Friday April the 11th

ON THIS DAY in 1902
journalist/war correspondent/broadcaster Quentin Reynolds was born in New York City.  He was prominent on radio during & after WWII, and worked on TV during its formative years.  Writing & narration was his forte. He published 25 books, and wrote as many as 20 magazine articles a year.  He died March 17 1965 at age 62.

    
In 1904, actor Paul McGrath was born in Chicago. For most of the long run of radio's Inner Sanctum (and much more briefly on TV) he was the delightful but unctiously eerie host with the leer in his voice.  Also on radio he played the husband of the lead on the soap Big Sister.  On TV he had recurring roles on The Edge of Night & Guiding Light.  He died two days after his 74th birthday April 13 1978.  

In 1907, actor Paul Douglas was born in Philadelphia.  He did some prominent announcing during the Golden Days of Radio, notably as the sponsor spokesman on NBC's Chesterfield Supper Club.  On TV he was a frequent guest star on series such as Your Show of Shows, Climax, Damon Runyan Theatre, Hallmark Hall of Fame, Chrysler Shower of Stars, Studio One, etc.  He suffered a heart attack & died Sep 11, 1959 at age 52.

        
In 1912, actor John Larkin was born in Oakland Calif.  He had a perfect voice for radio, and played the lead in the daytime drama Perry Mason. On TV he was in The Road of Life, the original cast of Edge of Night, and played a lead in prime time's Twelve O'Clock High. He suffered a heart attack and died Jan 29 1965 at age 52.

In 1917, hockey broadcaster Danny Gallivan (below) was born in Montreal. Gallivan called 1900 matches in a 32 year career on radio & TV, beginning in Nova Scotia, and then going national in 1952 when he succeeded Doug Smith as voice of the Montreal Canadiens, for whom he called 16 Stanley Cup victories.  He died Feb. 24 1993 at age 75.
        

In 1918, actor Cameron Mitchell was born in Dallastown Pa. Besides his extensive bigscreen resume, he played a lead in TV's The High Chapparal, and feature roles in Dream West, How the West was Won, & Black Beauty.  He also was a frequent guest star on episodic TV like Charlies Angels, Fantasy Island, & Ironside. He died of lung cancer July 6 1994 at age 76.

In 1921, the first live sports event on radio took place over pioneer station KDKA. Pittsburgh sports writer, Florent Gibson, gave an account of the action in the lightweight boxing match between Johnny Ray and Johnny Dundee.

Iin 1924, radio station WLS Chicago began broadcasting. Those call letters & the station are still going today.

In 1936, the SPEBSQSA (Society for the Preservation and Encouragement of Barber Shop Quartet Singing in America) was founded.

        
In 1943, the long running melodrama Nick Carter, Master Detective debuted on Mutual radio. The show was based on a New York Weekly character who was first introduced in 1886.

In 1956, Elvis Presley reached the top spot on the Billboard music chart with his first double-sided hit. The disk featured Heartbreak Hotel and I Was the One. The RCA Victor record stayed at number one for eight weeks. Elvis made the country and R&B charts, as well.

Also in 1956, rocker James Brown debuted on the R&B charts with "Please, Please, Please."

In 1957, the No. 1 Billboard Pop Hit was "All Shook Up'' by Elvis Presley. Billboard ranked the single as the No. 1 song of 1957, the second year in a row that Elvis had the top single of the year.

          
In 1961, Bob Dylan made his first professional appearance in New York's Greenwich Village, sharing the bill with bluesman John Lee Hooker. Dylan sang an arrangement of "House of the Rising Sun'' and his tribute to Woody Guthrie, "Song to Woody.'' Dylan drew much of his inspiration from Guthrie, whom he visited in a New Jersey hospital soon after he arrived in the New York area in early '61.

In 1963, the Beatles' single "From Me To You'' and their album "Please, Please Me'' were released in Britain.

In 1965, the Beatles and the Rolling Stones shared the bill at the "New Musical Express Poll Winners' Concert'' in London.

In 1966, the final broadcast of TV's "Hullabaloo'' music series aired on NBC. Guests included Lesley Gore and Paul Anka.
      

Also in 1966, Frank Sinatra recorded "Strangers in the Night."

In 1968, Big Brother & the Holding Company made their national TV debut on ABC's "Hollywood Palace."

In 1970, Paul McCartney announced he would not record with John Lennon again.. A week after his announcement, McCartney released his first solo album.

Also in 1970, "Let It Be" by the Beatles topped the charts and stayed there for 2 weeks.

Again in 1970, guitarist and vocalist Peter Green, one of the founders of Fleetwood Mac, announced he was leaving the group to follow his religious beliefs. Green's departure put an end to Fleetwood Mac's blues leanings, and the band turned to a more melodic rock sound.
  
In 1980, disco star Barry White received an honorary degree from U-C-L-A.
          

In 1981, "Kiss on My List" by Daryl Hall & John Oates topped the charts and stayed there for 3 weeks.

Also in 1981, rock guitarist Eddie Van Halen married actress Valerie Bertinelli of TV's One Day at a Time. They met eight months earlier when Bertinelli's brother dragged her to a Van Halen concert in Shreveport, Louisiana. The couple announced on July 2nd, 2002, that they were splitting after 20 years together.

In 1983, Gandhi was named Best Picture at the 55th Academy Awards ceremonies, and collected 7 more Oscars.  Hosts of the telecast were Liza Minnelli, Dudley Moore, Richard Pryor, and Walter Matthau.

In 1985, the 100th episode of "Hill Street Blues" aired.

Also in 1985, a court ruled that the rock group Boston had the right to record for M-C-A instead of C-B-S. The legal dispute had blocked the release of the band's third album for more than five years.

In 1986, daytime-only radio station KXA 770 in Seattle changed its call letters to KRPM; later in the year it would adopt a country format which lasted until the end of 1991.  

In 1987, actor Kent Taylor, who played a lead in two TV series, Boston Blackie & Rough Riders, died at age 79.

        
In 1988, funnyman Chevy Chase was host of the 60th Academy Awards as Cher won Best Actress for Moonstruck.  But the big winner The Last Emperor was named Best picture, and won in every category it was nominated.

In 1990, Elton John sang at the funeral of AIDS victim Ryan White.

In 1992, actor James Brown, who played Lt. Rip Masters on the 50's TV series The Adventures of Rin Tin Tin, succumbed to lung cancer at age 72.

In 1994, a 28-year-old Seattle man, despondent over the suicide of Nirvana lead singer Kurt Cobain several days earlier, blew his head off with a shotgun. It was the first of several such incidents.

Also in 1994, Nirvana's album "In Utero" was certified double-platinum.

    
In 1995, the folk trio Peter, Paul and Mary released their 17th album, "LifeLines.''

In 1997, Paul McCartney gave a free rooftop concert in London, playing two songs from his soon-to-be-released album for a documentary about the album. It brought back memories of the Beatles' final rooftop concert in 1969.

In 1998, history's great thumbpicking guitarists had their day when Grandpa Jones, Merle Travis, Chet Atkins, Ike Everly, Kennedy Jones, Arnold Shultz, Lightnin' Chance, Mose Rager and Laverda Rager were named charter inductees in the National Thumb Pickers Hall of Fame.

In 2002, Kid Rock and Ladysmith BC's Pamela Anderson got engaged.


Today's Birthdays:

Actor Joel Grey (Alias, Oz) is 76.

PBS newsman Tony Brown (Tony Brown's Journal) is 75.

Actress Louise Lasser (It's a Living, Mary Hartman Mary Hartman) is 69.  

Actor Meshach Taylor (Designing Women, Dave's World) is 61.

Actor Peter Riegart (Law & Order: SVU, The Sopranos) is 61.  

Actor/clown Bill Irwin (The Moth, Sesame Street) is 58.

Montreal-born actress Michele Scarabelli (Airwolf, Alien Nation, Dallas) is 53.

Country singer-songwriter Jim Lauderdale is 51.  

Actor Lucky Vanous (All My Children, Pacific Palisades) is 47.

Country singer Steve Azar is 44.

Singer Lisa Stansfield is 42.

Bassist Dylan Keefe of Marcy Playground is 38.

Actor Johnny Messner (Killer Instinct, The O.C.) is 38.

Actor Vicellous Shannon (24, The Guardian, Dangerous Minds) is 37.

Singer Joss Stone is 21.


Chart Toppers

April 11

1949
Cruising Down the River - The Blue Barron Orchestra (vocal: ensemble)
Sunflower - The Russ Morgan Orchestra (vocal: The Skylarks)
Red Roses for a Blue Lady - Vaughn Monroe
Candy Kisses - George Morgan

1957
Little Darlin’ - The Diamonds
All Shook Up - Elvis Presley
Party Doll - Buddy Knox
Gone - Ferlin Husky

1965
I’m Telling You Now - Freddie & The Dreamers
The Birds and the Bees - Jewel Akens
Game of Love - Wayne Fontana & The Mindbenders
King of the Road - Roger Miller

1973
The Night the Lights Went Out in Georgia - Vicki Lawrence
Neither One of Us (Wants to Be the First to Say Goodbye) - Gladys Knight & The Pips
Ain’t No Woman (Like the One I’ve Got) - Four Tops
Super Kind of Woman - Freddie Hart & The Heartbeats

1981
Kiss on My List - Daryl Hall & John Oates
Just the Two of Us - Grover Washington, Jr./Bill Withers
Morning Train (Nine to Five) - Sheena Easton
You’re the Reason God Made Oklahoma - David Frizzell & Shelly West

1989
The Look - Roxette
She Drives Me Crazy - Fine Young cannibals
Like a Prayer - Madonna
I’m No Stranger to the Rain - Keith Whitley