Friday April the 4th

ON THIS DAY in 1904
the Berliner Gramophone Company of Canada was chartered. The company was run by Emile Berliner, the inventor of the gramophone. He set up a manufacturing facility for his talking machine in Montreal in 1897, and began making records there three years later.

                                                                                                                            
In 1906, actress Bea Benaderet was born in New York City. She became second banana on radio & TV versions of The George Burns/Gracie Allen Show, and on radio's A Date with Judy, Great Gildersleeve, My Favorite Husband, Adventures of Ozzie & Harriet, Tommy Riggs & Betty Lou, and Maisie. She did many voices alongside Mel Blanc for Warner Brothers cartoons. But she is best remembered for her role as Kate in TV's Petticoat Junction.  She was still working on that show when she died from lung cancer Oct. 13 1968 at age 62.

Also in 1906, Timex spokesman & Camel News Caravan (NBC) anchor John Cameron Swayze was born in Wichita.  His news career began in Kansas City radio, then took him to NBC in Los Angeles before landing in New York, where he became the TV network's first nightly anchor.   Two of his catchphrases are remembered, "Let's go hopscotching around the world for headlines," and his sign-off: "That's the story, folks---glad we could get together."

                                                                      
In 1914, singer/actress Frances Langford was born Frances Newbern in Lakeland Florida.  Her fame began as the longtime vocalist (& skit player) on Bob Hope's radio shows, her many USO tours with Hope, and her role as Blanche Bickerson opposite Don Ameche in The Bickersons, radio's favorite battling couple.  She died from congestive heart failure July 11 2005 at age 89.

In 1915, blues legend Muddy Waters (below) was born McKinley Morganfield in rural Mississippi.  Was given his nickname as a child because he loved to play in the mud. His 1948 hit "I Can't Be Satisfied'' helped bring the amplified guitar to the fore in blues music. In 2004 he was ranked #17 in Rolling Stone's 100 Greatest Artists of All Time. His influence is almost indefinable, over a variety of music genres: blues, rhythm and blues, rock and roll, folk, jazz, and country. He died in his sleep Apr 30, 1983 at age 68.
            

In 1916, actor David White was born in Denver.  He is best remembered as Larry Tate on TV's Bewitched, but also made repeat guest appearances in Have Gun Will Travel, Goodyear TV Playhouse, The Phil Silvers Show, Cannon, My Favorite Martian, Alfred Hitchcock Presents, plus a slew of one-shots. He suffered a fatal heart attack Nov. 27 1990 and died at age 74.

In 1922, WAAB, Baton Rouge, Louisiana became the first station in the United States to have call letters that began with "W".

In 1928, newscaster Bill Ryan was born in Brooklyn.  He was with NBC News in New York for 26 years, breaking the news & anchoring coverage of the assassinations of JFK & Martin Luther King.  He died Feb 18 1997 at age 68.  

In 1932, actor Anthony Perkins was born in New York City.  While most of his impact was from his big screen roles, especially Norman Bates in Psycho, he was very active in the live TV drama shows of the early 50's. He died of AIDS-complicated-pneumonia Sept. 12 1992 at age 60.

In 1938, after seven years of singing on the radio, Kate Smith began a new noontime talk show.

In 1939, Glenn Miller recorded his theme song, Moonlight Serenade, for Bluebird Records. Previously, the Miller theme had been Gone with the Dawn and, before then, Now I Lay Me Down to Sleep.
                                                                                                                                        

In 1951, Nova Scotian Hank Snow hit the top of the Billboard country chart with "The Rhumba Boogie.''

In 1954, maestro Arturo Toscanini conducted his last concert with the NBC Symphony Orchestra at Carnegie Hall in New York City. Toscanini thus ended a 17-year association with the orchestra.

In 1959, Buddy Holly's "It Doesn't Matter Anymore" hit #13. It was his first posthumous hit.

In 1960, Ottawa-born Paul Anka's "Puppy Love'' reached number two on the U-S pop singles chart.

Also in 1960, the CBC-FM network opened, but only connected  stations in Toronto, Montreal and Ottawa. The network closed down in 1962.

Still in 1960, eleven Academy Awards were presented to one movie at the 32nd Annual Academy Awards....Ben-Hur, the Best Picture of 1959. However, the Best Music/Song Oscar went to High Hopes (James Van Heusen-music, Sammy Cahn-lyrics) from A Hole in the Head.

                                                          
In 1963, the No. 1 Billboard Pop Hit was "He's So Fine'' by The Chiffons. In 1976 the estate of songwriter Ronnie Mack won a lawsuit against former Beatle George Harrison. A judge ruled that Harrison subconsciously copied his No. 1 song "My Sweet Lord'' from "He's So Fine.''

Also in 1963, The Hollies auditioned for E-M-I Records at Abbey Road studios.

In 1964, the Beatles set an all-time record on the Top 100 chart of Billboard magazine. All five of the top songs were by the British rock group, a feat unlikely to be duplicated.
#1. "Can't Buy Me Love"; #2 "Twist and Shout";  #3 "She Loves You"; #4 "I Want to Hold Your Hand"; and #5 "Please Please Me."
The Beatles also had the number one album as Meet the Beatles continued to lead all others. The LP was the top album from February 15 through May 2, when it was replaced by The Beatles Second Album. It was estimated at the time that The Beatles accounted for 60 percent of the entire singles record business during the first three months of 1964.

Also in 1964, a subsidiary of Capitol Records was awarded copyright and royalties on the Trashmen's hit "Surfin' Bird.'' A court had ruled the song was copied from two earlier hits by the Rivingtons.

            
In 1967, Johnny Carson quit The Tonight Show. He returned three weeks later with an additional $30,000 a week! Hi yo!

In 1968, R&B star James Brown made a national TV appeal for calm following the assassination of the Rev. Martin Luther King Jr.

Also in 1968, Bobby Goldsboro received a god record for the single, Honey. The poignantly sad song charted for 13 weeks -- spending five weeks at number one. . .

In 1970, Janis Joplin held a reunion concert with Big Brother & the Holding Company in San Francisco, CA.

In 1971, after six years, the final episode of the WWII prison camp sitcom "Hogan's Heroes" aired on CBS TV.
                                                                  

In 1973, the No. 1 Billboard Pop Hit was "The Night the Lights Went out in Georgia'' by Vicki Lawrence. Lawrence was probably best known as the look-alike to the star of "The Carol Burnett Show.''

In 1979, actor Edgar Buchanan, best known as Uncle Joe on TV's Petticoat Junction, died at age 77.

In 1980, country singer Red Sovine, famed for his truck driving songs and narrations, was killed in a Nashville car crash at 61. Sovine is best remembered for 1977's "Teddy Bear," a highly-sentimental tale of a crippled boy, his C-B radio and some friendly truckers. It gave Sovine his first million-seller at the age of 58.

In 1984, Bob Bell retired as Bozo the Clown on WGN-TV in Chicago, IL. Bell was an institution in the Windy City since making his first appearance in 1960. Pinto Colvig was the original Bozo.

In 1987, RCA Records officially became the Bertelsmann Music Group upon its takeover by the giant West German publishing, broadcasting and recording company.

Also in 1987, "Nothing's Gonna Stop Us Now" by Starship topped the charts and stayed there for 2 weeks.

                                                                                                                                    
In 1990, Gloria Estefan left the hospital after being injured in a bus crash on March 20.

Also in 1990, Toronto's Alannah Myles had a Billboard hit with Black Velvet, topping out at #1 on the U.S. pop singles chart.

In 1994, singer & actress Virginia "Ginny" Simms, who sang on the radio with the Kay Kyser Band, and made a number of hit recordings both with & without them, died after a heart attack at age 77.

In 1996, Jerry Garcia's widow and Grateful Dead guitarist Bob Weir sprinkled a small portion of Garcia's ashes into India's holy Ganges River. The rest of Garcia's ashes were released off San Francisco later that month. The Grateful Dead leader had died of a heart attack the previous August.

Also in 1996, r & b singer Wilson Pickett was arrested for cocaine possession while on probation.

                                                                
In 1998, Eric Clapton's first album of regular studio material since 1989 made an auspicious debut at No. 4 on the Billboard 200. "Pilgrim" (Duck/Reprise) tied the opening position of 1992's "Unplugged."

In 2000, Diana Ross announced a Supremes "reunion" tour, even though the other two Supremes, Scherrie Payne and Lynda Laurence, never performed with Ross. The tour was later canceled due to poor ticket sales.

In 2002, heavy metal band Megadeth announced it was disbanding after 19 years. The decision was caused by serious injuries to founder Dave Mustaine's left arm and hand leaving him unable to play the guitar.
        
In 2004, actor & TV host Austin Willis (below) died at age 86. The Halifax native hosted TV's Cross Canada Hit Parade in the 50's, and the humourous game show It's the Law in the 70's. He had feature roles in TV's early Space Command, Seaway, Mannix, Mod Squad & the mini-series Kane & Abel.
            


Today's Birthdays:

Actor Richard Coogan (Captain Video, Love of Life, radio:Abie's Irish Rose) is 94.

Actress Elizabeth Wilson (East Side West Side, Doc, Another World) is 87.

Bandleader Hugh Masekela is 69.

Actor Craig T. Nelson (The Division, Coach) is 64.

Actress Caroline McWilliams (Benson, Soap) is 63.

Actress Christine Lahti (Jack & Bobby, Chicago Hope) is 58.

Singer Steve Gatlin of the Gatlin Brothers is 57.

Writer-producer David E. Kelley (Ally McBeal, The Practice, Boston Legal) is 52.

Bassist Craig Adams of The Cult is 46.

Comedian David Cross (Arrested Development, Colbert Report, Mr. Show) is 44.

Actor Robert Downey Jr. (Ally McBeal, Mussolini: The Untold Story) is 43.

Actress Nancy McKeon (The Division, Facts of Life) is 42.

Country singer Clay Davidson is 37.

Singer Jill Scott is 36.

Bassist Magnus Sveningsson of The Cardigans is 36. Magician David Blaine is 35.

Singer Kelly Price is 35.

Singer Andre Dalyrimple of Soul for Real is 34.

Actor James Roday (Psych, Miss Match) is 32.

Actress Natasha Lyonne (Old School, Pee Wee's Playhouse) is 29.

Actress Jamie Lynn Spears (Zoey 101, All That) is 17.


Chart Toppers

April 4

1950
If I Knew You Were Comin’ I’d’ve Baked a Cake - Eileen Barton
Dearie - The Guy Lombardo Orchestra (vocal: Kenny Gardner Trio)
Music, Music, Music - Teresa Brewer
Long Gone Lonesome Blues - Hank Williams

1958
Tequila - The Champs
He’s Got the Whole World (In His Hands) - Laurie London
Lollipop - Chordettes
Oh Lonesome Me - Don Gibson

1966
The Ballad of the Green Berets - SSgt Barry Sadler
(You’re My) Soul and Inspiration - The Righteous Brothers
Daydream - The Lovin’ Spoonful
Waitin’ in Your Welfare Line - Buck Owens

1974
Sunshine on My Shoulders - John Denver
Hooked on a Feeling - Blue Swede
Bennie & The Jets - Elton John
Would You Lay with Me (In a Field of Stone) - Tanya Tucker

1982
I Love Rock ’N Roll - Joan Jett & The Blackhearts
We Got the Beat - Go-Go’s
Make a Move on Me - Olivia Newton-John
Bobbie Sue - The Oak Ridge Boys

1990
Black Velvet - Alannah Myles
Love Will Lead You Back - Taylor Dayne
I Wish It Would Rain Down - Phil Collins
Hard Rock Bottom of Your Heart - Randy Travis