Entertainment History
On Oct. 2, 1957, Connie Francis recorded “Who’s Sorry Now.” She hated the song but recorded it after an argument with her father.
In 1959, “The Twilight Zone,” created and hosted by Rod Serling, made its debut on CBS.
In 1965, The Who made their American TV debut on “Shindig!” performing “I Can’t Explain.”
In 1967, narcotics agents with the San Francisco police raided the communal house of the Grateful Dead on Ashbury Street for marijuana possession. Several members of the band were arrested, but Jerry Garcia was not home at the time.
In 1971, “Soul Train” went into national syndication. The show, hosted by Don Cornelius, premiered a year earlier in Chicago.
In 1977, the bodies of Elvis Presley and his mother, Gladys, were moved from Forest Hill Cemetery in Memphis to the grounds of Graceland after an apparent attempt to steal the bodies.
In 1985, actor Rock Hudson died at his home in Beverly Hills, California, after battling AIDS. He was 59.
In 1998, singing cowboy Gene Autry died at his home in Los Angeles after a long illness. He was 91.
In 2002, the compilation album “Elvis 30 Number One Hits” went to number one in the U.S. and 16 other countries, 25 years after Elvis Presley’s death.
In 2004, Billy Joel married Katie Lee at his home on Long Island, New York. He was 55, she was 22. They have since split up.
In 2005, the divorce between actors Brad Pitt and Jennifer Aniston was finalized.
In 2017, musician Tom Petty died at a hospital after going into cardiac arrest at his home in Malibu, California. He was 66.
Today’s Birthdays: Critic Rex Reed is 86. Singer Don McLean is 79. Actor Avery Brooks (“Star Trek: Deep Space Nine,” “Spenser: For Hire”) is 76. Celebrity photographer Annie Leibovitz is 75. Guitarist Mike Rutherford of Genesis and Mike and the Mechanics is 74. Musician Sting is 73. Actor Robin Riker (“General Hospital,” ″The Bold and the Beautiful”) is 72. Actor Lorraine Bracco (“The Sopranos”) is 70. Guitarist Greg Jennings of Restless Heart is 70. Singer Phil Oakey of Human League is 69. Singer Freddie Jackson is 69. Singer-producer Robbie Nevil is 66. Drummer Bud Gaugh (GOF) of Sublime and Long Beach Dub All-Stars is 57. Musician Gillian Welch is 57. Actor Joey Slotnick (“Boston Public,” ″The Single Guy”) is 56. Country singer Kelly Willis is 56. Singer Dion Allen of Az Yet is 54. Actor-talk show host Kelly Ripa (“Live With Kelly and Mark,” ″All My Children”) is 54. Guitarist Jim Root of Slipknot is 53. Singer Tiffany is 53. Singer LaTocha Scott of Xscape is 52. Singer Lene Nystrom (Aqua) is 51. Actor Efren Ramirez (“Napoleon Dynamite”) is 51. Bassist Mike Rodden of Hinder is 42. Actor Christopher Larkin (“The 100”) is 7. Singer Brittany Howard of Alabama Shakes is 36. Actor Samantha Barks (“Les Miserables”) is 34. Actor Elizabeth McLaughlin (“Hand of God,” “Pretty Little Liars”) is 31.
