On this day in movie history - Kiss Me Deadly (1955 movie & novel):

Kiss Me Deadly

directed by Robert Aldrich,

written by A. I. Bezzerides and Robert Aldrich,

based on the novel by Mickey Spillane,

was released in the United States on April 20, 1955.
Music by Frank De Vol.

Cast:

Ralph Meeker, Albert Dekker, Paul Stewart, Juano Hernandez, Wesley Addy, Marian Carr, Marjorie Bennett, Mort Marshall, Fortunio Bonanova, Strother Martin, Mady Comfort, James McCallion, Robert Cornthwaite, Silvio Minciotti, Nick Dennis, Ben Morris, Jack Elam, Paul Richards, Jesslyn Fax, James Seay, Percy Helton, Leigh Snowden, Jack Lambert, Jerry Zinneman, Maxine Cooper, Cloris Leachman, Gaby Rodgers, Kitty White, Sam Balter, Joe Hernandez, Eddie Beal, Leonard Bremen, Yvonne Doughty, John George, Charles Lane, Art Loggins, Mara McAfee, Leonard Mudie, Bing Russell, Robert Sherman, Max Wagner, Trude Wyler.

Recommended reading:

Kiss Me Deadly

By Mickey Spillane.

Filmed as Kiss Me Deadly (1955), directed by Robert Aldrich.

Published by Orion.

First published 1952.

Paperback.

ISBN-10: 1409158691

ISBN-13: 978-1409158691

Description:

# 6 in the Mike Hammer series.

Before Jack Reacher . . . there was Mike Hammer.

One night, a blonde jumps out in front of PI Mike Hammer's car. She's so scared he doesn't have much choice but to give her a ride. At a police roadblock, he discovers she's on the run from a sanatorium, but he passes her off as his wife. Other people besides the police are after the blonde, and these people play rough. Real rough.

The blonde turns out to be the star witness against some big-time mobsters. Mike has blundered into something unimaginably big, but the Feds don't want him involved – and take his PI licence and gun.

For Mike, it's a chance to strike a blow against evil on a grand scale. He discovers that something representing a great deal of money, and a lot of power, has gone missing, and that some people will go to any lengths to get it back . . .

Born on this day – Iris Williams:

Iris Williams

Singer

Actress

April 20, 1946 – July 11, 2025

Credits:

Albums:

Atgofion (2010 / EP); Beautiful (1986); Catch My Dreams (2011); He Was Beautiful (1979); Hello! (1987); I Gael Cymru'n Gymru Rydd (2019 / EP); I Wish You Love (2003); I'm Glad There Is You (1995); Iris Williams - The Very Best Of (2006); Picture Me Love (1980); The Gentle Touch (1983); Y Caneuon Cynnar / The Early Recordings (2000); You Belong to Me (1982).

Songs:

All My Trials; Anodd I’w Wmeud Yw Dweud Ffarwel; As Time Goes By; Autumn Leaves; Christmas Spiritual; Dail Yr Hydref; Doed a Ddel; Dyma Fi; Fy Nghydwybod I; Haul Yr Haf; He Was Beautiful; He’s Out of My Life; How High the Moon; I Gael Cymru'n Gymru Rydd; I’ll Never Love This Way Again; Mi Fum Yn Caru; My Prayer; No Regrets; No Walls No Ceilings No Floors; Pererin Wyf; Pererin Wyf / Amazing Grace; Run Like the Wind; Send in the Clowns; Sometimes I Feel; Song in the Air; The Folks Who Live on the Hill; The Virgin Mary; Using Things and Loving People; We Don’t Make Each Other Laugh Any More; What Am I Supposed to Do; Y Cobler Du Bach; You Belong to Me.

Movies and television:

3-2-1 (1985); Braden's Week (1970–1972); Cannon and Ball (1982); Crackerjack! (1979); Des O'Connor Now (1985); Des O'Connor Tonight (1980–1984); Give Us a Clue (1984); Hung-Up (2002); Iris Williams (1980–1982); Jim Davidson's Special (1982); Lennie and Jerry (1979); London Night Out (1983); Pebble Mill at One (1981); Primetime (1990); Punchlines (1981); Ryan and Ronnie (1972); Seaside Special (1979); Singing from the Heart: The Story of Treorchy Male Choir (2005); The Andy Stewart Show (1975); The Joe Longthorne Show (1991); The Legacy of Walter Frumm (2005); The Marriage Counselor (2005); There Go I (1972); This Is Your Life (1983); Top of the Pops (1979); Whicker's World (1984).

Born on this day – Ryan O’Neal:

Ryan O’Neal

Actor

Producer

April 20, 1941 – December 8, 2023

Credits:

Bones (2006–2017); Knight of Cups (2015); Slumber Party Slaughter (2012); 90210 (2010); Waste Land (2007); Desperate Housewives (2005); Miss Match (2003); Malibu's Most Wanted (2003); People I Know (2002); Epoch (2001); Bull (2000–2001); The List (2000); Gentleman B. (2000); Coming Soon (1999); Zero Effect (1998); An Alan Smithee Film: Burn Hollywood Burn (1997); Hacks (1997); Faithful (1996); The Larry Sanders Show (1995); Man of the House (1995); The Man Upstairs (1992); 1775 (1992); Good Sports (1991); Small Sacrifices (1989); Chances Are (1989); Sam Found Out: A Triple Play (1988); Tough Guys Don't Dance (1987); Fever Pitch (1985); Irreconcilable Differences (1984); Partners (1982); So Fine (1981); Green Ice (1981); Obsession (1981); The Main Event (1979); Oliver's Story (1978); The Driver (1978); A Bridge Too Far (1977); Nickelodeon (1976); Barry Lyndon (1975); Paper Moon (1973); The Thief Who Came to Dinner (1973); What's Up, Doc? (1972); Wild Rovers (1971); Love Hate Love (1971); Love Story (1970); The Games (1970); Under the Yum Yum Tree (1969); The Big Bounce (1969); Peyton Place (1964–1969); European Eye (1968); Wagon Train (1964); Perry Mason (1964); The Virginian (1963); Empire (1962–1963); My Three Sons (1962); Leave It to Beaver (1961); Westinghouse Playhouse (1961); Two Faces West (1961); Laramie (1961); Bachelor Father (1961); The DuPont Show with June Allyson (1961); General Electric Theater (1960); The Untouchables (1960); The Many Loves of Dobie Gillis (1960).

Born on this day – David Leland:

David Leland

Director

Producer

Writer

Actor

April 20, 1941 – December 24, 2023

Credits:

The Borgias (2012); Virgin Territory (2007); Concert for George (2003); Band of Brothers (2001); The McCartney Years (1999); The White River Kid (1999); The Land Girls (1998); When Saturday Comes (1996); Tom Petty and the Heartbreakers: Playback (1995); The Young Indiana Jones Chronicles (1992); Traveling Wilburys: Inside Out (1990); Traveling Wilburys: She's My Baby (1990); Crossing the Line (1990); Tom Petty: I Won't Back Down (1989); Traveling Wilburys: Handle with Care (1988); Checking Out (1988); Personal Services (1987); Wish You Were Here (1987); Mona Lisa (1986); Arena (1985); The Jewel in the Crown (1984); R.H.I.N.O.; Really Here in Name Only (1983); Flying Into the Wind (1983); Birth of a Nation (1983); Made in Britain (1982); The Missionary (1982); Miss Morison's Ghosts (1981); Time Bandits (1981); The Hitchhiker's Guide to the Galaxy (1981); Play for Today (1981); Bull Week (1980); Ripping Yarns (1979); Target (1978); The Devil's Crown (1978); Warrior Queen (1978); BBC Play of the Month (1973); Gawain and the Green Knight (1973); Barlow at Large (1973); Van der Valk (1972); The Pied Piper (1972); The Last of the Mohicans (1971); One Brief Summer (1971); Scars of Dracula (1970); Underground (1970); Julius Caesar (1970); 1917 (1970); Parkin's Patch (1969); Spindoe (1969); Callan (1969); The Sign of Four (1968); The Queen Street Gang (1968); Sat'day While Sunday (1967); Four People (1966).

Born on this day – Johnny Tillotson:

Johnny Tillotson

Singer

Songwriter

Actor

April 20, 1938 – April 1, 2025

Credits:

Albums:

25 All-time Greatest Hits (2001); Afternoon Party (2014); All His Early Hits - And More!!! (1990); Color Blocking (2014); Country Classics (1962); Dreamy Eyes (2017); Earth Angel (2022); Greatest Hits (1988); Here I Am (2019); I Fall To Pieces (2016); In Italiano (2023); It Keeps Right On a-Hurtin' (1962); Johnny Tillotson (1972); Johnny Tillotson Live From Church Street Station (2017, EP); Johnny Tillotson on Broadway (2018); Johnny Tillotson Sings (1965); Johnny Tillotson Sings Love Songs and Standards (2003); Johnny Tillotson: The Early Years (2003); Johnny Tillotson's Best (1961); No Love at All (1966); Poetry in Motion (2013); Raining In My Heart (2011); Scrapbook (1984); She Understands Me (1965); Sings (1966); Take a Coffee Break (2014); Talk Back Trembling Lips (1963); Talk Back Trembling Lips / The Tillotson Touch (1991); Tears on My Pillow (1969); Teatime With (2014); Teen Idol Best (2011); Ten songs for you (2018); That's My Style (1965); The Best of Johnny Tillotson (1968); The Christmas Touch (1966); The Complete Releases 1958-62 (2018); The Golden Recordings (2007); The Outtakes (2011); The Pillow & Other Successes (2020); The Tillotson Touch (1964); The Very Best Of (2015); Travelin' on Foreign Grounds (2014); Why Do I Love You So (1962); Without You (2008); Words & Music (1959); You Can Never Stop Me Lovin' You (2018 / 1962); You're the Reason: The Best of the MGM Years (1996).

Songs:

Angel; Back in Love with You; Burnin'; Cling to Me; Dreamy Eyes; Earth Angel; Get a Little Dirt on Your Hands; Heartaches by the Number; I Rise, I Fall; I'm So Lonesome I Could Cry; I'm Watching My Watch; Island of Dreams; Jimmy's Girl; More Than Before; My Gidget; Our World; Out of My Mind; Pledging My Love; Poetry in Motion; Princess, Princess; Send Me the Pillow You Dream On; Tears on My Pillow; That's What You Do to Me; Then You Can Tell Me Goodbye; Things; True True Happiness; Well I'm Your Man; Why Do I Love You So; Without You; Worried Guy; Worry; You Can Never Stop Me Loving You.

Movies and television:

ABC's Nightlife (1965); Allen Ludden's Gallery (1969); American Bandstand (1958–1971); American Masters (2012); Bandstand (1962); Big Beat (1960); Call the Midwife (2016); Celebrity Bowling (1971–1972); Day Break (2006); Dream Girl of '67 (1967); England Is Mine (2017); Fanfare (1965); Festival di Sanremo (1965); Five O'Clock Club (1965); Get It Together (1970); Gidget (1965–1966); Girls (2016); Hollywood a Go Go (1965); Hot Bubblegum (1981); Hylands hörna (1962); Jerry Lewis MDA Labor Day Telethon (1975); Juke Box Jury (1963–1965); Just for Fun (1963); Late Night with Seth Meyers (2016); Mad Men (2015); Music City USA (1967); Namida kun sayonara (1966); New Dimensions (2025); Now! (1966); On Strike for Christmas (2010); Pat Boone in Hollywood (1968); Ready, Steady, Go! (1964); Rock & Chips (2010); Rock and Roll at Fifty (2003); Rudolph the Red-Nosed Reindeer: The Movie (1998); Seventh Annual Tennessee Cerebral Palsy Telethon (1971); Sha Na Na (1978); Shindig! (1965); Shivaree (1965); Swingin' Country (1966); Thank Your Lucky Stars (1962–1965); That'll Be the Day (1973); The Bob Braun Show (1968–1972); The Call of the Wild (1976); The Clay Cole Show (1965–1967); The David Frost Show (1971); The Definitive Elvis: The Television Years (2002); The Dennis Wholey Show (1969); The Dick Clark Show (1959–1960); The Fat Spy (1966); The Jimmy Dean Show (1964–1965); The Joey Bishop Show (1968–1969); The Lloyd Thaxton Show (1965); The Merv Griffin Show (1965–1972); The Midnight Special (1976); The Mike Douglas Show (1965–1976); The Real Tom Kennedy Show (1970); The Tonight Show Starring Johnny Carson (1967–1976); Tough Enough (1983); Tunnel Vision (1995); Upbeat (1965); Where the Action Is (1965–1966); Why Women Kill (2019).

Born on this day – Joe Camp:

Joe Camp

Director

Writer

Producer

Actor

April 20, 1939 – March 15, 2024

Credits:

Benji (1974); Benji (2018); Benji at Work (1980); Benji Takes a Dive at Marineland (1981); Benji the Hunted (1987); Benji, Zax & the Alien Prince (1983); Benji: Off the Leash! (2004); Benji's Life Story (1976); Benji's Very Own Christmas Story (1978); For the Love of Benji (1977); Hawmps! (1976); Hollywood's Top Dogs (2006); Jimmy's Jungle (2018); Oh Heavenly Dog (1980); The Double McGuffin (1979); The Phenomenon of Benji (1978); Today (2016).

Born on this day – Elena Verdugo:

Elena Verdugo

Actress

April 20, 1925 – May 30, 2017