Sunday June the 8th

ON THIS DAY in 1918
actor Robert Preston was born in Newton Massachusetts but grew up in Los Angeles.  He is best remembered as 'Professor' Harold Hill in The Music Man on Broadway & in film. He guested on episodic TV over a 35 year period on such series as Climax, Kraft TV Theatre, Alcoa Hour, Playhouse 90, Lux Video Theatre, Man Against Crime, The Chisholms & Your Show of Shows.  He died of lung cancer March 21, 1987 at age 68.

              
In 1921, actress Alexis Smith was born Gladys Smith in Penticton. During the 1940s she appeared on the big screen opposite some of the most popular male stars of the day, including Errol Flynn, Humphrey Bogart & Cary Grant.  She appeared as guest star on numerous early TV dramas, including Schlitz Playhouse, Lux Video Theatre, Robert Montgomery Presents, US Steel Hour, The Defenders etc, and was nominated for an Emmy for her work in Cheers(1990.)  In 1972 she won the Tony for Best Actress in a Musical for her performance in Follies.  She died June 9, 1993 one day after her 72nd birthday.  

In 1923, comedian/impressionist George Kirby was born in Chicago. He was one of the first African-American comedians to begin to appeal to white as well as black audiences during the height of the Civil Rights era, appearing between 1966 and 1972 on The Ed Sullivan Show, The Dean Martin Show, The Jackie Gleason Show, Rowan and Martin's Laugh-In, and The Tonight Show Starring Johnny Carson. He had his own TV series in 1972.  He died of Parkinson's Sept. 30, 1995 at age 72.

              
In 1927, Paul Whiteman and his orchestra recorded When Day is Done on Victor Records. Listen to a CD version of the hits of the great bandleader and you'll hear Henry Busse featured on the trumpet.

In 1928, WGY-TV in Schenectady, NY revamped its regular program schedule. While continuing to broadcast three days a week, there were two times each day that viewers could watch TV: 1:30 to 2:00 p.m. and 11:30 to Midnight.

In 1942, the comic soap opera Clara, Lu 'n' Em was revived on CBS radio (the original show began in 1931 on NBC). Clara, Lu and Em were together again for just a short while before vanishing into radio oblivion.

              
In 1942, Bing Crosby, whose "White Christmas" would become a seasonal sensation later in the year, recorded "Adeste Fideles" and "Silent Night."

In 1947, Lassie debuted on ABC radio. It was a 15-minute show about an extraordinary collie. Animal imitator, Earl Keen provided the whines and other dog noises. The announcer was Charles Lyon; Marvin Miller and Betty Arnold played Lassie's owners. The sponsor was Red Heart dog food.

              
In 1948, "Mr. Television" was born. It was the beginning of the TV era, and an actor, comedian, and vaudevillian named Milton Berle was the first host of Texaco Star Theater. He didn't know it at the time, but he was destined to become TV's first and biggest star. Others hosted the show during the summer, but Berle made the cut, becoming the permanent emcee, staying in the spotlight for another eighteen years.

In 1963, the Essex released "Easier Said Than Done."

In 1964, Alton Delmore of the Delmore Brothers country duo died in Huntsville, Alabama at 55 from a hemorrhage brought about by a liver disorder. Alton and Rabon Delmore were longtime favourites on the Grand Ole Opry and had a top-five hit in 1949 with "Blues Stay Away From Me.''

              
In 1967, Laverne Andrews of the Andrews Sisters died of cancer at 51. Laverne and her sisters, Patti and Maxine, burst on the recording scene in 1937 with the million-seller "Bei Mir Bist Du Schon."  Customers bombarded baffled dealers with requests for the record under such quaint variations of the title as "Buy a Beer Monsieur Shane'' and "My Mere Bits of Shame.'' Their other hits included "Boogie Woogie Bugle Boy.''

In 1968, two future hits were released to radio. Gary Puckett & The Union Gap with "Lady Will Power," and the Rolling Stones' "Jumpin' Jack Flash."

In 1969, actor Robert Taylor, who hosted TV's Death Valley Days after decades of starring on the big screen, died of lung cancer at age 57.

In 1970, the No. 1 Billboard Pop Hit was "The Long and Winding Road,'' by The Beatles.

              
In 1972, blues and jazz singer Jimmy Rushing died in New York City of leukemia. He was 68. Known as "Mr. Five-By-Five'' because of his short and wide physique, Rushing was a feature attraction of the Count Basie orchestra from 1935 to '50. He influenced generations of vocalists from jazz to rock.

In 1974, keyboards player Rick Wakeman left the progressive rock band Yes following completion of the album ''Tales From Topographic Oceans.'' Wakeman openly expressed his bewilderment and disillusionment with the album and the band. Wakeman rejoined Yes in 1976, but split again in 1980. They reunited for a tour in 2002.

Also in 1974, "Band on the Run" by Paul McCartney & Wings topped the charts .. for just one week.

In 1979, producer Herb Polesie, who produced & also served as a panel member on the longrunning Mutual radio quiz "Twenty Questions," died at age 79.

              
Also in 1979, the final episode of "Welcome Back, Kotter" aired on ABC TV.

Still in 1979, on NBC's "Midnight Special" Gloria Gaynor hosted Paul McCartney & Wings, Rod Stewart and Bad Company.

In 1985, "Everybody Wants to Rule the World" by Tears for Fears topped the charts and stayed there for 2 weeks.

In 1986, the No. 1 Billboard Pop Hit was "On My Own,'' by Patti LaBelle & Michael McDonald.

In 1987, thousands of East German youths clashed with police who blocked them from listening in on an open-air rock concert in West Berlin by Genesis. About four-thousand young people converged on the Berlin Wall, some hurling bottles, rocks and firecrackers at police. Officers responded by beating dozens of youths and dragging them into police cars and vans.

Also in 1987, Yogi Horton, a drummer for rhythm-and-blues singer Luther Vandross, jumped to his death from the 17th floor of a New York hotel. He reportedly told his wife he was tired of living in Vandross's shadow.

              
In 1989, Rod Stewart became the first performer to play Toronto's SkyDome, less than a week after it opened.

In 1990, Mariah Carey released her self-titled debut album.

In 1991, "More Than Words" by Extreme topped the charts ... for just the one week.

Also in 1991, Bruce Springsteen married longtime girlfriend Patti Scialfa at their Beverly Hills mansion. Springsteen had divorced his first wife, model-actress Julianne Phillips, in 1988. Scialfa had been a Springsteen backup singer.

In 1992, the 26th Music City News Country Awards gave top honors to Alan Jackson & Garth Brooks.

              
In 1996, famous Canadian 'hotliner' Pat Burns died at age 75.   The Montreal-born Burns began in Vancouver radio at CKLG, but his meteoric rise began when he joined CJOR in 1962 & introduced the 'Pat Burns Hotline,' featuring high profile guests, as well as listener calls.   He was inducted into the CAB Broadcast Hall of Fame a few months after his death.

In 1998, hundreds of mourners sang "Let It Be'' at a private memorial service in London for Linda McCartney. The wife of Paul McCartney had died of breast cancer on April 19th. Among those in the historic St. Martins-in-the-Fields church were George Harrison, Ringo Starr, Sting and Elton John.

Also in 1998, the Rolling Stones announced they were postponing the U.K. dates on their current European tour until June of the following year. A statement cited "rescheduling problems, insurance claims, and tax issues."

              
In 2000, Eminem pleaded not guilty to weapons charges in Royal Oak, Mich. The rapper was accused of pulling an unloaded gun in the midst of an argument with Douglas Dail, identified as an associate of the group Insane Clown Posse, outside a car stereo store in the Detroit suburb.

Also in 2000, Sony Music U.K. launched its first free Internet download of a complete song. Irish singer/songwriter Paddy Casey's "Whatever Gets You True" was available as a download in the Windows Media format for one month at http://www.paddycasey.com.

Still in 2000, Sinead O'Connor revealed that she was a lesbian in an article that would later be published by "Curve" in their July-August 2000 issue.


Today's Birthdays:

Comedian Jerry Stiller (King of Queens, Seinfeld) is 81.

Actress Dana Wynter (Backstairs at the White House, Robert Montgomery Presents, Studio One) is 77.

Comedian-talk show host Joan Rivers (Live at the Red Carpet, Suddenly Susan, Another World) is 75.

British singer/actress Millicent Martin (Frasier, That's Life, That Was the Week that Was) is 74.

Actor James Darren (Star Trek Deep Space Nine, TJ Hooker, Time Tunnel) is 72.

Actor Bernie Casey (Roots:Next Generation, The Martian Chronicles) is 69.

Singer Nancy Sinatra is 68.

Singer Chuck Negron of Three Dog Night is 66.

Singer Boz Scaggs is 64.

Actor Don Grady (My Three Sons, Mickey Mouse Club) is 64.

Guitarist Mick Box of Uriah Heep is 61.

Actress Sonia Braga (Alias, American Family) is 58.

Actress Kathy Baker (Boston Public, Picket Fences) is 58.

Country guitarist Tony Rice is 57.

Singer Bonnie Tyler is 55.

Actor Griffin Dunne (3 Lbs, The Moth) is 53.
  
Actor-director Keenan Ivory Wayans (In Living Color) is 50.

Singer Mick Hucknall of Simply Red is 48.

Keyboardist Nick Rhodes of Duran Duran is 46.

Singer Doris Pearson of Five Star is 42.

Actress Julianna Margulies ( Canterbury's Law, ER, The Sopranos) is 42.

Actor Dan Futterman (Related, Judging Amy, Another World) is 41.

Saskatoon-born actor David Sutcliffe (Gilmore Girls, I'm With Her) is 39.

Singer Nicci Gilbert of Brownstone is 38.

Actress Kelli Williams (Medical Investigation, The Practice) is 38.

Actor Mark Feuerstein (West Wing, Good Morning, Miami) is 37.

Guitarist Mike Scheuchzer of MercyMe is 33.

Rapper Kanye West is 30.

Fiddler Sara Watkins of Nickel Creek is 27.


Chart Toppers

June 8

1951
Too Young - Nat King Cole
On Top of Old Smokey - The Weavers (vocal: Terry Gilkyson)
How High the Moon - Les Paul & Mary Ford
I Want to Be with You Always - Lefty Frizzell

1959
Dream Lover - Bobby Darin
Personality - Lloyd Price
Quiet Village - Martin Denny
The Battle of New Orleans - Johnny Horton

1967
Respect - Aretha Franklin
Release Me (And Let Me Love Again) - Engelbert Humperdinck
Creeque Alley - The Mamas & The Papas
It’s Such a Pretty World Today - Wynn Stewart

1975
Thank God I’m a Country Boy - John Denver
Sister Golden Hair - America
Bad Time - Grand Funk
Window Up Above - Mickey Gilley

1983
Flashdance...What a Feeling - Irene Cara
Overkill - Men At Work
Time (Clock of the Heart) - Culture Club
Lucille (You Won’t Do Your Daddy’s Will) - Waylon Jennings

1991
More Than Words - Extreme
I Wanna Sex You Up - Color Me Badd
Rush, Rush - Paula Abdul
Meet in the Middle - Diamond Rio