According to Forrest Gump's mom, life is like a box of chocolates -- and in the entertainment world, it was hard to say what you were going to get in 1995. Tony Bennett won a Grammy, Miss America is keeping the swimsuits, the Beatles are back and a new James Bond took to the silver screen.
But some of the biggest news was the creation of mega-media companies as ABC/Capital Cities joined Disney, Westinghouse united with CBS and Turner Broadcasting and Time Warner announced a merger deal.
Here's a sampling of some of the year's top entertainment stories.
March 1, 1995 - Tony Bennett wins album of the year Grammy
Crooner Tony Bennett copped his third consecutive Grammy for traditional pop album, but also walked away with Album of the Year honors for his "MTV Unplugged" album. Bennett, who won his first Grammy with "I Left My Heart in San Francisco" in 1969, has enjoyed a wave of popularity among younger fans in recent years.
Other big winners in Los Angeles were best new artist Sheryl Crow, who also won record of the year and female Pop Vocal for "All I Wanna Do"; Bruce Springsteen, song of the year for "Streets of Philadelphia," male rock vocal, rock song, and song written for a motion picture or television; and Babyface, rhythm and blues male vocal for "When Can I See You."
March 27, 1995 - Tom Hanks wins second 'best actor' Oscar in a row
Only two actors have won back-to-back Oscars for best actor, and the feats came nearly 60 years apart. Spencer Tracy did it in the 1930s -- and now Tom Hanks has repeated.
Hanks, who won the best actor Oscar in 1994 for "Philadelphia," picked up another Academy Award for "Forrest Gump." "Gump" also brought home the director's honor for Robert Zemeckis, and four other Oscars.
Other Academy Award winners: Jessica Lange (best actress in "Blue Sky"), Martin Landau (best supporting actor in "Ed Wood"), Dianne Wiest (best supporting actress in "Bullets Over Broadway"); "Burnt by the Sun" (best foreign language film), and "A Strong Clear Vision" (best feature documentary).
March 31, 1995 - Tejano singing star shot to death
Tejano sensation Selena was shot to death in a Corpus Christi motel room by the president of her fan club, Yolanda Saldivar. Saldivar admitted the shooting, but said it was accidental.
Prosecutors contended that Saldivar shot Selena in a dispute over whether Saldivar had embezzled money from Selena's boutique. A jury returned a guilty verdict on October 23, prompting raucous celebrations among Selena's fans.
May 27, 1995 - 'Superman' actor paralyzed in riding accident
Actor Christopher Reeve suffered a major spinal injury in a horse-riding accident at the Commonwealth Park equestrian facility in Culpepper County, Virginia. Reeve's horse stopped short at a jump, and threw the actor, who played "Superman" in three movies, onto the ground.
Doctors at the University of Virginia Medical Center performed surgery to stabilize Reeve's spine on June 5. Later in June he transferred to the Kessler Institute in West Orange, New Jersey for rehabilitation.
His first public appearance was at the annual dinner of the Creative Coalition in New York on October 16.
June 27, 1995 - Hugh Grant spectacle
Another actor made headlines a month after Reeve's accident - - Hugh Grant ("Four Weddings and a Funeral," "The Englishman Who Went Up A Hill And Came Down A Mountain") was arrested in Hollywood for having a very public liaison with Divine Brown, an alleged prostitute.
Grant took to the talk shows to apologize for his behavior, and won a few accolades for being honest and taking responsibility for his actions.
July, 1995 - Disney picks up Capitol Cities/ABC
Disney got some media merger mania started with a$19 billion acquisition of Capitol Cities/ABC. The companies merged The Mouse and "The Lion King" with ESPN and shows like "Home Improvement."
August 9, 1995 - Jerry Garcia dies
Jerry Garcia, the 53-year-old guitarist and co-founder in 1965 of the Grateful Dead, died of a heart attack at a Northern California residential drug treatment center. Fans held impromptu memorial services across the United States that lasted for days. The remaining members of the Dead announced the dissolution of the band on December 8.
The Grateful Dead blended blues, rock, country and folk music with a dash of the psychedelic sound of the '60s counter-culture that grew out of their home base of San Francisco. For three decades, the Dead became one of the most popular concert draws in the world.
Songs like "Truckin'," "Casey Jones," and "Friend of the Devil" were staples of album rock radio, yet the Grateful Dead only had one top 10 hit, "Touch of Gray," in 1987.
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