I thought the Million Dollar Movie, which played it practically incessantly, made King Kong (and Fay Wray) part of the "time" of many generations that followed the one that first saw it in theaters. (More: Or was the Million Dollar Movie I'm thinking of strictly a New York thing?)

Right on about Linda Thorson; She was a disaster as Tara King, but Joanna Lumley as Purdey, in The New Avengers, did an excellent job of resurrecting the franchise; I don't remember ever having seen Honor Blackman.

I never heard of "Million Dollar Movie" so I searched DuckDuckGo and found several references to it as a production of WOR channel 9 NY/NJ but no references outside of that area.

Certainly it never made it out to the rustic regions of Texas where I lived. We didn't get a tv station until the mid '50s and Million Dollar Movie ran from 1955 until 1965. The most exciting show we had was live wrestling from the local Sportatorium.

I belatedly remembered that Million Dollar Movie aired on Channel 9, which was a local station that probably couldn't push its signal much farther than PA/CT, if that far.

King Kong was a staple on the Million Dollar Movie, seemingly running for weeks on end.

In connection with my dad's learning how to repair TVs to supplement his teacher's salary we had one in '46 or so, in the reeeally early days of TV, so I remember shows and characters most people my age have never heard of.

(If you can locate it, there's a fascinating documentary about ‎Merian C. Cooper, who was responsible for King Kong, and whose 1925 movie Grass is also marvelous watching.)

WOR Channel 9 made it at least into Westchester County (and probably out into Long Island and New Jersey, maybe even Pennsylvania and Connecticut).
It ran Million Dollar Movies — eg, Mighty Joe Young, King Kong, etc — one right after the other, day and night. Good stuff.
Frankly, I preferred The Late Show and The Late Late Show, which often ran lesser known but outstanding films night after night in the late '50s.

Channel 9 broadcast out of Secaucus, NJ, so the Million Dollar Movie definitely reached NY, NJ, and eastern PA, but CT might be a stretch. I watched it in Brooklyn, Westchester makes sense, and Long Island probably depended on how far east you lived,

Did it really run all day? I remember its having started out as a pre-dinnertime show and later extending to a second feature, but I didn't pay all that much attention to it after seeing King Kong for the 50th or 60th time. Mighty Joe Young...yeah...kinda, but Joe just plain wasn't Kong!

You forgot the Late Late Late show.

I did the 3 movie overnight many times during my Brooklyn College years...when I should have been doing homework or studying, and you're correct about its offerings having been better, much better, in fact, than those of the Million Dollar Movie.

The Late Show was yesteryear's TCM.

One of the all-time great actors, Albert Finney. HIs portrayal of Tom Jones was incomparable.

The only baseball player to win the Most Valuable Player in both the American and National Leagues, and the first African-American MLB manager, Frank Robinson, dies at 83.

Albert Finney played lesser roles in his last films, but one that stands out for me (because I'm a sentimental fool) is Ridley Scott's A Good Year, wherein he plays Russell Crowe's uncle. Lovely film, excellent actor.

Mars Rover

Twelve years into a mission that was scheduled to last for ninety days. Rover traveled 25 miles on the Martian surface, took thousands of pictures, and changed the scientific view of Mars. Well Done Rover!

"Fight Back!" star and consumer advocate David Horowitz.

Renowned Island poet Patrick Lane dies at 79

His and wife Lorna Crozier's poetry is exquisitely sensual.

A man who was on more hit records than most rock stars, great session drummer Hal Blaine.

What?! Nobody here liked Luke Perry?

Kendrick Castillo, heroic student who put his friends' lives ahead of his own.

Another passing: Doris Day I grew up knowing her as a movie star and singer. RIP, Doris.

Tim Conway, Beloved TV Bumbler, Is Dead at 85

Funny funny man.

His bit about the Siamese elephants attached at their trunks trumpeting on The Carol Burnett Show which 'wasted' the cast on screen does the same to me every time I recall it ... even 40-some years later. Laughter is the best medicine.

Bill Buckner.
Unfortunately he will be most remembered for his 1986 World Series error, but he was a National League batting champ, and will always be remembered fondly by Los Angeles Dodger fans for his years of play with that team.

One of my favourite singers, Leon Redbone.

And, yet another, Dr John.

RE Leon Redbone & Dr John
Sad to lose them, but their talent and music live on ... if you're lucky enough, you've got them on vinyl.