Monday January the 14th


ON THIS DAY in 1906
actor William Bendix was born in New York City.  Identified as one of the "most cherished" actors in the history of radio, Bendix starred in "The Life of Riley" on NBC Radio from 1944-51, and the TV version from 1953-58. He also had an impressive big screen resume. He died from lobar pneumonia Dec 14, 1964 at age 58.

On this day in 1907, Dr. Lee De Forest patented the Audion tube. De Forest is generally thought of as the "Father of Radio". The Audion tube allowed amplification which made Radio transmission more practical for voice and music.

On this day in 1908, singer Russ Columbo (-below) was born in Camden New Jersey.  The crooner, who had a late-night NBC Radio slot in the early 30's, was killed under strange circumstances at age 26 that helped make him a legendary figure. In lighting a cigarette, photographer Lansing Brown lit the match by striking it against the wooden stock of an antique French dueling pistol. The flame set off a long-forgotten charge in the gun, and a lead pistol ball ricocheted off a nearby table and hit Columbo in the left eye, killing him almost instantly. The date was September 2, 1934.
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On this day in 1915, game show guru Mark Goodson was born in Sacramento.  The long list of Goodson-Todman productions includes Beat the Clock, Family Feud, Match Game, Password, The Price is Right, To Tell the Truth, I've Got A Secret and What's My Line?. The shows endured through the decades, many over multiple runs, because of Goodson's sharp eye for production and presentation.  He succumbed to pancreatic cancer Dec 18 1992 at age 77.

On this day in 1917, jazz trumpeter Billy Butterfield was born in Middleton Ohio. He gained attention working with Bob Crosby and later with Artie Shaw. He led his own, unsuccessful, band from 1945 to 1947. He died Mar 18, 1988 at age 71.

                                                            
On this day in 1920, longtime CBS newsman George Herman was born. Herman was CBS' first correspondent to file sound-and-film reports from abroad and he was also the first reporter to broadcast coverage of the break-in at the Watergate headquarters of the Democratic National Committee in 1972. He was a long standing moderator for the Face the Nation program. He died Feb 8 2005 at age 85.

On this day in 1924, actor Guy Williams was born in New York City.  Perhaps best known as the title character in the TV series Zorro, he also had recurring roles in Lost in Space, Bonanza & Disneyland. He died of a brain aneurism May 7, 1989 at the age of 65.  

On this day in 1926, actor Tom Tryon was born in Hartford Conn.  He played the title role in the TV series Texas John Slaughter, and a number of Disneyland episodes featuring the Slaughter character.  He also was featured repeatedly on The Virginian. He died of stomach cancer Sep 4, 1991 at age 65.  

On this day in 1929, country singer Billy Walker was born in Ralls Texas.  He is most famous for his 1962 hit "Charlie's Shoes." He is also wellknown for his cover version of Willie Nelson's "Funny How Time Slips Away" and his 1964 hit "Cross the Brazos at Waco." Walker joined the Grand Ole Opry on January 1, 1960, and he was an active member until his death May 21 2006 in a single-vehicle crash near Montgomery Ala. at age 77.

On this day in 1936, Harriet Hilliard, vocalist and wife of bandleader Ozzie Nelson, sang "Get Thee Behind Me Satan", on Brunswick Records.
                                                                  

On this day in 1939, the program, "Honolulu Bound", was heard for the first time on CBS radio. Phil Baker and the Andrews Sisters were featured on the program. We have no idea what the program was about, but our wild guesses include words like hula, Waikiki, trade winds, sun-drenched beaches, coconuts and pineapple.

On this day in 1950, the No. 1 Billboard Pop Hit was "I Can Dream, Can't I?'' by the Andrews Sisters. It stayed on top for 5 weeks.

On this day in 1952, NBC-TV opened the the first "Today" show broadcast with a shot of Dave Garroway (below) looking outside through the "Window on the World" on a cold morning in New York City. The program was the first that featured his signature sign-off: hand raised, uttering one word, "Peace."
                                                                                                                                

On this day in 1955, disc jockey Alan Freed held his first Rock `n' Roll Party stage show in New York. Acts included the Clovers, Fats Domino and the Drifters.

On this day in 1956, rock 'n' roller Little Richard, was singing the newly released "Tutti-Frutti".  So, you think this was the hit version?  Not so.  The much-more vanilla Pat Boone version became even more popular as a cover record.

On this day in 1960, Elvis Presley was promoted to Sergeant in the U.S. Army.

                                                                          
On this day in 1964, a hootenanny was held for the first time at the White House, as the New Christy Minstrels entertained President and Lady Bird Johnson, as well as Italy's President.

On this day in 1966, David Jones changed his last name to Bowie to avoid confusion with Davy Jones from the Monkees, and released his 1st record (Can't Help Thinking About Me)

On this day in 1967, Diana Ross & the Supremes performed their last live show together during a show in Las Vegas, NV.

Also this day in 1967, Sonny & Cher released "The Beat Goes On."

Again in 1967, the first so-called "Human Be-In" was held in San Francisco's Golden Gate Park. Among the performers were the Grateful Dead and Jefferson Airplane.

On this day in 1972, comedian Redd Foxx, whose last name was really Sanford, debuted on NBC-TV in "Sanford & Son."  Demond Wilson starred as Fred Sanford's son.  Quincy Jones composed the catchy theme song.

On this day in 1973, Elvis Presley drew the largest audience for a single TV show to that time -- an estimated one billion viewers in 40 countries. "Elvis - Aloha From Hawaii", a live, worldwide concert from Honolulu International Center Arena (later known as the Neal S. Blaisdell Center Arena). Performed at 12:30 a.m. Hawaiian Time, it was beamed live via Globecam Satellite to Australia, South Korea, Japan, Thailand, the Philippines, South Vietnam and other countries, and was seen on a delayed basis in approximately 30 European countries. The first North American airing was April 4th on NBC-TV. The show was also released as a two-record album, and became one of Elvis's top-selling LPs.

On this day in 1976, "The Bionic Woman" with Lindsay Wagner debuted on ABC (later it ran on NBC.)

On this day in 1978, the Sex Pistols played their last concert before breaking up. The show was in San Francisco.

On this day in 1978, the song "Baby Come Back" by Player topped the charts and stayed there for 3 weeks.

On this day in 1979, "The Dukes of Hazzard" made its debut on CBS.

On this day in 1981, broadcasting's US regulators the FCC freed stations to air as many commercials an hour as they wish.

                                                                            
On this day in 1985, the former Miss America Phyllis George joined Bill Kurtis as host of "The CBS Morning News". It was a bomb. Kurtis went back to WBBM-TV in Chicago as a news anchor and Phyllis stuck around a little longer, encouraging people to give hugs, until she too was eventually axed.

On this day in 1986, actress Donna Reed, who starred on TV's Donna Reed Show & Dallas, died of pancreatic cancer at age 64.

On this day in 1989, the song "My Prerogative" by Bobby Brown topped the charts but only for a week.  

                                                                                                                                        
On this day in 1990, what would prove to be a long-running prime time cartoon show "The Simpsons" premiered on Fox-TV;

On this day in 1992, actor Hari Rhodes, who had recurring roles in the TV series Daktari and The Bold Ones: The Protectors, died at age 59.

On this day in 1993, during a taping of his talk show, David Letterman told his studio audience that his last show for NBC would be in June. Letterman had wanted an 11:30 p-m time slot, but N-B-C would not remove Jay Leno as host of "The Tonight Show." Letterman moved to CBS.

On this day in 1995, Pearl Jam performed with Neil Young for a Voters for Choice benefit in Washington, DC.

                                                                                  
On this day in 1997, the Beach Boys guest starred on ABC-TV's "Home Improvement".

On this day in 1998, the 100th episode of the sitcom "Ellen" aired on ABC.  

On this day in 1999, actor Robert Guillame suffered a mild stroke on the set of the T-V show "Sports Night." The stroke was later written into the show.

On this day in 2000, talk show host David Letterman had emergency heart surgery.

Also this day in 2000, the Nashville-based country fan magazine "Music City News" closed its doors after 37 years of publication.

On this day in 2001, the final episode of "The Jamie Foxx Show" aired on "The WB."

On this day in 2002, CIBH FM 88.5 Parksville signed on at 6 a.m. completing Island Broadcasters move to change all their AM stations to FM.  The station replaced AM 1350 which would simulcast "The Beach" for the next 2 months.

On this day in 2006, Oscar-winning actress Shelley Winters died in Beverly Hills, at age 85.  Among her final professional assignments was a running role as Roseanne Connor's grandmother on the TV series Roseanne.


Today's Birthdays:

"60 Minutes" commentator Andy Rooney is 89.

Actor Frank Aletter (General Hospital, Bringing Up Buddy) is 82.

Singer Caterina Valente is 77.

Blues singer Clarence Carter is 72.

Country singer Billie Joe Spears is 71.

Singer-songwriter Allen Toussaint is 70.

Singer Jack Jones is 70.

Actress Faye Dunaway (Alias, A Will of Their Own, It Had to be You) is 67.

Actress Holland Taylor (Two and a Half Men, The Practice) is 65.

Singer-producer T-Bone Burnett is 60.

Actor Carl Weathers (In the Heat of the Night, Street Justice, Fortune Dane) is 60.

Singer Geoff Tate of Queensryche is 49.

Actor Mark Addy (Still Standing) is 44.

Fox News Channel anchorman Shepard Smith is 44.

Rapper Slick Rick is 43.

Actor Dan Schneider (Head of the Class) is 42.

Actor-comedian Tom Rhodes (Mr. Rhodes) is 41.

Guitarist Zakk Wylde (Ozzy Osbourne Band) is 41.

Rapper LL Cool J is 40.

Actor Jason Bateman (Valerie, Arrested Development) is 39.

Musician Dave Grohl of the Foo Fighters (and Nirvana) is 39.


Chart Toppers

January 14

1950
Dear Hearts and Gentle People - Dinah Shore
A Dreamer’s Holiday - Perry Como
The Old Master Painter - Snooky Lanson
I Love You Because - Leon Payne

1958
At the Hop - Danny & The Juniors
Stood Up/Waitin’ in School - Ricky Nelson
Kisses Sweeter Than Wine - Jimmie Rodgers
Great Balls of Fire - Jerry Lee Lewis

1966
We Can Work It Out - The Beatles
She’s Just My Style - Gary Lewis & The Playboys
Flowers on the Wall - The Statler Brothers
Giddyup Go - Red Sovine

1974
The Joker - Steve Miller Band
Show and Tell - Al Wilson
Smokin’ in the Boys Room - Brownsville Station
I Love - Tom T. Hall

1982
Physical - Olivia Newton-John
Waiting for a Girl Like You - Foreigner
Let’s Groove - Earth, Wind & Fire
Fourteen Carat Mind - Gene Watson

1990
Another Day in Paradise - Phil Collins
Pump Up the Jam - Technotronic featuring Felly
How Am I Supposed to Live Without You - Michael Bolton
It Ain’t Nothin’ - Keith Whitley