On this day in movie history - Challenge to Be Free (1975):

Challenge to Be Free

aka Mad Trapper of the Yukon and Mad Trapper.

Directed by Tay Garnett,

written by Anne Bosworth, Chuck D. Keen and Dick North,

music by Ian Bernard,

narrated by John McIntire,

was released in the United States on November 5, 1975.

Based on the true 1932 case of Albert Johnson, aka the Mad Trapper of Rat River.

Cast:

Mike Mazurki, Fritz Ford, Vic Christy, Jimmy Kane, Alex Van Bibber, Tay Garnett, Gordon Yardley, Bob McKinnon, Roger Reitano, Ted Yardley, Brian Russell, Connie Yardley, Patty Piper, John McIntire.

On this day in television history - Johnny Staccato (1959):

Johnny Staccato

Season 1. Episode 8.

Episode entitled: Murder in Hi-Fi.

Released November 5, 1959.

Directed by Bernard Girard.

Written by Hal Biller, Austin Kalish.

Music by Elmer Bernstein.

Cast:

John Cassavetes, Eduardo Ciannelli, Susan Oliver, Robert Carricart, Ed Prentiss, Dick Crockett, Jean Harvey, Donald Journeaux, Jimmie Horan, Edwin Rochelle, Dennis Sallas.

Born on this day – Sam Shepard:

Sam Shepard

Actor

Writer

Director

November 5, 1943 – July 27, 2017

Born on this day – Isela Vega:

Isela Vega

Actress

Singer

Songwriter

Director

November 5, 1939 – March 9, 2021

Born on this day – Chris Robinson:

Chris Robinson

Actor

Writer

Director

November 5, 1938 – June 9, 2025

Credits:

12 O'Clock High (1965–1967); 13 West Street (1962); 77 Sunset Strip (1962); Ace of Hearts (1975); Alcoa Premiere (1962–1963); Amy (1981); Another World (1988–1989); Arrest and Trial (1963–1964); Assignment: Underwater (1961); Bankrupt by Beanies (2009); Barely Dreaming (2021); Baretta (1976); Barnaby Jones (1976 / 1977); Bastard: An Illegitimate Film (2010); Beast from Haunted Cave (1959); Because They're Young (1960); Ben Casey (1962); Birdman of Alcatraz (1962); Bob Hope Presents the Chrysler Theatre (1964); Bus Stop (1961); Cain's Hundred (1962); Cannon (1975–1976); Caribe (1975); Catch the Black Sunshine (1974); Channing (1963); CHiPs (1980); Colt .45 (1960); Combat! (1963); Custer (1967); Dan August (1971); Dan August: Once Is Never Enough (1980); Dark Side of Eden: The Making of 'Stanley' (2008); Darker Than Amber (1970); Dateline: Hollywood (1967); Death Valley Days (1962); Die glückliche Familie (1991); Empire (1962); Everglades! (1961–1962); Fantasy Island (1983); G.E. True (1963); General Hospital (1978–2013); Gentle Ben (1969); Gomer Pyle: USMC (1968); Gunsmoke (1963); Hardball (1990); Hawaiian Eye (1962); Hennesey (1961); Hogan's Heroes (1969); Hotel (1986); Hour Magazine (1986); Insight (1967–1971); Just for a Week (2022); Lady in Cement (1968); Legends from the Sky (2015); Like Father Like Son (1961 / 1987); Medical Center (1972); Most Wanted (1977); Murder, She Wrote (1987); Outlaws (1961); Perry Mason (1965); Primus (1971); Revenge Is My Destiny (1971); Rez Bomb (2008); Savannah Smiles (1982); Sea Hunt (1961); Shootout at Big Sag (1962); Stanley (1972); Stoney Burke (1963); Straightaway (1961); Sweet, Sweet Rachel (1971); The Alfred Hitchcock Hour (1963); The Aquarians (1970); The Bold and the Beautiful (1992–2005); The Busters (1978); The Cycle Savages (1969); The Dakotas (1963); The Detectives (1961–1962); The Diary of a High School Bride (1959); The Donna Reed Show (1961); The Dream Merchants (1980); The F.B.I. Story: The FBI Versus Alvin Karpis, Public Enemy Number One (1974); The Felony Squad (1967); The Forsaken (2025); The Fugitive (1963); The Great Balloon Race (1977); The Hawaiians (1970); The Intruder (1975); The Invaders (1968); The Long Rope (1961); The Man from U.N.C.L.E. (1967); The Manhunter (1974); The Midnight Story (1957); The Mike Douglas Show (1980); The New Breed (1962); The Streets of San Francisco (1975); The Toni Tennille Show (1980–1981); The Travels of Jaimie McPheeters (1963); The Virginian (1963–1970); The Young Savages (1961); They Came from the Swamp: The Films of William Grefé (2016); Thunder County (1974); Travis Logan, D.A. (1971); Two Faces West (1961); Viper (1988); Voyage to the Bottom of the Sea (1968); Wagon Train (1963–1964); Wide Country (1963); Yancey McCord: The Killer That Arizona Forgot About (2020); Young Doctors in Love (1982); Zane Grey Theatre (1960).

Born on this day – Harris Yulin:

Harris Yulin

Actor

November 5, 1937 – June 10, 2025

Harris Yulin & Al Pacino in Scarface (1983).

Credits:

24 (2002–2003); 75 Degrees in July (2000); A Most Violent Year (2014); A Short History of Decay (2014); All Square (2018); American Classic (2025); American Experience (1997–2001); American Masters (1998 / 2004); American Outlaws (2001); American Photography: A Century of Images (1999); An Amazing Time: A Conversation About End of the Road (2012); Another Woman (1988); Arthur Miller on Home Ground (1979); As the World Turns (1984); Bad Dreams (1988); Baretta (1975); Barnaby Jones (1974); Bean (1997); Bean: Scenes Unseen (2007); Billions (2018–2019); Buffy the Vampire Slayer (1999–2002); Cagney & Lacey (1986); Candy Mountain (1987); Canterbury's Law (2008); Caribe (1975); Cashmere Mafia (2008); Chelsea Walls (2001); Civil Wars (1992); Clear and Present Danger (1994); Clear and Present Danger: Behind the Danger (2002); Conspiracy: The Trial of the Chicago 8 (1987); Cradle Will Rock (1999); Cutthroat Island (1995); Damages (2009); Daughter of the Streets (1990); Divorce (2019); 'Doc' (1971); Double Trouble (2015); Dynasty (1976); End of the Road (1970); Entourage (2007); Face of a Stranger (1991); Fatal Beauty (1987); FBI: Most Wanted (2022); Final Analysis (1992); For The People (2019); Forever (2015); Fran's Bed (2005); Frasier (1996); FRO Thizzle Reviews (2022); Fur: An Imaginary Portrait of Diane Arbus (2006); Game 6 (2005); Ghostbusters II (1989); Good to Go (1986); Hamburger Hamlet (1975); HBO First Look (2006); How the West Was Won (1978); I Know This Much Is True (2020); If These Walls Could Talk / Segment: 1974 (1996); Incident at Vichy (1973); Insight (1976); Ironside (1975); Jerry Lewis MDA Labor Day Telethon (1986); Judgment in Berlin (1988); King of the Corner (2004); Kojak (1974); La Femme Nikita (1997); Law & Order (1994–2008); Law & Order: Criminal Intent (2007); Little House on the Prairie (1975); Loch Ness (1996); Looking for Richard (1996); Loving Leah (2009); Madso's War (2010); Maidstone (1970); Meeting of Minds (1979–1981); Melvin Purvis G-MAN (1974); Mister Sterling (2003); Most Wanted (1976); Muhammad Ali's Greatest Fight (2013); Multiplicity (1996); Murder at 1600 (1997); Murphy Brown (1997–2018); My Soul to Take (2010); Narrow Margin (1990); Neither Are We Enemies (1970); New York: A Documentary Film (1999); Night Moves (1975); Nikita (2011–2012); Norman (2016); Omni Loop (2024); Ozark (2017–2018); Pan Am (2011); Parker Adderson, Philosopher (1974); Perfume (2001); Police Woman (1975); Prime Time (1977); Ransom for Alice! (1977); Robert Kennedy and His Times (1985); Roger & Harry: The Mitera Target (1977); Rubicon (2010); Rush Hour 2 (2001); S.W.A.T. (1975); Save West Bank Cafe (2020); Scarface (1983); Scarface: The World Is Yours (2006); Scottsboro: An American Tragedy (2000); Screen One (1997); St. Ives (1976); Star Trek: Deep Space Nine (1993); Steel (1979); Stuart Saves His Family (1995); Tailspin: Behind the Korean Airliner Tragedy (1989); The ABC Afternoon Playbreak (1973); The American Side (2016); The Baby-Sitters Club (1995); The Believers (1987); The Blacklist (2015); The Emperor's Club (2002); The F.B.I. Story: The FBI Versus Alvin Karpis, Public Enemy Number One (1974); The Family Fang (2015); The Greatest Gift (1974); The Heart of Justice (1992); The Hurricane (1999); The Kansas City Massacre (1975); The Last Hit (1993); The Last Ride of the Dalton Gang (1979); The Legend of Hillbilly John (1972); The Midnight Man (1974); The Million Dollar Hotel (2000); The Missiles of October (1974); The Mystery of Maris: The Break-Up Begins (2004); The Night Rider (1979); The One Dollar Diary (2002); The People Speak (2009); The Place Beyond the Pines (2012); The Sounding (2017); The Thirteenth Day: The Story of Esther (1979); The Treatment (2006); The Trial of Chaplain Jensen (1975); The Virginian (2000); The X-Files (2000); There Goes the Neighborhood (1992); Third Watch (2005); Training Day (2001); Traitor in My House (1990); Truman (1995); Unbreakable Kimmy Schmidt (2016–2017); Veep (2016); Vengeance Unlimited (1999); Victory at Entebbe (1976); Wanderland (2018); Watched! (1974); What We Left Behind: Looking Back at Star Trek: Deep Space Nine (2018); When Every Day Was the Fourth of July (1978); WIOU (1990–1991); Wonder Woman (1977).

Born on this day – Victor Argo:

Victor Argo

Actor

November 5, 1934 – April 7, 2004

Credits:

A Change of Climate (1999); After Hours (1985); All in the Family (1973); Angel Eyes (2001); Angela (2002); Anything But Love (2002); Bad Lieutenant (1992); Baretta (1975); Blue in the Face (1995); Blue Moon (2000); Boxcar Bertha (1972); Bridget (2002); Buck Rogers in the 25th Century (1980); Charlie's Christmas Secret (1984); Chopper One (1974); Cinéma, de notre temps (2003); Coming Soon (1999); Compression (2023); Condition Red (1995); Confessions of a Dangerous Mime (2004); Coyote Ugly (2000); Crimes and Misdemeanors (1989); Dangerous Game (1993); Dark Eyes (1995); Dealing: Or The Berkeley-to-Boston Forty-Brick Lost-Bag Blues (1972); Desperately Seeking Susan (1985); Dirt (2003); Don't Say a Word (2001); Double Whammy (2001); Dream House (1981); Dream Street (1989); Due vite, un destino (1993); Early Edition (1997); Falling in Love (1984); Fast Food Fast Women (2000); Fast Horses (1998); Fatal Confession: A Father Dowling Mystery (1990); Florida Straits (1986); Force Five (1975); Ghost Dog: The Way of the Samurai (1999); Going Nomad (1998); Hanky Panky (1982); Her Alibi (1989); Hot Tomorrows (1977); Household Saints (1993); I Believe in America (2007); Joe Forrester (1976); Johnny Ryan (1990); Johnny Staccato (1977); King of New York (1990); Kingston: Confidential (1977); Kojak (1973–1974); Korg: 70,000 B.C. (1974); Law & Order (1992–1997); Law & Order: Criminal Intent (2003); Leg Work (1987); Little Bill (2001–2003); Love = (Me) ^3 (2000); Lulu on the Bridge (1998); Lustre (2005); Mary Hartman, Mary Hartman (1977); McBain (1991); Mean Streets (1973); Men Lie (1994); Miami Vice (1988); Monkey Trouble (1994); Mulberry St (2006); Music (2003); New Rose Hotel (1998); New York News (1995); New York Stories / Segment: Life Lessons (1989); Next Stop Wonderland (1998); Off Beat (1986); On the Run (1999); Personal Sergeant (2004); Prince Street (1997); Queenie in Love (2001); Quick Change (1990); 'R Xmas (2001); Raw Deal (1986); Romando (1987); Shadows and Fog (1991); Side Streets (1998); Sins of Silence (1996); Smile Jenny, You're Dead (1974); Smoke (1995); Somebody to Love (1994); Spenser: For Hire (1985); Starsky and Hutch (1975); Taxi Driver (1976); The Don Is Dead (1973); The Electric Chair (1985); The Equalizer (1985); The Exorcist (1973); The Funeral (1996); The Last Temptation of Christ (1988); The Man Who Knew Belle Starr (2001); The Pick-up Artist (1987); The Rockford Files (1977); The Rose (1979); The Terminal Man (1974); The Unholy Rollers (1972); The Waltons (1973); The Wide World of Mystery (1974); The Yards (2000); Toma (1974); True Romance (1993); Under Fire (1995); Vendetta: Secrets of a Mafia Bride (1990); Very Like a Whale (1980); Which Way Is Up? (1977); Wonder Woman (1977).