1896: Hans J. Salter, who composed some of the music in the movies in episodes 104- WOMEN OF THE PREHISTORIC PLANET, 801- REVENGE OF THE CREATURE, 615- KITTEN WITH A WHIP, 420- THE HUMAN DUPLICATORS, 702- THE BRUTE MAN, 803- THE MOLE PEOPLE and 805- THE THING THAT COULDN’T DIE, along with the American versions of episodes 211- FIRST SPACESHIP ON VENUS and 412- HERCULES AND THE CAPTIVE WOMEN, as well as for THIS ISLAND EARTH, riffed in MST3K: THE MOVIE. He also composed the soundtrack for the movie in episode 802- THE LEECH WOMAN.
1908: Ruggiero Eugenio di Rodolfo “Russ” Columbo, who was mentioned in a host segment of episode 1109- YONGARY MONSTER FROM THE DEEP.
1909: Jack R. Berne, production manager and assistant director for the movies in episodes 309- THE AMAZING COLOSSAL MAN and 809- I WAS A TEENAGE WEREWOLF.
1911: Daniel James, who was writer for the movie in episode 909- GORGO.
1914: David Commons, who did some of the special effects for the movie in episode 107- ROBOT MONSTER.
1914: Ralph Ives, music supervisor for the movie in episode 1102- CRY WILDERNESS.
1915: Roger J. Weinberg, costumer for the movie in episode 419- THE REBEL SET.
1919: Andy Rooney, CBS-TV newsman who was parodied by Mike and the bots in a host segment in episode 902- THE PHANTOM PLANET and was also mentioned in a host segment in episode 318- STAR FORCE: FUGITIVE ALIEN II
1919: Douglas Henderson, who played Dr. Richard Gordon in the movie in episode 210- KING DINOSAUR.
1924: Guy Williams, who played Det. Chris Stanley in the movie in episode 809- I WAS A TEENAGE WEREWOLF.
1926: Warren Mitchell, who played Prof. Crevett in the movie in episode 101- THE CRAWLING EYE and J.J. Hubbard in the movie in episode 111- MOON ZERO TWO.
1929: Gian Stellari, musical score composer for the movie in episode 605- COLOSSUS AND THE HEADHUNTERS.*
1935: Ennio Girolami, who played President Henry Clark in the movie “Escape from the Bronx,” seen in episode 705- ESCAPE 2000.
1937: Bent Mejding, who played Svend Viltorft in the movie in episode 1101- REPTILICUS.
1941: Faye Dunaway, who was mentioned in a host segment in episode 1105- THE BEAST OF HOLLOW MOUNTAIN.*
1944: Nina Totenberg, who was mentioned in a host segment in episode 1004- FUTURE WAR.*
1944: Marjoe Gortner, who played Akton in the movie in episode 1106- STARCRASH.*
1945: Vonetta McGee, who played Sonny in the movie in episode K15- SUPERDOME.
DIED ON THIS DATE
1944: Jack C. Smith (age 49), who played Monk in the season two serial THE PHANTOM CREEPS.**
1963: George Offerman Jr. (age 45), who played Freddie in the movie in episode 511- GUNSLINGER.
1965: Jeanette MacDonald (age 61), who was mentioned in a host segment in episode 524- 12 TO THE MOON.
1973: Einar H. Bourman (age 63), who did the costumes for the movie in episode 602- INVASION U.S.A.
1986: Donna Reed (age 64), who was mentioned in a host segment in episode 410- HERCULES AGAINST THE MOON MEN.
1994: John McCarthy Jr. (age 81), set decorator for the season-one serial RADAR MEN FROM THE MOON, and the movies in episodes 614- SAN FRANCISCO INTERNATIONAL and 615- KITTEN
WITH A WHIP.
2005: John Beaton, editor for the movie in episode K02- REVENGE OF THE MYSTERONS FROM MARS.*
2006: Shelley Winters (age 85), who played Andrea Harper in the movie in episode K16- CITY ON FIRE.
2009: Ricardo Montalban (age 88) who provided the uncredited voice of King Claudius in the movie in episode 1009- HAMLET.
2013: Conrad Bain (age 89), who was mentioned in a host segment in episode 603- THE DEAD TALK BACK.
2014: Ray Lawlor (age 88), who played a lab technician in the movie in episode 1311- THE MASK.
2017: Eiko Yanami (age 68), who played Kiyoko Ishikawa in the movie in episode K07- /316- GAMERA VS. ZIGRA.
2021: Peter Mark Richman (age 93), who played Adam Chance in the movie in episode 815- AGENT FOR H.A.R.M.
2023: Inna Churikova (age 79), who played Marfushka in the movie in episode 813- JACK FROST.
EVENTS ON THIS DATE
1940: Richard Basehart marries Stephanie Klein. Shhh! Don’t tell Gypsy!
1966: The Birds are filmed performing their song “That’s All I Need You For” for the movie in episode 905- THE DEADLY BEES.
1993: Samuel Z. Arkoff, producer of so many MST3K movies, received a star on the Hollywood Walk of Fame.
2011: Timothy Van Patten, who played Max Keller in episodes 322- MASTER NINJA I and 324- MASTER NINJA II, shares the Broadcast Film Critics Association’s Critics Choice Award for “Best Picture Made for Television” for “The Pacific.”
* = If this appears next to a birthday, this person is alive, according to the IMDB. If you can supply evidence that he or she has died, and when, please let us know.
** = If this appears next to a birthday, the IMDB indicates that the person has died, but the IMDB does not have a full death date (probably just a month and year or just the year he or she died). If you can give us the exact date (with some sort of proof we can check), please let us know.
** = If this appears next to a death date, the IMDB does not have this person’s full birthday. If you can provide it (with some sort of proof we can check), please let us know.
This Date in MSTory is written and compiled by Christopher Cornell, Brian Henry and Steve Finley with assistance by Tim Brown, Gordon Lawyer and many other Satellite News commenters.
This Date in MSTory is copyright 2025. © All rights reserved. Do not reproduce This Date in MSTory items in any form without express written permission from the authors.