Columns

This was the date that Canadian content music quotas first came into effect for AM radio stations. Victoria’s second radio station CKDA started broadcasting, some 27 years after the first station debuted. Lee Majors’ starring vehicle, ‘The Six Million Dollar Man’ premiered on ABC-TV. CBS-TV aired the 100th episodes of both the sitcom ‘Good Times’ and ‘Northern Exposure,’ 17 years apart. And prolific producer Norman Lear scored yet another sitcom spinoff as ‘The Jeffersons’ (as pictured) debuted on CBS-TV. ALL the milestones for Jan. 18th INSIDE.

On this day in 1959, Vancouver radio station C-FUN 1410 AM took out a full page ad heralding it’s spanking new studio facilities at 1900 West 4th Avenue. Rock Hudson was born this day in 1925. Vancouver former sportscaster Jim Robson (picture) is 89 today..

71 years ago today, NBC-TV aired the premiere ediition of the longrunning ‘Today Show,’ hosted by the legendary Dave Garroway (pictured). ‘The Bionic Woman’ starring Lindsay Wagner debuted on ABC-TV, while ‘The Dukes of Hazzard’ started its run on CBS. One billion viewers worldwide watched the live TV special, ‘Elvis – Aloha from Hawaii.’ David Letterman announced his pending departure from NBC, and then 7 years later to the date underwent emergency open heart surgery. ALL the milestones for Jan. 14th INSIDE.

After more than 13 years on ABC-TV’s daytime schedule ‘Ryan’s Hope’ aired its final episode. The Canadian band Rush headlined a “Canada for Asia” tsunami-relief CBC telethon in Toronto. The ‘made-in Canada’ action series ‘La Femme Nikita’ debuted on the USA cable channel. The 100th episode of NYPD Blue aired on ABC. Samantha (Eliz. Montgomery) gave birth to baby Tabitha on ABC-TV’s ‘Bewitched.’ And we lost two luminaries of early CBC television as comedian Frank Shuster and news anchor Earl Cameron died. ALL the milestones for Jan. 13th INSIDE.

‘Sam ‘n’ Henry,’ the local Chicago series that set the pattern for the legendary national radio hit, ‘Amos ‘n’ Andy’ debuted on WGN. Another Chicago origination, the hit children’s puppet show ‘Kukla Fran & Ollie’ had its premiere on NBC-TV. The live-action (Pow! Zonk!) ‘Batman’ series debuted on ABC-TV. And ‘All in the Family’ episode 1 was seen on CBS, featuring TV’s first toilet flush. Happy Birthday to Rush Limbaugh, Howard Stern, and Christiane Amanpour! ALL the milestones for Jan. 12th INSIDE!

Eleven months before the sneak attack on Pearl Harbour, CBS demonstrated small screen color television. Clint Eastwood (pictured) began his ascent of the star ladder as the western series ‘Rawhide’ had its premiere on CBS-TV. NBC-TV debuted a future sitcom hit ‘3rd Rock from the Sun’; Pat Sajak became the latest challenger to Johnny Carson with a late night talk show on CBS-TV; The same network introduced “The Late Late Show” post midnight, hosted at first by Tom Snyder; And the ethnic sitcom ‘Little Mosque on the Prairie’ debuted on CBC-TV. ALL the milestones for Jan. 9th INSIDE.

Edmonton’s adopted son Robert Goulet (pictured) made his US TV debut on “The Ed Sullivan Show” on CBS, singing “If Ever I Would Leave You.” The PBS children’s show headliner Mister Rogers was honored with his own star on the Hollywood Walk of Fame. And the NBC-TV drama series Providence, which introduced Melina Kanakaredes in her first TV lead role, made its debut. ALL milestones for Jan. 8th INSIDE.

Red Skelton got his first weekly starring vehicle on the NBC Red radio network. The well-remembered OTR ‘squeaky door’ show ‘Inner Sanctum Mysteries’ debuted on NBC Blue. For the first time TV cameras were allowed inside the House of Commons in Ottawa. The Peoples Choice Awards named ‘Deal or No Deal’ with Canada’s Howie Mandel (pictured) as favorite game show. Midday’ with Vallerie Pringle and Bill Cameron debuted on CBC Television as a daytime version of ‘The Journal.’

Ronald Colman (pictured with wife Benita Hume) debuted in their own weekly NBC radio series, ‘The Halls of Ivy.’ The Global Television Network began with a toehold in Southern Ontario; That same day the CBS Radio Mystery Theater with host E.G. Marshall began its 9-year run; And zookeeper Marlin Perkins introduced his wildlife TV series that would run for 25 years, ‘Mutual of Omaha’s Wild Kingdom.’ ALL the milestones for Jan. 6th INSIDE.