On Sept. 30, 1950, the Grand Ole Opry was first televised by Nashville station WSM. WSM-AM had been broadcasting the Opry on radio since 1925.
In 1955, actor James Dean was killed in the collision of his sports car with another automobile in Cholame (shoh-LAM'), California. He was 24.
In 1960, "The Flintstones" made its debut on ABC.
In 1965, Donovan made his American TV debut on "Shindig!"
In 1967, John Lennon and Paul McCartney appeared on "The David Frost Show" to talk about the virtues of transcendental meditation as taught by the Maharishi Mahesh Yogi.
In 1982, "Cheers," starring Ted Danson and Shelly Long, made its debut on NBC. It ran until 1993.
In 1984, "Murder, She Wrote," starring Angela Lansbury, premiered on CBS.
Today's Birthdays: Actor Angie Dickinson is 91. Singer Cissy Houston is 89. Singer Johnny Mathis is 87. Actor Len Cariou (KAYR'-ee-oo) (TV's "Blue Bloods," film "The Four Seasons") is 83. Singer Marilyn McCoo is 79. Singer Sylvia Peterson of The Chiffons is 76. Actor John Finn ("Cold Case") is 70. Guitarist John Lombardo (10,000 Maniacs) is 70. Country singer Deborah Allen is 69. Actor Calvin Levels ("Adventures in Babysitting") is 68. Jazz singer Patrice Rushen is 68. Actor Barry Williams ("The Brady Bunch") is 68. Actor Fran Drescher is 65. Country singer Marty Stuart is 64. Actor Crystal Bernard ("Wings") is 61. Actor Eric Stoltz is 61. Rapper-producer Marley Marl is 60. Country singer Eddie Montgomery of Montgomery Gentry is 59. Singer Trey Anastasio of Phish is 58. Bassist Robby Takac (TAY'-kak) of The Goo Goo Dolls is 58. Actor Monica Bellucci ("The Passion of the Christ," "The Matrix Reloaded") is 58. Actor Lisa Thornhill ("Veronica Mars") is 56. Actor Andrea Roth ("Rescue Me") is 55. Actor Amy Landecker ("The Handmaid's Tale") is 53. Actor Silas Weir Mitchell ("Grimm") is 53. Actor Tony Hale ("Veep," "Arrested Development") is 52. Actor Jenna Elfman is 51. Actor Ashley Hamilton is 48. Actor Marion Cotillard (koh-tee-YAHR') ("Public Enemies," "La Vie en Rose") is 47. Actor Christopher Jackson ("Bull," "Oz") is 47. Actor Toni Trucks ("SEAL Team") is 42. Actor Lacey Chabert (shuh-BEHR') ("Mean Girls," "Party of Five") is 40. Actor Kieran Culkin is 39. Rapper T-Pain is 38.