Thursday January the 17th .. Happy Birthday to Jim Robson!

On This Day in 1903
     actor/game show host Warren Hull was born in Gasport NY. A movie actor in the 30's, he turned to radio in the 40's with announcer/host roles on such shows as  Your Hit Parade and Vox Pop. Hull was also the emcee of Spin To Win, only the second game show created by the team of Mark Goodson and Bill Todman. The next two decades he hosted TV game shows Strike It Rich, Top Dollar, Who In the World and Beat the Odds. He died of heart failure Sept 14 1974 at age 71.

On this day in 1921, journeyman actor Dehl Berti was born in Pueblo Colorado. He earned a living playing largely Native American characters on episodic TV, with regular roles in the series The Edge of Night, Born to the Wind, Operation Neptune & The Adventures of Rin Tin Tin. He died after a heart attack Nov. 26 1991 at age 70.
                                                                
On this day in 1925, leading man Rock Hudson was born Leroy Harold Scherer Jr. in Winnetka Illinois. His stage name came when an agent combined Rock of Gibraltar with the Hudson River.  When his big screen career foundered in the 1970's he turned to TV movies & the very successful series MacMillan & Wife.  He also had a recurring role on Dynasty.  He died of complications from AIDS Oct. 2 1985 at age 60.  

                                                                                                    
On this day in 1926, one of the legendary broadcasting unions occurred when George Burns and Gracie Allen were married.

On this day in 1932, actress Sheree North was born Dawn Shirley Crang in Los Angeles.  After 20 years of guest spots on episodic TV she was cast in two short-lived series in the 80's, I'm a Big Girl Now & Bay City Blues.  Once considered an alternative casting choice to Marilyn Monroe she played Monroe's mother in the TV movie Marilyn: The Untold Story.  In her 60's she played Kramer's motber on Seinfeld.  North died during cancer surgery Nov 4, 2005 at age 73.

                
On this day in 1933, puppeteer, ventriloquist & children's TV hostess Shari Lewis was born in New York City.  She began on local TV in 1953, and graduated to NBC in 1960, winning 12 Emmys and a Peabody award along the way.  Her most famous character was the sock puppet Lamb Chop.  She died of uterine cancer Aug 2, 1998 at age 65.

On this day in 1938, silent film star Francis X. Bushman was the star of the program, "Stepmother", which debuted on CBS radio. The show continued on the air for the next four years, under the Colgate sponsorship.

On this day in 1941, Gene Krupa and his band recorded the standard, "Drum Boogie", on Okeh Records. The lady singing with the boys in the band during the song's chorus was Irene Daye.

                                                                                                                              
On this day in 1949, the unique comedic talent Andy Kaufman was born in New York City. Best known for his role as Latka on the TV series Taxi, he also appeared on the premiere broadcast of Saturday Night Live, and starred in the 1979 kid's show Andy's Funhouse.  He succumbed to lung cancer May 16, 1984 at age 35.

On this day in 1964, the No. 1 Billboard Pop Hit was "There! I've Said It Again'' by Bobby Vinton. This song was considered the last No. 1 song before the British invasion. After four weeks at No. 1, Vinton gave way to the Beatles and their first U.S. hit, "I Want to Hold Your Hand.''

On this day in 1969, "Lady Samantha", one of the very first recordings by Reginald Kenneth Dwight (aka Elton John), was released in England on Philips records. The song floundered, then bombed. The rock group, Three Dog Night, however, thought Elton's tune was nifty and recorded it for an album.

Also this day in 1969, Led Zeppelin's debut album was released in North America, while in the UK, the Beatles released their Yellow Submarine album.

On this day in 1970, The Doors played the first of several shows at the Felt Forum in New York City. The shows were recorded for use on their "Absolutely Live" album.
                                                                    

Also this day in 1970, Billy Stewart and three of his band members were killed when their car went out of control and off a bridge over the River Neuse in North Carolina. Stewart was 32. His biggest hit was his version of George Gershwin's "Summertime."

On this day in 1972, Highway 51 South in Memphis was renamed Elvis Presley Blvd. It runs in front of Graceland.

On this day in 1974, the No. 1 Billboard Pop Hit was "Show and Tell'' by Al Wilson.

Also this day in 1974, singer Dino Martin, the son of Dean Martin, was arrested on suspicion of possession and sale of two machine guns. He was arraigned and released the next day on $5,000 bail.

On this day in 1975, the television show "Baretta" with Robert Blake debuted on ABC.
                                                                                                                      
On this day in 1976, "I Write the Songs" by Barry Manilow topped the charts but stayed there for just a week.

On this day in 1980, actress Barbara Britton died of cancer at age 59.  
                                                
She had mainly minor film roles, and was cast as Pam in the mystery Mr & Mrs North, in its latter years on radio & for the TV run of the series.  But most of her celebrity resulted from her live Revlon commercials on the TV quiz sensation The 64,000 Dollar Question.  

On this day in 1983, the award-winning PBS series Frontline was seen for the first time.

On this day in 1984, the US Supreme Court ruled by a narrow 5-4 vote, that private use of home VCRs to tape TV programs for later viewing did not violate federal copyright laws.

Also this day in 1984,
the No. 1 Billboard Pop Hit was
"Owner of a Lonely Heart''
by Yes.

YouTube presents: Yes, "Owner of a lonely heart"
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ELpmmeT69cE

On this day in 1987, "Shake You Down" by Gregory Abbott topped the charts but only for a week.
                                                            

On this day in 1990 the Fifth Rock & Roll Hall of Fame Awards saw top honors go to Bobby Darin.  
                                                                                                                          

On this day in 1992, a special "Michael Jackson...the Legend Continues" aired on CBS-TV.

On this day in 1995, The Golf Channel began on some U.S. cable systems. Four years later, the world's first 24-hour golf network was seen in over 30,000,000 homes.

                  
On this day in 1996, Pink Floyd were officially inducted into the Rock'n'Roll Hall of Fame, in a ceremony at the Waldorf-Astoria Hotel in Manhattan.

Also this day in 1996, talk show host Phil Donahue announced he was retiring after the end of the season, after 29 years on the air.
                                                                                                                              

On this day in 1998, blues singer/guitarist David "Junior" Kimbrough died in Holly Springs, Miss., after suffering a stroke. He was 67.

Also this day in 1998, Savage Garden's "Truly, Madly, Deeply" was the number-one single in the U.S. for the first of two weeks. "I want to stand with you on a mountain; I want to bathe with you in the sea; I want to lay like this forever; Until the sky falls down on me."

                  
On this day in 1999, singer Cindy Lauper was a voice on the hit Fox TV show "The Simpsons."

On this date in 2000, it was a big night for country crossovers as Garth Brooks roped three wins and no-show Shania Twain claimed two at the 27th annual American Music Awards at the Shrine Auditorium.

On this day in 2003 it was announced that FOX had renewed "The Simpsons" for two more seasons. The extension pushed the show past "The Adventures of Ozzie & Harriet" as TV's all-time longest-running situation comedy.

Also this day in 2003 we were told that Madonna would make an appearance on NBC's "Will & Grace" in May. The appearance was Madonna's episodic TV series debut.
                                                                                                                        
On this day in 2004, TV talk show host, Jerry Springer, began a new radio show on WCKY-AM, Cincinnati.


Today's Birthdays:

Actress Betty White (Boston Legal, Golden Girls, Mary Tyler Moore) is 86.

Actress-singer Eartha Kitt (Emperor's New School, Batman) is 81.

Actor James Earl Jones (Everwood, Homicide, "This is CNN") is 77.

Hall-of-fame Canadian sportscaster Jim Robson is 73.

Talk show host Maury Povich is 69.

Singer William Hart of The Delfonics is 63.

Former Rolling Stones guitarist Mick Taylor is 60.

Singer Sheila Hutchinson of The Emotions is 55.

Singer Steve Earle is 53.

Singer Paul Young is 52.

Actor-comedian Steve Harvey (Steve Harvey Show, Me & The Boys) is 51.

Singer Susanna Hoffs of The Bangles is 49.

Ontario-born actor Jim Carrey (In Living Color, The Duck Factory) is 46.

Actor Joshua Malina (The West Wing, Sports Night) is 42.

Singer Shabba Ranks is 42.

Actor Naveen Andrews (Lost) is 39.

Musician Kid Rock is 37.

Actor Freddy Rodriguez (Six Feet Under) is 33.

Actress Zooey Deschanel (Weeds) is 28.

Singer Ray J is 27.

Country singer Amanda Wilkinson of The Wilkinsons is 26.


Chart Toppers

January 17

1945
Don’t Fence Me In - Bing Crosby & The Andrews Sisters
There Goes that Song Again - Russ Morgan
I’m Making Believe - Ella Fitzgerald & The Ink Spots
I’m Wastin’ My Tears on You - Tex Ritter

1953
Why Don’t You Believe Me - Joni James
Don’t Let the Stars Get in Your Eyes - Perry Como
Keep It a Secret - Jo Stafford
Midnight - Red Foley

1961
Wonderland by Night - Bert Kaempfert
Exodus - Ferrante & Teicher
Will You Love Me Tomorrow - The Shirelles
North to Alaska - Johnny Horton

1969
I Heard It Through the Grapevine - Marvin Gaye
I’m Gonna Make You Love Me - Diana Ross & The Supremes & The Temptations
Wichita Lineman - Glen Campbell
Daddy Sang Bass - Johnny Cash

1977
You Make Me Feel Like Dancing - Leo Sayer
I Wish - Stevie Wonder
Car Wash - Rose Royce
You Never Miss a Really Good Thing (Till He Says Goodbye) - Crystal Gayle

1985
Like a Virgin - Madonna
All I Need - Jack Wagner
You’re the Inspiration - Chicago
The Best Year of My Life - Eddie Rabbitt