Tuesday June the 3rd.... HAPPY BIRTHDAY KVOS TV!

ON THIS DAY in 1900  
Gordon Sinclair was born in the Cabbagetown section of Toronto.
              
He began his career as a journalist at the Toronto Star in 1922 the same day as Foster Hewitt. He started his longstanding "Let's Be Personal" CFRB broadcasts in 1942, and began doing newscasts two years later, on D-Day.  He is best known nationally as a panelist on CBC Television's long lived (1957-95) panel quiz show Front Page Challenge.  He died May 17th 1984 at age 83, after a heart attack two days earlier.

In 1913, actress Ellen Corby was born in Racine Wisc. After a long career in supporting roles on the big screen she found her most memorable part as Grandma Walton on the CBS family TV series The Waltons.  She died April 21 1999 at age 87.  

In 1924, Tony & Emmy award-winning actress Colleen Dewhurst (below) was born in Montreal.  On TV she has played in Between Two Women [Emmy Award 1986], Those She Left Behind [Emmy Award 1989], Murphy's mother on the sitcom Murphy Brown [Emmy Award 1991], The Blue & the Gray [1982, as Maggie Geyser], Anne of Green Gables [1985] and Anne of Avonlea [1987]. Dewhurst was president of Actor's Equity from 1985 to 1991. She died of cervical cancer Aug. 22 1991 at age 67.
                

In 1932, singer Dakota Staton was born in Pittsburgh. She became a highly respected jazz and blues singer known from the 1950s on for her bright, trumpetlike sound and tough, sassy style, and for hits like The Late Late Show, Crazy He Calls Me, & Time to Swing. She died Apr 10, 2007 at age 74.

In 1942, Curtis Mayfield, a driving force in black music as singer, writer, producer and record company owner, was born in Chicago. Mayfield formed the Impressions in the late '50s with singer Jerry Butler. When their first single, "For Your Precious Love,'' was a huge hit in 1958, Butler went solo and Mayfield joined him as a guitarist. Mayfield re-formed the Impressions in 1961, and led the group during its greatest years. He wrote many of their hits, including their biggest, "It's All Right,'' in 1963. Mayfield was paralyzed in 1990 when a light standard fell on him before a concert in New York. He died at 57 in 1999.

In 1946, Mutual Radio debuted "The Casebook of Gregory Hood". The show was the summer replacement series for Sherlock Holmes. The mystery series became a regular weekly program in the fall of 1946.

              
In 1949, Dragnet (with Jack Webb as Sgt. Joe Friday) was first broadcast on radio (KFI in Los Angeles).  It went national on NBC a month later.

Also in 1949, the last episode of "The Admiral Broadway Revue" was broadcast. The first comedy variety program on television ran only 7 episodes, and starred Sid Caesar & Imogene Coca. The program had aired Friday nights simultaneously on NBC TV & Dumont.

In 1950, "Hoop-Dee-Doo" by Perry Como & the Fontane Sisters topped the charts and stayed there for 2 weeks.

In 1952, Frank Sinatra recorded the classic Birth of the Blues for Columbia Records.

              
In 1953, KVOS TV Channel 12 Bellingham signed on specifically to broadcast from Bellingham into Vancouver.  Its first broadcast was the 7-hour kinescope film of "the Coronation of Queen Elizabeth II".  The show would repeat 3 more times.  KVOS would develop a 3-hour/night schedule (a movie every evening) in the summer, before an 8-hour/day schedule launched in the fall.

In 1957, "Love Letters in the Sand" by Pat Boone topped the charts and stayed there for 7 weeks.

Also in 1957, the Isley Brothers -- Ronald, Rudolph and O'Kelley -- released their first record, ''Angels Cried,'' on the Teenage label. They waited two more years for their first hit -- ''Shout.''

In 1963, actor Paul Maxey, who played Matt on TV's Lassie, and the Mayor on The-People's Choice (with Jackie Cooper), suffered a heart attack & died at age 57.

              
In 1964, the Hollywood Palace on ABC-TV hosted the first appearance of the first U.S. concert tour of The Rolling Stones. Dean Martin emceed the show. One critic called the Stones "dirtier and streakier and more disheveled than The Beatles."

In 1967, "Respect" by Aretha Franklin topped the charts and stayed there for 2 weeks.

Also in 1967, The Doors "Light My Fire" was released.

In 1969, the final episode of "Star Trek" aired on NBC.

Also in 1969, singer Diana Ross was reported to be emotionally upset after her two pet dogs were poisoned by rat bait left in her dressing room at a Philadelphia nightclub.

In 1970, Kinks lead singer Ray Davies made an 11-thousand-kilometre round trip from New York to London to change one word on the recording of "Lola.'' The reference to "Coca-Cola'' became cherry cola because the B-B-C bans commercial references in songs.

              
In 1972, the Rolling Stones began their "Exile on Main Street'' tour before 17-thousand fans in Vancouver. It was the Stones' first North American appearance in three years. Keith Richards blew out two guitars during the show, which was only tepidly received by the audience. Stevie Wonder was the opening act.

Also in 1972, "I'll Take You There" by the Staple Singers topped the charts, but stayed #1 for just the one week.  That same week Toronto rocker Neil Young's Old Man peaked at #31 on the pop singles chart.

Still in 1972, the Eagles' "Take It Easy" was released.

In 1974, the No. 1 Billboard Pop Hit was "Band on the Run,'' by Paul McCartney & Wings.

              
In 1975, bandleader/actor/producer Ozzie Nelson died of liver cancer at age 69. After leading his own dance band & being musical director for radio's Red Skelton Show, he got his own radio show The Adventures of Ozzie & Harriet in 1944, which he transferred successfully to TV in 1952.

In 1978, Johnny Mathis and Deniece Williams combined their singing talents to reach the number one spot on the nation's pop music charts with "Too Much, Too Little, Too Late."

In 1985, the characters of Nancy & Chris Hughes returned to As the World Turns, after an absence of 5 years. CBS-TV brought the couple back to the daytime serial to add more "homespun values" to the show.

In 1986, charges were filed in Los Angeles against the lead singer of the punk rock band The Dead Kennedys and four others regarding a sexually explicit poster packaged with the group's album, ''Frankenchrist.'' Eric Boucher, who used the stage name Jello Biafra, and the others were acquitted of distributing harmful material to minors.

              
In 1987, the Rock & Roll Hall of Fame inducted it's first female artist, Aretha Franklin, who was a superstar on radio playlists during the 1960s.

Also in 1987, George Michael's "I Want Your Sex'' was banned by the BBC and numerous U-S radio stations. Michael said the song was about love, not lust.

Still in 1987, Bryan Adams recorded a live version of the Christmas song "Run Rudolph Run.''

In 1988, a 75-voice children's choir joined Crosby, Stills & Nash in "Teach the Children'' at a Montreal peace concert. The event also featured Bruce Cockburn, Quebec pop star Michel Rivard and the Soviet rock band Aquarium.

In 1989, "Rock On" by Michael Damian (below) topped the charts.. for just the one week.
              

Also in 1989, Stevie Wonder, Bob Geldof, Sting, Elton John and Diana Ross were among the stars participating in a global telecast to heighten awareness about the environment. The five-hour telecast originated in New York and was beamed to 100 countries. Prime Minister Mulroney was among the world leaders who taped messages for the show.

In 1990, Michael Jackson was taken to a Los Angeles-area hospital after complaining of chest pains. Tests showed he suffered bruised ribs after a vigorous dance practice in his bedroom.

In 1991, Willie Nelson released his "Who'll Buy My Memories - The IRS Tapes" LP. The album was made up of songs that had been seized by the U.S. government and would go towards paying off his $16 million tax bill.

In 1992, Bill Clinton, while campaigning for U.S. President, played saxophone on the "Arsenio Hall Show".

In 1994, Bob McBride, the former lead singer of Lighthouse in the 1970s, was sentenced in Ottawa to 90 days in jail for twice robbing a drug store to feed his heroin addiction. The judge also ordered McBride to organize two benefit concerts to raise awareness of the dangers of drugs. McBride was plagued by drug abuse before he died at 51 in 1998.

              
Also in 1994, actor Don Johnson (Miami Vice) checked into the Betty Ford Clinic in Rancho Mirage, California, for treatment of alcohol and prescription drug abuse.

In 1995, a coroner in Langley, B-C, said he found no link between the suicides of three Quebec City college students and the death of Kurt Cobain. The Nirvana lead singer shot himself at his Seattle-area home several months before the teens were found dead of carbon monoxide poisoning in a storage locker in October 1994. They died while listening to Nirvana's album "Nevermind" on their car stereo.

Also in 1995, Canadian rocker Bryan Adams had a #1 pop chart hit with his "Have You Ever Loved A Woman?" It remained on top for 5 weeks.

In 1996, the flip of legendary Calgary Top 40 AMer CKXL to FM was complete as CKIS ("Kiss-FM") debuted at 1 p.m. at 96.9. It is now branded as JACK-FM.
              

Also in 1996, Neil Finn, leader of Crowded House, announced the New Zealand-based group was breaking up after 10 years.

In 2002, a rock concert at Buckingham Palace celebrated Queen Elizabeth II's 50 years on the throne.

In 2005, Infinity Broadcasting changed formats of two of the USA's most notable Oldies-formatted stations: WCBS-FM in New York and WMJK-FM in Chicago. Both stations adopted the "Jack" format while the former Oldie FM stations were moved to online versions.

In 2007, just before midnight, Vancouver's CKZZ FM 95.3 played its last song: "Walk Away" by Kelly Clarkson, then began stunting with  comedy sketches and novelty songs, starting with Abbott & Costello's "Who's on First?",  enroute to becoming 95 Crave.


Today's Birthdays:

Kamloops-born arranger, bandleader and clarinetist Phil Nimmons is 85.

Actor Tony Curtis (Hollywood Babylon, McCoy, The Persuaders) is 83.

Country and pop saxophonist Boots Randolph is 81.

Game-show host Chuck Barris (The Gong Show) is 79.

Actress Irma P. Hall (Soul Food, All Souls) is 73.

Singer Ian Hunter is 69.

Singer Eddie Holman is 62.

Bassist Too Slim of Riders in the Sky is 60.

Singer Suzi Quatro is 58.

Singer Deneice Williams is 57.

Keyboardist Billy Powell of Lynyrd Skynyrd is 56.

Toronto-born singer/songwriter Dan Hill is 54.

Actor Scott Valentine (Black Scorpion, Family Ties) is 50.

Guitarist Kerry King of Slayer is 44.

CNN newsman Anderson Cooper is 41
.
Country singer Jamie O'Neal is 40.

Singers Ariel and Gabriel Hernandez of No Mercy are 37.

Actress Lalaine Dupree (Lizzie McGuire) is 20.


Chart Toppers

June 3

1946
The Gypsy - The Ink Spots
All Through the Day - Perry Como
They Say It’s Wonderful - Frank Sinatra
New Spanish Two Step - Bob Wills

1954
Little Things Mean a Lot - Kitty Kallen
Three Coins in the Fountain - The Four Aces
The Happy Wanderer - Frank Weir
I Really Don’t Want to Know - Eddy Arnold

1962
I Can’t Stop Loving You - Ray Charles
Lovers Who Wander - Dion
Shout! Shout! (Knock Yourself Out) - Ernie Maresca
She Thinks I Still Care - George Jones

1970
Everything is Beautiful - Ray Stevens
Love on a Two-Way Street - The Moments
Cecilia - Simon & Garfunkel
My Love - Sonny James

1978
Too Much, Too Little, Too Late - Johnny Mathis/Deniece Williams
You’re the One that I Want - John Travolta & Olivia Newton-John
Shadow Dancing - Andy Gibb
Do You Know You are My Sunshine - The Statler Brothers

1986
Greatest Love of All - Whitney Houston
Live to Tell - Madonna
On My Own - Patti LaBelle & Michael McDonald
Whoever’s in New England - Reba McEntire