Character actress Barbara Rhoades leads off today’s birthday list. The redheaded Rhoades (67) was a familiar face on 1960s and 70s TV, guesting on such classics as It Takes A Thief, Mannix, McMillan & Wife, Mod Squad, The Odd Couple and Sanford & Son. She also co-starred in the 1977 Adam Arkin sitcom Busting Loose.

Others celebrating birthdays: Mark Rydell (86) and Marty Allen (92). Rydell has acted in such classics as The Phil Silvers Show and daytime soaps As The World Turns and The Edge of Night. He has also directed movies (The Cowboys, On Golden Pond) and television programs (Ben Casey, Gunsmoke). Actor-comedian Allen has guested on The Big Valley, Love American Style and Night Gallery, along with numerous talk, variety and game shows (The Hollywood Squares, What’s My Line?)

March 23 was also the birthday of since passed Kenneth Tobey. The stage, film and TV actor appeared on TV from the 1950s to the 90s, guesting on such shows as Adam-12, Barnaby Jones, Emergency!, Gunsmoke, I Spy, Perry Mason and The Rockford Files.

Today was the day we bade farewell to a pair of big screen talents who also graced the small screen. Peter Lorre (Casablanca, The Maltese Falcon) guested on 77 Sunset Strip, Alfred Hitchcock Presents, Playhouse 90 and Route 66. Elizabeth Taylor appeared as herself on a number of classic shows, including The David Frost Show, Dinah!, Here’s Lucy and What’s My Line?

Singer-actress Stephanie Mills is first up on today’s birthday list. The 57 year old Broadway star and singer (best known for her 1980 hit ‘Never Knew Love Like This Before’) appeared on a number of 1970s series including Captain Kangaroo, The Mike Douglas Show and Musical Chairs.

Others celebrating birthdays today: NBC sportscaster Bob Costas (he worked NFL games for CBS in the 70s) is 62, William Shatner (Star Trek) turns 83 and Christian Broadcasting Network founder Pat Robertson is 84.

Veteran character actor M. Emmet Walsh turns 79 today. He guested on such classics as All in the Family, Baretta, Bonanza, Ironside and Starsky & Hutch. Walsh was a regular on James Garner’s 1971 western Nichols and the 1972 sitcom The Sandy Duncan Show. He also had a memorable role in the Steve Martin movie The Jerk (he hates these cans!)

There is a long list of classic TV favorites born March 22 but longer with us. Actor James Brown (no relation to the singer) appeared in The Adventures of Rin Tin Tin. Virginia Grey guested on Ironside, Love American Style, Marcus Welby M.D. and Wagon Train. Werner Klemperer starred in Hogan’s Heroes. Ross Martin played master-of-disguise Artemis Gordon on The Wild Wild West. English actor Larry Martyn was a regular on classic Britcom Are You Being Served?

Also born this day: western author Louis L’Amour (his stories were used on classic TV westerns including Hondo, Maverick, Sugarfoot), Karl Malden (The Streets of San Francisco), Chico Marx (the oldest Marx Brother), longtime NBC announcer Bill Wendell (The Ernie Kovacs Show, Late Night with David Letterman, various game shows) and Austrian-American actor Joseph Schildkraut. The latter appeared in movies (The Diary of Anne Frank) and on television (77 Sunset Strip, Twilight Zone, The Untouchables).

March 22 was also the day we said goodbye to some classic TV friends. Olive Deering was a film and stage actress who guested on The Alfred Hitchcock Hour, Ben Casey and The Outer Limits. Animator Walter Lantz was the creator of Woody Woodpecker. Fellow animator William Hanna teamed up with partner Joseph Barbera to create such classic cartoons as The Flintstones, The Jetsons, Scooby Doo and Yogi Bear.

Veteran daytime soap actress Kathleen Widdoes turns 75 today. She was in the cast of Another World, Ryan’s Hope and Young Doctor Malone. Widdoes guested on such primetime shows as The Defenders, Here Come The Brides and Kojak, but is best-known for her longtime role on another daytime soap: As The World Turns.

March 21 was also the birthday of some since passed classic TV favorites. Philip Abbott played Assistant Director Arthur Ward on The F.B.I. James Coco starred in a pair of short-lived sitcoms: Calucci’s Apartment (1973) and The Dumplings (1976). Al Freeman Jr. was a regular on One Life to Live and the 1975 sitcom Hot L Baltimore. Canadian-born actor Jonathan Hale guested on The Adventures of Superman, The Cisco Kid and Our Miss Brooks.

Also born this day was character actor Logan Ramsey. He worked in television from the 1940s to the 1990s, appearing in such classics as Mannix, Mission: Impossible, Quincy M.E., The Rookies and Route 66. Ramsey was also in the cast of the 1975 jailhouse sitcom On The Rocks.

Today was also the day a number of classic TV friends died. Macdonald Carey was a longtime cast member of the daytime soap Days of Our Lives. Canadian John Ireland appeared on such classics as Gunsmoke, Little House on the Prairie, Quincy M.E., Rawhide and Thriller. Veteran character actor Barney Martin is perhaps best remembered as Jerry Seinfeld’s father Morty on Seinfeld. Robert Preston worked in movies (The Music Man, How The West Was Won) and television (Climax, The Chisholms, Playhouse 90). British comedian Ernie Wise was 1/2 of the comedy duo of Morecambe & Wise.

Dack Rambo also passed away March 21. He guested on such shows as Fantasy Island, Gunsmoke and The Love Boat. Rambo co-starred in several series, including The Guns of Will Sonnett and 1974’s Dirty Sally. He later starred in a short-lived action series Sword of Justice (1978):

Actor William Hurt is first up on today’s birthday list. The 64 year old guested on Kojak and went on to star in such feature films as Altered States, Body Heat and Broadcast News.

Others on the birthday list: John de Lancie (guested on Emergency! and McMillan & Wife, later had recurring roles on several Star Trek series) is 66, producer Paul Junger Witt (Benson, Golden Girls, Here Come The Brides, It’s A Living, Soap) turns 71, Hal Linden (Barney Miller) is 83 and comedy legend Carl Reiner is 92. Reiner was a regular on the groundbreaking 1950s variety series Your Show of Shows. He went on to create and co-star in The Dick Van Dyke Show. Carl’s son Rob is an actor-producer, best known for his role as Mike “Meathead” Stivic on All in the Family.

There’s a long list of classic TV favorites born March 20 but no longer with us. Jack Barry was a game show producer and host involved in the infamous Twenty One quiz show scandal back in the 1950s. He resurrected his career in the 1970s as host of Break the Bank and The Joker’s Wild. Ted Bessell is remembered for his role as Marlo Thomas’ boyfriend Donald on That Girl. Edgar Buchanan gave up a career as a dentist to be come an actor…we know him best as slow-movin’ Uncle Joe on Petticoat Junction, Green Acres and The Beverly Hillbillies.

More familiar faces born today include Wendell Corey (starred in 1957’s Harbor Command, guested on Perry Mason, The Untouchables and The Wild Wild West), Ray Goulding (half of the comedy team of Bob and Ray), veteran character actor Jack Kruschen (worked from the 1950s to 90s, including appearances on Barney Miller, Dragnet, Emergency!, The Rifleman), bandleader-actor Ozzie Nelson (The Adventures of Ozzie & Harriet), country singer-actor Jerry Reed (appeared on Alice, Hee Haw, The Tonight Show) and Fred Rogers (Mister Rogers Neighborhood).

We said goodbye to some classic TV friends on March 20. Longtime NBC newsman Chet Huntley was co-anchor of The Huntley-Brinkley Report (now known as NBC Nightly News). Film actress Marilyn Maxwell (Champion, The Lemon Drop Kid) guested on 77 Sunset Strip, Burke’s Law and Here’s Lucy. English actor Brian Wilde is known for his role on long-running Britcom Last of the Summer Wine.

Canadian born actor-writer-producer Burt Metcalfe starts off today’s birthday list. The 79 year old was co-star of a 1961 sitcom Father of the Bride. He later guested on 12 O’Clock High, Perry Mason and Twilight Zone, but is best known as a writer and producer of classic sitcom M*A*S*H.

Others celebrating a birthday today: Nance Malone (a regular on Guiding Light and Naked City, later an executive at 20th Century Fox) is 79, actress-singer Phyllis Newman (The Man from U.N.C.L.E., Quincy M.E., Wild Wild West) turns 81 and Renee Taylor also turns 81. Taylor guested on The Defenders, The Love Boat and Mary Hartman Mary Hartman. Her biggest role came later, as the mother of Fran Drescher’s character The Nanny.

We have long list of classic TV friends born March 19 but since passed on. Child actress Peggy Ahern appeared in the Our Gang shorts. Tige Andrews starred in The Detectives and Mod Squad. Pamela Britton starred in a 1957 series version of Blondie, then played the nosy landlady on My Favorite Martian. British actor Eric Christmas guested on Bonanza, The F.B.I., Harry O, McCloud and The Virginian. He later portrayed Principal Carter in the Porkys movies.

Also born this day: Fred Clark, Gail Kobe and Jackie “Moms” Mabley. Character actor Clark appeared on The Addams Family, The Beverly Hillbillies, Burke’s Law and I Dream of Jeannie. Kobe was an actress (Gunsmoke, Mannix, Perry Mason, Peyton Place, Twilight Zone) and producer (The Edge of Night, Guiding Light). Standup comedienne Mabley appeared on The Ed Sullivan Show, Rowan & Martin’s Laugh-In and The Smother Brothers Comedy Hour.

March 19 was also the day we said goodbye to several classic TV contributors. Italian-American actor Cesare Danova was a regular on Garrison’s Gorillas (1967) and guested on shows from the late 1950s to early 90s (Daniel Boone, The Doris Day Show, The Lucy Show, The Rifleman). Edward Platt was The Chief on Get Smart. Author Edgar Rice Burroughs created the legendary character Tarzan.

Happy 55th Birthday to Irena Cara! The singer-actress appeared on such 1970s staples as The Electric Company, Kojak and Love of Life but is best known for her starring role in the movie Fame. She also sang that film’s memorable theme song.

Also celebrating a birthday today: Kevin Dobson (71) and Carl Gottlieb (76). Dobson was a regular on Kojak and starred in a short-lived 1981 series Shannon. He was later in the cast of primetime soap Knots Landing. Gottlieb has been an actor (Chico & The Man, I Spy, Laverne & Shirley) and a writer (The Bob Newhart Show, The Odd Couple, The Smother Brothers Comedy Hour). He may be best known for his movie work, including the Jaws series and The Jerk.

March 18 was also the birthday of some familiar faces no longer with us. Smiley Burnette was a western movie sidekick who played Cannonball engineer Charley Pratt on Petticoat Junction and Green Acres. Art Gilmore was an announcer (Highway Patrol) and an actor (Adam-12, Dragnet, The Mary Tyler Moore Show, The Waltons). Peter Graves starred in Fury and Mission:Impossible, later appearing in the cult classic movie Airplane!

Character actor Edward Everett Horton was also born this day. You may not recognize the name, but I’m sure you remember the face and voice. Horton appeared in movies (Arsenic and Old Lace, Top Hat) and on television (Batman, F Troop, I Love Lucy, Love American Style). Many of us remember his distinctive voice as the narrator of Fractured Fairy Tales on Rocky & Bullwinkle:

Some classic TV contributors passed away on March 18. Barbara Bates is best known for her role in the film All About Eve, but she was also a regular on a 1950s sitcom called It’s A Great Life. Bill Beutel was a longtime New York City newsman who co-hosted AM America, ABC’s predecessor to Good Morning America. Fess Parker is remembered for his roles as Western legends Davy Crockett and Daniel Boone. Peggy Wood starred in the 1950s comedy-drama Mama and later was a regular on daytime soap One Life to Live.

Happy St. Patrick’s Day! Leading off today’s list o’ birthdays is English actress Lesley-Anne Down. The 60 year old rose to fame in the 1970’s UK series Upstairs Downstairs, aired here in the US on PBS. She was later in the cast of daytime soaps The Bold & The Beautiful and Sunset Beach.

Also celebrating a birthday is Kurt Russell (63). He starred in the 1960s western series The Travels of Jaimie McPheeters and a bunch of Disney movies. Russell also guested on such TV classics as Daniel Boone, Dennis the Menace, Gilligan’s Island and Lost In Space.

Others on the March 17 birthday list: Patrick Duffy (Dallas, The Man from Atlantis) is 65, singer-songwriter John Sebastian (theme from Welcome Back Kotter) turns 70, Patty Maloney (Buck Rogers in the 25th Century, Far Out Space Nuts, Rhoda) is 78 and singer-actor Adam Wade turns 79. Wade guested on Adam-12, Good Times, Kojak and Tarzan. He also hosted a short-lived 1975 game show called Musical Chairs:

Today was also the birthday of since departed singer Nat King Cole and actor Don Mitchell. Cole hosted his own variety show in the 1950s and was the father of another singer, his daughter Natalie. Mitchell is best remembered for his role as Mark Sanger on Ironside.

We also lost some classic TV friends on March 17. British character actor Michael Gough guested on UK series The Avengers, Doctor Who and The Saint. He also played Alfred the butler in the 1989 movie version of Batman. Longtime radio deejay J.J. Jackson was one of the original MTV veejays. Rosetta LeNoire appeared on Ryan’s Hope and Studio One, but achieved her greatest success much later as Mother Winslow on Family Matters.

Others passing this day include Grace Stafford and Sylvester ‘Pat’ Weaver. Stafford was the wife of cartoonist Walter Lantz, the creator of Woody Woodpecker. She provided the bird’s memorable voice. Weaver created NBC’s franchise Today and Tonight Shows and was the father of actress Sigourney Weaver.

March 17 was also the day we said goodbye to The First Lady of The American Theatre. Stage actress Helen Hayes also worked in TV, starring in the 1970s mystery series The Snoop Sisters. She guested on numerous classic TV shows from the 1950s to the 80s, including Here’s Lucy, The Love Boat and Tarzan. Hayes also appeared alongside her real-life adopted son James MacArthur on his series, Hawaii Five-0.