Friday June the 6th

ON THIS DAY in 1891
clarinetist/singer/bandleader Ted Lewis was born Theodore Leopold Friedman in Circleville Ohio.
                
His band was second only to Paul Whiteman in popularity during the 1920s, and arguably played more real jazz with less pretension than Whiteman.  His style became cornier as the depression progressed, but retained its commercial popularity while other groups failed & disbanded.  Lewis & his top hat ("Is everybody happy?") was still guesting on television & appearing in Las Vegas into the 1960's. He died after a heart attack Aug 25, 1971 at age 80.

In 1898, actor Walter Abel (below) was born in St. Paul Minnesoita. A familiar character face in movies and television, he was also a dedicated stage actor.  Abel appeared in more than 40 TV shows, perhaps highlighted by being part of the distinguished cast of 12 Angry Men on the 'live' Studio One. (1954.) He died after a heart attack Mar 26, 1987 at age 88.
              

In 1938, Stella Dallas was presented for the first time on the NBC Red radio network. The serial was "the true to life story of mother love and sacrifice." Stella Dallas continued to do this and so much more until 1955.

In 1944, on what was D-Day on the beaches of Normandy, CBS radio saluted America's war doctors with the first episode of The Doctor Fights.  

Also in 1944, the No. 1 Billboard Pop Hit was "I'll Get By (as Long as I Have You),'' by the Harry James Orchestra with vocalist Dick Haynes.

In 1945, actor David Dukes was born in San Francisco. While he had roles in mini-series War & Remembrance & The Winds of War, and regular parts on TV's Sisters & Dawson's Creek, he is probably most notorious as the character who tried to rape Edith Bunker in "All in the Family," after which he received numerous death threats. He died after a heart attack while filming a mini-series in Spanaway Washington Oct 9, 2000 at age 55.

              
In 1955, Bill Haley & the Comets song that introduced rock & roll, "Rock Around the Clock" hit #1 on the Pop Charts.
Haley is pictured at the top.  

In 1956, Gogi Grant (born Audrey Brown) reached the top spot on the Billboard singles chart for the first and only time in her career. Her hit, The Wayward Wind, stayed at the top of the top-tune tabulation for eight weeks and on the music charts for 22 weeks.

Also in 1956, Gene Vincent's recording of ''Be-Bop-A-Lula'' was released.

              
In 1957, CBC TV aired the first program in the long-running news-panel show "Front Page Challenge." It continued for 38 seasons, almost all with Fred Davis as host, and Betty Kennedy & Pierre Berton on the panel.  After the death of original panellist Gordon Sinclair, Jack Webster & Alan Fotheringham became regulars, as pictured.

In 1960, Tony Williams left the Platters for a solo career. Williams was the lead singer on the Platters' big hits in the '50s -- "Only You,'' "The Great Pretender'' and "Smoke Gets in Your Eyes,'' among others.

Also in 1960, Roy Orbison's "Only the Lonely'' was released. It would reach number two on the Billboard Hot 100 and inspire Bruce Springsteen to write "Born to Run.''

In 1962, the Beatles auditioned for producer George Martin at E-M-I Records in London. Martin was later quoted as saying he thought "they were pretty awful,'' but also thought them "interesting'' and signed them the following month.

              
In 1964, "Chapel of Love" by the Dixie Cups topped the charts and stayed there for 3 weeks.

In 1966, the No. 1 Billboard Pop Hit was "Paint It Black,'' by the Rolling Stones.

In 1969, Rod Stewart, while still officially a part of the Jeff Beck Group, signed with Mercury Records. His debut L-P, ''The Rod Stewart Album,'' was only a modest success.

In 1970, "Teach Your Children," by Crosby, Stills, Nash & Young was released.

              
In 1971, for the last time, we saw Polish dancing bears, a little mouse named Topo Gigio, remembered The Beatles, The Dave Clark Five, the comedy of Jackie Mason, John Byner, Rich Little, Richard Pryor and so many more, as The Ed Sullivan Show left CBS-TV. Gladys Knight and The Pips and singer Jerry Vale appeared on the final show. The Ed Sullivan Show had been a 23 year showcase for artists from Ethel Merman to Ella Fitzgerald, from Steve and Eydie to the Beatles. The Ed Sullivan Show was the longest running variety show on TV -- a "rillly big sheeeew."

Also in 1971, John Lennon & Yoko Ono appeared on stage for the first time since 1969 when they joined Frank Zappa for a show at the Fillmore East.

In 1973, Barry White was awarded a gold record for I'm Gonna Love You Just a Little More Baby. It was his first hit and his first of five number one million-sellers.

              
In 1975, actor Larry Blyden, who starred in the sitcom Joe and Mabel, and hosted the syndicated What's My Line, died in an MVA at age 49.

In 1978, the ABC-TV newsmagazine 20/20 debuted. Producer Bob Shanks, realizing that the first show was a disaster, fired the co-hosts, magazine editor Harold Hayes and Australian art critic Robert Hughes. The next week, Shanks tapped former Today and Concentration host Hugh Downs to take over the show.

In 1982, an anti-nuclear rally featuring performances by Joan Baez, Bob Dylan, Jackson Browne, Linda Ronstadt, Stevie Wonder and Tom Petty drew 85-thousand people to the Rose Bowl in Pasadena, California.

In 1986, CHUM 1050 Toronto, the station with North America's longest-running hit record chart, abandoned its Top-40 format for a mixture of soft rock and oldies. CHUM adopted the rock format in 1957 and published its chart for 1,512 consecutive weeks.

In 1987, "You Keep Me Hangin' On" by Kim Wilde topped the charts, but stayed #1 for just a week.

In 1989, officials in Easton, Maryland voted to cancel an Ozzy Osbourne concert due to complaints about the singer's lyrics and on-stage antics.

              
In 1990, a Fort Lauderdale judge declared "As Nasty as They Wanna Be" by 2 Live Crew to be obscene. A record store owner was charged two days later for selling the hit rap album. But an appeals court overturned the judge's decision two years later.

In 1991, jazz tenor saxophonist Stan Getz, who helped popularize bossa nova music in North America, died of cancer at his Los Angeles-area home. He was 64.

In 1991, actress Dana Plato (Diff'rent Strokes) received a 6 yr suspended sentence for robbing a video store.

In 1992, actor Larry Riley, who played Frank Williams for five seasons on TV's Knots Landing, died of AIDS at age 39.

In 1992, song & dance man Ben Vereen, who was Chicken George in TV's Roots, & a regular on the sitcom Webster, suffered a broken leg, head & internal injuries when struck by a van near his Malibu home.

In 1992, the 700th episode of the syndicated series "Soul Train" aired.

In 1994, actor Barry Sullivan, the 2nd man to play Richard Rogue on NBC Radio's Rogues Gallery, who would guest star on more than 100 TV shows over more than 25 years, died of respiratory problems at age 81.

              
Also in 1994, CBC Radio One debuted what would become it's very popular music program, Stuart McLean's The Vinyl Cafe. It soon began airing on CBC Radio Two, as well.

In 1995, Pink Floyd released its two-CD live album, "Pulse.''

In 1996, lyrics of a song written, but never recorded by Elvis Presley, sold for 30-thousand dollars at a London auction. Presley co-wrote "Mississippi River" with Terry Fell while with the U-S Army in Germany in 1959. It's believed to be a tribute to Presley's mother, Gladys, who had died a year earlier.

In 1997, Iggy Pop suffered a separated shoulder when he dived from the stage during a Columbus, Ohio concert. He hit the ground after the audience failed to catch him.

              
In 1998, The Boy is Mine, by Brandy & Monica, zoomed to number 1 on the Billboard pop chart. It ruled the Hot 100 roost for 13 weeks -- putting it in the top ten of longest-running #1 singles in the modern rock era.

In 2000, Rolling Stones guitarist Ron Wood checked himself into rehab in London. Wood, accompanied by his wife, was admitted to the Priory Clinic in an effort to overcome his addiction to alcohol before the Rolling Stones launched another world tour.

In 2001, veteran banjo picker Marvin "Smokey'' Montgomery died at age 88. He joined the pioneer Western swing band The Light Crust Doughboys in 1935, and was still performing the month before his death from leukemia.

In 2002, Diana Ross entered a drug and alcohol rehabilitation center in Malibu Calif.
              

In 2003, Dave Rowberry, a rock keyboards player who performed with the Animals in the 1960s, was found dead in in his London apartment. He was 62. Rowberry had heart problems. The original band, featuring Eric Burdon on vocals, formed in 1964. They had such hits as "House of the Rising Sun,'' "Don't Let Me Be Misunderstood'' and "We've Gotta Get Out Of This Place.'' Rowberry joined the band in 1965, replacing original keyboards player Alan Price.

In 2006, the entertainer often credited as "the Fith Beatle," Billy Preston died at age 59.  He'd been in a coma for 7 months, after suffering kidney failure, the result of a lifetime of drug & alcohol abuse.


Today's Birthdays:

Singer Levi Stubbs of The Four Tops is 72.

Singer-songwriter Gary "U.S." Bonds is 69.

Country singer Joe Stampley is 65.

Actor Robert Englund (Freddy's Nightmares, Downtown, V) is 59.

Singer Dwight Twilley is 57.

Playwright-actor Harvey Fierstein (Daddy's Girls, X-Chromosome) is 54.

Actress-comedian Sandra Bernhard (L-Word, Roseanne) is 53.

Actress Amanda Pays (The Flash, Max Headroom, Thief Takers) is 49.

Record producer Jimmy Jam is 49.

Comedian Colin Quinn (Colin Quinn Show, Inked, Caroline's Comedy Hour) is 49.

Guitarist Steve Vai is 48.

Singer-bassist Tom Araya of Slayer is 47.

Actor Jason Isaacs (Brotherhood) is 45.

Bassist Sean Ysealt (White Zombie) is 42.

Actor Max Casella (The Sopranos, Doogie Howser MD) is 41.

Actor Paul Giamatti (Tourist Trap, Winchell) is 41.

Singer Damion Hall of Guy is 40.

Bassist Bardi Martin (Candlebox) is 39.

Guitarist James "Munky" Shaffer of Korn is 38.

Country singer Lisa Brokop is 35.

Singer Uncle Kracker is 34.

Actress Staci Keanan (Step by Step, My Two Dads) is 33.


Chart Toppers

June 6

1949
Riders in the Sky - Vaughn Monroe
Again - Doris Day
Some Enchanted Evening - Perry Como
Lovesick Blues - Hank Williams

1957
Love Letters in the Sand - Pat Boone
A Teenager’s Romance/I’m Walkin’ - Ricky Nelson
A White Sport Coat (And a Pink Carnation) - Marty Robbins
Four Walls - Jim Reeves

1965
Help Me, Rhonda - The Beach Boys
Wooly Bully - Sam The Sham and The Pharoahs
Crying in the Chapel - Elvis Presley
What’s He Doing in My World - Eddy Arnold

1973
My Love - Paul McCartney & Wings
Daniel - Elton John
Pillow Talk - Sylvia
Satin Sheets - Jeanne Pruett

1981
Bette Davis Eyes - Kim Carnes
Being with You - Smokey Robinson
Stars on 45 medley - Stars on 45
Friends - Razzy Bailey

1989
Rock On - Michael Damian
Soldier of Love - Donny Osmond
Wind Beneath My Wings - Bette Midler
Where Did I Go Wrong - Steve Wariner