Hey hey he’s a Monkee, he’s celebrating a birthday to-day! We’re talking about actor-musician Micky Dolenz of the classic 1960s series The Monkees. He is now 69.

Also on today’s classic TV birthday list: Susan Clark (guested on Columbus, Marcus Welby M.D…later starred with her late husband Alex Karras on the 1980s sitcom Webster) is 74 and Sue Ann Langdon is 78. Langdon had a recurring role on Bachelor Father and co-starred in the early 1970s sitcom Arnie. She guested on Bonanza, The Dick Van Dyke Show, Perry Mason and Surfside 6. Langdon also had roles in several films, including A Guide for the Married Man and Zapped!

March 8 was also the birthday of some classic TV friends no longer with us. Actress-dancer Cyd Charisse appeared in films (Singin’ in the Rain) and guested on the small screen (Hawaii Five-0, The Love Boat, Medical Center). English stage and film star Lynn Redgrave guested on Kojak and co-starred in the 1979-82 sitcom House Calls. Claire Trevor had roles in classic films (Key Largo, Stagecoach) and later guested on classic TV (Alfred Hitchcock Presents, Dr. Kildare, The Untouchables).

Today was also the birthday of Alan Hale Jr. He starred in a 1950s children’s western series Casey Jones but we know him best as The Skipper. He played that role on the classic 1960s sitcom Gilligan’s Island, later reprising the role in a pair of animated Gilligan series and several made-for-TV movies. His father, Alan Sr., was also an actor…he is credited with nearly 250 film roles over a 5 decade career.

We also lost some classic TV favorites on March 8. Peggy Cass was a Broadway and film actress (Auntie Mame) who was a frequent panelist on the game show To Tell The Truth. Silent film star Harold Lloyd later appeared as himself on The Ed Sullivan Show and What’s My Line? Film actress Karen Morley guested on Kojak and Kung Fu. Character actor Edward Winter is best remembered for his recurring role as Colonel Flagg on M*A*S*H.

Edward Andrews (pictured) also died this day. The familiar face with white hair and horn-rimmed glasses guested on many classic TV shows, including The Bob Newhart Show, The Doris Day Show, The F.B.I., Thriller and The Twilight Zone. He starred in a 1964 sitcom (Broadside) and in the quickly derailed 1979 series Supertrain. Andrews wrapped up his career with a pair of film roles in Gremlins and Sixteen Candles.

Short birthday list today. We start with actor Richard Lawson (67) who guested on All in the Family, Kojak and Shaft. He has also appeared on the big screen, including 1982’s Poltergeist.

Others celebrating a birthday include Daniel J. Travanti. The 74 year old appeared on Kojak, Lost in Space, Naked City and Perry Mason. Travanti later starred on the long-running police drama Hill Street Blues. Former Today Show weatherman Willard Scott is 80. Scott also claims to be the creator of the Ronald McDonald character back in the 1960s.

Also celebrating a birthday, although we can’t confirm he’s still with us, is an actor named John Rodney. He guested on such classics as The Fugitive, McHale’s Navy and Sea Hunt. Although IMDB shows his last credited role was 50 years ago, it appears he is still alive and kicking at 100 years!

Several classic TV faces were born March 7 but have passed on. James Broderick starred in the 1970s family drama appropriately called Family. He was also the father of actor Matthew Broderick. Tammy Faye Messner was the long-time co-host of the religious talk show The PTL Club with then-husband Jim Bakker.

We also lost some classic TV friends on this day. Canadian-born movie actor Ben Blue appeared on The Jack Benny Program and The Land of the Giants. Bob Livingston guested on many classic westerns, including The Adventures of Wild Bill Hickok, The Cisco Kid and The Lone Ranger.

Paul Winfield also died March 7. He guested on numerous classic TV shows like Daktari, Ironside, Julia and Mannix, then starred in the 1978 miniseries King (as Dr. Martin Luther King Jr.). Winfield was also in the movies (Star Trek II: The Wrath of Khan, The Terminator) and later had a recurring role on the TV series Touched by An Angel.

If I had a tambourine, I would play Happy Birthday to Suzanne Crough! The former child star played Tracy on the classic 1970s sitcom The Partridge Family…she turns 51 today.

Other classic TV friends celebrating a birthday: actor-turned-director Rob Reiner (All in the Family) is 67, Martin Cove (guested on McMillan and Wife, Rhoda…later a regular on Cagney and Lacey) turns 68, Ben Murphy (Alias Smith and Jones, Gemini Man) is 72 and Joanna Miles is 74. Miles guested on Kojak, Mannix and Medical Center. She also won a pair of Emmys for her role in a 1973 TV adaption of The Glass Menagerie.

Old favorites born March 6 but since passed: William J. Bell (creator of Another World, The Young & The Restless), Lou Costello (The Abbott & Costello Show), Ed McMahon (The Tonight Show Starring Johnny Carson) and stuntman-actor-director Hal Needham. Needham acted and did stunts on such classics as Gunsmoke and Have Gun Will Travel. He also directed a number of movies, including Smokey and the Bandit.

Today was also the day we lost some classic TV friends. Singer-actor Nelson Eddy guested on numerous talk and variety shows of the 1950s and 60s. William Hopper played Paul Drake on the long-running courtroom drama Perry Mason. Boxer Max Rosenbloom guested on such favorites as I Dream of Jeannie and The Munsters. Teresa Wright appeared on Bonanza, Playhouse 90 and The United States Steel Hour.

Movie actor and director Henry Wilcoxon also died March 6. He guested on classic TV shows including The F.B.I., Gunsmoke and The Wild Wild West. Wilcoxon appeared in a wide range of movies, from Marc Antony in 1934’s Cleopatra to a golf-crazed bishop in Caddyshack.

First up on today’s birthday list: Michael Warren. The 68 year old actor guested on Adam-12, Mod Squad and The White Shadow. Warren co-starred on two short-lived 1970s series (Paris, Sierra), later landing his biggest role as Officer Bobby Hill on Hill Street Blues.

Also celebrating birthdays: UK actress Samantha Eggar (guested on Baretta, The Love Boat) is 75, Paul Sand (appeared on Bewitched and The Mary Tyler Moore Show, starred in 1974’s Paul Sand in Friends and Lovers) turns 79, James Sikking (guested on Combat!, The FBI, Hogan’s Heroes…later a regular on Doogie Howser M.D. and Hill Street Blues) is 80 and James Noble (Benson) turns 92.

Former child actor Dean Stockwell is 78 today. Stockwell had guest roles on a number of classic TV series, including Dr. Kildare, Police Story, The Streets of San Francisco and Wagon Train. He may be best known for his role on the time travel series Quantum Leap.

March 5 was also the birthday of some classic TV stars no longer with us. Jack Cassidy guested on shows like Alfred Hitchcock Presents, Columbo and Love American Style. He was the father of David Cassidy and once married to Shirley Jones, who played the younger Cassidy’s mom on The Partridge Family. Rex Harrison, known for his film roles (Doctor Doolittle, My Fair Lady), also had several small screen appearances (The Ed Sullivan Show, The United States Steel Hour).

Also born this day: character actress Virginia Christine. She guested on many classic shows of the 1950s and 60s, among them Daniel Boone, Kojak and Perry Mason. Many of us remember her for her role in a long-running TV commercial campaign:

We also lost some classic TV friends on March 5. Whit Bissell guested on TV shows from the 1950s to the 80s and was a regular on The Time Tunnel. John Belushi was in the original cast of Saturday Night Live. Billy De Wolfe appeared on such programs as The Doris Day Show and That Girl.

Others passing this day: stage and film star Richard Kiley (guested on The Defenders, Gunsmoke), Gary Merrill (Branded, Cannon, The Twilight Zone) and Jay Silverheels (he played The Lone Ranger’s sidekick, Tonto).

Canadian actress-writer Catherine O’Hara starts off today’s birthday list. The 60 year old is best known for her work with Second City Television (SCTV), a Canadian sketch comedy show that aired in syndication and later on NBC.

Also celebrating birthdays: Kay Lenz (guested on Gunsmoke, Ironside, McCloud…was the first wife of actor-singer David Cassidy) is 61, Ji-Tu Cumbuka (Daniel Boone, Ironside, Roots) turns 72, John Aprea (starred in short-lived 1975 sitcom The Montefuscos, later a regular on Matt Houston) is 73 and Paula Prentiss is 76. Prentiss co-starred in the 1967 sitcom He & She but is best known for her movie work, including The Stepford Wives.

March 4 was also the birthday of many classic TV favorites no longer with us. Edgar Barrier appeared on 77 Sunset Strip, Lux Video Theatre and Zorro. Wally Bruner hosted What’s My Line? and Wally’s Workshop. Actor-voice artist Thayer David was best known for his role on gothic soap Dark Shadows. Larry Keith was a regular on All My Children, Another World and the syndicated Norman Lear series The Baxters.

Others born this day include Disney animator Ward Kimball, singer-actress Barbara McNair (guested on Dr. Kildare, Hogan’s Heroes, Vega$) and Elaine Shore (appeared on Kojak and Love American Style, had a recurring role on early 1070s sitcom Arnie).

Today was also the day a number of classic TV stars said goodbye. Canadian actor-comedian John Candy was in the cast of SCTV and starred in such movies as Home Alone, Spaceballs and Uncle Buck. Del Close was an actor (guested on Get Smart and My Mother The Car) and acting teacher, whose students included John Belushi, John Candy, Bill Murray and Shelley Long. Stuntman Carey Lofton worked on such 70s classics as BJ & The Bear, Movin’ On and The Rockford Files.

Also passing this day: Nan Martin (guested on The FBI, The Fugitive and The Twilight Zone, later had a recurring role on The Drew Carey Show), singer-comedienne Minnie Pearl (Hee Haw), composer Leonard Rosenman (worked on Combat!, Garrison’s Gorillas, Marcus Welby M.D.) and Joan Taylor. Taylor played shopkeeper Milly Scott on The Rifleman and was married to Hawaii Five-0 creator Leonard Freeman.