Friday November the 30th


ON THIS DAY in 1915
bluesman Brownie McGhee was born in Knoxville Tennessee.  The folk-blues singer and guitarist was best known for his many collaborations with the harmonica player Sonny Terry.  He died Feb 16 1996 at age 80.

On this day in 1918, actor Efrem Zimbalist Jr. was born in New York City. His biggest impact on TV was the lead role he played in 238 episodes of The FBI.  But he preceded that with the earlier series 77 Sunset Strip.  He also provided the voice of the butler Alfred in Batman-the Animated Series. He is still very much with us at age 89.

On this day in 1924, the first photo facsimile was transmitted across the Atlantic by radio.

Also this day in 1924, comedian and writer Allan Sherman was born in Chicago.  He was the creator and associate producer of the TV show I've Got a Secret before he hit it big as a performer with a series of song parodies, including Hello Mudduh, Hello Fadduh! (the Camp Granada song. )  Sherman died Nov 20, 1973 at age 49.

On this day in 1926, versatile actor Richard Crenna was born in Los Angeles. He began in radio playing teenaged boys on shows such as Our Miss Brooks, A Date with Judy, and The Great Gildersleeve. His TV career also began with Our Miss Brooks, followed by the series The Real McCoys, Slattery's People and Judging Amy. He won an Emmy for the TV movie, The Rape of Richard Beck.  Crenna died of pancreatic cancer Jan 17, 2003, at age 76.

On this day in 1929, singer Johnny Horton was born in Los Angeles. His biggest hit was "The Battle of New Orleans,'' which topped Billboard's Hot 100 for six weeks in 1959 and sold more than 1 million copies. "North to Alaska" was huge for him too. He was killed in a head-on crash near Milano Texas Nov. 5 1960 at age 30.  

On this day in 1939, Harry James and his big band recorded Concerto for Trumpet -- on Columbia 78s.

On this day in 1940, actress Lucille Ball and Cuban musician Desi Arnaz were married. Lucy filed for divorce the day after their final TV show was filmed in 1960.

On this day in 1943, Nat "King" Cole and his Trio recorded Straighten Up and Fly Right on Capitol Records. It was the first recording for the King Cole Trio.

On this day in 1956, CBS replayed the 15-minute "Douglas Edward and the News" for the Pacific time zone, three hours after it was aired in the rest of the US.  It was the world's first broadcast via videotape.

On this day in 1958, Coed Records released the soon-to-be-smash hit "16 Candles" by the Crests.
                                                                                                                      

On this day in 1966, the radio time signal, WWV, moved from Greenbelt, Maryland to Boulder, Colorado.

On this day in 1968, Diana Ross and The Supremes hit the #1 spot on the music charts with Love Child. The somewhat controversial tune (for the times) stayed at the top for two weeks.

On this day in 1969, Simon & Garfunkel's controversial TV special, "Songs of America," with an anti-Vietnam War flavour was broadcast. A-T-and-T withdrew its sponsorship over use of footage from Vietnam and Robert Kennedy's funeral.

On this day in 1971, Brian's Song  aired as the ABC Movie of the Week.
The touching story was about Chicago Bears running back Brian Piccolo and his friendship with Gayle Sayers, who watched Brian die a tragic death. The movie got a rating of 32.9 and a 48 share.

Also this day in 1971, the No. 1 Billboard Pop Hit was "Family Affair'' by Sly & the Family Stone. The song was the group's last top 10 hit.

On this day in 1972, the BBC banned the Wings recording of "Hi, Hi, Hi" because of suggestive lyrics.

On this day in 1974, the Eagles hit, Best of My Love, was released. It would take til the following March for it to reach the #1 spot on the top 40 charts.

On this day in 1977, newsman Eric Sevareid retired from CBS-TV. He left CBS after 38 years of working with famous names in the TV news biz ... folks like Morrow, Collingwood, Trout, Cronkite, Edwards, Rather, Kuralt, Wallace, Dean and others.  

Also this day in 1977, David Bowie sang a duet of "Little Drummer Boy" with Bing Crosby on his Christmas special.
                                                                                                

On this day in 1981, CISQ FM (Mountain FM) Squamish launched at FM 104.9 with an effective radiated power of 2400 watts.

On this day in 1985, the song "Separate Lives" by Phil Collins & Marilyn Martin topped the charts.

On this day in 1986, the No. 1 Billboard Pop Hit was "The Next Time I Fall" by Peter Cetera with Amy Grant. The single was the second No. 1 hit in a row for Cetera, a former member of Chicago.

On this day in 1989, one of Vancouver's earliest broadcasters, John Avison died at the age of 69.
          
He was the founding director of the CBC Vancouver Chamber Orchestra, which he continued to conduct until 1980, surviving long after other famous broadcasting orchestras in North America had been discontinued.

On this dayin 1990, actor Burt Lancaster suffered a stroke.

On this day in 1991, singer Rob Pilatus, 27, of Milli-Vanilli attempted suicide. He would succeed seven years later.

Also this day in 1991, PM Dawn's Set Adrift on Memory Bliss hit #1 in the U.S. The rappers folded another song -- Spandau Ballet's True -- into theirs, making for a very nice musical effect.

On this day in 1994, Tupac Shakur was shot five times during a robbery outside a New York City recording studio.
                      
He survived the shooting, but was killed two years later in Las Vegas. Two days later a jury found him guilty of sexually abusing a woman, but acquitted him of the more serious sex and weopons charges.

Also this day in 1994, gravelly-voice character actor Lionel Stander died at 86 from lung cancer.  He is fondly remembered as Max on TV's Hart to Hart, as well as It Takes a Thief, and HBO's Dream On.

Still in 1994, "Live at the B-B-C," the first album of fresh recordings by the Beatles in almost 25 years, was released in Britain and continental Europe. It's North American release came six days later.
                                                                                              
The 56 songs on the two-C-D set were recorded for radio shows between 1962 and '65. In London, eager fans lined up for hours outside record stores, some of which opened at midnight to sell the album. Within four days, "Live at the B-B-C" was number one on the British chart.

On this day in 1996, entertainer Tiny Tim died after performing his signature song, "Tiptoe Thru' The Tulips," at a benefit concert in Minneapolis. Reports put his age at either 64 or 66.

On this day in 1999. jazz guitarist Charlie Byrd died of cancer at age 74. Byrd was instrumental in introducing Latin sounds, particularly the samba and bossa nova, to North American audiences in the '60s

Also this day in 1999, an early collection of Shania Twain's work - recorded when she was still billing herself Eilleen Shania Twain - was released by Jomato Records. The set, "Beginnings (1989-90)," predated the artist's earliest Nashville Demos.

On this day in 2000, Loverboy bass guitarist Scott Smith drowned when he was swept off his sailboat near San Francisco's Golden Gate Bridge. Smith was 45. He joined Loverboy in 1980, as the Vancouver-based rock group began its recording career.
                                                          
Loverboy sold more than 23-million records during the 1980's and won six Juno awards in 1982. Their hits included "Turn Me Loose'' and "Working for the Weekend.'' Loverboy disbanded in 1988 but reunited five years later.

On this day in 2003, by 1 pm Vancouver had its 2nd All Christmas radio station as 650 CISL became Christmas Hits 650.  Regular programming resumed late Christmas night.

On this day in 2004, Canadian author & broadcaster Pierre Berton (one of the founders of CITR-UBC Radio), best known for his 38 years on CBC-TV's Front Page Challenge, died of heart failure at the age of 84.

Also this day in 2004, Ken Jennings won 74 times and two-point-five million dollars on "Jeopardy!" before finally losing.
                                                                                                      


Today's Birthdays:

Actor Efrem Zimbalist Jr. (see 1918 above) is 89.

Actor Robert Guillaume (Benson, Sports Night, Soap) is 80.

TV personality and producer Dick Clark is 78.

TV executive Joan Ganz Cooney (Children's TV Workshop- Sesame Street) is 78.

Radio talk show host G. Gordon Liddy is 77.

Actor Jack Ging (A-Team, Ripcord, Tales of Wells Fargo) is 76.

Musician/personality Jack Sheldon (Run Buddy Run, Merv Griffin Show) is 76.

Country singer-recording executive Jimmy Bowen is 70.

Newsman Richard Threlkeld (CBS, ABC) is 70.

Singer Rob Grill (The Grassroots) is 64.

Singer Luther Ingram is 63.

Rock musician Roger Glover (Deep Purple) is 62.

Actress Margaret Whitton (Cutters, Good & Evil, Hometown) is 57.

Actor Mandy Patinkin (Criminal Minds, Dead Like Me, Chicago Hope) is 55.

Musician Shuggie Otis is 54.

Country singer Jeannie Kendall is 53.

Singer Billy Idol is 52.

Rock musician John Ashton (The Psychedelic Furs) is 50.

Comedian Colin Mochrie (Whose Line Is It Anyway) is 50.

Rapper Jalil (Whodini) is 44.

Actor-director Ben Stiller (Ben Stiller Show, Arrested Development) is 42.

Rock musician Mike Stone is 38.

Ottawa-born actress Sandra Oh (Grey's Anatomy, Arli$$) is 37.

Country singer Mindy McCready is 32.

Singer Clay Aiken (American Idol) is 29.

Calgary-born actress Elisha Cuthbert (24) is 25.

Actress Kaley Cuoco (Charmed, 8 Simple Rules) is 22.


Chart Toppers

November 30

1945
It’s Been a Long, Long Time - The Harry James Orchestra (vocal: Kitty Kallen)
That’s for Me - Dick Haymes
I’ll Buy that Dream - The Pied Pipers
Shame on You - The Lawrence Welk Orchestra (vocal: Red Foley)

1953
Rags to Riches - Tony Bennett
Many Times - Eddie Fisher
Ricochet - Teresa Brewer
There Stands the Glass - Webb Pierce

1961
Runaround Sue - Dion
Please Mr. Postman - The Marvelettes
Goodbye Cruel World - James Darren
Big Bad John - Jimmy Dean

1969
Come Together/Something - The Beatles
And When I Die - Blood, Sweat & Tears
Na Na Hey Hey Kiss Him Goodbye - Steam
Okie from Muskogee - Merle Haggard

1977
You Light Up My Life - Debby Boone
Don’t It Make My Brown Eyes Blue - Crystal Gayle
How Deep is Your Love - Bee Gees
The Wurlitzer Prize (I Don’t Want to Get over You) - Waylon Jennings

1985
Separate Lives - Phil Collins & Marilyn Martin
Broken Wings - Mr. Mister
Never - Heart
Too Much on My Heart - The Statler Brothers