Monday February the 11th


ON THIS DAY in 1914                                                        
                                                              
                                                                                              
singer/songwriter Matt Dennis was born in Seattle. As arranger for the Tommy Dorsey band he had 14 of his songs recorded by the band in one year alone! Three of his big hits were "Everything Happens to Me," "Let's Get Away from It All," and "The Night We Called It a Day." Later he was musical director for the Dick Haymes radio show. He died at age 88 June 21, 2002.

On this day in 1915, blues singer Josh White was born in Greenville South Carolina. Specializing in country blues, he was amongst the first blues performers to attract a large white and middle-class African American following. One of his many appellations was "The Singing Christian." He died Sept. 5 1969 at age 54.  

On this day in 1917, author/producer Sidney Sheldon was born in Chicago.  He produced TV's Patty Duke Show & I Dream of Jeannie, before striking the mother lode as author of pop novels.  Later he created the series Hart to Hart. Several of his novels became TV mini series, including Master of the Game, If Tomorrow Comes, Bloodline, The Other Side of Midnight, and Windmills of the Gods.  He died of complications from pneumonia Jan 30 2007 at age 89.

On this day in 1919, actress Eva Gabor was born in Budapest.  She co-starred with Eddy Albert in the hit rural CBS sitcom Green Acres, as well as dozens of TV guest roles. She died of respiratory failure July 4, 1995 ay age 76.  

On this day in 1920, actor Billy Halop was born in New York. Active in radio in the 20's as a kid he became a member of Hollywood's Dead End Kids, and ended a sporadic acting career as Bert Munson on TV's All in the Family.  A longtime alcoholic he died from a heart attack Nov. 9 1976 at age 56.

On this day in 1922, "April Showers" by Al Jolson hits #1 on the Pop Charts and stays on top for 11 weeks.

On this day in 1925, Emmy-winning actress Kim Stanley was born in rural New Mexico. The brilliant stage star guested sparingly on TV over 35 years, including her 1963 role on Ben Casey, and in 1985 PBS's Cat on a Hot Tin Roof, both of which resulted in acting Emmys. She succumbed to uterine cancer Aug. 20 2001 at age 76.

On this day in 1935, rockabilly pioneer Gene Vincent (below) was born in Norfolk, Va. His biggest hit was 1956's top 10 song "Be-Bop-a-Lula.''  He died from a ruptured stomach ulcer Oct 12, 1971 at age 36.
                                                                                                                        

On this day in 1938, Larry Clinton and his orchestra recorded "Martha" on Victor Records. Bea Wain was heard warbling the vocal.

On this day in 1940, NBC radio presented "The Chamber Music Society of Lower Basin Street" for the first time. The famous Blue network series included several distinguished alumni -- among them, Dinah Shore and Zero Mostel. The chairman, or host, of "The Chamber Music Society of Lower Basin Street" was Milton Cross.(pictured)
                                                            
He would say things like, "A Bostonian looks like he's smelling something. A New Yorker looks like he's found it." The show combined satire, blues and jazz and was built around what were called the three Bs of music: Barrelhouse, Boogie Woogie and Blues.

On this day in 1945, award-winning songwriter Al Dubin passed away at age 53.  His memorable hits (most of which are now regarded as standards) include Lullaby of Broadway, September in The Rain, Forty Second Street, Lulu's Back in Town, About a Quarter to Nine, You're Getting to be a Habit, and I Only Have Eyes for You.

On this day in 1950, "Chattanoogie Shoe Shine Boy" by Red Foley topped the charts and stayed there for 8 weeks.

On this day in 1954, the Sixth Annual Emmy Awards gave top honors to I Love Lucy, Donald O'Connor & Eve Arden.

On this day in 1956, Elvis Presley appeared on "Stage Show" (CBS TV) for the third time. He was finally given permission to perform "Heartbreak Hotel."

On this day in 1960, Jack Paar walked off NBC's "Tonight Show". The previous night, Paar had told a joke during his monologue, and although Paar didn't say "toilets," but "water closets," it offended the NBC censors, who cut the joke (a total of four minutes) out of the show. Paar was incensed when he found out, so on this night he complained about the NBC censors, said "good night" and left. (He returned on March 7, following a trip to Hong Kong, and stayed around for another two years as host of "Tonight".)

On this day in 1963, The Beatles recorded all of the tracks for their first album to be released in the U-K, "Please Please Me." John Lennon had a bad cold and belted out "Twist and Shout" in one take.

On this day in 1964, the Beatles played their first U.S. concert at the Collisseum in Washington, DC.

On this day in 1965, Beatle drummer Ringo Starr married Maureen Cox. They had a son, Zak Starkey, seven months later. They also had a daughter, Lee. The couple divorced in 1975.

On this day in 1966, Cher recorded "Bang Bang."
                                                      

On this day in 1967, The Monkees announced that they would be playing all the instruments on all future recordings.

On this day in 1971, the 100th episode of "Ironside" aired.

On this day in 1972, David Bowie performed as "Ziggy Stardust" for the first time.

On this day in 1975, the No. 1 Billboard Pop Hit was "You're No Good'' by Linda Ronstadt.

On this day in 1976, one of America's premier character actors over three decades, Lee J Cobb suffered a fatal heart attack at age 64.  On TV he starred in the series The Young Lawyers, and recreated his award-winning stage role as Willie Loman in Death of a Salesman.

On this day in 1979, an audience of 43 million watch "Elvis!" starring Kurt Russell on ABC.
                                                                                                                  
On this day in 1982, ABC-TV's presentation of "The Winds of War" concluded.  The 18-hour miniseries cost $40 million to produce and was the most-watched television program in history at the time -- topping another ABC presentation, Alex Haley's "Roots". An audience estimated at 140 million people watched one or more nights of the program.

On this day in 1983, "Weird Al" Yankovic recorded "Ricky" & his debut LP for Scotti Bros. records.

On this day in 1984, the Michael Jackson single "Thriller'' debuted at No. 20 on Billboard's Hot 100. It was the highest debuting song of the 1980s, but failed to reach No. 1, topping out at No. 4.

On this day in 1985, the No. 1 Billboard Pop Hit was "Careless Whisper'' by Wham! featuring George Michael. The song was released as a solo by Michael in the United Kingdom but was included on the group's U.S. album.

                    
On this day in 1986, Boy George guest-starred on an episode of "The A-Team" as a singer mistakenly booked into a country dance hall.

Also this day in 1986, the single "Superbowl Shuffle" by the Chicago Bears Shufflin' Crew was certified gold by the RIAA.

On this day in 1987, in the wake of Liberace's death from AIDS, the London Daily Mirror asked if it could have back the 53-thousand-dollar U-S libel award the entertainer won from the paper more than 30 years earlier. The tabloid had called Liberace a "fruit-flavoured, mincing, ice-covered heap of mother love" in 1956.

On this day in 1992, actor/director Ray Danton, who guest starred on episodic TV over more than 25 years, died from Kidney disease at age 60.

                                                                                                    
On this day in 1994, actor William Conrad died of a heart attack at age 73. He'd been extremely busy in bigtime radio, notably as Marshall Dillon in CBS Radio's Gunsmoke.  On TV he starred in two series, Cannon & Jake and the Fat Man, and also was greatly in demand for narration.  

On this day in 1994, Prince premiered his song "The Most Beautiful Girl in the World" on the 1994 Miss USA Pageant.

Also this day in 1994, actor Sorrell Brooke, who played Mayor Hogg on the Dukes of Hazzard, died of colorectal cancer at age 64.

On this day in 1997, actor Don Porter, the wonderful boss on TV's Private Secretary and the professor (with Sally Field) on Gidget, died at age 84.

On this day in 2002, the six stars on NBC's "Friends" signed a deal for $24 million each for the ninth and final season of the series.

On this day in 2005 at noon, CKWV-1 FM 99.9 Parksville stopped simulcasting the Wave FM 102.3 Nanaimo and launched its own full-service radio station playing Adult Standards.  Its new call letters are CHPQ which are the call letters the station had in the 90s.  Its new name is "The Lounge."
                                                                                                


Today's Birthdays:

Regina-born actor Leslie Nielsen (Police Squad) is 82.

Actor Conrad Janis (Mork and Mindy, Frasier) is 80.

Boxing commentator Larry Merchant (HBO) is 77.

Actress Tina Louise (Gilligan's Island, Dallas) is 74.

Actor Burt Reynolds (Evening Shade, Dan August, Hawk) is 72.

Songwriter Gerry Goffin is 69.

Singer Bobby "Boris" Pickett (Monster Mash) is 68.

Musician Sergio Mendes (Brazil '66) is 67.

R&B singer Otis Clay is 66. Actress Catherine Hickland (One Life To Live, Loving) is 52.

Actress Carey Lowell (Law and Order) is 47.

Singer Sheryl Crow is 46.

Actress Jennifer Aniston (Friends) is 39.

Singer D'Angelo is 34. Actor Brice Beckham (Mr. Belvedere) is 32.

Vocalist Mike Shinoda of Linkin Park and of Fort Minor is 31.

Singer-actress Brandy (Moesha) is 29.

Actor Matthew Lawrence (Boy Meets World, Gimme a Break) is 28.

Singer Kelly Rowland (Destiny's Child) is 27.


Chart Toppers

February 11

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
Guitar Polka - Al Dexter

1954
Oh! My Pa-Pa - Eddie Fisher
Make Love to Me - Jo Stafford
Young-at-Heart - Frank Sinatra
Bimbo - Jim Reeves

1962
Peppermint Twist - Joey Dee & The Starliters
Duke of Earl - Gene Chandler
Norman - Sue Thompson
Walk on By - Leroy Van Dyke

1970
Venus - The Shocking Blue
Thank You (Falettinme Be Mice Elf Agin)/Everybody is a Star - Sly & The Family Stone
I’ll Never Fall in Love Again - Dionne Warwick
A Week in a Country Jail - Tom T. Hall

1978
Stayin’ Alive - Bee Gees
(Love Is) Thicker Than Water - Andy Gibb
Just the Way You Are - Billy Joel
I Just Wish You Were Someone I Love - Larry Gatlin with Brothers & Friends

1986
That’s What Friends are For - Dionne & Friends
Burning Heart - Survivor
I’m Your Man - Wham!
Hurt - Juice Newton