Tuesday November the 6th
ON THIS DAY in 1896, actor Jim Jordan, the man behind the iconic radio sitcom
Fibber McGee & Molly, was born. Together with wife Marian & writer Don Quinn, he created the form of most broadcast comedies that followed, with regular characters and running gags. Fibber McGee's overstuffed closet, created only through sound effects, is one of the great memories of radio. The show ran for 25 years, until the end of radio's golden age. Jordan died Apr 1, 1988 at age 91, due to a blood clot to the brain.
On this day in 1899, actor William Gillette
starred in Sherlock Holmes at the production's debut in New York City. 31 years later Gillette would be razor sharp introducing Holmes on the radio.
On this day in 1901, singer/actress
Juanita Hall
was born in Keyport NJ. Best remembered as Bloody Mary in "South Pacific" on Broadway (Tony Award) & the movies, she was a regular on the 1948 TV show Capt Billy's Mississippi Music Hall. She died February 28 1968 at age 66, due to diabetes.
On this day in 1916,
choral/orchestra leader Ray Conniff was born. His big hits on Columbia included Somewhere My Love (Dr. Zhivago) and S'wonderful. He died Oct 12, 2002 at 85, following a stroke.
On this day in 1928, orchestra leader Peter Matz
was born in Pittsburgh. He was musical director for the Carol Burnett Show for 6 years; also Hullabaloo, plus half-a-dozen film series. Peter succumbed to lung cancer at age 73 Aug. 9, 2002.
This day in 1936 was the day that big band icon
Woody Herman
played in his first recording session. He waxed Wintertime Dreams (Decca disc #1056).
On this day in 1936, RCA displayed a 343-line TV system for the press as part of NBC's tenth anniversary celebration. (As of 1940, the NTSC line minimum was standardized at 525. )
On this day in 1939, the first commercial TV station in the US, General Elctric's WGY-TV Schenectady, NY, began service.
On this day in 1945, the HUAC (House Un-American Activities Committee) began an investigation of 7 radio commentators. The committee considered its duty to purge any influences of communism from America.
On this day in 1947, "Meet the Press"
debuted on NBC TV making it the longest running TV show in U.S. broadcast history. It started as a Mutual radio show in 1945.
On this day in 1948, the No. 1 Billboard Pop Hit was "Buttons and Bows'' by Dinah Shorep.
On this day in 1954, "This Ole House" by Rosemary Clooney topped the charts and stayed there for 3 weeks.
On this day in 1955, for the first time a feature film debuted on TV before being shown in theatres. US viewers coast to coast watched Rex Harrison and Margaret Leighton star in "The Constant Husband" on NBC TV.
On this day in 1957, "The Lucy-Desi Comedy Hour"
premiered on CBS. During this series, the couple agreed to divorce.
On this day in 1961, the song "Big Bad John" by Jimmy Dean topped the charts and stayed there for 5 weeks.
On this day in 1965, the Rolling Stones, Strangeloves and Fontella Bass appeared on "Shindig!" That same day the Stones' "Get Off My Cloud" topped the charts and stayed there for 2 weeks.
On this day in 1966, for the first time a network's entire lineup was televised in color (NBC).
On this day in 1967, Phil Donahue began a TV talk show in Dayton, Ohio.
Later, the show moved to Chicago, was syndicated by Multimedia Productions and was highly rated for years.
On this day in 1972, while on a tour of England, the drummer for the "New York Dolls" Billy Murcia choked to death at age 21 after overdosing on a mixture of drugs and alcohol.
On this day in 1973, singer Gram Parsons' manager,
Phil Kaufman,
was fined 300 dollars for stealing Parsons' body from the Los Angeles International Airport. The body was cremated instead of taken to Parsons' funeral. Kaufman claimed that it was Parsons' wish to be cremated.
On this day in 1975,
the Sex Pistols made their performance debut at St. Martin's School of Art in London. Ten minutes into the gig, the school's social programmer pulled the plug on the band's amplifiers.
On this day in 1978, actress Flora Campbell died of cancer at 67. She was featured in the TV series Faraway Hill, Date With Judy, Love is a Many Splendored Thing, and Love of Life.
On this day in 1982, the song "Up Where We Belong" by Joe Cocker & Jennifer Warnes topped the charts and stayed there for 3 weeks.
On this day in 1984, Marvin Gay (correct) Senior received five years' probation for shooting his son, singer
Marvin Gaye.
Beginning his career at Motown in 1961, Gaye quickly became Motown's top solo male artist and scored numerous hits during the 1960s, among them "Stubborn Kind of Fellow", "How Sweet It Is (To Be Loved By You)", "I Heard It Through the Grapevine", and several hit duets with Tammi Terrell, including "Ain't No Mountain High Enough" and "You're All I Need to Get By", before moving on to his own form of musical self-expression.
His father pleaded no contest to voluntary manslaughter.
On this day in 1985, actor Joel Crothers
died of a heart attack at 44. (Other sources blame cancer, or AIDS.) He had many prime time guest roles, but was best known for a stint on Dark Shadows & a raft of other daytime soaps ... Secret Storm, Another World, Edge of Night, Somerset, and Santa Barbara.
On this day in 1986, the No. 1 Billboard Pop Hit was "Amanda'' by Boston. The song was from the album "Third Stage,'' which was eight years in the making.
Also this day in 1986, New York's WOR-TV paid $182,000 per episode of The Cosby Show -- for the fall, 1988 season. The price was a record offering for a syndicated show. It beat the previous mark of $80,000 per show (for Cheers).
On this day in 1988, Ringo Starr and his wife, Barbara Bach, announced they were seeking treatment for alcoholism.
On this day in 1990, comic/TV personality Arsenio Hall
got a star on Hollywood's Walk of Fame.
On this day in 1993, Pearl Jam's smash album Vs. rose to #1 in the U.S. where it remained for five weeks.
Also this day in 1998, "I'd Do Anything for Love" by Meat Loaf topped the charts and stayed there for 5 weeks.
Still on this day in 1998,
Romeo Leblanc
awarded the Governor-General's Performing Arts Awards at Rideau Hall. Winners included the CBC comedy team Royal Canadian Air Farce, singer Bruce Cockburn, tenor Jon Vickers, and film producer Rock Demers.
Yet one more item for this day in 1998: jazz producer Sumner "Sonny" Lester sued EMI, Capitol, and Blue Note Records, Blue Note CEO Bruce Lundvall, reissue firm Mosaic Records, and Mosaic principals Michael Cuscuna and Charlie Lourie, claiming that the labels reissued recordings allegedly held exclusively by Lester without authorization. The recordings in question included sessions by Jimmy McGriff, Junior Parker, Jeremy Steig, Chick Corea, Thad Jones & Mel Lewis, and Dizzy Gillespie.(below)
On this day in 1999, former Sex Pistols and Public Image Ltd. frontman Johnny Lydon, better known as Johnny Rotten, debuted an online radio show at http://www.eyada.com. The show, dubbed "Rotten Radio," was taped in Lydon's living room in Los Angeles and webcast every Saturday.
On this day in 2001, Britney Spears' album "Britney" was released.
Today's Birthdays:
Director/writer/comedian Mike Nichols (Nichols & May) is 76.
Country singer Stonewall Jackson is 75.
Singer Eugene Pitt (The Jive Five) is 70.
Singer P.J. Proby is 69.
Country singer Guy Clark is 66.
Rocker Bill Henderson (Chilliwack) is 63.
Actress Sally Field (Brothers & Sisters, Flying Nun) is 61.
Pop singer-musician Glenn Frey (The Eagles) is 59.
Jazz musician Arturo Sandoval is 58.
Winnipeg-born dhildren's entertainer Fred Penner (Fred Penner's Place) is 52.
California's first lady, broadcast journalist Maria Shriver, is 52.
Actress Lori Singer (Fame) is 50.
Actor Lance Kerwin (james at 15) is 47.
Rock musician Paul Brindley (The Sundays) is 44.
Rock singer Corey Glover is 43.
Actor Peter DeLuise (Stargate SG-1, Robson Arms, SeaQuest DSV) is 41.
Actress Kelly Rutherford (E-Ring, Threat Matrix, The District) is 39.
Actress Thandie Newton (ER) is 35.
Model-actress Rebecca Romijn (Pepper Dennis, Just Shoot Me) is 35.
Actress/writer Nicole Dubuc(Our House: writer- Kim Possible, My Friends Tigger & Pooh) is 29.
Actress Mercedes Kastner (Beverly Hills 90210) is 18.
Chart Toppers
November 6
1945
Till the End of Time - Perry Como
I’ll Buy that Dream - The Pied Pipers
That’s for Me - Dick Haymes
With Tears in My Eyes - Wesley Tuttle
1953
Vaya Con Dios - Les Paul & Mary Ford
You, You, You - The Ames Brothers
Ebb Tide - The Frank Chacksfield Orchestra
I Forgot More Than You’ll Ever Know - The Davis Sisters
1961
Big Bad John - Jimmy Dean
Fool #1 - Brenda Lee
This Time - Troy Shondell
Walk on By - Leroy Van Dyke
1969
Suspicious Minds - Elvis Presley
Wedding Bell Blues - The 5th Dimension
Baby It’s You - Smith
The Ways to Love a Man - Tammy Wynette
1977
You Light Up My Life - Debby Boone
Nobody Does It Better - Carly Simon
Boogie Nights - Heatwave
I’m Just a Country Boy - Don Williams
1985
Part-Time Lover - Stevie Wonder
Miami Vice Theme - Jan Hammer
Head over Heels - Tears For Fears
Some Fools Never Learn - Steve Wariner
ON THIS DAY in 1896, actor Jim Jordan, the man behind the iconic radio sitcom
Fibber McGee & Molly, was born. Together with wife Marian & writer Don Quinn, he created the form of most broadcast comedies that followed, with regular characters and running gags. Fibber McGee's overstuffed closet, created only through sound effects, is one of the great memories of radio. The show ran for 25 years, until the end of radio's golden age. Jordan died Apr 1, 1988 at age 91, due to a blood clot to the brain. On this day in 1899, actor William Gillette
starred in Sherlock Holmes at the production's debut in New York City. 31 years later Gillette would be razor sharp introducing Holmes on the radio.
On this day in 1901, singer/actress
Juanita Hall
was born in Keyport NJ. Best remembered as Bloody Mary in "South Pacific" on Broadway (Tony Award) & the movies, she was a regular on the 1948 TV show Capt Billy's Mississippi Music Hall. She died February 28 1968 at age 66, due to diabetes.
On this day in 1916,
choral/orchestra leader Ray Conniff was born. His big hits on Columbia included Somewhere My Love (Dr. Zhivago) and S'wonderful. He died Oct 12, 2002 at 85, following a stroke. On this day in 1928, orchestra leader Peter Matz
was born in Pittsburgh. He was musical director for the Carol Burnett Show for 6 years; also Hullabaloo, plus half-a-dozen film series. Peter succumbed to lung cancer at age 73 Aug. 9, 2002.
This day in 1936 was the day that big band icon
Woody Herman
played in his first recording session. He waxed Wintertime Dreams (Decca disc #1056).
On this day in 1936, RCA displayed a 343-line TV system for the press as part of NBC's tenth anniversary celebration. (As of 1940, the NTSC line minimum was standardized at 525. )
On this day in 1939, the first commercial TV station in the US, General Elctric's WGY-TV Schenectady, NY, began service.
On this day in 1945, the HUAC (House Un-American Activities Committee) began an investigation of 7 radio commentators. The committee considered its duty to purge any influences of communism from America.
On this day in 1947, "Meet the Press"
debuted on NBC TV making it the longest running TV show in U.S. broadcast history. It started as a Mutual radio show in 1945.
On this day in 1948, the No. 1 Billboard Pop Hit was "Buttons and Bows'' by Dinah Shorep.
On this day in 1954, "This Ole House" by Rosemary Clooney topped the charts and stayed there for 3 weeks.
On this day in 1955, for the first time a feature film debuted on TV before being shown in theatres. US viewers coast to coast watched Rex Harrison and Margaret Leighton star in "The Constant Husband" on NBC TV.
On this day in 1957, "The Lucy-Desi Comedy Hour"
premiered on CBS. During this series, the couple agreed to divorce.
On this day in 1961, the song "Big Bad John" by Jimmy Dean topped the charts and stayed there for 5 weeks.
On this day in 1965, the Rolling Stones, Strangeloves and Fontella Bass appeared on "Shindig!" That same day the Stones' "Get Off My Cloud" topped the charts and stayed there for 2 weeks.
On this day in 1966, for the first time a network's entire lineup was televised in color (NBC).
On this day in 1967, Phil Donahue began a TV talk show in Dayton, Ohio.
Later, the show moved to Chicago, was syndicated by Multimedia Productions and was highly rated for years. On this day in 1972, while on a tour of England, the drummer for the "New York Dolls" Billy Murcia choked to death at age 21 after overdosing on a mixture of drugs and alcohol.
On this day in 1973, singer Gram Parsons' manager,
Phil Kaufman,
was fined 300 dollars for stealing Parsons' body from the Los Angeles International Airport. The body was cremated instead of taken to Parsons' funeral. Kaufman claimed that it was Parsons' wish to be cremated.
On this day in 1975,
the Sex Pistols made their performance debut at St. Martin's School of Art in London. Ten minutes into the gig, the school's social programmer pulled the plug on the band's amplifiers.On this day in 1978, actress Flora Campbell died of cancer at 67. She was featured in the TV series Faraway Hill, Date With Judy, Love is a Many Splendored Thing, and Love of Life.
On this day in 1982, the song "Up Where We Belong" by Joe Cocker & Jennifer Warnes topped the charts and stayed there for 3 weeks.
On this day in 1984, Marvin Gay (correct) Senior received five years' probation for shooting his son, singer
Marvin Gaye.
Beginning his career at Motown in 1961, Gaye quickly became Motown's top solo male artist and scored numerous hits during the 1960s, among them "Stubborn Kind of Fellow", "How Sweet It Is (To Be Loved By You)", "I Heard It Through the Grapevine", and several hit duets with Tammi Terrell, including "Ain't No Mountain High Enough" and "You're All I Need to Get By", before moving on to his own form of musical self-expression.
His father pleaded no contest to voluntary manslaughter.
On this day in 1985, actor Joel Crothers
died of a heart attack at 44. (Other sources blame cancer, or AIDS.) He had many prime time guest roles, but was best known for a stint on Dark Shadows & a raft of other daytime soaps ... Secret Storm, Another World, Edge of Night, Somerset, and Santa Barbara.
On this day in 1986, the No. 1 Billboard Pop Hit was "Amanda'' by Boston. The song was from the album "Third Stage,'' which was eight years in the making.
Also this day in 1986, New York's WOR-TV paid $182,000 per episode of The Cosby Show -- for the fall, 1988 season. The price was a record offering for a syndicated show. It beat the previous mark of $80,000 per show (for Cheers).
On this day in 1988, Ringo Starr and his wife, Barbara Bach, announced they were seeking treatment for alcoholism.
On this day in 1990, comic/TV personality Arsenio Hall
got a star on Hollywood's Walk of Fame.On this day in 1993, Pearl Jam's smash album Vs. rose to #1 in the U.S. where it remained for five weeks.
Also this day in 1998, "I'd Do Anything for Love" by Meat Loaf topped the charts and stayed there for 5 weeks.
Still on this day in 1998,
Romeo Leblanc
awarded the Governor-General's Performing Arts Awards at Rideau Hall. Winners included the CBC comedy team Royal Canadian Air Farce, singer Bruce Cockburn, tenor Jon Vickers, and film producer Rock Demers.
Yet one more item for this day in 1998: jazz producer Sumner "Sonny" Lester sued EMI, Capitol, and Blue Note Records, Blue Note CEO Bruce Lundvall, reissue firm Mosaic Records, and Mosaic principals Michael Cuscuna and Charlie Lourie, claiming that the labels reissued recordings allegedly held exclusively by Lester without authorization. The recordings in question included sessions by Jimmy McGriff, Junior Parker, Jeremy Steig, Chick Corea, Thad Jones & Mel Lewis, and Dizzy Gillespie.(below)
On this day in 1999, former Sex Pistols and Public Image Ltd. frontman Johnny Lydon, better known as Johnny Rotten, debuted an online radio show at http://www.eyada.com. The show, dubbed "Rotten Radio," was taped in Lydon's living room in Los Angeles and webcast every Saturday.
On this day in 2001, Britney Spears' album "Britney" was released.
Today's Birthdays:
Director/writer/comedian Mike Nichols (Nichols & May) is 76.
Country singer Stonewall Jackson is 75.
Singer Eugene Pitt (The Jive Five) is 70.
Singer P.J. Proby is 69.
Country singer Guy Clark is 66.
Rocker Bill Henderson (Chilliwack) is 63.
Actress Sally Field (Brothers & Sisters, Flying Nun) is 61.
Pop singer-musician Glenn Frey (The Eagles) is 59.
Jazz musician Arturo Sandoval is 58.
Winnipeg-born dhildren's entertainer Fred Penner (Fred Penner's Place) is 52.
California's first lady, broadcast journalist Maria Shriver, is 52.
Actress Lori Singer (Fame) is 50.
Actor Lance Kerwin (james at 15) is 47.
Rock musician Paul Brindley (The Sundays) is 44.
Rock singer Corey Glover is 43.
Actor Peter DeLuise (Stargate SG-1, Robson Arms, SeaQuest DSV) is 41.
Actress Kelly Rutherford (E-Ring, Threat Matrix, The District) is 39.
Actress Thandie Newton (ER) is 35.
Model-actress Rebecca Romijn (Pepper Dennis, Just Shoot Me) is 35.
Actress/writer Nicole Dubuc(Our House: writer- Kim Possible, My Friends Tigger & Pooh) is 29.
Actress Mercedes Kastner (Beverly Hills 90210) is 18.
Chart Toppers
November 6
1945
Till the End of Time - Perry Como
I’ll Buy that Dream - The Pied Pipers
That’s for Me - Dick Haymes
With Tears in My Eyes - Wesley Tuttle
1953
Vaya Con Dios - Les Paul & Mary Ford
You, You, You - The Ames Brothers
Ebb Tide - The Frank Chacksfield Orchestra
I Forgot More Than You’ll Ever Know - The Davis Sisters
1961
Big Bad John - Jimmy Dean
Fool #1 - Brenda Lee
This Time - Troy Shondell
Walk on By - Leroy Van Dyke
1969
Suspicious Minds - Elvis Presley
Wedding Bell Blues - The 5th Dimension
Baby It’s You - Smith
The Ways to Love a Man - Tammy Wynette
1977
You Light Up My Life - Debby Boone
Nobody Does It Better - Carly Simon
Boogie Nights - Heatwave
I’m Just a Country Boy - Don Williams
1985
Part-Time Lover - Stevie Wonder
Miami Vice Theme - Jan Hammer
Head over Heels - Tears For Fears
Some Fools Never Learn - Steve Wariner