Tuesday March the 9th

ON THIS DAY in 1902                                                        
                                                                                              
actor Will Geer was born William Auge Ghere in Frankfort Indiana.  At the end of a 45 year film career he foiund the role with which he will be forever identified, as Grampa on the CBS TV series, The Waltons. He died of a respiratory ailment Apr 22, 1978 at age 76.  

In 1918, the "King of the Pulp Novelists" Mickey Spillane was born Frank Morrison Spillane in Brooklyn.  He created detective Mike Hammer, who was the subject of severalmovies and two TV series for which Spillane was involved in the writing. He died from cancer July 17, 2006 at age 88.

In 1921, actor Carl Betz (below) was born in Pittsburgh.  He was a radio announcer who took up acting, and starred in two successful TV series, as the husband (Dr. Alex Stone) on The Donna Reed Show, and as the title character in Judd for the Defense.  He succumbed to lung cancer Jan 18, 1978 at age 66.
                      

In 1922, radio station KJR Seattle, began broadcasting.  It became an NBC affiliate, was a rock powerhouse in the 60's, and is now total Sports Talk.

In 1928, the first telephone call between Vancouver and London, England took place.

In 1942, Tommy Dorsey and his orchestra recorded the future big band smash, Well, Git It! for Victor Records. Ziggy Elman was featured on the Hollywood session, Sy Oliver arranged the Dorsey classic.

In 1945, "Those Websters" debuted on CBS radio. Willard Waterman starred as George Webster. Later, Waterman would have an even more memorable starring role as the lead in The Great Gildersleeve.

                                                                                                        
In 1954, this was the day the critics called "TV's coming of age." Edward R. Murrow presented his report on the controversial Wisconsin Senator, Joseph R. McCarthy.

Also in 1954, WNBT-TV (now WNBC-TV), New York, broadcast the first local color television commercials -- for Castro Decorators of New York City. Castro were the folks who made the Castro convertible sofa beds. The TV commercial featured a little girl (a member of the Castro family) opening a big couch into a bed. It was so-o-o easy! Let me see you try it.

In 1959, Jack Paar was featured on the cover of LIFE magazine.He was accused, the article said, of "keeping the U.S. up nights." With show regulars, Dody Goodman, Alexander King, Cliff Arquette, announcer Hugh Downs and bandleader Jose Melis, there was little wonder why Paar caused such excitement in television's late night on NBC.

In 1961, "I Want a Guy,'' the first Supremes' single under that name, was released.

In 1966, an amazingly popular CBC series Wojeck starring John Vernon was born as an episode of The Bob Hope Theatre.  The stories of a crusading coroner led to the later series Quincy, M.E. and Da Vinci's Inquest.

Also in 1966, the Beach Boys recorded "God Only Knows."

                                                      
In 1969, the Smothers Brothers' T-V show was canceled by C-B-S following a controversy over remarks made by Joan Baez. The brothers had refused to censor comments about her husband, who was going to jail for objecting to the draft.

In 1972, Allen Klein presented UNICEF with the first cheque of 1.2-million dollars from the proceeds of George Harrison's Bangladesh concert and L-P.

In 1974, the Grand Ole Opry played its last Saturday night show at the Ryman Auditorium in downtown Nashville. The Opry moved to a modern auditorium at Opryland, a multi-million-dollar amusement park on the outskirts of the city.

Also in 1974, Vancouver's Terry Jacks was starting week two of a three-week stay at the top of the pop charts with his uplifting ditty, Seasons in the Sun.
                

Also on this date in 1974, the British hard rock band Bad Company played its first concert at Newcastle, England.

In 1975, mentalist/magician Joseph Dunninger died at age 82.  He had appeared in his own show on radio (Blue Network) beginning in 1943, and did many guest spots on TV in the 50's and 60's.

Also in 1975, Elvis Presley began his final recording session at RCA's Hollywood studios.

In 1976, Who drummer Keith Moon collapsed onstage at the start of a concert in the Boston Garden.

In 1977, The Jacksons TV show was aired for the last time on CBS, finishing at the bottom of the ratings.

In 1979, ABC-TV aired the documentary "Heroes of Rock & Roll."

In 1981, Dan Rather became primary anchorman of CBS-TV News, succeeding Walter Cronkhite.  

In 1982, announcer Rex Marshall who was a live commercial spokesman in the early days of US television, died.

                                                            
In 1983, TV pioneer Faye Emerson, who appeared as often as herself as she did in dramatic roles,
on shows from US Steel Hour to I've Got a Secret, died of stomach cancer at age 65.

In 1985, "Tears Are Not Enough'' by Northern Lights, the Canadian record in aid of Ethiopian famine relief, was released. The song was written by Bryan Adams and his regular songwriting partner, Jim Vallance.

Also on this date in 1985, bandleader and record producer Robert (Bumps) Blackwell, died of pneumonia at 66.

In 1986, CBS newsman Ned Calmer, who anchored CBS Radio's World News Roundup, and hosted In the First Person on TV, died at age 78.

                                                                                                    
In 1987, Carole King was inducted into the Songwriters Hall of Fame in New York City.

Also in 1987, U2's "The Joshua Tree,'' which sold nearly six-million copies in the U-S alone, was released.

In 1991, Mariah Carey started a two week run at No.1 on the Billboard singles chart with 'Someday', her third US No.1 song.

In 1992, CKST Coast 800 moved it's struggling "modern rock" format from the weak AM 800 frequency in Langley to downtown Vancouver and 1040 on the AM dial.

In 1993, Michael Jackson twisted his ankle and had to use crutches and a wheelchair on stage at the Soul Train music awards show in Los Angeles. He performed "Remember the Time," sitting in the chair as other performers danced around him.

Also on this date in 1993, swing-era bandleader Bob Crosby, younger brother of Bing, died of cancer at age 80.
                                                  

Again in 1993, winners of People's Choice awards included actors Tim Allen, Candice Bergen, Kevin Costner and Whoopi Goldberg. Garth Brooks and Whitney Houston were named favorite male and female musical performers.

In 1995, Scott Amedure (AH'-mih-door), a talk-show guest on "The Jenny Jones Show," was shot to death by Jonathan Schmitz, a friend who also appeared on the show. Schmitz had been surprised three days earlier during the taping of the show about secret admirers when Amedure admitted he had a crush on Schmitz. The show never aired.

In 1996, comedian George Burns died at the age of 100.

Also in 1996, David Clayton-Thomas (below) of Blood, Sweat and Tears, John Kay of Steppenwolf, Denny Doherty of the Mamas and Papas, Zal Yanovsky of the Lovin' Spoonful and rock guitarist Dominic Troiano were inducted into the Juno Hall of Fame. At the same ceremony in Toronto, Ronnie Hawkins was honoured with the Walt Grealis Achievement Award for his contribution to the development of the Canadian music industry.
        

Again on this date in 1996, "One Fine Day" by Mariah Carey and Boys II Men topped the Billboard Hot 100 singles chart for the 15th week, a record for the rock era.

In 1997, rapper The Notorious BIG was gunned down in a drive-by shooting in Los Angeles. He was 24. Fellow rapperTupac Shakur had been killed in Las Vegas the previous fall.

In 2004, Alf Bicknell, chauffeur to the Beatles at the height of their fame and inspiration for the song, "Baby You Can Drive My Car,'' died at 75 at his home in Oxford.

Also in 2004, singer Tom Jones was banned from wearing tight leather pants by his own son and manager Mark Jones. His son said it was time to “dress his age” as he was in danger of becoming a laughing stock at age 63.

                                                                        
In 2005, Dan Rather did his last "Dan Rather Reporting" radio segment for the CBS Radio Network after 20 years. (Rather also left as anchor of TV's CBS Evening News on this date.)

In 2007, Brad Delp, lead singer of the rock band Boston, committed suicide by carbon monoxide poisoning in at his home in the New Hampshire town of Atkinson. Boston had the 1986 US No.1 single 'Amanda.'


Today's Birthdays:

Singer-actress Keely Smith is 78.

Singer Lloyd Price is 77.

Actress Joyce Van Patten (Unhappily Ever After, Don Rickles Show) is 76.

Actor-comedian Marty Ingels (I'm Dickens He's Fenster, Pruitts of Southampton) is 74.

Country singer Mickey Gilley is 74.

Singer Mark Lindsay of Paul Revere and the Raiders is 68.

Former ABC News anchor Charles Gibson is 67.

Actress Trish Van Devere (One Life to Live, Search for Tomorrow) is 67.

Guitarist Robin Trower (Procol Harum) is 65.

English rock guitarist Jim Cregan is 64.

Guitarist-harmonica player Jimmie Fadden of The Nitty Gritty Dirt Band is 62.

Singer Jeffrey Osborne is 62.  

Actress Jaime Lyn Bauer (Days of Our Lives) is 61.

TV journalist Faith Daniels (Dateline, A Closer Look) is 53.

Bassist Robert Sledge (Ben Folds Five) is 42.

Rapper C-Miller (formerly C-Murder) is 39.

Actor Emmanuel Lewis (Webster) is 39.

Actress Jean Louisa Kelly (Yes, Dear, Cold Feet) is 38.

Actor Kerr Smith (Justice, Charmed, Dawson's Creek) is 38.

Montreal-born TV host Ben Mulroney (Canadian Idol, eTalk Daily) is 34.

Rapper Chingy is 28.

Actress Brittany Snow (Nip/Tuck, American Dreams) is 24.

Rapper Bow Wow is 23.

Actor Luis Armand Garcia (George Lopez) is 18.


Chart Toppers - March 9

1944
Mairzy Doats - The Merry Macs
Besame Mucho - The Jimmy Dorsey Orchestra (vocal: Bob Eberly & Kitty Kallen
No Love, No Nothin’ - Ella Mae Morse
Ration Blues - Louis Jordan

1953
Till I Waltz Again with You - Teresa Brewer
Don’t Let the Stars Get in Your Eyes - Perry Como
Doggie in the Window - Patti Page
Kaw-Liga - Hank Williams

1962
Duke of Earl - Gene Chandler
Hey! Baby - Bruce Channel
Crying in the Rain - The Everly Brothers
Misery Loves Company - Porter Wagoner

1971
One Bad Apple - The Osmonds
Me and Bobby McGee - Janis Joplin
Just My Imagination (Running Away with Me) - The Temptations
I’d Rather Love You - Charley Pride

1980
Crazy Little Thing Called Love - Queen
Longer - Dan Fogelberg
Desire - Andy Gibb
My Heroes Have Always Been Cowboys - Willie Nelson

1989
Lost in Your Eyes - Debbie Gibson
The Lover in Me - Sheena Easton
The Living Years - Mike & The Mechanics
I Still Believe in You - The Desert Rose Band

1998
My Heart Will Go On - Celine Dion
3 AM - Matchbox 20
Gettin’ Jiggy Wit It - Will Smith
Round About Way - George Strait

2007
What Goes Around... Comes Around - Justin Timberlake
Say It Right - Nelly Furtado
It’s Not Over - Daughtry
Ladies Love Country Boys - Trace Adkins