May 1: Some of Tommy Tune’s biggest Broadway shows opened on this date

Published 5:00 am Friday, May 1, 2020

In the 1980s and 1990s, Tommy Tune was a Broadway star. He could sing and dance and was an award winning choreographer and director.

Tune, who attended Lon Morris College in Jacksonville, was a creative force behind some of the biggest musicals, three of which opened on this date.

• 1991: “The Will Rogers Follies” opened with Tune as director and choreographer. He won Tony awards for both roles.
• 1983: “My One and Only” starred Tune who also was the director and along with Thommie Walsh, the choreographer. Tune won Tony Awards for acting and choreography.
• 1980: “A Day in Hollywood/A Night in the Ukraine” debuted under direction of Tune. Tune and Thommie Walsh were the choreographers and won Tony Awards.

He was recognized for Lifetime Achievement by the Tony Awards. 

In the Spotlight 

— 2019: At the Billboard Music Awards 

• Golden native Kacey Musgraves is a finalist for Top Country Female Artist
• MercyMe, a band once based in Greenville, is a finalist for Top Christian Artist

— 2017: Rusk native Caroline Williams stars in the horror thriller “Fantasma.”

— 2015: Marshall native George Foreman is a guest on “Larry King Now.”

— 2015: Rodney Crowell, who attended Stephen F. Austin State University in Nacogdoches, is a guest on “Late Show with David Letterman.”

— 2015: Alan Tudyk, who attended Lon Morris College in Jacksonville, appears in “Welcome to Me.” 

— 2009: Matthew McConaughey, who grew up in Longview, stars in the romantic comedy “Ghosts of Girlfriends Past.”

— 2009: Alan Tudyk, who attended Lon Morris College in Jacksonville, begins playing Alpha on “Dollhouse.”

— 2007: Lindale native Miranda Lambert is a guest on “The View.”

— 2007: Anna Nicole Smith, who grew up in Mexia, has a role in “Illegal Aliens.”

— 2001: Jesse Plemons, who grew up in Mart, appears in “Happiness Runs.”

— 2000: “The Bottoms,” an award-winning suspense novel by Joe Lansdale of Nacogdoches, is released.

— 1996: Longview native Forest Whitaker appears on “The American Film Institute Salute to Clint Eastwood.” 

— 1994: Quitman native Sissy Spacek stars in the TV movie “A Place for Annie.”

— 1993: Atlanta native Tracy Lawrence scores a No. 1 Billboard Hot Country Songs hit with “Alibis.”

— 1992: Gilmer native Johnny Mathis is a guest on “One on One with John Tesh.”

— 1988: Mineola native Noble Willingham stars in the TV movie “Splash Too.”

— 1986: “Delirious” by ZZ Top, with Frankston native Frank Beard on drums, peaks at No. 16 on the Billboard Mainstream Rock chart. 

— 1985: Gilmer native Johnny Mathis appears as himself on “Ryan’s Hope.”

— 1980: At the Academy of Country Music Awards, Tyler native Johnny Gimble wins Fiddle Player of the Year.

— 1979: Mineola native Noble Willingham stars in “Fast Charlie … The Moonbeam Rider” with David Carradine and Brenda Vaccaro.  

— 1976: Wood County native Ray Price’s “That’s All She Wrote” peaks at No. 34 on the Billboard Hot Country Songs chart. 

— 1976: Rodney Crowell, who attended Stephen F. Austin State University in Nacogdoches, appears on the country music documentary “Heartworn Highways.”

— 1976: Atlanta native Nat Stuckey’s “Sun Coming Up” peaks at No. 13 on the Billboard Hot Country Songs chart.

— 1967: Audie Murphy, who grew up near Greenville, stars in “40 Guns to Apache Pass.”

— 1965: Panola County native Jim Reeves’s“This Is It” is the No. 1 hit on the Billboard Hot Country Songs chart. 

— 1965: Corsicana native Lefty Frizzell’s song “She’s Gone Gone Gone” is released.

— 1960: Johnny Horton, who grew up in Rusk, performs on “The Ed Sullivan Show.”

—  1950: Whitewright native Guy Wilkerson appears in “Comanche Territory” starring Maureen O’Hara.

— 1943: Panola County native Tex Ritter and Marshall native Henry Roquemore appear in “Raiders of San Joaquin.”

— 1944: Longview native Jean Howard has a featured role in “Bermuda Mystery.”

— 1934: Marshall native Henry Roquemore appears in “Twisted Trails.”

— 1929: Marshall native Henry Roquemore appears in “Anne Against the World.”