Wednesday January the 23rd


On This Day in 1907  
actor Dan Duryea was born in White Plains NY.  He started on Broadway, moved to Hollywood in 1940, and started in TV a decade later, playing the title role in two series of the action-adventure China Smith. Mostly he played the sexy bad guys with recurring guest roles on TV's Laramie, Rawhide, Wagon Train, and the nightime soap Peyton Place. He died of cancer June 7, 1968 at age 61.

On this day in 1910, perhaps the greatest jazz guitarist of them all Django Reinhardt was born in Belgium.  He often teamed to perform & record with jazz violinist Stephane Grapelli.   He suffered a fatal brain hemmorhage May 16 1953 and died at age 43.

On this day in 1919, innovative TV comedian Ernie Kovacs was born in Trenton NJ. He was the first to treat television as a unique medium; prior comics had used it as merely an extension of vaudeville, film & radio. He also hosted a quirky 1959 quiz show, Take a Good Look.  Kovacs was killed in a single-vehicle LA car crash in a rainstorm Jan 13, 1962.  He was ten days short of his 43rd birthday.

                                                                          
On this day in 1923, actress Florence Halop was born in Queens New York.  She started in radio (Coast-to-Coast on a Bus, Duffy's Tavern, Jimmy Durante Show) before taking recurring TV roles on Meet Millie, Barney Miller, St. Elsewhere & Night Court.  She died of lung cancer July 15 1986 at age 63.

On this day in 1925, musician/arranger Marty Paich was born in Oakland. He worked as pianist, composer, & arranger with & for the likes of Frank Sinatra, Peggy Lee, Barbra Streisand, Sarah Vaughan, Ella Fitzgerald, Mel Tormé, & Ray Charles, and a hundred others. His name was not widely known, he avoided self-promotion. He died of colon cancer Aug 12, 1995 at age 70.  

                                                                                                                
On this day in 1937, an article published in "Literary Digest" revealed that Edgar Bergen had made his little wooden dummy pal, Charlie McCarthy, the beneficiary of a $10,000 trust fund to keep him in serviceable condition and repair.

On this day in 1941, Artie Shaw and his orchestra recorded the big band classic "Moonglow" on Victor Records. In the band were such sidemen as Johnny Guarnieri, Jack Jenney, Billy Butterfield and Ray Conniff (on trombone).

On this day in 1941, radio station WOR in Newark moved to New York City.

                                                                      
On this day in 1943, noted critic Alexander Woollcott died of a heart attack while on the radio. He was 56.

Also this day in 1943, Duke Ellington and the band played for a black-tie crowd at Carnegie Hall in New York City. It was the first of what was to become an annual series of concerts featuring the the Duke.  

On this day in 1951, the 3rd Emmy Awards honored the Alan Young Show, its Vancouver-raised star Alan Young (below), & Gertrude Berg of The Goldbergs.
                  

On this day in 1958, Brunswick Records released "Maybe Baby" backed with "Tell Me How" by The Crickets.

On this day in 1965, "Downtown" by Petula Clark topped the charts and stayed there for 2 weeks.

Also this day in 1965, "The King Family Show" (musical variety) premiered on ABC TV.

On this day in 1968, the No. 1 Billboard Pop Hit was "Judy in Disguise (with Glasses)'' by John Fred and His Playboy Band.

On this day in 1969, Cream released their last album "Goodbye."

                                                
On this day in 1970, singer Judy Collins was denied permission to sing her testimony at the Chicago Seven trial.

On this day in 1971, the song "Knock Three Times" by Dawn topped the charts and stayed there for 3 weeks.

On this day in 1975, "Barney Miller" made his debut on ABC-TV. We saw life in the 12th Precinct as Hal Linden starred as Barney and Abe Vagoda played Fish. The talented cast made the show a hit for eight seasons.

On this day in 1976, "Donny and Marie" premiered on ABC. It was the first variety show hosted by a brother and sister team, Donny and Marie Osmond.

On this day in 1977, Carole King's landmark album, "Tapestry", became the longest-running album to hit the charts, as it reached its 302nd week on the album lists.

                                                                              
Also this day in 1977, the outstandingly popular miniseries "Roots" by Alex Haley premiered on ABC.

On this day in 1978, Vic Ames of the Ames Brothers died in an auto wreck Age 51.

Also this day in 1978, founder and guitarist Terry Kath of the group Chicago died after accidentally shooting himself in the head with a pistol he didn't know was loaded. He was 32 years old.

                                                                                                                
On this day in 1983, one of television's most intellectual, sophisticated and classy shows came into North American homes. It was full of action and drama and starred some guy named Mr. T, wearing a ton of gold jewelry. He played the not so mild-mannered Sgt. Bosco B.A. Baracus, and George Peppard took the lead role as John Hannibal Smith. Yes, "The A-Team" debuted. Speak kindly of the show or Mr. T. will rip your face off, sucka!

On this day in 1986, the first annual induction ceremony for the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame was held in New York. Among those inducted were Chuck Berry, James Brown, Ray Charles, Fats Domino, the Everly Brothers, Buddy Holly, Jerry Lee Lewis and Elvis Presley.

On this day in 1988, Nirvana recorded a ten-song demo tape with the godfather of grunge, legendary Seattle producer Jack Endino. The Melvins' Dale Crover sat in on drums. Sub Pop co-honcho Jonathan Poneman heard the tape and offered to put out a Nirvana single. They accepted.

Also this day in 1988, the No. 1 Billboard Pop Hit was "The Way You Make Me Feel'' by Michael Jackson. The song was the third consecutive No. 1 hit from Jackson's album "Bad,'' the first time an artist had accomplished that feat.

On this day in 1991, "Seinfeld" debuted on NBC-TV.
          

On this day in 1995, the No. 1 Billboard Pop Hit was "Creep" by TLC.

On this day in 1997, Richard Berry, the rhythm and blues pioneer whose song "Louie Louie" launched a generation of garage bands and provoked a federal obscenity probe, died at the age of 61.

On this day in 1999, Bill Givens, the founder of pioneering reissue label Origin Jazz Library, died of a heart attack in Santa Monica, Calif. He was 68. In the late '50s, Givens' indie imprint was among the first to release rare country blues 78s on LP; the albums had a pronounced impact on '60s blues revivalists.

On this day in 2002, longtime CKWX announcer & program executive Laurie Irvine died in North Vancouver at age 88. He was the founding department head of BCIT's Communication Program in 1964. By then, he already had 30 years of broadcast experience, beginning at CKFC Vancouver in 1934.

                                                          
On this day in 2002, CNN announced that it had hired Connie Chung away from ABC News.  The move did not turn out to be a ratings success.

Also this day in 2002, Virgin Records and Mariah Carey terminated their record deal after barely nine months. Virgin paid Carey $28 million dollars to break the contract, on top of the 21 million Carey got for signing with Virgin.

On this day in 2005, late-night TV icon Johnny Carson died from complications from emphysema in Los Angeles. He was 79.
                                                                                                        


Today's Birthdays:

Jazz tenor saxophonist Ray Abrams is 88.  

Singer Ken Errair of the Four Freshmen is 78.

Actress Chita Rivera (One Life to Live, New Dick Van Dyke Show) is 75.

Actress Arlene Golonka (Mayberry RFD, Joe & Valerie) is 69.

Actor Gil Gerard (Buck Rogers in the 25th Century, Nightingales, Days of our Lives) is 65.

Singer Anita Pointer of the Pointer Sisters is 60.

Guitarist Patrick Simmons of the Doobie Brothers is 58.

Keyboardist Danny Federici of Bruce Springsteen and the E Street Band is 58.

Bassist-keyboardist Bill Cunningham of The Box Tops is 58.

Actor Richard Dean Anderson (MacGyver, Stargate SG 1) is 58.

Singer-guitarist Robin Zander of Cheap Trick is 55.

Singer Anita Baker is 50.

Bassist Earl Falconer of UB40 is 49.

Actress Gail O'Grady (American Dreams, NYPD Blue) is 45.

Actress Mariska Hargitay (Law & Order: SVU) is 44.

Singer Marc Nelson (Az Yet) is 40.

Actress Tiffani Thiessen (Good Morning Miami, Fastlane, Beverly Hills 90210) is 34.


Chart Toppers

January 23

1951 -Tennessee Waltz - Patti Page
The Thing - Phil Harris
A Bushell and a Peck - Perry Como & Betty Hutton
The Shot Gun Boogie - Tennessee Ernie Ford

1959
Smoke Gets in Your Eyes - The Platters
My Happiness - Connie Francis
Donna - Ritchie Valens
Billy Bayou - Jim Reeves

1967
I’m a Believer - The Monkees
Tell It Like It Is - Aaron Neville
Georgy Girl - The Seekers
There Goes My Everything - Jack Greene

1975
Mandy - Barry Manilow
Please Mr. Postman - Carpenters
Laughter in the Rain - Neil Sedaka
Kentucky Gambler - Merle Haggard

1983
Down Under - Men at Work
The Girl is Mine - Michael Jackson /Paul McCartney
Dirty Laundry - Don Henley
(Lost His Love) On Our Last Date - Emmylou Harris

1991
Love Will Never Do (Without You) - Janet Jackson
The First Time - Surface
Sensitivity - Ralph Tresvant
Unanswered Prayers - Garth Brooks