Sunday January the 20th


ON THIS DAY in 1896
legendary entertainer George Burns was born Nathan Birnbaum in New York City. After a lengthy apprenticeship in vaudeville, in 1932 George & wife Gracie became a longrunning hit in radio, films & then TV with The George Burns and Gracie Allen Show ["Say goodnight, Gracie."]  On Gracie's retirement he returned to a solo act, winning an Oscar with The Sunshine Boys, followed by another hit film Oh, God!  He died Mar 9, 1996 at age 100.

On this day in 1903, actor Leon Ames was born in Portland Indiana. In more than 30 years of TV he starred in two popular series, Life with Father & Father of the Bride, and was seen in scores of guest spots.  He died following a stroke Oct. 12 1993 at age 90.  

On this day in 1920, actor DeForest Kelley was born in Augusta Georgia.  He is best remebered as Dr. "Bones" McCoy in the Star Trek TV & movie series. He died of stomach cancer June 11, 1999 at age 79.

                                                                                                                                                
On this day in 1933, singer & keyboardist Earl Grant was born in Oklahoma City. His hits include [At] The End [Of a Rainbow], Ebb Tide, and Swinging Gently. He was killed in car crash June 11, 1970 at age 37.  

On this day in 1941, singer Ron Townson of The 5th Dimension was born in St. Louis. His hits with the group include Up Up and Away, Aquarius/Let the Sunshine In, One Less Bell to Answer, & [Last Night] I Didn't Get to Sleep at All.  He lost a 4-year battle with kidney disease Aug 2, 2000 at age 59.

                                                                        
On this day in 1942, Harry Babbitt sang as Kay Kyser and his orchestra recorded, "Who Wouldn't Love You", on Columbia Records. The song went on to be a big hit for Kyser.

On this day in 1953, a television show was transmitted live from the United States to Canada for the first time. The CBS Television production of "Studio One" was transmitted from Buffalo NY to CBLT in Toronto.

Also this day in 1953 saw the first live coast-to-coast Presidential Inauguration address by Dwight Eisenhower.

On this day in 1954, the National Negro Network was formed. Some 40 radio stations were charter members of the network.

On this day in 1956, Buddy Holly recorded "Blue Days Black Night" in Nashville.

On this day in 1958, the rock 'n' roll classic, "Get a Job", by The Silhouettes, was released.

Also this day in 1958, Elvis Presley got a little U.S. mail with greetings from Uncle Sam. The draft board in Memphis ordered the King to report for duty; but allowed a 60-day deferment for him to finish the film, "King Creole".

This day in 1964 was a big day in U.S. record stores as the first album by The Beatles was released. The LP, "Meet the Beatles", became a huge success and was #1 on the charts by February 15, 1964. The British Invasion had begun.  

On this day in 1965, Alan Freed, the "Father of Rock 'n' Roll", died in Palm Springs, Calif.  Freed was one of the first radio disc jockeys to program black music, or race music, as it was termed, for white audiences. In the 1950s, Freed, called "Moon Doggy" at WJW Radio in Cleveland, coined the phrase, "rock 'n' roll," before moving to WABC in New York. He was fired by WABC for allegedly accepting payola... making him the scapegoat for what was a widespread practice. Freed, not so incidentally, died nearly penniless after the scandal was exposed.

Also this day in 1965, the Rolling Stones and the Kinks made their first appearance on ABC-TV's "Shindig!"

Again in 1965, The Byrds recorded "Mr Tambourine Man."                                                            

On this day in 1968, "Judy in Disguise (with Glasses)" by John Fred & His Playboy Band topped the charts and stayed there for 2 weeks.

On this day in 1969, Elvis Presley recorded "In the Ghetto" and "Suspicious Minds." It was the first time he had recorded in Memphis since 1956.

On this day in 1971, in the Northwest Territories, Radio Tuktoyaktuk started broadcasting in English and Inuktutuk.

        
On this day in 1973, Jerry Lee Lewis made his debut at the Grand Ole Opry. Opry officials allowed him to perform as long as he didn't use profanities and played only country music. By the end of the set, Lewis broke both agreements.

On this day in 1974, following an auto accident that had almost taken his life five months earlier, Stevie Wonder was back at work, playing a gig at the Rainbow Theatre in London.

On this day in 1977, the No. 1 Billboard Pop Hit was "I Wish'' by Stevie Wonder.

                                                                                                                                  
On this day in 1978, Fred Silverman quit as head honcho of programming for ABC-TV. He accepted an offer to be president of NBC. Silverman had developed shows like "Happy Days", "Laverne and Shirley", "Charlie's Angels" and "Three's Company" to earn ABC its highest ratings ever. His magic, however, didn't work as well at NBC. Silverman's Waterloo, so to speak, was a most expensive TV bomb: "Super Train", starring Steve Lawrence. Grant Tinker replaced Silverman and took the Peacock Network to number one in a few years. Silverman went on to become one of Hollywood's top, independent producers

On this day in 1982, Ozzy Osborne bit the head off of a bat in Des Moines, Iowa, and was hospitalized to undertake a series of rabies shots.  He claimed he thought the bat was a toy thrown by an audience member.

On this day in 1984, actor Johnny Weissmuller died after a series of strokes in Acapulco at age 79.  He starred as Tarzan in a series of films on the big screen, and was Jungle Jim in the TV series of that name.

Also this day in 1984, singer Jackie Wilson died suddenly from a heart attack suffered while performing onstage at Cherry Hill New Jersey.  He was singing his big hit Lonely Teardrops at the time.  He was only 49.  

On this day in 1987, Rhino Records got their first #1 Billboard hit in "At This Moment" by Billy Vera & the Beaters. The song took off after being featured in several episodes of the NBC TV show "Family Ties.''

On this day in 1988, Beach Boy Mike Love hurled insults at Paul McCartney, Diana Ross, Bruce Springsteen and Mick Jagger while the Beach Boys were being inducted into the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame.

On this day in 1989, Toronto-born actress Beatrice Lillie succumbed to Alzheimer's disease at age 94.  Lillie was a comic movie/stage actor who Noel Coward billed as "the funniest woman in the world."  She made a series of radio guest appearances including a memorable one on the Fred Allen Show.  In TV she twice was host of the Colgate Comedy Hour and guested 5 times on the Toast of the Town (Ed Sullivan Show.)

Also this day in 1989, the 100th episode of "Miami Vice" aired on NBC.

On this day in 1990, movie star Barbara Stanwyck died at 82 from congestive heart failure emphysema & lung disease. She headlined the TV show Big Valley in the late 60's, had running roles in Dynasty & The Colbys, and a featured part in the mini-series The Thorn Birds.

Also in 1990, comedians Roseanne Barr and Tom Arnold got married. They have since split up.

Again on this day in 1990, at the 47th Golden Globes, top film honors went to "Born on 4th of July", and "Driving Miss Daisy".

                                                                          
Also this day in 1990, the song "How Am I Supposed to Live Without You" by Michael Bolton topped the charts and stayed there for 3 weeks.

On this day in 1998, the Rock & Roll Hall of Fame inducted The Mama & the Papas, and The Eagles.

Again in 1998, singer Alice Nutter of Chumbawamba said on Bill Maher's "Politically Incorrect" that the band advocated fans stealing copies of their album. Virgin Megastores reacted by pulling their albums from the shelves and putting them behind the counters.

Also this day in 1998, the Warner Brothers TV Network ("The WB") began Tuesday night programming, including the first episode of "Dawson's Creek."

On this day in 1999, Stone Temple Pilots frontman Scott Weiland, on probation for a 1997 heroin case, was arrested and faced a hearing for failing to provide a urine sample to his live-in drug treatment center.

On this day in 2000, the FCC created LPFM's (Low Powered FM's).    
                                                                                                                                      
On this day in 2002, Sting won his first Golden Globe for his song "Until" from the "Kate & Leopold" soundtrack. The telecast also revealed "A Beautiful Mind" as best drama and its star, Russell Crowe, the top dramatic actor, Sissy Spacek was named best dramatic actress for "In the Bedroom" while "Moulin Rouge" was awarded the Globe for best musical or comedy.

On this day in 2004, the man behind the Canadian music weekly RPM & a founding father of the Juno awards, Walt Grealis died at age 74 after a lengthy battle with cancer.

Today's Birthdays:

Big band leader Ray Anthony is 86.

Country singer Slim Whitman is 84.

Actress Patricia Neal (The Homecomingi: A Christmas Story, All Quiet on the Western Front) is 82.

Nova Scotia-born actor Peter Donat (Time Trax, Captains & the Kings, Flamingo Road) is 80.

Comedian Arte Johnson (Rowan & Martin's Laugh In) is 79.

Actress Dorothy Provine (The Alaskans, Roaring Twenties) is 71.

Singer Eric Stewart (10cc, Wayne Fontana and the Mindbenders) is 63.

Director David Lynch (Twin Peaks) is 62. Guitarist Paul Stanley of Kiss is 56.

Bassist Ian Hill of Judas Priest is 56.  

Actress Colleen Zenk Pinter (As the World Turns) is 55.

TV host Bill Maher (Politically Incorrect, Real Time) is 52.

Actress Karen Morris Gowdy (Ryan's Hope) is 52.

Actor Lorenzo Lamas (The Bold & The Beautiful, Falcon Crest) is 50.

Actor James Denton (Desperate Housewives, Threat Matrix, The Pretender) is 45.

Country singer John Michael Montgomery is 43.

Actress Stacey Dash (Clueless, TV 101) is 41.

Seattle-born actor Rainn Wilson (The Office, Six Feet Under) is 40.  

TV host Melissa Rivers (E! Academy Awards Preshow) is 39.

Singer Edwin McCain is 38.

Actor Skeet Ulrich (Jericho, Miracles) is 38.

Drummer ?uestlove (questlove) of The Roots is 37.

Drummer Rob Bourdon of Linkin Park is 29.

Actor Evan Peters (Invasion) is 21.


Chart Toppers

January 20

1948
Ballerina - Vaughn Monroe
How Soon - Jack Owens
Golden Earrings - Peggy Lee
I’ll Hold You in My Heart (Till I Can Hold You in My Arms) - Eddy Arnold

1956
Memories are Made of This - Dean Martin
Band of Gold - Don Cherry
Rock and Roll Waltz - Kay Starr
Sixteen Tons - Tennessee Ernie Ford

1964
There! I’ve Said It Again - Bobby Vinton
Forget Him - Bobby Rydell
Surfin’ Bird - The Trashmen
Love’s Gonna Live Here - Buck Owens

1972
American Pie - Don McLean
Let’s Stay Together - Al Green
Sunshine - Jonathan Edwards
Carolyn - Merle Haggard

1980
Rock with You - Michael Jackson
Do that to Me One More Time - The Captain & Tennille
Cruisin’ - Smokey Robinson
Coward of the County - Kenny Rogers

1988
Got My Mind Set on You - George Harrison
The Way You Make Me Feel - Michael Jackson
Need You Tonight - INXS
One Friend - Dan Seals

Bones was born today... Damnit Jim it's his birthday!