Happy 84th Birthday to actor Robert Wagner! He starred in classic TV favorites Hart to Hart, It Takes a Thief and Switch. Wagner also guested on The Name of the Game, The Streets of San Francisco and, more recently, NCIS. He and his actress-wife Jill St. John guest starred together on a classic episode of Seinfeld (The Yada Yada).

Classic TV stars born February 10 but since passed away include Judith Anderson (guested on Playhouse 90 and Wagon Train, last role was on daytime soap Santa Barbara), movie monster Lon Chaney Jr. (appeared on The Monkees, Route 66), actor-comedian Jimmy Durante (The Jimmy Durante Show, narrator of Frosty The Snowman) and composer Jerry Goldsmith. He composed the themes to many of our favorite classics, including Barnaby Jones, Dr. Kildare, The Man from U.N.C.L.E., then later Star Trek: The Next Generation and Star Trek Voyager.

Character actress Neva Patterson was also born on this day. The stage and film star was a regular on several series, The Governor and J.J. and Nichols. Patterson also guested on a host of shows, among them Ben Casey, Kraft Theatre, Maude, The Patty Duke Show, St. Elsewhere and Webster.

Two classic authors who impacted 1970s television passed away on February 10: Alex Haley (Roots) and Laura Ingalls Wilder (Little House on the Prairie).

Actor Roy Scheider died this day too. The boxer-turned-actor appeared on a wide range of shows including Cannon, The Edge of Night, The Love of Life, N.Y.P.D. and later Third Watch. Scheider starred in the first season of seaQuest (1993-96) but is perhaps best known for his role on the classic 1975 movie Jaws.

Judith Light turns 65 today. The actress best known for her role on the sitcom Who’s The Boss? also had early roles on Kojak and daytime soap One Life to Live. Light later appeared on Law & Order: SVU and Ugly Betty.

Other classic TV connections celebrating birthdays today: Mia Farrow (Peyton Place) is 69, film actor Joe Pesci (had several uncredited appearances on The Lucy Show, starred in a short-lived 80s comedy-drama Half Nelson) turns 71, Sheila Kuehl (The Many Loves of Dobie Gillis) is 73, UK actor Clive Swift (appeared in numerous UK shows of the 60s and 70s, best known for his later role on Keeping Up Appearances) is 78 and Ronnie Claire Edwards (Corabeth on The Waltons) turns 81.

A number of classic TV favorites were born February 9 but are no longer with us, including UK-born stage, film and radio star Ronald Colman (The Halls of Ivy), Disney animator Bill Justice (worked on movies and Walt Disney’s Wonderful World of Color), country singer Ernest Tubb (The Ernest Tubb Show) and Peggy Wood (starred in 1950s comedy-drama Mama, later appeared on One Life to Live).

UK actress Heather Angel was also born this day. Angel made numerous guest appearances on such classic TV series as Lawman, Perry Mason and Peyton Place. She is best known here for her role as Mr. French’s lady friend Miss Faversham on the sitcom Family Affair.

Two classic TV stars died on February 9. Longtime western sidekick George “Gabby” Hayes (The Gabby Hayes Show) and David Wayne. Wayne guested on many classic shows, including Batman and Hawaii Five-O. He also starred on several, including the 70s Jim Hutton version of Ellery Queen and the sitcom House Calls.

Christina Ferrare leads off today’s birthday list. The 64-year-old former model had an early appearance on Batman, later guesting on The Love Boat and Vega$. The ex-wife of automaker John DeLorean is currently the co-host of The Home and Family Show on The Hallmark Channel.

Brooke Adams is 65 today. She was in the cast of O.K. Crackerby! (a short-lived 1965 sitcom starring Burl Ives), and guested on The Bob Newhart Show, Family and Kojak. Comedian Robert Klein (Love American Style, Saturday Night Live) is 72, film actor Nick Nolte (guested on Cannon, Emergency!, Medical Center) turns 73, longtime ABC newsman Ted Koppel (Nightline) is 74 and Jack Larson (The Adventures of Superman) turns 86.

Also celebrating a February 8 birthday: composer John Williams. The 82-year-old Williams is well known for composing the Star Wars theme, but he also has extensive television experience. Among his works, the themes for three classic Irwin Allen series: Land of the Giants, Lost in Space and Time Tunnel. Williams also composed the original calypso theme song for the Gilligan’s Island pilot episode (see below). His more recent work includes the NBC Nightly News and NBC Sunday Night Football.

Classic TV contributors born this day but since passed away include Gary Coleman (Diff’rent Strokes), legendary film star James Dean (Danger, Lux Video Theatre, Studio One), comic book writer Bill Finger (helped develop Batman), TV and film star Jack Lemmon (Alcoa Theatre, Kraft Theatre, Studio One), Audrey Meadows (The Honeymooners) and film legend Lana Turner (starred in 1969 series The Survivors, later guested on Falcon Crest and The Love Boat).

Veteran character actor Charles Ruggles was also born February 8. He guested on classic TV shows like The Beverly Hillbillies, Bewitched, Bonanza, Burke’s Law and Father Knows Best. Ruggles was also the narrator of the Aesop’s Fables segment on The Bullwinkle Show.

Another popular character actor was born this day. Although Burt Mustin didn’t start his professional acting career until he turned 67, he wound up working until age 92. Mustin’s resume includes appearances on such shows as Adam-12, All in the Family, The Andy Griffith Show, The Brady Bunch and Dragnet. One of his best known roles: Gus the Fireman on Leave It To Beaver.

Several classic TV favorites died this day. George Dolenz guested on Bonanza, Cimarron City and The Rebel. His son Micky was one of The Monkees. Character actress Harriet E. MacGibbon appeared on Bewitched, Hazel and Thriller, but is best remembered as Mrs. Drysdale on The Beverly Hillbillies. Charles Ruggles (mentioned above) played her character’s father on The Hillbillies.

Also passing this day: Robert Ridgely. He starred in a 1962 series called The Gallant Man, and guested on such shows as The Bob Newhart Show, Bonanza, Maverick and Surfside 6. Ridgely also did a lot of voice work, including the 1970s cartoon Tarzan and the 1980s Thundarr the Barbarian.

A couple of classic TV stars were born this day but have since passed on. Stage, film and TV star Eddie Bracken guested on shows like Burke’s Law, Ellery Queen, Rawhide and Studio One. Many of us remember him for his role as Roy Walley on the 1983 movie National Lampoon’s Vacation.

Buster Crabbe was a gold medal Olympic swimmer who turned to acting, starring in several movie serials in the 1930s and 40s. He played memorable characters Buck Rogers, Flash Gordon and Tarzan. In the 1950s, he and his son Cullen starred in an early TV series called Captain Gallant of the Foreign Legion. He made a few guest appearances too, including BJ and the Bear, Buck Rogers in the 25th Century and The Red Skelton Hour.

February 7 is also the day we lost a number of classic TV favorites. Nick Adams starred in the western series The Rebel and a short-lived 1962 drama series Saints and Sinners. He also guested on Burke’s Law, Combat! and The Wild Wild West. Country singer Molly Bee guested on Hee Haw and The Jimmy Dean Show. Dale Evans was the wife and performing partner of singing cowboy Roy Rogers (The Roy Rogers Show). Magician Doug Henning guested on The Tonight Show and starred in a series of primetime specials in the 1970s.

Also passing on this day was the multi-talented Bobby Troup. The actor-singer-songwriter wrote such classics as Daddy and (Get Your Kicks on) Route 66. He guested on many classic TV shows, among them Adam-12, Dragnet, Mannix and Perry Mason.

Bobby Troup’s daughter Ronne also went into acting, playing Chip’s wife on My Three Sons. Troup’s best-known role was as Dr. Joe Early M.D., F.A.C.S. on the 1970s adventure series, Emergency! He starred on the show alongside his wife, Julie London. Interesting backstory here is London was previously married to actor-producer Jack Webb, who starred in Dragnet and produced Adam-12 and Emergency!

Actress Gayle Hunnicutt leads off today’s birthday list. Hunnicutt, 71, guested on such TV classics as The Beverly Hillbillies, Get Smart, The Love Boat and Switch. She also appeared in numerous TV miniseries and had a recurring role in the final 2 seasons of Dallas.

Others sharing a February 6 birthday include Gigi Perreau (73), a former child film star who had a memorable guest appearance on The Brady Bunch, playing Greg’s teacher (and schoolboy crush!) Longtime NBC News anchor Tom Brokaw is 74, Mike Farrell (The Interns, M*A*S*H, later Providence) is 75 and B-movie actress Mamie Van Doren is either 81 or 83. Van Doren guested on such shows as The Adventures of Ozzie & Harriet, Fantasy Island and Vega$.

Also on today’s birthday list: Rip Torn (guested on Bonanza, Dr. Kildare, Mannix…later had roles on The Larry Sanders Show and 30 Rock) is 83, English actor Patrick Macnee (The Avengers) is 92 and Zsa Zsa Gabor is estimated to turn 97. The Hungarian-born Gabor made guest appearances on a number of classic TV shows, including Batman, Burke’s Law, Mister Ed and Night Gallery.

Several classic TV “voices” were born this day but are no longer with us. Walker Edmiston guested on The Dukes of Hazzard, Mission: Impossible and Star Trek but we probably best remember him as the voice of Ernie The Keebler Elf. Voice actor Thurl Ravenscroft (besides having the coolest name ever!) was the voice of Frosted Flakes spokescat Tony the Tiger (they’re grrreat!) He also performed “You’re A Mean One, Mr. Grinch” on the holiday classic How The Grinch Stole Christmas.

Ronald Reagan was also born this day. The film actor (Knute Rockne All American) also worked on the small screen, hosting General Electric Theater and Death Valley Days. He then turned to politics, serving as governor of California and later the 40th president of the United States.

There’s a lengthy list of classic TV stars who died on this day. It starts with Philip Carey, an actor who guested on such TV classics as 77 Sunset Strip, The Bionic Woman, McCloud and Room 222. He was a star on the 1960s western Laredo, but achieved his greatest fame for longtime role on the daytime soap One Life To Live. Film star Joseph Cotten had many guest roles on TV, including Alfred Hitchcock Presents, Ironside and The Rockford Files. He also hosted a 1950s era series, The Joseph Cotten Show: On Trial.

Also passing this day: Danny Dayton (played Hank Pivnik on All in the Family/Archie Bunker’s Place), Peanuts composer Vince Guaraldi, singer-songwriter Frankie Laine (sang theme songs of Rawhide and The Misadventures of Sheriff Lobo), Guy Madison (The Adventures of Wild Bill Hickok), composer Hugo Montenegro (Here Come The Brides, I Dream of Jeannie), UK actress Dandy Nichols (starred in Britcom Till Death Us Do Part, remade in the U.S. as All in the Family) and JamesWhitmore (The Law and Mr. Jones, The New Temperatures Rising, numerous guest roles including Gunsmoke and The White Shadow).

Danny Thomas also died on February 6. The longtime star of Make Room for Daddy/The Danny Thomas Show appeared in several other sitcoms (The Practice, I’m A Big Girl Now) and produced such shows as The Dick Van Dyke Show, Mod Squad and The Real McCoys. Thomas also founded St. Jude’s Children’s Research Hospital. His daughter Marlo (That Girl) serves as St. Jude’s national outreach director.

Today’s classic TV birthday list starts with actress Barbara Hershey, who guested on classics like Daniel Boone, Gidget and Kung Fu. She was a regular on the 1966 western The Monroes, and later appeared on Chicago Hope and Once Upon a Time. Hershey, who turns 66 today, has also had roles in such big screen films as The Natural and The Right Stuff.

Screenwriter Michael Mann (Police Story, Starsky & Hutch, Vega$) is 71, entrepreneur Nolan Bushnell (founder of Atari, makers of the first TV video game Pong) turns 71 and David Selby (Dark Shadows, Falcon Crest, Flamingo Road) is 73.

Also celebrating a birthday: Stuart Damon. The now 77-year-old actor is best known for his longtime role on the daytime soap General Hospital. He’s appeared on other soaps too, including As The World Turns, Days of Our Lives and Port Charles. Damon guested on shows like Naked City and Space:1999, and had starring roles in The Champions (1968 UK espionage series) and Yanks Go Home (1967 Britcom).

Classic TV favorites born today but no longer with us include actor-comedian Red Buttons (The Red Buttons Show, frequent guest on Dean Martin Celebrity Roasts and The Tonight Show), producer Stephen J. Cannell (creator or co-creator of The A-Team, Baretta, The Rockford Files, Silk Stalkings) and Norman Grabowski (guested on The Beverly Hillbillies, Batman, Fantasy Island).

John Carradine was also born this day. The veteran actor appeared in such big screen classics as The Grapes of Wrath and Stagecoach, followed by roles in a number of B horror movies. Carradine guested on a number of classic TV shows, among them BJ and the Bear, Bonanza, Lights Out, McCloud, The Rifleman and Starsky & Hutch. He played Herman’s mortician boss on The Munsters and also appeared on his son David’s 1970s adventure-western Kung Fu.

We have also lost a number of classic TV friends on February 5. Franklin Cover (The Jeffersons), Dean Jagger (regular on 1960s drama Mr. Novak, guested on Bonanza, Harry O, Medical Center, The Twilight Zone), Doug McClure (Barbary Coast, Checkmate, Overland Trail, Search, The Virginian) and Peggy Rea (guested on I Love Lucy and The Odd Couple, regular on the final few seasons of The Waltons, later on The Dukes of Hazzard and Grace Under Fire).

Today was also the day Thelma Ritter died. Ritter received several Academy Award nominations for her film work, and later guested on classic TV series Alfred Hitchcock Presents and Wagon Train. Her first film role, although uncredited, may well be her best remembered. She played the stressed-out shopper in the 1947 holiday classic Miracle on 34th Street.