Thursday July the 24th

ON THIS DAY in 1899
the actor known as Chief Dan George was born in North Vancouver.  
              
He had no contact with show biz until, late in life, he was cast as Old Antoine on CBC-TV's drama series Cariboo Country (1961). He had big screen success in George Ryga's Ecstacy of Rita Joe (1967), in Arthur Penn's Little Big Man (1970) for which he won an Oscar, in Harry & Tonto (1974) and The Outlaw Josey Wales (1976).  He also played Old Sioux in the TV miniseries Centennial (1978 ).  He died Sept. 23 1981, in Vancouver, at age 82.

In 1908, trumpeter Charles 'Cootie' Williams was born in Mobile Alabama.  He was a key member of the Duke Ellington Orch. (1929-40) then joined Benny Goodman, before forming his own band in 1942.  In 1948 he scaled down to a sextet & began to focus on rhythm & blues, then eventually returning to jazz.  He rejoined the Ellington band (1962-75) until his retirement due to health problems.  He died Sep 15, 1985 at age 77.  

In 1914, actor Frank Silvera was born in Kingston Jamaica.  He had a regular role on TV's The High Chapparal, and took on black guest parts on series like Gunsmoke, I Spy, Marcus Welby, Riverboat, The Untouchables & The Flying Nun. He died in an accidental electrocution June 11 1970, six weeks short of his 56th birthday.

                  
In 1916, big band singer Bob Eberly was born in Mechanicsville New York.  He first caught the public ear & eye by winning the "Allen Amateur Hour" on Fred Allen's radio show. He spent much of his career with Jimmy Dorsey"s Orchestra, while his brother Ray Eberle sang with Glenn Miller.  Bob's hits include Green Eyes, Tangerine & Amapola with Helen O'Connell, and The Breeze and I.  He recorded Besame Mucho with Kitty Kallen & was featured in the early 50's on TV's Top Tunes.  He died after a heart attack Nov 17, 1981 at age 65.

In 1917, composer-arranger-conductor Robert Farnon was born Robert Farnum in Toronto. He was a founding member of CBC Radio's Happy Gang, moved to England during WW II, and in the late 1940's began recording for British Decca. Farnon also became the arranger for Vera Lynn. He composed more than a dozen film scores, including the 1962 Bob Hope movie, "The Road to Hong Kong,'' and is generally acknowledged to have influenced many European and North American composers of film music. He was awarded the Order of Canada in 1998

In 1933, the first broadcast of "The Romance of Helen Trent" was heard on midwest regional radio before becoming a CBS staple three months later. The show continued on the air for 7,222 episodes and 27 years. Amazingly, Helen stayed at 35 years of age throughout the entire series! The show used two Helen Trents over the years...Virginia Clark (for 11 years) and Julie Stevens (for 16 years).

                
Also in 1933, during his fourth Fireside Chat, U.S. President Franklin D. Roosevelt showed why the homey, warm, comfortable discussion was, indeed, a fireside chat. The President stopped the discussion on the air (remember folks, this was radio) and asked for a glass of water, which he then sipped. Newsman Robert Trout is credited with coming up with the name, Fireside Chat, because of real moments like this.

In 1938, clarinet virtuoso and big band leader Artie Shaw recorded his now-classic, Begin the Beguine, for Bluebird Records in New York City.

In 1939, Canadian rock musician and record producer Claire Lawrence was born in Elk Point, Alberta. While attending the University of B-C in 1964, Lawrence co-founded the Classics, a rock band which became the Collectors in 1966 and after 1970, Chilliwack. Lawrence stayed with Chilliwack until 1972, then produced records by Valdy and Susan Jacks, among others. In 1976, Lawrence formed the Hometown Band to accompany Valdy on tours of the U-S and Canada. The Hometown Band, which won a Juno Award as best new group in 1977, continued to tour on its own until 1979.

In 1943, the program Foreign Assignment, was first heard on Mutual radio. The title role of Brian Berry was played by Jay Jostyn, who also headlined another popular radio drama, Mr. District Attorney.

              
In 1945, the No. 1 Billboard Pop Hit was "On the Atchison, Topeka and Santa Fe,'' by Johnny Mercer.

In 1954, "Three Coins in the Fountain" by the Four Aces topped the charts and stayed there for just the one week.

In 1956, after a decade together as North America's most popular comedy team, Dean Martin and Jerry Lewis called it quits. They did their last show at the Copacabana nightclub in New York City. The duo ended their relationship exactly 10 years after they had started it.

Also in 1956, the No. 1 Billboard Pop Hit was "I Want You, I Need You, I Love You,'' by Elvis Presley.

In 1961, NBC correspondent Edwin Newman became news anchor of the Today Show.

              
In 1962, comedian Victor Moore, who got a lot of mileage on film & in radio as 'the Lothario of the lumbago set,' died of a heart attack at age 86.

In 1963, Roy Orbison performed "Falling" on "American Bandstand."

In 1964, the Rolling Stones had to run for safety after the audience at a concert in Blackpool, England mobbed the stage.

In 1965, the Beach Boys' "California Girls" was released.

In 1972, the sale of two BC radio station won CRTC approval, CJAT AM/FM Trail to CKEK Cranbrook, and Port Alberni's CJAV 1240 AM to Maurice Inwards and Bill Gibson.

In 1976, Elton John had his first hit in Britain, "Don't Go Breaking My Heart" with Kiki Dee.

Also in 1976, "Kiss and Say Goodbye" by the Manhattans topped the charts and stayed there for 2 weeks.

                
Also in 1976, Hall & Oates' "She's Gone" was released.

In 1977, the No. 1 Billboard Pop Hit was "I Just Want to Be Your Everything,'' by Andy Gibb. The song was written by Andy's brother, Barry.

In 1978, western singer Foy Willing died at age 63. He had a popular band in the 1940s, The Riders of the Purple Sage. Willing scored three Top-10 country hits -- "Texas Blues" in 1944 and" Detour" and "Have I Told You Lately (That I Love You)," both from 1946.

In 1980, actor Peter Sellers, a founding member of BBC radio's Goon Show, died after a heart attack at age 54.

In 1982, "Eye of the Tiger" by Survivor topped the charts and stayed there for 6 weeks.
                

In 1984, Canadian federal party leaders Ed Broadbent, Brian Mulroney & John Turner met in the first-ever French-language television debate.

Also in 1984, scores of people among a crowd of 18-thousand collapsed from heat exhaustion during a concert by Huey Lewis and the News and Juice Newton at the North Dakota State Fair.

In 1988, the No. 1 Billboard Pop Hit was "Roll with It,'' by Steve Winwood.

In 1990, a wrongful death trial involving Judas Priest opened in Reno. Parents had charged in a lawsuit that the band's "Stained Class" album contained subliminal messages that drove two teen-agers to attempt suicide. The judge cleared the group.

Also in 1990, Pantera released "Cowboys From Hell." It was their first major label release.

              
In 1993, reggae group UB40 scored its second No. 1 single, a cover of Elvis Presley's "Can't Help Falling in Love'' from the film "Sliver.'' It marked the first time that someone had covered one of Presley's top 10 hits and bettered the peak position of the original song. Presley took the song to No. 2, but couldn't get past Joey Dee & the Starliters' "Peppermint Twist - Part 1.''

In 1995, Public Enemy postponed its televised farewell concert in Great Britain after rap group member Flava Flav broke his arms in a scooter accident.

Also in 1995, a three-night celebration at Carnegie Hall saluting Frank Sinatra's 80th birthday kicked off. Linda Ronstadt, Michael Feinstein, Joe Williams and Margaret Whiting were among those to pay homage to Ol' Blue Eyes.

In 1998, country singer Tanya Tucker filed a $300,000 lawsuit against Capitol Records Nashville, contending that the label had willfully neglected her career.

Also in 1998, the "Gift To The Nation" concert, a combination of two separate events in Johannesburg, and Durban, South Africa, began. The concerts were to celebrate President Nelson Mandela's 80th birthday. Artists included Stevie Wonder, LL Cool J, Dru Hill, Skunk Anansie, Salif Keita, Ismael Lo, Najee, Chaka Khan, Kenny Lattimore, James Ingram, Shankar, Just Jinger, Springbok Nude Girls and Lucky Dube.

Still in 1998, Toad the Wet Sprocket broke up.

                
Again in 1998 it was announced that Aerosmith would postpone the first 13 dates of its 50-date U.S. tour following a freak gas station fire that left drummer Joey Krammer with second-degree burns. This was the second setback to the Aerosmith tour; 18 earlier dates had to be postponed following Steven Tyler's knee injury and surgery the preceding April.

In 1999, "Wild Wild West" by Will Smith topped the charts ..but just for the one week.

Also in 1999, Phil Collins married his former interpreter, Orianne Cevey, in Lausanne, Switzerland. The Swiss-born bride is Collins' third wife.

In 2000, Motown legend Smokey Robinson joined the ranks of music stars-turned-radio stars when he donned his own on-air persona on Los Angeles station KCMG (Mega 92.3) with the show "Intimate With Smokey Robinson."

In 2001, Quebec singer-songwriter Georges Dor died of lung cancer at age 70. Dor fought to improve the quality of the French language used popularly in Quebec. His best known song was "La Manic.''

                                                                                                                
In 2003, we learned for the first time that after the current (& final) season of NBC's "Friends," Matt LeBlanc would star in a spinoff show entitled "Joey."


Today's Birthdays:
  
Actress Jacqueline Brookes (Another World, Secret Storm, As The World Turns) is 78.

Comedian Ruth Buzzi (Laugh In) is 72.

Actor Mark Goddard (Lost In Space) is 72.

Canadian musician/producer Claire Lawrence (Chilliwack/Hometown Band) is 69.

Actor Dan Hedaya (Cheers, The Tortellis) is 68.

Actor Chris Sarandon (Judging Amy, ER, Felicity) is 66

Comedian (Leo) Gallagher is 62

Actor Robert Hays (Starman, FM, Iron Man) is 61

Dawson Creek-born drummer Kim Berly of The Stampeders is 60.

Actor Michael Richards (Seinfeld) is 59

Actress Lynda Carter (Wonder Woman, Partners in Crime) is 57.

Country singer Pam Tillis is 51.

Actor Kadeem Hardison (A Different World, Livin' Large) is 43.

Actress Laura Leighton (Melrose Place) is 40.

Actress-singer Jennifer Lopez (In Living Color, Second Chances) is 40.

Actor John P. Navin Jr. (Jennifer Slept Here) is 40.

Toronto-born basketball player-turned-actor Rick Fox (Oz, Dirt) is 39.

Actress-singer Kristin Chenoweth (West Wing, Pushing Daisies) is 38.

Actor Eric Szmanda (CSI) is 33.

Actress Elisabeth Moss (Mad Men, West Wing) is 26.

Winnipeg-born actress Anna Paquin is 26.

Actress Mara Wilson (Melrose Place) is 21.

TV personality Bindi Irwin (Bindi: The Jungle Girl, Crocodile Hunter) is 10.


Chart Toppers - July 24th

1950
Bewitched - The Bill Snyder Orchestra
Mona Lisa - Nat King Cole
I Wanna Be Loved - The Andrews Sisters
I’m Movin’ On - Hank Snow

1959
Lonely Boy - Paul Anka
Tiger - Fabian
A Big Hunk o’ Love - Elvis Presley
The Battle of New Orleans - Johnny Horton

1968
Grazing in the Grass - Hugh Masekela
Lady Willpower - Gary Puckett & The Union Gap
Stoned Soul Picnic - The 5th Dimension
Folsom Prison Blues - Johnny Cash

1977
Looks like We Made It - Barry Manilow
I Just Want to Be Your Everything - Andy Gibb
I’m in You - Peter Frampton
It Was Almost like a Song - Ronnie Milsap

1986
Invisible Touch - Genesis
Sledgehammer - Peter Gabriel
Nasty - Janet Jackson
Until I Met You - Judy Rodman

1995
Waterfalls - TLC
One More Chance/Stay with Me/The What - The Notorious B.I.G. and Method Man
Don’t Take It Personal (just one of dem days) - Monica
Any Man of Mine - Shania Twain

2004
Leave (Get Out) - JoJo
Dip It Low - Christina Milian
Everytime - Britney Spears
Live Like You Were Dying - Tim McGraw