Wednesday April the 16th

ON THIS DAY in 1913
                
actor Les Tremayne was born in England, but moved to Chicago at age 4. Landing his first radio job in 1930, he went on to appear in scores of serials and shows using a variety of voices and accents, including First Nighter, The Thin Man & The Falcon.  He is believed to have worked on more than 30,000 broadcasts, with as many as 45 radio shows a week in the 30s and 40s. In TV he had recurring roles in One Man's Family, Ellery Queen, Rin Tin Tin& General Hospital, as well as scores of guest roles.  Late in life he turned to voiceover cartoon work.  He died of heart failure Dec 19, 2003 at age 90.

In 1920, actor Barry Nelson was born Barry Nielsen in San Francisco.  In early TV he was a regular on My Favorite Husband, The Hunter & Hudson's Bay, then guest starred on scores of shows over the next 35 years.  He died 9 days ago, April 7 2007, just shy of his 87th birthday.

In 1924, pianist, composer and orchestra leader Henry Mancini was born in Cleveland.
          
After six years as a pianist-arranger with the Glenn Miller-Tex Beneke orchestra, Mancini joined the Universal International Studios music department in 1952. Following work on more than 100 films, he left in 1958 for an illustrious career as an independent composer and arranger. Mancini's classics included ``Moon River,'' ``Days of Wine and Roses'' and the themes from the ``Peter Gunn'' T-V show and the ``Pink Panther'' movies. His 90-plus albums included 1969's million-selling ``Love Theme From Romeo and Juliet," on which he played piano. Mancini was 70 when he died of cancer in Los Angeles on June 14th, 1994.

In 1929, soul/pop singer Roy Hamilton was born in Leesburg Ga.  His hits included You’ll Never Walk Alone, If I Loved You, Ebb Tide, Unchained Melody, Don't Let Go, & You Can Have Her.  He died July 20, 1969 at age 40.

In 1930, jazz musician/flautist Herbie Mann was born in Brooklyn. Early in his career, he also played saxophones and clarinets, but Mann was among the first jazz musicians to specialize on the flute and was perhaps jazz music's preeminent flautist during the 1960s.  He died July 1, 2003 at age 73.

In 1933, Vancouver radio station CNRV became CRCV 1100, as the Canadian Radio Broadcasting Commission took over.  CRCV was the only commission-owned station west of Toronto; eventually it would evolve into CBR and then CBU.

In 1935, the soon-to-be highly popular "Fibber McGee & Molly" radio program starring Jim and Marian Jordan, premiered on the N-B-C Blue Network from Chicago.

            
In 1939, Dusty Springfield, Britain's leading female vocalist of the mid-'60s, was born Mary Isobel Catherine O'Brien in London. She took her stage name from a folk group called the Springfields, which she formed with her brother Tom. After the group broke up in 1963, Dusty's solo career included such hits as "I Only Want to Be With You'' and "You Don't Have to Say You Love Me.'' In 1988, Springfield combined with the Pet Shop Boys on the top-10 hit, "What Have I Done To Deserve This?''  Dusty Springfield died of breast cancer at her home in England on March 2nd, 1999, at age 59.  She was named to the Rock 'n' Roll Hall of Fame that same year.

In 1947, Zoomar arrived. No, this was not about some comic book superhero or space alien. Zoomar was a lens demonstrated by NBC-TV in New York City. The Zoomar lens was a device that could feature close-up and long distance camera shots from a stationary camera. Eventually, the lens would be scaled down for use by regular photographers, not just for television. There are many different kinds of close-up/long distance lenses today, including the zoom lens named after the original Zoomar.

In 1954, Roy Orbison attended an Elvis Presley show in Dallas, TX.

In 1956, ABC premiered the TV show "Rhythm on Parade."

Also in 1956, rock `n' roll pioneer Buddy Holly's first single, "Blue Days, Black Nights,'' was released

Again in 1956, the first solar powered radio went on sale.

          
In 1957, Polly Bergen starred in The Helen Morgan Story on the CBS television presentation of Playhouse 90.

In 1962, Walter Cronkite began anchoring "The CBS Evening News".

In 1963, The Beatles performed on BBC TV for the first time on "The 625 Show."

In 1965, the Hollies began their first U-S tour in New York. It wasn't until the following year that the group cracked the U-S top 10 with ''Bus Stop.''

In 1972, the orchestral rock ensemble known as the Electric Light Orchestra played its first live show at the Reading Festival in England. Their 1971 debut album featured guest soloists from the London Symphony Orchestra.

In 1973, former Beatle, Paul McCartney, leading the group, Wings, starred in his first TV special titled, James Paul McCartney. The show featured the new group, including Paul's wife, Linda (on keyboards and backing vocals).

In 1980, film composer and conductor Morris Stoloff died at age 81. He was musical director of Columbia Pictures for more than two decades, beginning in 1936. Stoloff won three Academy Awards, and his 1956 recording of "Moonglow and Theme From Picnic" topped the Billboard chart for three weeks.

            
In 1981, the final episode of "Buck Rogers in the 25th Century" aired on NBC.

In 1983, Canadian rocker Bryan Adams appeared on ABC's "American Bandstand" to perform "Straight from the Heart" and "Cuts Like a Knife"

In 1987, the Federal Communications Commission (FCC) sternly warned U.S. radio stations to watch the use of indecent language on the airwaves. This was directed at shock jocks, like Howard Stern, and those on your neighborhood radio station. Some stations, the FCC noted, had gone way beyond the seven dirty words made famous by comedian George Carlin in a routine from the early 1970s.

Also in 1987, Twist king Chubby Checker, jazz trumpeter Dizzy Gillespie and conductor Leopold Stokowski were among the first 10 inductees of the Philadelphia Music Foundation Hall of Fame. Also honoured for making their mark on music in Philadelphia were singers Bessie Smith, Pearl Bailey, Mario Lanza and Bobby Rydell; jazz saxophonist John Coltrane and rock 'n' roll pioneer Bill Haley.

In 1990, more than 72-thousand fans gathered at London's Wembley Stadium for a concert honouring recently freed African National Congress leader Nelson Mandela. The crowd heard from Mandela as well as such performers as Bonnie Raitt, Neil Young and Tracy Chapman. George Duke and Canadian producer Daniel Lanois conducted two superbands.

            
In 1992, crooner Andy Russell died in Phoenix at age 72 of complications from a stroke. Russell's hits in the 1940's included "Besame Mucho," "Laughing on the Outside" and the "Anniversary Song."

In 1993, Billy Burnette announced that he was leaving Fleetwood Mac to concentrate on recording country music.

In 1995, George Michael raised $112,000 - and Sony's ire - by giving the single "Jesus for a Child'' a one-shot charity airing in London. He was released from his contract on July 13 and signed with DreamWorks.

Also in 1995, Courtney Love and her band Hole performed on the sixth season premiere of MTV's "Unplugged."

In 1998, during her first live performance in 15 years, Joni Mitchell performed a duet with Icelandic singer Bjork on Cole Porter's "What Is This Thing Called Love?" It was part of ex-Eagle Don Henley's annual Walden Woods benefit in Los Angeles. Ten major contemporary female artists -- including Paula Cole, Sheryl Crow and Gwen Stefani -- performed jazz and pop standards.

In 1999, Skip Spence, a founding member of Jefferson Airplane, died of cancer in San Francisco at 52. Spence had long battled alcoholism, schizophrenia and periods of homelessness. The Windsor, Ontario native was a key part of the San Francisco music scene in the '60s, starting out as a drummer with the Airplane. He left in 1966 to found the group Moby Grape and return to his original instrument, the guitar.

              
Also on this date in 1999, Bad Boy Entertainment impresario Sean (Puffy) Combs and two others were alleged to have beaten another rap executive in a dispute over a music video. Combs pleaded guilty to harassment and was ordered to attend an anger-management class.

Also in 1999, Shania Twain became the first woman to be honored as songwriter/artist of the year by the Nashville Songwriters Association International during the 32nd Annual Songwriter Achievement Awards in Nashville.

In 2002, Sony Music Entertainment filed a complaint against the Dixie Chicks for breach of contract.


Today's Birthdays:

Actor Peter Mark Richman (Dallas, Santa Barbara) is 81.

Singer/actress Edie Adams (Ernie Kovacs Show, As the World Turns) is 78.

Former CBS newsman Ike Pappas is 75.

Singer Bobby Vinton is 73.

Singer Gerry Rafferty is 61.

Actress Ellen Barkin (Before Women Had Wings, Clinton & Nadine) is 54.

Singer Jimmy Osmond is 45.

Singer David Pirner of Soul Asylum is 44.

Actor-comedian Martin Lawrence (Martin, What's Happening Now) is 43.

Actor Jon Cryer (Two & A Half Men, Hey Joel) is 43.

Actor Peter Billingsley (Sherman Oaks, Carly's Web) is 37.

Actor Lukas Haas (Ryan White Story) is 32.


Chart Toppers - April 16

1946
Oh, What It Seemed to Be - The Frankie Carle Orchestra (vocal: Marjorie Hughes)
You Won’t Be Satisfied - The Les Brown Orchestra (vocal: Doris Day)
Doctor, Lawyer, Indian Chief - Betty Hutton
Guitar Polka - Al Dexter

1954
Wanted - Perry Como
Cross Over the Bridge - Patti Page
Here - Tony Martin
Slowly - Webb Pierce

1962
Johnny Angel - Shelley Fabares
Good Luck Charm - Elvis Presley
Slow Twistin’ - Chubby Checker
She’s Got You - Patsy Cline

1970
Let It Be - The Beatles
ABC - The Jackson 5
Spirit in the Sky - Norman Greenbaum
Tennessee Bird Walk - Jack Blanchard & Misty Morgan

1978
Night Fever - Bee Gees
Stayin’ Alive - Bee Gees
Lay Down Sally - Eric Clapton
Someone Loves You Honey - Charley Pride

1986
Rock Me Amadeus - Falco
Kiss - Prince & The Revolution
Manic Monday - Bangles
She and I - Alabama