James Tolkan (1931-2026)

Tolkan died at his home in Saranac Lake, New York, on
March 26 at the age of 94.
 

Character actor James Tolkan was best known for his roles as
high school vice-principal in charge of discipline Mr. Strickland
in Back to the Future (1985) and Back to the Future Part II (1989),
and as the character’s ancestor, Marshal James Strickland, in
Back to the Future Part III (1990).

His other memorable film roles include Serpico (1973), Love and
Death (1975), Prince of the City (1981), Top Gun (1986), Masters
of the Universe (1987), Viper (1988), Dick Tracy (1990), and
Problem Child 2 (1991).

On October 5, 1947, President Harry Truman (1884-1972) made
the first-ever televised presidential address from the White
House, asking Americans to cut back on their use of grain
in order to help starving Europeans.

At the time of Truman’s food-conservation speech, Europe was
still recovering from World War II and suffering from famine.

Truman, the 33rd commander in chief, worried that if the U.S.
didn’t provide food aid, his administration’s Marshall Plan for
European economic recovery would fall apart.

On the evening of October 3, 1961, a future television classic
called “The Dick Van Dyke Show” debuted on CBS.

The sitcom’s inaugural episode—which revolves around the
lead couple bickering over leaving sick son, Ritchie, with a
babysitter while they go to a party—kicked off a beloved
show that would run for five seasons and receive 15 Emmy
awards.

The show, created by actor, writer and comedian Carl Reiner,
starred the titular Dick Van Dyke, along with a ensemble cast 
including Mary Tyler Moore, Rose Marie and Morey Amsterdam.   

Richard Wayne Van Dyke will be 100 on December 13th.

On August 26, 1939, the first televised Major League baseball game
was broadcast on station W2XBS, the station that was to become
WNBC-TV. Announcer Red Barber called the game between the Cincinnati Reds and the Brooklyn Dodgers at Ebbets Field in
Brooklyn, New York.

At the time, television was still in its infancy. Regular programming
did not yet exist, and very few people owned television sets—there
were only about 400 in the New York area.

Not until 1946 did regular network broadcasting catch on in the
United States, and only in the mid-1950s did television sets
become more common in the American household.

In 1939, the World’s Fair—which was being held in New York—
became the catalyst for the historic broadcast.

Restored 1939 GE HM-171 TV.

Football player and broadcaster Tom Brady won seven Super
Bowl titles and some consider the best quarterback of all        
time and one of the greatest athletes in sports history.