Born on this day – George P. Cosmatos:

George P. Cosmatos

Director

Writer

January 4, 1941 – April 19, 2005

Credits:

Shadow Conspiracy (1997); Tombstone (1993); Leviathan (1989); Cobra (1986); Rambo: First Blood Part II (1985); Of Unknown Origin (1983); Escape to Athena (1979); The Cassandra Crossing (1976); Massacre in Rome (1973); The Beloved (1971).

Born on this day – Marla English:

Marla English

Actress

January 4, 1935 – December 10, 2012

Credits:

A Strange Adventure (1956); About Mrs. Leslie (1954); Casanova's Big Night (1954); Crossroads (1956); Desert Sands (1955); Flesh and the Spur (1956); Hell's Horizon (1955); Living It Up (1954); Rear Window (1954); Runaway Daughters (1956); Shield for Murder (1954); The Bob Cummings Show (1956); The Charles Farrell Show (1956); The George Burns and Gracie Allen Show (1956); The She-Creature (1956); Three Bad Sisters (1956); Voodoo Woman (1957); Walt Disney Academy Awards: 26th Annual, 1954 (1954); Yankee Pasha (1954).

Born on this day – Barbara Rush:

Barbara Rush

Actress

January 4, 1927 – March 31, 2024

Credits:

3055 Jean Leon (2006); 7th Heaven (1997–2007); ABC Weekend Specials (1977); All My Children (1992–1994); At Your Service (1984); Batman (1968); Ben Casey (1963); Bigger Than Life (1956); Bleeding Hearts: The Arteries of Glenda Bryant (2017); Bob Hope Presents the Chrysler Theatre (1966); Bob Hope's All-Star Look at TV's Prime Time Wars (1980); Burke's Law (1995); Cade's County (1972); Cannon (1975); Can't Stop the Music (1980); Captain Kangaroo (1977); Captain Lightfoot (1955); Checkmate (1960); Come Blow Your Horn (1963); Convoy (1965); Cop Shop (1981); Crime Club (1973); Custer (1967); Cutter (1972); Dateline: San Francisco (1962); Death Car on the Freeway (1979); Dinah! (1974); Dinah's Place (1973); Dr. Kildare (1965); Ellery Queen (1975–1976); Family Feud / All-Star Family Feud Special (1983); Fantasy Island (1978–1984); Finder of Lost Loves (1984); Flaming Feather (1952); Flamingo Road (1980–1982); Flight to Hong Kong (1956); Fools, Females and Fun (1974); Frontier Circus (1961); General Electric Theater (1962); Glitter (1985); Harry Black and the Tiger (1958); Hearts Are Wild (1992); Here's Hollywood (1960–1961); Hombre (1967); Hooperman (1988); Hotel (1985–1986); Hour Magazine (1981–1986); Ironside (1971–1972); It Came from Outer Space (1953); Joanne Carson's VIPs (1972); King of Cool (2021); Kiss of Fire (1955); Knight Rider (1983); Kraft Suspense Theatre (1965); La nuit des Césars (1992); Laredo (1966); Love, American Style / Love and the Motel (1970); Lux Playhouse (1958); Lux Video Theatre (1954–1956); Magnificent Obsession (1954); Magnum, P.I. (1984–1987); Mannix (1968–1975); Marcus Welby, M.D. (1969–1972); Masquerade (1984); Matinee Theatre (1957); Matt Houston (1983); Maude (1972); McCloud (1972); Medal of Honor (1955); Medical Center (1969–1974); Mod Squad (1971); Moon of the Wolf (1972); Murder, She Wrote (1987); My Mother's Hairdo (2006); Night Gallery / Cool Air (1971); No Down Payment (1957); Of Men and Women / The Interview (1973); Oh, Men! Oh, Women! (1957); Our American Heritage (1960); Owen Marshall, Counselor at Law (1972); Paradise (1991); Password (1963–1972); Peege (1973); Peyton Place (1968–1969); Playhouse 90 (1957–1960); Police Story (1974); Prince of Pirates (1953); Private Screenings (2014); Private Screenings (2014); Quebec (1951); Relativity (1996); Robin and the 7 Hoods (1964); Saints and Sinners (1962–1963); Screen Snapshots Series 15, No. 12 (1936); Screen Snapshots: Hollywood Night Life (1952); Strangers When We Meet (1960); Suddenly Single (1971); Summer Lovers (1982); Sunday Showcase (1959); Superdad (1973); Suspicion (1958); Taza, Son of Cochise (1954); The 17th Golden Globe Awards (1960); The 32nd Annual Academy Awards (1960); The 33rd Annual Academy Awards (1961); The 39th Annual Academy Awards (1967); The 40th Annual Academy Awards (1968); The 9th Annual American Cinema Awards (1992); The Bionic Woman (1976); The Black Shield of Falworth (1954); The Bramble Bush (1960); The Danny Kaye Show (1967); The David Frost Show (1970); The Dennis Wholey Show (1969); The Dick Powell Theatre (1963); The Eddie Capra Mysteries (1978); The Eleventh Hour (1962); The Eyes of Charles Sand (1972); The First Legion (1951); The Fugitive (1965); The Goldbergs (1950); The Hollywood Palace (1964); The Hollywood Squares (Daytime) (1967); The Jet Set (1966); The Last Day (1975); The Lee Phillip Show (1971); The Love Boat (1979); The Making of 'Summer Lovers' (1982); The Man (1972); The Merv Griffin Show (1967–1982); The Mike Douglas Show (1967–1980); The New Dick Van Dyke Show (1973–1974); The Night the Bridge Fell Down (1980); The Outer Limits (1964); The Outer Limits (1998); The Regis Philbin Show (1981–1982); The Roy Leonard Show (1971); The Seekers (1979); The Sig Sakowicz Show (1971); The Streets of San Francisco (1973); The Tonight Show Starring Johnny Carson (1964–1969); The Unknown (1964); The Young Lions (1958); The Young Philadelphians (1959); Theatre '62 (1961); Vacation Playhouse (1965); Web of Deceit (1990); When Worlds Collide (1951); Widow's Kiss (1996); Women I Love: Beautiful But Funny (1982); World in My Corner (1956); You Don't Say (1964).

Recommended reading - Fright Night on Channel 9 (2011):

Fright Night on Channel 9

Saturday Night Horror Films on New York's WOR-TV, 1973-1987

By James Arena.

Published by McFarland & Company.

Published 2011.

Paperback.

ISBN-10: 0786466782

ISBN-13: 978-0786466788

Description:

"If you're a horror fan, regardless of whether or not you had access to WOR, you should give Fright Night on Channel 9 a look. It will bring back a lot of memories and a smile to your face." – This Old Haunted House.

"Irresistible" – Video Watchdog (Issue #167).

"...a mouthwatering history of New York City's WOR-TV...will be a magical trip down memory lane" – Scary Monsters Magazine.

"In his friendly and warm (and sometimes delightfully humorous) writing style, Arena tells the inside story of one of New York TV's most fondly recalled one-stop for a wide variety of genre flicks...a must...there is a story to be told here, and Arena was born to write it...highly recommended...indispensable" – DVD Drive-in.

From 1973 to 1987, Fright Night was a fixture of the late Saturday evening schedule on independent New York television station WOR-TV, Channel 9. A genre fan's nightmare come true, the modestly produced showcase featured horror films both classic and obscure, from Universal and RKO golden oldies such as Frankenstein Meets The Wolfman, King Kong and Dracula's Daughter to lesser-known delights, including Wild Women of Wongo, The Living Coffin and Children Shouldn't Play With Dead Things. Fright Night suffered no delusions of grandeur and never claimed to be anything more than what it was: great entertainment on a Saturday night. This thorough and affectionate tribute to Fright Night's glory days includes a complete listing (and critiques) of all films shown on the series, as well as discussion of WOR-TV's other horror movie programs from the 1970s and 1980s. Details of how the program was developed over 16 years are revealed in depth. Also featured are interviews with the major surviving players, including Fright Night creator Lawrence P. Casey and cult film producer Samuel M. Sherman (Brain of Blood).

Patricia Highsmith, on being an introvert and a writer:

My imagination functions much better when I don't have to speak to people.

- Patricia Highsmith.

On this day in television history - Medium (2005 - 2011)

Medium

was released on January 3, 2005,

and ran for seven seasons until January 21, 2011.

Narrated by Patricia Arquette.

Cast:

Patricia Arquette, Jake Weber, Miguel Sandoval, Sofia Vassilieva, Feodor Lark, David Cubitt, Madison Carabello, Miranda Carabello, Tina DiJoseph, Ryan Hurst, David Arquette, Arliss Howard, Holliston Coleman, Bruce Gray, Kathy Baker, Margo Martindale, Olivia Sandoval, Kurtwood Smith, Zak Lee Guarnaccia, Roxanne Hart, Kelly Preston, John Prosky, Anjelica Huston, Annamarie Kenoyer.

On this day in the Star Trek universe:

Star Trek (1969)

Star Trek

Season 3. Episode 14.

Episode entitled: Whom Gods Destroy.

Released January 3, 1969.

Directed by Herb Wallerstein.

Written by Lee Erwin, Jerry Sohl, Arthur H. Singer.

Created by Gene Roddenberry.

Music by Alexander Courage.

Cast: William Shatner, Leonard Nimoy, DeForest Kelley, James Doohan, George Takei, Walter Koenig, Nichelle Nichols, Majel Barrett, Steve Ihnat, Yvonne Craig, Dick Geary, Gary Downey, Keye Luke, Bill Blackburn, Frank da Vinci, Lars Hensen, Roger Holloway, Jeannie Malone.