February 8

This Day in Humor with Mike Durrett

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Born 1886: Charles Ruggles, Tony Award-winning actor, appeared in more than 100 motion pictures and scores of television shows, often impeccably befuddled. His films include "Charley's Aunt" (1930), "Ruggles of Red Gap" (1935), "Bringing Up Baby" (1938), and "The Parent Trap" (1961). He starred in one of the first hit TV sitcoms, "The Ruggles" (1949-52) and generations of "Rocky and Bullwinkle" fans know him as the kindly storyteller's voice in the "Aesop and Son" cartoons. Died 1970.

Born 19--: The fictional Alice Kramden, wife of Ralph, on TV's classic "The Honeymooners." Year unknown, but a good guess might be 1926.

Born 1925: Jack Lemmon, versatile actor, major movie star, two-time Oscar-winner -- the first for Supporting Actor as Ensign Pulver in 1955's "Mister Roberts." He spent the late '40s and early '50 in television, including roles on several sitcoms. The movie career began in 1954 and spawned numerous comic high points for Lemmon, such as "Some Like It Hot" (1959), "The Apartment" (1960), "The Great Race" (1965), "The Fortune Cookie" (1966), "The Odd Couple" (1968), "The Out-of-Towners" (1970), and "Grumpy Old Men" (1993). Died 2001.

1926: The Walt Disney Studios began business. Soon, one of its contract players, a mischievous rodent, challenged Charlie Chaplin as the most popular movie star around the world.

Born 1926: Audrey Meadows, the definitive Alice Kramden of "The Honeymooners," although other actresses played the role before and after her stint in the '50s. She worked occasionally in subsequent years, her choice, most notably on the sitcoms "Too Close for Comfort" (1982-83) and "Uncle Buck" (1990). Died 1996.

Born 1933: Jack Larson, actor, forever recalled as bumbling cub reporter Jimmy Olsen in "The Adventures of Superman" (1952-57).

Born 1937: Joe Raposo, composer, extensively for TV's "Sesame Street." He penned the series' theme, plus "Bein' Green" and "'C' Is for Cookie," among others. The "Three's Company Theme" is his, too. Died 1989.

Born 1941: Nick Nolte, actor, leading man, made a few film comedies along the way, like "North Dallas Forty" (1979), "48 Hrs." (1982), and "Down and Out in Beverly Hills" (1986).

Born 1953: Mary Steenburgen, Oscar's Best Supporting Actress (1980), "Melvin and Howard." Her other comedies: "Goin' South" (1978), "A Midsummer's Night Sex Comedy" (1982), and "Parenthood" (1989) to name a few.

Born 1968: Gary Coleman, adorable, naturally comic child actor, became an instant TV icon on the sitcom "Diff'rent Strokes" (1978-86). Quote: "Whachootalkinbout Willis?!"

Born 1974: Seth Green, child actor, who nearly stole the show in "Radio Days" (1987) as the young Woody Allen lookalike. Working steadily in TV and films into adulthood, he's best known as Scott Evil, villain Dr. Evil's surly son, in the "Austin Powers" comedy movies.

Copyright ©2003 Mike Durrett. All rights reserved.