Tuesday February the 12th


ON THIS DAY in 1904
radio/TV host Ted Mack was born William Edward Maguiness in Greeley Colorado.  
                                                                                  (pictured w/ Pat Boone)
Mack succeeded Major Bowes as host of The Original Amateur Hour for the period 1948-52 on radio, and until 1970 on TV.  His discoveries include Gladys Knight, Pat Boone, & Teresa Brewer.  He also hosted TV's Ted Mack Family Hour, a show similar to Ed Sullivan.  Mack died July 12, 1976 at age 72.

On this day in 1905, actor Harry Bellaver was born in Hillsboro Illinois. He had a 4-decade career on Broadway, and 35 years on TV.  He had recurring roles in the Naked City, Another World & Somerset, as well as multiple guest assignments on Inner Sanctum, Alfred Hitchcock Presents, Studio One, Climax & The FBI. He died of pneumonia August 8 1993 at age 88.  

On this day in 1909, singer/producer Barry Wood was born in New Haven Conn. He was the singing star of radio's Lucky Strike Hit Parade in the early 40's just ahead of Frank Sinatra, and went on to perform in lesser-known radio shows.  In the TV era he was host of several shows including Places Please & Backstage with Barry Wood, and producer for The Bell Telephone Hour & Wide Wide World.   He died July 19 1970 at age 61.  

On this day in 1912, one of the great announce voices of bigtime radio Del Sharbutt was born in Cleburne Texas.
          
He is best remembered as spokesman for Campbell's Soup ("Mmm mmm Good!")  He was also TV announcer for Your Hit Parade.

On this day in 1914, singer/sax man/bandleader (Gordon) "Tex" Beneke was born in Fort Worth Texas.  He sang on the Glenn Miller hits Chattanooga Choo Choo, I've Got a Gal in Kalamazoo, & Don't Sit Under the Apple Tree, among others.  He took over leadership of the Miller band after the war, but due to friction with Glenn's estate left to form his own big band; it wasn't that successful.  He died of respiratory failure May 30, 2000 at age 86.

On this day in 1915, newscaster/actor Lorne Greene was born in Ottawa.  He was called "The Voice of Doom" as the nightly newsreader on CBC Radio during World War Two.(1939-42)  On TV he starred in Bonanza, Battlestar Gallactica & Code Red. He died Sept 11, 1987 after an operation for a perforated ulcer, at age 72.

On this day in 1919, actor Forrest Tucker was born in Plainfield Indiana.
                                                                                                  
Although he had an active big screen career, and toured in the national company of The Music Man, he is best remembered as Sergeant O'Rourke in TV's F-Troop. He also was a regular in 3 other series, Dusty's Trail, The Ghost Busters & The Filthy Rich. He played Flo's estranged father in TV's Alice. Tucker died due to lung cancer & emphysema Oct 25, 1986 at age 67.

On this day in 1923, swing/jazz pianist Mel Powell was born Melvin Epstein in New YorkmCity.  In 1941-42, beginnign at age 18, he played, composed, and arranged for Benny Goodman. He was a prominent member of Glenn Miller's Army Air Corps Band from 1943-45.  Turned to composing classical music a few years later. He died of liver cancer Apr 24, 1998 at age 75.
                                                                                            
On this day in 1924, bandleader Paul Whiteman presented his unique symphonic jazz at the Aeolian Hall in New York City. The concert marked the first public performance of George Gershwin's "Rhapsody In Blue". The composer, himself, was at the piano this night. Distinguished guests included John Philip Sousa and Jascha Heifetz.

Also this day in 1924, Calvin Coolidge, known by many as the "Silent President", made the first US presidential political speech on radio.
                  
The speech originated from New York City and was broadcast on five radio stations. Some five million people tuned in to hear the President speak.

Again this day in 1924, "The Eveready Hour" became radio's first sponsored network program. The National Carbon Company took the honor of being the first sponsor of a network show. Today, the battery maker "keeps on going, and going, and going, and going..."  

On this day in 1933, actor Lincoln Kilpatrick was born in St Louis. He had recurring roles in the TV series The Leslie Uggams Show, Matt Houston, Frank's Place, Gabriel's Fire, King, & Arthur Hailey's The Moneychangers, plus dozens of guest spots. He died of lung cancer May 18 2004 at age 71.  

On this day in 1940, Vancouver radio station CKWX(AM 950) received approval to increase power from 100 to 1,000 watts.  The company purchased 20 acres of land on Lulu Island and erected a transmitter building to house a new 1,000-watt Collins 20-H transmitter.  A 250 ft. tower, quarter-wave antenna, and radial ground wave system were installed at the transmitter site in what is now Richmond.

Also this day in 1940, the Mutual Broadcasting System presented the first radio broadcast featuring the comic-strip hero, "Superman". The identity of the man from planet Krypton was unknown to listeners for six years. The secret eventually leaked out that Superman's voice was actually that of Clayton 'Bud' Collyer (below), who would later host the hit television game show, "To Tell the Truth" on CBS.
                                                                                                              

On this day in 1942, jazz singer Mildred Bailey recorded "More Than You Know" on Decca Records.

On this day in 1949, there was panic in Quito Ecuador, after "The War of the Worlds" played on radio, 10. 5 years after Orson Welles got a similar reaction in the US.

On this day in 1955, "Sincerely" by the McGuire Sisters topped the charts and stayed there for 10 weeks.

On this day in 1956, Screamin' Jay Hawkins recorded "I Put a Spell On You."

On this day in 1957, the No. 1 Billboard Pop Hit was "Too Much'' by Elvis Presley. The song was the first of four Presley songs to hit No. 1 in 1957, matching his 1956 record.

                  
Also this day in 1957, The Coasters recorded "Young Blood," which became the group's first big hit.

On this day in 1961, "Shop Around" by The Miracles became Motown's first million-selling single.

On this day in 1962, the No. 1 Billboard Pop Hit was "Duke of Earl'' by Gene Chandler. The song was the first million-selling record for Vee Jay Records.

On this day in 1964, the Beatles played two concerts at Carnegie Hall in New York City, concluding a very successful American tour.

On this day in 1967, police raided Keith Richards home in West Wittering, Sussex, England. The police found "various substances of a suspicious nature." Richards and Mick Jagger were arrested on May 10 on drug charges.
                                                                                                                
On this day in 1968, singer and famed guitarist, Jimi Hendrix, received an honorary high school diploma from Garfield High School in Seattle, where he had dropped out at the age of 14. The legendary psychedelic blues musician who founded The Jimi Hendrix Experience and later, The Band of Gypsies (with Buddy Miles on drums), recorded several highly acclaimed albums, including "Are You Experienced" and "The Jimi Hendrix Experience".  Hendrix died of a drug overdose in 1970.

On this day in 1971, actor George Shelton, who was a regular on the long-running radio hit It Pays to be Ignorant, died at age 86.

On this day in 1972, Al Green's "Let's Stay Together" knocked "American Pie" out of the top spot on the music charts. The record stayed at the top for one week, before giving way to Nilsson's "Without You". Green returned to his gospel roots in 1980 and is a minister in Memphis, TN. Green recorded 14 hit songs with six of them making it to the Top 10.

Also this day in 1972, the song "Roundabout" was released by Yes.
                                                          
On this day in 1976, actor & teen idol Sal Mineo was murdered, stabbed to death, in a botched mugging.  He was 37.  As well as his big screen successes he had been seen in a string of TV guest spots from Studio One and Combat to S.W.A.T.  

On this day in 1977, the Police recorded their first single, "Fall Out."

On this day in 1981, Deborah Harry, the lead singer of Blondie, announced she would be making a solo album. The group had two number one singles that year "The Tide Is High" and "Rapture."

On this day in 1982, Dawson City-born character actor Victor Jory died at 79.  For 30 years he worked steadily in guest roles on TV series like Playhouse 90, The Virginian, Climax, Kraft Television Theatre, Studio One, Kings Row, Schlitz Playhouse, and Manhunt.

On this day in 1985, Johnny Carson surprised his audience by shaving the beard he had been sporting on "The Tonight Show". Carson quipped: "I had to do it when a little old lady said that she had confused me for one of the Smith Brothers." There was silence from the studio audience, until Johnny timed it perfectly by saying, "You know, the cough drop guys." Uproarious laughter.

On this day in 1985, actor Nicholas Colasanto, who played Coach on the NBC sitcom Cheers, died of a heart ailment partway through the series at age 61.

On this day in 1986, the No. 1 Billboard Pop Hit was "How Will I Know'' by Whitney Houston. The song displaced "That's What Friends Are For,'' the No. 1 song by Houston's cousin, Dionne Warwick.

On this day in 1987, Ontario-born actor Lang Jeffries, who played Skip Johnson in TV's Rescue 8, died at age 57.  

On this day in 1989, that most unique singer Tiny Tim declared himself a New York City mayoral candidate. He did not win in the election.

On this day in 1993, radio/TV talk show host Joan Rivers swapped jobs with one of her viewers and worked as a flight attendant on a flight from New York to Pittsburgh. She spilled a drink on a passenger.

On this day in 1994, Celine Dion's "The Power of Love" was the #1 single in the U.S. It ruled the musical roost for four weeks.
                                                                                                              

On this day in 1997, David Bowie received a star on the Hollywood Walk of Fame.

On this day in 2000, "Peanuts" cartoonist Charles Schulz died at his home in San Francisco after battling colon cancer. He was 77. The man behind the wonderful series of Peanuts TV specials died the day before his last comic strip was published.

On this day in 2001, the U.S. 9th Circuit Court of Appeals ordered Napster to stop its users from trading copyrighted material without charge.


Today's Birthdays:  

Sportscaster Joe Garagiola (NBC's Today Show, To Tell the Truth, Game of the Week) is 82.

Singer Gene McDaniels is 73.

Actor Joe Don Baker (In the Heat of the Night, Edge of Night, Eischeid) is 72.

Keyboardist Ray Manzarek of The Doors is 69.

Country singer Moe Bandy is 64.

Actress Maud Adams (Emerald Point NAS, Chicago Story) is 63.

Actor Cliff DeYoung (Sunshine, JAG, Relativity) is 63.

Toronto-born actor Michael Ironside (V, Superman, SeaQuest DSV) is 58.

Guitarist Steve Hackett (Genesis) is 58.

Singer Michael McDonald (Doobie Brothers) is 56.

Actress Joanna Kerns (Growing Pains) is 55.

Actor-talk show host Arsenio Hall (Arsenio, Martial Law) is 53.

CNN anchor Paula Zahn is 52.

Singer Chynna Phillips of Wilson Phillips is 40.

Bassist Jim Creeggan of Barenaked Ladies is 38.

Keyboardist Keri Lewis of Mint Condition is 37.

Actress Christina Ricci (Ally McBeal) is 28.


Chart Toppers

February 12

1947
For Sentimental Reasons - Nat King Cole
Ole Buttermilk Sky - The Kay Kyser Orchestra (vocal: Mike Douglas & The Campus Kids)
A Gal in Calico - Johnny Mercer
So Round, So Firm, So Fully Packed - Merle Travis

1955
Sincerely - McGuire Sisters
Hearts of Stone - Fontane Sisters
Ko Ko Mo (I Love You So) - Perry Como
Let Me Go, Lover! - Hank Snow

1963
Hey Paula - Paul & Paula
Loop De Loop - Johnny Thunder
Up on the Roof - The Drifters
The Ballad of Jed Clampett - Flatt & Scruggs

1971
Knock Three Times - Dawn
One Bad Apple - The Osmonds
Rose Garden - Lynn Anderson
Joshua - Dolly Parton

1979
Da Ya Think I’m Sexy? - Rod Stewart
Y.M.C.A. - Village People
A Little More Love - Olivia Newton-John
Every Which Way But Loose - Eddie Rabbitt

1987
Open Your Heart - Madonna
Livin’ on a Prayer - Bon Jovi
Change of Heart - Cyndi Lauper
Leave Me Lonely - Gary Morris