Thursday April the 3rd

ON THIS DAY in 1917
                                                                                                            
arranger/bandleader Bill Finegan was born in Newark NJ. He arranged for the Glenn Miller Orchestra (1938-42), and for the Tommy Dorsey Orchestra (42-52.)  From 1952-57 he was co-leader (with Eddie Sauter) of the Sauter-Finegan Orchestra. He also wrote much special material for radio and television.

In 1920, pianist/composer Stan Freeman was born in Waterbury Connecticut.  In 1946, after getting out of the US Army he joined the Tex Beneke band. He was a piano soloist with the Cincinnati, Buffalo and Washington symphony orchestras. He played in night clubs across the USA and in London, and was featured as a team with Cy Walter. He also had his own radio shows, and made many records. He died of emphysema Jan 13 2001 at age 80.

In 1921, singer/actress Marilyn Maxwell was born in Clarinda Iowa. She was a radio singer before signing a film contract with MGM, singing & being ogled on the Abbott & Costello radio show. She was most famous as the blonde bombshell on Bob Hope's many USO tours around the world. She died March 20 1972 after a heart attack at age 51.

            
In 1923, actress Jan Sterling was born in New York City.  Her pouty, sullen, sexy ways on screen didn't quite make her an A list movie star, and she capped her career with roles in TV's The Guiding Light & the miniseries Backstage at the White House.  She died March 26 2004 after a series of strokes at age 82.  

In 1930, soprano Emma Albani, the first Canadian-born artist to achieve international fame, died in London.

In 1930, the fledgling film industry patted itself on its collective back at the 2nd Annual Academy Awards, presented to movies made during the 1928-1929 year. (Movies made during the 1929-1930 year were honored seven months later on November 5.) Best Picture was The Broadway Melody, Warner Baxter was voted Best Actor for his role in In Old Arizona, while Mary Pickford took home the Best Actress award for her part in Coquette.

                                                                        
In 1939, Mr. District Attorney was heard for the first time on NBC radio. The serial about the "champion of the people" was originally a 15-minute nightly program. In June of '39, the program went to a half-hour weekly format. Mr. District Attorney aired until 1952, when it became a syndicated TV show.  

In 1942, People Are Funny was first heard on NBC radio. Art Baker was the show's first host. Art Linkletter took over the popular program on radio in 1943 and later moved it to television.

In 1943, Richard Manuel, pianist with The Band, was born in Stratford, Ontario. Manuel was still in high school when he joined Ronnie Hawkins' band, the Hawks. They became Bob Dylan's backing group in 1965 and were renamed The Band. Richard Manuel hanged himself in a Florida motel bathroom in 1986.

                                                                                                                  
In 1949, Dean Martin and Jerry Lewis debuted on NBC radio.  Their program continued until 1952.

In 1949, radio station KQW, licensed to San Jose, California changed its call letters to KCBS San Francisco.

In 1952, Harry Belafonte recorded his first songs for RCA Victor at Manhattan Center in New York City. Hugo Winterhalter backed up the singer with an 18-piece orchestra. Among the sides recorded were A-Roving and Chimney Smoke.

In 1953, TV Guide was published for the first time -- from Radnor, Pennsylvania (near Philadelphia). The publication reached a circulation of 1,500,000 readers in its first year.

                                                                      
In  1955, Fred Astaire appeared on television for the first time on The Toast of the Town, with host, Ed Sullivan. Already an established dancer in films, Astaire quickly became a TV sensation as well.

In 1956, Elvis Presley performed on "The Milton Berle Show." The show was broadcast live from the aircraft carrier USS Hancock. Elvis played the songs "Heartbreak Hotel," "Money, Honey," and "Blue Suede Shoes."

In 1959, the BBC banned the Coasters' "Charlie Brown'' because it used the word "spitball.'' The ban lasted two weeks.

            
In 1960, the Everly Brothers made their British concert debut.

Also in 1960, Elvis Presley recorded the songs "It's Now Or Never" and "Are You Lonesome Tonight?" in Nashville.

In 1961, "Blue Moon" by The Marcels topped the charts and stayed there for 3 weeks.

In 1965, Bob Dylan appeared on the pop music charts for the first time. Subterranean Homesick Blues entered the Top 40 at number 39. Dylan would chart a total of 12 singles on the pop charts between 1965 and 1979.

In 1965, "Wooly Bully" by Sam the Sham and the Pharaoh's was released

In 1969, rocker Jim Morrison was arrested by the FBI for interstate flight, stemming from obscenity charges lodged after a Miami concert

In 1970, the British pub rock band Brinsley Schwarz was launched in a blaze of publicity. More than 100 English journalists were flown to New York for the group's first U-S appearance. The concert was a disaster, but the group survived and members like Nick Lowe and Ian Gomm had successful solo careers.

                                                                                                                      
In 1971, "Just My Imagination (Running Away with Me)" by the Temptations topped the charts and stayed there for 2 weeks.

In 1973, Capitol Records issued two Beatles' greatest hits packages -- "The Beatles -- 1962-1966'' and "The Beatles -- 1967-1970.''

In 1975, rocker Steve Miller was charged with setting fire to the clothes and personal effects of a friend, Benita DiOrio, and resisting arrest. The charges were dropped the next day.

In 1976, "Disco Lady" by Johnny Taylor topped the charts and stayed there for 4 weeks.

                                                                      
In 1978, the "Larry King Show," airing late nights on Mutual Radio, was moved from Miami to Washington, D.C.

Also in 1978, Cher's TV special with guest Rod Stewart aired on ABC.

Still in 1978, the stars came out to honor Star Wars and other films of 1977 at the 50th anniversary of the Academy Awards. Bob Hope starred as the host of the festivities at the Dorothy Chandler Pavilion. Although Star Wars won in six of the 10 categories in which it was nominated, Annie Hall took 4 Oscars including Best Picture, Best Director (Woody Allen) & Best Actress (Diane Keaton

In 1979, British singer and songwriter Kate Bush made her concert debut in Liverpool, England.

In 1980, the final episode of "Barnaby Jones" aired.

In 1982, actor Warren Oates suffered a heart attack & died at age 53.  His first job in TV was as stunt tester on 1950's Beat the Clock.  He appeared in New York-based live TV dramas like Studio One, but his drawl was deemed more appropriate for westerns.  In Hollywood he became a favorite of casting directors on shows like Gunsmoke, The Virginian, Rawhide, The Rifleman, Wanted: Dead or Alive, Trackdown, etc etc.

              
In 1982, John Chancellor stepped down as anchor of the The NBC Nightly News. Roger Mudd and Tom Brokaw assumed roles as coanchors.

In 1986, the British pop group Simply Red began its first U-S tour in Los Angeles. The band's "Holding Back the Years'' was beginning its climb to the top of the Billboard pop chart.

In 1988, the No. 1 Billboard Pop Hit was "Get Outta My Dreams, Get into My Car'' by Billy Ocean.

In 1989, Pepsi scrapped plans to air commercials featuring Madonna's song "Like a Prayer.'' The company cited public confusion between the ads and the song's controversial video, which showed Madonna caressing a priest.

Also on this date in 1989, 23 people were arrested after fans tried to crash a Grateful Dead concert in Pittsburgh.

                                                                                                                                  
In 1990, legendary jazz singer Sarah Vaughan, known as the "Divine One,'' died in Los Angeles of lung cancer eight days after her 66th birthday.

In 1992, actress Margaret Barker, who had running roles in TV soaps Another World, Edge of Night, & The Secret Storm, died of lung cancer at age 83.

In 1993, Ray Charles became the first performer with chart hits in six decades when his version of Leon Russell's "A Song For You'' entered the Billboard Hot R-and-B singles chart. Charles' first R-and-B charter was 1949's "Confession Blues'' as a member of the Maxine Trio.

            
In 1993, Pinky Lee, host of his own national TV kids show in the early days, died of a heart attack at age 85.

In 1994, one of early TV's top commercial spokespeople, Betty Furness died at age 78.   She had become nationally known through her live Westinghouse commercials, and later was consumer reporter for WNBC TV New York.

In 1994, two new books claimed that Rolling Stones guitarist Brian Jones was murdered in his swimming pool in 1969. The alleged killer was London builder Frank Thorogood, who died in '93. The coroner had ruled Jones drowned while under the influence of alcohol and drugs.

In 1998, Michael Jackson's wife, Debbie Rowe Jackson, gave birth to their second child -- a girl -- in Beverly Hills, California.

Also in 1998, Dave Navarro left the Red Hot Chili Peppers.

Still on this date in 1998, Rob Pilatus of the disgraced pop duo Milli Vanilli was found dead in a hotel near Frankfurt, Germany. The 33-year-old apparently took a lethal combination of alcohol and prescription pills during a drug withdrawal program.

In 1999, British composer-lyricist Lionel Bart died of cancer in London at 68. Bart was famed for his 1960 musical "Oliver,'' but squandered his fortune on booze and other excesses.

                                                                                                                    
Also in 1999, "Happy Hour," a variety show hosted by Dweezil and Ahmet Zappa, debuted on the USA Network. The show, a wacky cross between "Laugh In" and "The Match Game," featured celebrity guests, as well as musical performances.

In 2000, things got ugly in Boston as the Ruff Ryders/Cash Money tour featuring top rappers DMX and Eve pulled into town. A brawl broke out backstage at the FleetCenter arena, during which five people were stabbed and one man was struck with a marble bench. The show was officially cancelled at 11 p.m. without any of the major acts having performed.

Also in 2000, Mariah Carey was admitted to hospital in Boston for treatment for food poisoning and dehydration caused by some raw oysters she ate in Atlanta two days before.

In 2001, blues singer-guitarist Lester "Big Daddy'' Kinsey died of prostate cancer at age 74. Known for his croaky voice, Kinsey and his three sons were known as Big Daddy Kinsey and His Fabulous Sons. The sons later formed the Kinsey Report.

In 2005, the Juno Awards were presented in Winnipeg. Relative new-comers such as k-os, Billy Talent, and Feist, won multiple music awards. Avril Lavigne tied with k-os for the highest number of Junos received -- three -- for recordings released during 2004.


Today's Birthdays:

Actor/director Harry Landers (Ben Casey) is 87.

Actress-singer Doris Day (Doris Day Show, Doris Day's Best Friends) is 84.

Jazz musician Jimmy McGriff is 72.

Soap star Eric Braeden (Young & the Restless) is 67.

Actress Marsha Mason (Frasier, Nightmares & Dreamscapes, Young Dr. Kildare) is 66.

Singer Wayne Newton is 66.

Singer Billy Joe Royal is 66.

Singer Tony Orlando is 64.

British singer/guitarist Richard Thompson is 59.

Country bassist Curtis Stone of Highway 101 is 58.

Guitarist Mick Mars of Motley Crue is 52.

Actor Alec Baldwin (30 Rock, Will & Grace) is 50.

Actor David Hyde Pierce (Frasier) is 49.

Comedian-actor Eddie Murphy (Sat. Night Live, The PJ's) is 47.

Singer-guitarist Mike Ness of Social Distortion is 46.

Singer Sebastian Bach (Skid Row) is 40.

Rock musician Tony Fredianelli (Third Eye Blind) is 39.

Actress Jennie Garth (Beverly Hills 90210, What I Like About You) is 36.

Vancouver-born actress Cobie Smulders (How I Met Your Mother) is 26.

Actress Amanda Bynes (What I Like About You) is 22.



Chart Toppers

April 3

1949
Cruising Down the River - The Russ Morgan Orchestra (vocal: The Skyliners)
Far Away Places - Margaret Whiting
Red Roses for a Blue Lady - Vaughn Monroe
Candy Kisses - George Morgan

1957
Little Darlin’ - The Diamonds
All Shook Up - Elvis Presley
Gone - Ferlin Husky
There You Go - Johnny Cash

1965
Stop! In the Name of Love - The Supremes
I’m Telling You Now - Freddie & The Dreamers
Shotgun - Jr. Walker & The All Stars
King of the Road - Roger Miller

1973
Killing Me Softly with His Song - Roberta Flack
Also Sprach Zarathustra (2001) - Deodato
Neither One of Us (Wants to Be the First to Say Goodbye) - Gladys Knight & The Pips
Keep Me in Mind - Lynn Anderson

1981
Rapture - Blondie
Woman - John Lennon
The Best of Times - Styx
Texas Women - Hank Williams, Jr.

1989
Eternal Flame - Bangles
Girl You Know It’s True - Milli Vanilli
The Look - Roxette
Baby’s Gotten Good at Goodbye - George Strait