Week of November 25, 1981
Dies - Actress Natalie Wood (43) drowns in
an apparent accident off Catalina Island
where she was spending the holiday
weekend with husband Robert Wagner. The
Wagners had taken friend/actor Christopher
Walken along in their yacht. The actress
took the boat’s dingy out, and police
speculate she slipped into the water. An
investigation said there “was much
recreational drinking going on.” Bruises on
her left cheek were consistent with her
having fallen and striking the yacht before
she hit the water.
Prices moderate, slowing the pace of
inflation at a 4.4% annual rate - the lowest
since July 1980.
Senator Harry F. Byrd Jr. of Virginia (67) says he will not seek re-election to the
Senate seat his family has held for almost 50 years.
A judge orders AT&T to pay MCI damages of almost a million dollars for refusing
to lease them long distance circuits at bulk rates.
A royal aircraft carrying Prince Philip has a near miss with a British Airways
Boeing 747 - carrying 200 passengers. Prince Philip (60) is a pilot and often
takes control of the airplane. The jet was taking off from Heathrow Airport when it
spotted the royal plane in its path.
Israeli Prime Minister Menachem Begin (68) undergoes two hours of emergency
surgery for a broken bone in his left thigh, after he slipped and fell in his
bathroom. Doctors say he’s doing well.
In sports - Rollie Fingers of the Milwaukee Brewers
is named American League MVP - the first relief
pitcher to win the honor.
Week of November 25, 1981
Marries - Actress Cicely Tyson (37) to musician Miles
Davis (55) at Bill Cosby’s Massachusetts home. It’s her
second and his third. You can catch her this Tuesday
night on “The Hallmark Hall Of Fame” on CBS.
This holiday season - Michael Landon says “Kodak has a
gift for just about everyone on your list.” Choose from 8
different instant cameras - from Kodak’s “Tele-Ektralite
600” camera - just $77 to Kodak’s great starter camera -
the Instamatic - at just $14.
Passing - actor Jack Albertson (74) -
winner of an Oscar, two Emmy’s and a
Tony. Best known as the garage owner in
“Chico and the Man.” He won a Tony for
“The Subject Was Roses” and in 1968, won
an Oscar for the same role. He won the
Emmy award twice for his role in “Chico” in
1974 and 1976.
Passing - actress Lotte Lenya - famed for
her performance in “Three Penny Opera.”
Bestsellers - “An Indecent Obsession” -
Colleen McCullough, “No Time For Tears” - Cynthia Freeman, “Cujo” - Stephen
King, “The Hotel New Hampshire” - John Irving, “How To Make Love To A Man” -
Alexandra Penney, “Elizabeth Taylor; The Last Star” - Kitty Kelley, “The Lord
God made Them All” - James Herriot, “From Bauhous to Our House’ - Tom
Wolfe.
TV ratings - 60 Minutes - (29.8), Dallas (28.8), Dukes Of Hazzard (24.3), Three’s
Company (23.6), NFL Football (23.4), The Jeffersons (23.2), One Day At A Time
(23.1), Alice (22.8), Archie Bunker’s Place (22.6), Too Close For Comfort (22.5),
Movie-Sizzle (21.7), The Love Boat (21.1), MASH (21.4), Monday Night Football
(21.3), Hart to Hart (20.7), Frosty The Snowman (20.0), Trapper John, MD (29.9),
Laverne & Shirley (19.7), Little House On The Prairie (19.3), The Muppet Movie
(19.2), That’s Incredible (19.2), Move-Dream House (18.8), House Calls (18.8),
Bugs Bunny Looney Christmas (18.7), Happy Days (18.7).
Week of November 25, 1981
Tuesday Night TV - CBS - Simon & Simon, Hallmark Hall Of Fame ... NBC -
Father Murphy, Debut-Bret Maverick ... ABC - Happy Days, Laverne and Shirley,
Three’s Company, Too Close For Comfort, Hart to Hart
Debut-Bret Maverick. James Garner
reprises his role as the wisecracking
western hero. Co-stars Marilyn
Hassett and Stuart Margolin.
Hallmark Hall of Fame - “The Marva
Collins Story” - stars Cicely Tyson as
the inspiring Chicago schoolteacher.
Co-stars Morgan Freeman.
The Tonight Show - guest host David
Lettermen with guests Rona Barret,
Dave Thomas and Conrad Janis.
On Thanksgiving evening on ABC - join Barbara Walters for “Ronald Reagan: At
Home On The Ranch.” It’s a first-time ever tour of his spectacular ranch - Rancho
Del Cielo in California. “The Reagan children and long-time friends of the
President, including Pat O’Brien, Ginger Rogers, Patricia Neal and George
Murphy, reveal to Barbara aspects of the man that only they know. Join Barbara
Walters for this rare, personal look at the President and is wife... at home on the
ranch.”
“60 Minutes” this Sunday takes a look at Jim Henson and his Muppet creations.
In daytime television - NBC debuts “The Regis Philbin
Show” - seen mornings in most markets after “The Today
Show.” Philbin just left the simarly-formated “A.M Los Angeles’
on Channel 7 there. In radio ads in that market, Philbin is heard
telling listeners it was the same show, only a different channel!
The half-hour show will have Sarah Purcell as co-host the first
week and Mary Hart after that.
Week of November 25, 1981
Pop charts - “Physical” - Olivia
Newton John, “Waiting For A Girl
Like You” - Foreigner, “I Can’t Go
For That (No Can Do)” - Hall &
Oates, “Every Little Thing She Does
Is Magic” - The Police, Private Eyes”
- Hall & Oates, “Theme From Hill St
Blues” - Mike Post, “We’re In This
Love Together” - Al Jarreau, “Oh No”
- The Commodores, “Why Do Fools
Fall In Love’ - Diana Ross, “Just
Once” - Quincy Jones w/James
Ingram, “Here I Am (Just When I
Thought I Was Over You)” - Air
Supply, “The Old Songs” - Barry
Manilow, “Sausalito Summernight” -
Diesel, “No Reply At All” - Genisis
Top Country - “All My Rowdy Friends (Have Settled Down)” - Hank Williams Jr.,
“My Favorite Memory” - Merle Haggard.
At the movies - “Raiders Of The Lost Ark” -
Harrison Ford
“Time Bandits” - John Cleese, Sean Connery,
Shelly Duvall, Michael Palin.
“Arthur” - Dudley Moore, Liza Minnelli, John
Gieigud
Disney’s “The Watcher In The Woods” - Bette
Davis, Carol Baker, David McCallum
“Rich and Famous” - Jacqueline Bisset,
Candice Bergen
“True Confessions” - Robert DeNiro, Robert
Duvall
“SuperFuzz” - Terence Hill, Ernest Borgnine
“The Texas Chainsaw Massacre” - Marilyn
Burns, Gunnar Hanson
“Absence Of Malice” - Paul Newman, Salley
Field
“The Bugs Bunny Movie”
“Ragtime” - James Cagney,
Week of November 25, 1981
“Agency” - Robert Mitchum, Lee Majors, Valerie Perrine