8 random things that happened today, October 17th, in showbiz history
shot of the audience at the jampacked world premiere of "Mr Smith Goes to Washington" (image source)
1920 Montgomery Clift born in Nebraska 100 years ago today. He becomes a professional actor at 15 and a dazzling movie star by 28. We hope you've been watching/reading along our daily Centennial celebration series. We're almost finished and we're proud of it.
1939 Mr Smith Goes to Washington has its world premiere in Washington DC (fitting) before opening in movie theaters two days later..
Ava and Artie
1945 Ava Gardner surprises her fans by marrying bandleader Artie Shaw. Though she was only 22 it was her second marriage as she'd already married and divorced fellow film star Mickey Rooney.
1956 All star adventure travelogue comedy Around the World in 80 Days premieres in theaters. It will shockingly go on to beat the epic Giant for the Best Picture Oscar for that film year.
1957 Elvis Presley musical Jailhouse Rock has its word premiere in Memphis Tennessee. It will open a month later in theaters and become a sizeable hit with all three of its released singles hitting #1 on the Billboard singles charts.
1968 Steve McQueen action flick Bullitt hits movie theaters. It will win Best Editing at the Oscars.
1997 I Know What You Did Last Summer and The Devil's Advocate both open and dominate the box office that weekend.
2003 Opening in movie theaters that day were indie sleeper Pieces of April, courtroom drama thriller Runaway Jury, the remake of The Texas Chainsaw Massacre, and soon to fail Best Actress bids Sylvia (Gwyneth Paltrow) and Veronica Guerin (Cate Blanchett). Texas Chainsaw won the weekend but in fifth place was the expanding Mystic River which would develop strong box office legs and become a major Oscar player winning both the male acting Oscars for Sean Penn and Tim Robbins.
Today's Birthday Suit
Happy 40th birthday to genius composer Nicholas Britell who has been nominated for two Oscars (Moonlight, If Beale Street Could Talk) and won one Emmy (Succession) already. He's also just a sweet guy -- no wonder Barry Jenkins and Natalie Portman both love him so. Next up for Britell are two TV new series (The Underground Railroad and Untitled Lakers Project).
Actors celebrating birthday today:
Barry Keoghan (28), Dora Madison (30), Max Irons (35), Chris Lowell (36), Michelle Ang (37), Felicity Jones (37), Alimi Ballard (43), Bárbara Paz (46), Matthew MacFadyen (46), Rizwan Manji (46), Björn Bengtsson (47), Sharon Leal (48), Wood Harris (51), Mark Gatiss (54), George Wendt (72), Michael McKean (73) and Marsha Hunt (103 -- the second oldest living screen actor of note!)
Other showbiz types with birthdays today:
Rapper Eminem (48), musician Wyclef Jean (51), musician Ziggy Marley (52), director Rob Marshall (60), country star Alan Jackson (62), producer Lawrence Bender (63), director Hans Petter Moland (65), Broadway powerhouse Susan Stroman (66), and musical theater producing legend Cameron Mackintosh (74).
Bonus birthday suit: Love goddess Rita Hayworth
Gone but not forgotten:
You Can't Take It With You's Oscar nominated character actress Spring Byington born on this day in 1886, Comic romantic movie star Jean Arthur born on this day in 1900, Lonelyhearts novelist Nathanael West born on this day in 1903, Superman creator Jerry Siegel (1914), Playwright Arthur Miller born on this day in 1915, Sex symbol and legend Rita Hayworth born on this day in 1918, Creature from the Black Lagoon's Julie Adams and Alligator People's Beverly Garland both born on this day in 1926, legendary stuntman Evel Knievel born on this day in 1938, Superman's Margot Kidder born on this day in 1948, Ragtime's Howard E Rollins Jr born on this day in 1950, and Spartacus' Andy Whitefield born on this day in 1971,