudlark (1950); The Prisoner (1955); The Promoter (1952); The Quiller Memorandum (1966); The Rise and Fall of a Jungle Giant (1958); The Scapegoat (1959); The Second Annual West End Theatre Awards (1977); The South Bank Show (1985); The Square Mile (1953); The Steve Allen Plymouth Show (1957); The Stratford Adventure (1954); The Swan (1956); Thirty-Minute Theatre (1969); Tinker Tailor Soldier Spy (1979); To Paris with Love (1955); Tuesday's Documentary (1970); Tunes of Glory (1960); Variety Club of Great Britain Awards for 1957 (1958); Zehn Minuten für den Kinogänger (1965).