Sir Charles Spencer Chaplin
(April 16, 1889 – December 25, 1977) December 1977)

On April 16, 1889, future Hollywood legend Charlie Chaplin
was born Charles Spencer Chaplin in London, England.

Chaplin, one of the most financially successful stars of
early Hollywood, was introduced to the stage when he
was five. The son of London music hall entertainers,
young Chaplin was watching a show starring his mother
when her voice cracked. He was quickly shuffled onto the
stage to finish the act.

Chaplin as The Little Tramp.

On this day in 1982, Vic Morrow and two child actors, (below) Renee Shinn
Chen and Myca Dinh Le, are killed in an accident involving a helicopter
during filming on the California set of Twilight Zone: The Movie. Morrow,
age 53, and the children, ages six and seven, were shooting a Vietnam War
battle scene in which they were supposed to be running from a pursuing
helicopter. Special-effects explosions on the set caused the pilot of the low-
flying craft to lose control and crash into the three victims. The accident
took place on the film’s last scheduled day of shooting.

Twilight Zone co-director John Landis (Blues Brothers, Trading Places,
National Lampoon’s Animal House) and four other men working on the
film, including the special-effects coordinator and the helicopter pilot,
were charged with involuntary manslaughter. Following an emotional
10-month trial, a jury acquitted all five defendants in 1987.

.

Twilight Zone: The Movie, released in the summer of 1983,
received mixed reviews.

"Anthony" (Billy Mumy) from the 1961 Twilight Zone episode, "It’s a
Good Life."

Charles William Mumy Jr. turned 63 on February 1.

Circus Boy is an action/adventure/drama series that aired in prime time on
NBC, and then on ABC, from 1956 to 1958. It was then rerun by NBC on
Saturday mornings, from 1958 to 1960. Micky Dolenz began his television
career in the series as the main character, young Corky who was adopted
by Joey the Clown (Noah Beery, Jr.), and the whole Burke and Walsh Circus
family. Dolenz was billed at the time as Mickey Braddock. He was later hired
for the role as the "drummer" in NBC’s sitcom The Monkees.

George Michael "Micky" Dolenz, Jr. turned 71 in March.

      Jerry Mathers in the U.S. Air Force Reserve, 1966.

Gerald Patrick "Jerry" Mathers was born in Sioux City, Iowa.

Mathers is known for his classic role as a child on the CBS television
sitcom, Leave It To Beaver from 1957-1963. He made his first TV
commercial at age 2 for PET Milk and was a model for a department
store ad. Following his acting career, he became a successful banker
and real estate investor.

In 1981, Jerry Mathers worked as a disc jockey at KEZY-AM
radio in Anaheim, California.