Saturday January the 26th


ON THIS DAY in 1899
writer/producer Willis Cooper was born in Pekin Illinois. He was the creator of NBC Radio's scary series "Lights Out." Besides writing, producing and directing, he hosted the show from its start in 1934 to 1936, when Arch Oboler succeeded him. He also was creator/writer/producer of "Quiet, Please!" on Mutual (1947-1948 ) and ABC Radio (1948-1949), and producer/narrator of the early TV series Volume One.  He died June 29 1955 at age 56.
                                                                                                                        
On this day in 1905, character actor Charles Lane was born in San Francisco. Among his many mean spirited roles, Lane is perhaps most widely remembered for his portrayal of J. Homer Bedloe on the TV series Petticoat Junction. He also had recurring appearances on The Lucy Show, Dennis the Menace, Beverly Hillbillies & Soap.  He was still working (on a TV movie) in 1995 at age 90.  He was thought to be the oldest American actor when he passed July 9 2007 at age 102.  

On this day in 1907, bandleader Eddie Ballantine was born in Chicago. He was musical director of the Don McNeill Breakfast Club on NBC Blue/ABC Radio for almost thirty years.  When that program ended in 1968 he became a stock market reporter for a Chicago TV station.  He died Nov. 14 1995 at age 88.

On this day in 1908, pioneering jazz violinist Stephane Grappelli was born in Paris.
                                                              
With gypsy guitarist Django Rheinhardt he formed the Hot Club of France jazz quintet. He continued staging concerts around the world well into his 80's. He died Dec 1 1997 at age 89, after a hernia operation.

On this day in 1912, puppeteer Cora Baird was born in New York City. With husband Bil she formed the most popular children's puppet team in early TV, The Baird Marionettes.  She died Dec 7, 1967 at age 55.  

On this day in 1913, actor William Prince was born in smalltown New York.  Although he was involved in many live dramas in early TV, his biggest impact was from hundreds of appearances in TV soaps Young Dr. Malone, Another World, The Edge of Night, Search for Tomorrow and A World Apart. He died Oct 8, 1996 at age 83.

Also this day in 1913, Oscar-winning composer Jimmy Van Heusen was born Edward Chester Babcock in Syracuse NY. He wrote the music to over 75 songs for Frank Sinatra with lyricists Johnny Burke and Sammy Cahn, including My Kind of Town & The Second Time Around. He died Feb 7, 1990 at age 77.  

On this day in 1915, actor William Hopper was born in New York City.  The son of actress-turned-gossip columnist Hedda Hopper is best remembered for his long-running TV role as Perry Mason's private investigator Paul Drake. He died of pneumonia March 6 1970 at age 55.  

On this day in 1922, pianist Page Cavanaugh was born in Cherokee Kansas. He formed & led his own trio from 1943-1960, which was featured on NBC Radio's Jack Paar Show in 1947.  They worked as backup toMel Torme recordings, and also were featured repeatedly on CBS Radio's Songs by Sinatra.  Happy 86th Birthday, Page Cavanaugh!
                                                                                    

On this day in 1926, the medium of television was first demonstrated, in London by John L Baird.
  
On this day in 1934, the Apollo Theatre in Harlem presented its first live stage show, featuring Benny Carter and his Big Band.

On this day in 1946, film critic Gene Siskel (below) was born Eugene Kal in Chicago. He & Roger Ebert formed the pre-eminent TV movie reviewing team, first on PBS, and then syndicated as Siskel & Ebert At the Movies.  He died after brain surgery Feb 20, 1999 at age 53.
                                                                                                                        

On this day in 1947, "The Greatest Story Ever Told" was first heard on ABC radio. It was the first radio series to portray the voice of Jesus Christ.

On this day in 1956, Buddy Holly had his first of three recording sessions that year for Decca Records and producer, Owen Bradley, in Nashville. Nothing much came out of those sessions. He formed the group, The Three Tunes (changed later to The Crickets), and went on to find fame and fortune when he hooked up with producer Norman Petty in New Mexico. Holly died in a plane crash near Mason City Iowa, February 3, 1959 (“the day the music died"). He was 22. Holly was inducted into the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame in 1986.

On this day in 1958, singer & radio star Jack Smith took over for Art Baker as host of one of TV's most popular shows, "You Asked for It."

On this day in 1959, "Alcoa Presents" debuted on ABC-TV. The show would later be renamed "One Step Beyond".

On this day in 1961, Elvis Presley's "Are You Lonesome Tonight?" jumped to #1 on the pop charts.

On this day in 1963, "Walk Right In" by the Rooftop Singers topped the charts and stayed there for 2 weeks.

On this day in 1966, The Animals' Eric Burdon sang lead vocals for Manfred Mann at a London concert.

On this day in 1970, commissioner Pete Rozelle of the NFL announced that the three major TV networks, NBC, CBS and ABC, had agreed to pay a total of $124,000,000 over four years to televise the National Football League games. CBS carried the NFC games and NBC had the AFC. ABC came in with an idea to broadcast a thing called "Monday Night Football". Few thought it would go over well, but the broadcast soon made believers out of millions of fans.

Also this day in 1970, the No. 1 Billboard Pop Hit was "I Want You Back'' by The Jackson 5.

                                                              
On this day in 1973, actor & movie star Edward G Robinson died of cancer at age 79.   Rising to stardom in Warner Bros. movies of the 30's, his most important broadcast credit was the lead role of crusading newspaperman Steve Wilson in CBS Radio's Big Town for 5 years beginning in 1937.

On this day in 1974, "You're Sixteen" by Ringo Starr topped the charts but only for a week.

On this day in 1975, the BBC showed a documentary on David Bowie called "Cracked Actor.''
On this day in 1977, guitarist Peter Green, formerly of Fleetwood Mac, was committed to a mental hospital in England. He had fired a gun at a delivery boy who was bringing a royalty check to him.

                                                                                                                        
On this day in 1979, "The Dukes of Hazzard" made their first appearance in CBS's vast wasteland

On this day in 1984, CBS television was brave enough to bring back the sexist, violent, wisecracking Mike Hammer. Mickey Spillane's extremely violent novels were equally as violent on TV. But this time, all the murder, extortion, kidnapping and robbery cases were solved by the handsome Stacy Keach.  

Also this day in 1984, Michael Jackson was hospitalized with scalp burns after a spark ignited his hair during filming of a Pepsi TV commercial.

On this day in 1986, in Super Bowl XX (at New Orleans): Chicago Bears 46, New England Patriots 10.  Nielsen TV ratings indicated that exactly 50 percent of the U.S. population watched at least some part of the game, making it, at the time, the most watched TV program in history.

On this day in 1991, the song "The First Time" by Surface topped the charts and stayed there for 2 weeks.

On this day in 1992, actor Jose Ferrer died of colon cancer at age 80.  Best known for his Oscar-winning performance as Cyrano de Bergerac,(which he also played on Broadway,)  he had only a handful of TV credits on his resume, including a running role on the sitcom Newhart, and the mini-series George Washington & The French Atlantic Affair.  

On this day in 1994, "Babylon 5" began airing on TNT.

On this day in 1995, Joni Mitchell made a rare concert appearance at the Gene Autry Western Heritage Museum theater in Los Angeles. Highlighting material from her new album "Turbulent Indigo," she was broadcast to over 150 radio stations across the US.

On this day in 1997, ZZ Top, James Brown and the Blues Brothers performed at the Super Bowl XXXI halftime show

On this day in 1998, President Clinton used TV to indignantly proclaim his innocence. "I want to say one thing to the American people, I did not have sexual relations with that woman, Miss Lewinsky."  And if you believe that, I have a bridge .........

Also this day in 1998, blues drummer S.P. Leary died at the age of 67 of complications from cancer. During his half-century-long career, the Texas-born musician supported such performers as T-Bone Walker, Muddy Waters, Howlin' Wolf, Sonny Boy Williamson, John Lee Hooker, Magic Sam, Lowell Fulson, Otis Spann, and James Cotton.

On this day in 1999, the National Transportation Safety Board concluded that singer John Denver died in a 1997 airplane crash because he took off with too little fuel in one tank, had trouble switching to his backup tank and inadvertently put his plane into a roll while his attention was diverted.

On this day in 2001, CHEK TV Victoria began broadcasting some "Global" network  programming, beginning with Super Bowl and the new Survivor series.  This was in anticipation of its move to the GLOBAL network on Sept. 1.

On this day in 2003, Billy Joel was hospitalized for several hours after crashing his car into a tree in Sag Harbor, NY. He was released early the next morning.
                                                                                                                  

On this day in 2004, Victoria radio stations C-FAX & CHBE FM were sold by Mel Cooper to CHUM Radio for $7.5 million.  CRTC approval came on September 3, and ownership was transferred on October 1.

Today's Birthdays:

Pianist Page Cavanaugh (see 1922 above) is 86.  

Actress Anne Jeffreys (Topper, Love That Jill, Port Charles) is 85.

Actor Paul Newman (Empire Falls, Our Town) is 83.

Singer Eartha Kitt (C'est Si Bon, Santa Baby) is 80.

Sports announcer-actor Bob Uecker (Mr. Belvedere) is 73.

Actor Scott Glenn (Naked City: Killer Chistmas, Naked City: Justice With a Bullet) is 69.

Singer Jean Knight is 65.

Drummer Corky Laing of Mountain is 60.

Actor David Strathairn (Sopranos, Big Apple, Days & Nights of Molly Dodd) is 59.

Singer Lucinda Williams is 55.

Guitarist Eddie Van Halen is 53.

Percussionist Norman Hassan of UB40 is 50.

Actress/comedian Ellen DeGeneres is 50.

Guitarist Andrew Ridgeley (Wham!) is 45.

Singer Jazzie B. of Soul II Soul is 45.

Spokane-born actor Paul Johansson (One Tree Hill, Lonesome Dove) is 44.

Gospel singer Kirk Franklin is 38.

Actress Jennifer Crystal (Once & Again) is 35.

Drummer Chris Hesse of Hoobastank is 34.

Actress Sarah Rue (Less Than Perfect) is 30.

Country guitarist Michael Martin of Marshall Dyllon is 25.

Chart Toppers

January 26

1946
Symphony - The Freddy Martin Orchestra (vocal: Clyde Rogers)
I Can’t Begin to Tell You - Bing Crosby with the Carmen Cavallaro Orchestra
Let It Snow - Vaughn Monroe
You Will Have to Pay - Tex Ritter

1954
Stranger in Paradise - Tony Bennett
Oh! My Pa-Pa - Eddie Fisher
At the Darktown Strutters’ Ball - Lou Monte
Bimbo - Jim Reeves

1962
The Twist - Chubby Checker
Peppermint Twist - Joey Dee & The Starliters
Can’t Help Falling in Love - Elvis Presley
Walk on By - Leroy Van Dyke

1970
Raindrop Keep Fallin’ on My Head - B.J. Thomas
Venus - The Shocking Blue
I Want You Back - The Jackson 5
Baby, Baby (I Know You’re a Lady) - David Houston

1978
Baby Come Back - Player
Here You Come Again - Dolly Parton
You’re in My Heart (The Final Acclaim) - Rod Stewart
What a Difference You’ve Made in My Life - Ronnie Milsap

1986
That’s What Friends are For - Dionne & Friends
Burning Heart - Survivor
Talk to Me - Stevie Nicks
Never Be You - Rosanne Cash