1

The Twilight Zone

Image: Artie_Navarre

The first show on our list was a fantasy science-fiction series created and presented by Rod Serling, which ran for five seasons from 1959 to 1964. Each episode presented a standalone story in which characters dealt with often disturbing or unusual events , an experience described as entering "the Twilight Zone", often with a surprise ending.

Since the show appeared, the phrase "Twilight Zone" has become a household term used to describe surreal experiences. The series featured both established stars and younger actors who would become much better known later.

2

Bewitched

Image: RDNE Stock project

America’s favorite witch, Samantha Stephens was the star of Bewitched , a sitcom series that aired from 1964 to 1972. The plot of the show revolves around a witch who marries an ordinary mortal man and leads the life of a typical suburban housewife.

The show was popular and starred Elizabeth Montgomery as Samantha Stephens, Dick York as Darrin Stephens, and Agnes Moorehead as Endora, Samantha’s mother.

3

Gilligan’s Island

Image: Michael

Its iconic soundtrack and Gilligan’s bucket hat remain a part of today’s pop culture. This sitcom aired from 1964 to 1967, and it followed the misadventures of seven castaways trying to survive on an island where they shipwrecked.

Most episodes revolve around the different castaways’ conflicts and their unsuccessful attempts to escape the island, with the ship’s first mate, Gilligan, usually being responsible for the failures.

4

M A S H

Image: The Australian War Memorial

This comedy-drama aired from 1972 to 1983 and was a spinoff of the 1970 film M A S H. The series follows a team of doctors and support staff stationed at the "4077th Mobile Army Surgical Hospital" (hence the name, M A S H) in South Korea during the Korean War.

The series included broad comedy and tragic drama and was one of the highest-rated shows in U.S. television history, regarded by many as one of the greatest television shows of all time. Its final episode remains both the most-watched finale of any television series and the most-watched episode of a scripted series.

5

Mister Rogers' Neighborhood

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Very few people in showbusiness, if any, are as widely appreciated as Fred Rogers, the host of Mister Rogers’ Neighborhood . Both his onstage and offstage persona were filled with a wholesome warmth that became an oasis in an increasingly loud and superficial medium as national television.

His half-hour educational children’s television show ran from 1968 to 2001. The series was aimed primarily at preschool children ages 2 to 5, but it was labeled by PBS as "appropriate for all ages".

6

Knight Rider

Image: Arthur Besnard

The television series that showcased a young David Hasselhoff helping people in distress with his talking car aired from 1982 to 1986. Michael Knight (Hasselhoff’s character) was a modern-day crime-fighter who used a technologically advanced, artificially intelligent automobile.

The car, named KITT, was virtually indestructible due to a high-tech coating applied to it. Knight Rider stories usually depicted either average citizens or ethical heads of corporations being bullied into subservience to an overbearing or ruthless criminal organization.

7

Cheers

Image: Alex Knight

A feelgood series, Cheers aired from 1982 to 1993. It was set in a bar of the same name in Boston, owned by former Red Sox pitcher Sam Malone, where a group of locals met to drink, relax, socialize, and escape from their daily routine.

During its run, Cheers became one of the most popular series in history, received critical acclaim from its start to its end, and is frequently cited as one of the greatest television shows of all time.

8

Sledge Hammer!

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Its short lifespan (two seasons) didn’t prevent Sledge Hammer! from leaving a mark in pop culture. This satirical police sitcom aired from 1986 to 1988 and featured Inspector Sledge Hammer, a volatile agent of the law who solved crimes with outlandish methods. Hammer was accompanied by his partner, Dori Doreau, and the irascible police captain, Trunk.

9

MacGyver

Image: Nipun Haldar

MacGyver was the name of the show and the character who sold a million Swiss Army knives. It was an action-adventure television series starring Richard Dean Anderson as Angus MacGyver, a secret agent armed with remarkable scientific resourcefulness to solve any problem out in the field using any materials at hand.

The show aired from 1985 to 1992 and was a ratings success. While some reboots for the series appeared in the years after its ending, none of those managed to achieve its predecessor’s success.

10

Alf

Image: Erik Mclean

The extra-terrestrial being that crash-landed in the Tanner family garage, Alf, had a hit sitcom that aired from 1986 to 1990. The series starred Max Wright as the ather, Willie Tanner, Anne Schedeen as the mother, Kate Tanner, and Andrea Elson and Benji Gregory as their children, Lynn and Brian Tanner.

As in the case of MacGyver , a few years after the original series ended, some reboots were announced.

1

The Second of July?

The first 4th of July celebration took place spontaneously in Philadelphia in 1777 and included elements that still persist today, such as bonfires, parades, and fireworks. But not everyone was on board. Founding Father John Adams famously refused all invitations to celebrate on account of disagreeing with the date.

For him, celebrations needed to be held on July 2nd, the day independence was voted on, rather than the 4th, when independence was declared , but July 4th became widely accepted because it was the date that appeared on the distributed copies of the document. In a both poetic and ironic turn of events, Adams — along with Jefferson, who penned the document — died on July 4th, 1826, on the 50th anniversary of the Declaration of Independence.

2

Who came up with the turkey pardon?

While many correctly assume that the official Presidential turkey pardon on Thanksgiving is an old event, it was not an official tradition until 1989, under the George H.W. Bush administration . But the roots of the tradition are nearly as old as the holiday itself.

In 1863, President Abraham Lincoln’s young son, Tad, asked to adopt the turkey intended for the Christmas dinner and named it Jack. This didn't become a regular tradition, but it set the precedent for President Kennedy to pardon the turkey gifted to the First Family in 1963 , a custom adopted by many of the following presidents, with Reagan being the first to call it the "presidential pardoning".

3

The anti-pumpkin movement

As a crop native to America, pumpkin is mentioned across American history, including the first Thanksgiving. But before pumpkin pie was a symbol of the holiday, it was a New England dessert that divided the nation.

Thanksgiving was instituted as an official holiday by Abraham Lincoln in 1863, with turkey and pumpkin pie quickly becoming the main dishes on the menu. After the Civil War, the Southern states were reluctant to adopt the holiday and its associated pie, claiming it was a "Yankee tradition" and a celebration of Northern culture. As a way of rejecting what they saw as a cultural imposition, many Southern cooks replaced the pumpkin pie with sweet potato pie, which remains much more common in the South.

4

The 22 years without Christmas

The minute Thanksgiving ends and "All I Want for Christmas Is You" returns to the top of the charts, much of the country gets into the holiday spirit. Surprisingly, just a few centuries ago, and 100 years before the United States was officially formed, Christmas was banned altogether .

During Cromwell’s interregnum (1649-1660), the Puritan-led English Parliament canceled the Christmas festivities of 1644, claiming it was a Catholic festivity of pagan origin. The sentiment echoed across the Atlantic, where the Massachusetts Bay Colony, of Puritan origins, banned Christmas in 1659 and fined those who celebrated or took the day off. The ban remained in place even after the restoration of the Monarchy, and was only lifted in 1681. Ulysses S. Grant declared it a federal holiday in 1870.

5

Mandatory anonymity

Anyone who ever celebrated Mardi Gras in New Orleans knows that masks are an integral part of the event, with those in the parade and many spectators concealing their identity. What many don’t know is that, per Louisiana law, wearing a mask in public is illegal , a statute passed in the 1920s to counteract the Ku Klux Klan’s influence and its intimidation tactics.

So, what happens during Mardi Gras? In the traditional Carnivals, masks were a way for people of all classes to mingle without endangering their reputation. While it is not a requirement for spectators today, anti-mask laws are suspended during Mardi Gras . However, if you are taking part in the parade, masks are not only allowed but mandatory.

6

A very successful campaign

Does your family watch the Rose Bowl Game on January 1st? It’s one of the oldest postseason football games in American history . But, did you know that its origin stems from a tourism campaign?

In the 1890s, the city of Pasadena, California, started celebrating the Tournament of Roses Parade on New Year’s Day as a way to promote the city’s mild weather to tourists on the East Coast . To increase promotion, a postseason college football game was played in 1902, but the result was so lopsided —49-0— that it was not repeated the following years. In 1916, a new game was organized with resounding success, and it has been held annually since then.

7

The original Black Friday

B efore being synonymous with big sales and discounts, Black Friday was synonymous with crisis . The first recorded use of ‘Black Friday’ dates back to 1869, when the stock market suffered a devastating crash due to financial speculation. The economic effects of the crash were so severe that the name connoted calamity and misery.

How did it become associated with the day after Thanksgiving? In the 1950s, Philadelphia received hordes of tourists who came to shop and attend the annual Army-Navy football game the day after Thanksgiving, creating such chaos that the police forces dubbed it the "Black Friday". To counteract the negativity, retailers adopted the name in association with massive discounts.

8

From Decoration to Memorial Day

The last Monday of May, America remembers and honors those who laid down their lives in defense of the country. Friends and relatives of fallen service members gather to lay wreaths and flags in cemeteries ; the Memorial Day holiday also serves as the unofficial starting point for the summer season. But where does this tradition come from?

It wasn’t always Memorial Day. Originally called ‘Decoration Day’, the tradition of adorning graves started after the Civil War , and it was first celebrated on a national scale in 1868. After World War I, the tradition was expanded to include all American soldiers fallen during a military conflict.

9

Hedgehog Day

You might just know about it because of the popular 1993 Bill Murray movie, but Groundhog Day is real, and it’s celebrated every February 2nd. According to tradition, if a groundhog emerging from its burrow sees its shadow, it will go back to hibernate , and there will be six more weeks of winter. If not, spring will come early. But did you know that the tradition usually observed the behavior of a different animal?

Though Groundhog Day is celebrated across America —and even Canada— it was initially a Pennsylvania tradition, brought by German and Dutch immigrants. Back in Europe, they observed the behavior of hedgehogs and badgers to predict the length of winter, but these were not native to America. Looking for a similar local animal, they turned to the groundhog.

10

The 6-month difference

We can name a select few holidays that are celebrated internationally, such as New Year’s Day or Christmas. But what about Labor Day? While nearly 160 countries across the globe celebrate it on May 1st, the U.S. celebrates it six months later , on the first Monday in September.

Labor Day (also known as International Workers’ Day) started as a commemoration of the 1886 Haymarket Affair in Chicago, where a protest for workers’ rights ended with several casualties. As the protest was linked to socialist labor movements, the U.S. government was wary of celebrating workers on that date . As a compromise with labor activists, President Grover Cleveland instituted Labor Day as a federal holiday in 1894, but deliberately chose a date as far away as possible.

1

Elvis Presley

Image: Clem Onojeghuo

Yes, the King of Rock 'n' Roll, who revolutionized music with hits like "Hound Dog," was drafted into the U.S. Army. Presley was offered to serve in the Special Services entertaining troops but chose to serve as a regular soldier.

The most well-known name in entertainment at the time, he was stationed in Germany and earned the rank of Sergeant. There, he met his future wife , Priscilla Beaulieu.

2

Morgan Freeman

Image: Harald Müller

Morgan Freeman, the legendary actor revered for his deep, resonant voice and commanding presence, served as a radar technician in the U.S. Air Force before his acting career took off.

There, he harbored dreams of becoming a fighter pilot. Eventually, though, his time in the cockpit revealed that flying was not his true passion.

3

Humphrey Bogart

Image: Tomas Martinez

The iconic star of Casablanca served in the U.S. Navy during World War I. He worked as a coxswain aboard the USS Leviathan , transporting troops to Europe.

Some versions attribute his signature lip scar —and, by extension, his unique speech—to an injury during his service, though some claim it was from a brawl or childhood incident.

4

Jimi Hendrix

Image: Aditya Wardhana

Jimi Hendrix is widely regarded as one of the greatest guitarists in history. What’s less known about him is that he served as a paratrooper with the 101st Airborne Division back in the 60s.

Even less known is that he enlisted in the Army at age 19 as part of a deal to avoid jail time after being caught joyriding stolen cars. He completed 26 parachute jumps before being honorably discharged a year later due to injuries.

5

Bea Arthur

Image: Ajeet Mestry

Yes, Bea Arthur, one of the beloved Golden Girls , was also a trailblazer as one of the first women to serve in the U.S. Marine Corps during WWII.

Her sharp wit and memorable roles like Dorothy Zbornak earned her multiple awards and the hearts of many Americans. But before acting, she had worked as a typist and truck driver for the Marine Corps, eventually reaching the rank of Staff Sergeant.

6

Bob Ross

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Can you believe that the cherished, gentle-voiced host of The Joy of Painting served in the U.S. Air Force for 20 years?

Bob Ross, the soothing icon of creativity and positivity who taught millions how to paint in the famous PBS series, was once a Master Sergeant. He worked as a medical records technician stationed in Alaska. It is said that he once vowed never to yell again after retiring.

7

Mr. T

Image: Skitterphoto

Mr. T, born Laurence Tureaud, is recognized for his role in Rocky III and the hit television series The A-Team. Before his rise to fame, though, he was a military police officer in the 1970s.

There, he stood out in basic training, so much so that he was named the top trainee out of 6,000 recruits. An anecdote retells that he was ordered by his sergeant to chop trees down as a punishment. After one hour, he had chopped down 70 trees and was told to stop.

8

Adam Driver

Image: Venti Views

Actor Adam Driver is known for his roles in films like Marriage Story and the Star Wars trilogy . Few know that he enlisted in the U.S. Marine Corps after 2001 and served for nearly three years before being discharged for a mountain biking injury.

Driver served as a mortar in the 1st Battalion, 1st Marines. After being discharged, he co-founded Arts in the Armed Forces , a nonprofit that brought art programs to military personnel and families.

9

Chuck Norris

Image: Andrea De Santis

Chuck Norris, the action star legend, was once an Air Policeman in the U.S. Air Force. It was there, in fact, where he first began his training in martial arts.

A pop culture icon for his tough-guy image and humorously exaggerated abilities, he was deployed to an air base in South Korea in the late 50s. There, he earned black belts for multiple disciplines in martial arts , including Tang Soo Do and Taekwondo.

10

Johnny Cash

Image: Markus Spiske

Here's another musician who had a career in the military. Johnny Cash, the legendary country singer, was a radio operator in the U.S. Air Force.

The "Man in Black" was a Morse Code listener intercepting Soviet transmissions in West Germany during the Korean War. Allegedly, it was during this time that he bought his first guitar and began writing songs.

11

Paul Newman

Image: Keanu K

The blue-eyed actor from Butch Cassidy and the Sundance Kid also served as a radioman and gunner during World War II. He trained as a pilot but was reassigned as an operator and rear gunner due to colorblindness.

In fact, he avoided flying in the Okinawa campaign due to an ear infection his pilot had. This saved both their lives, and Newman lived on to become a Hollywood legend and philanthropist.

12

Clint Eastwood

Image: Brice Cooper

Clint Eastwood, the iconic actor and filmmaker, was drafted into the U.S. Army during the Korean War. He worked as a swimming instructor for the 35th Infantry Regiment.

He even survived the crash landing of a Navy torpedo bomber with engine problems. He and his pilot had to swim two miles to shore near Point Reyes, California.

13

James Earl Jones

Image: Piotr Makowski

Before lending his iconic voice to Darth Vader and Mufasa, James Earl Jones trained as an Army Ranger and served as a second lieutenant in the Korean War.

After graduating from college in the 50s, he was assigned to the Army's 2nd Infantry Division in Korea. He received an honorable discharge as a first lieutenant in 1955 and went on to pursue the same career his father had: acting.