Wednesday June the 11th

ON THIS DAY in 1900  
broadcast journalist Lawrence E. Spivak was born in Brooklyn.  
              
He is best remembered as the host of NBC's Meet the Press from 1965-75. Prior to that time he had been a member of the program's panel of questioners, from the first Mutual radio broadcast in 1947.  He died of congestive heart failure March 9 1994 at age 93.

In 1911, sportscaster Russ Hodges was born in Dayton Tennessee. As longtime baseball broadcaster for the New York/S.F Giants, he was at the mike for Bobby Thomson's 1951 home run, the so-called 'Shot Heard Round the World.'  "The Giants win the pennant! The Giants win the pennant!"  Hodges suffered a sudden & fatal heart attack April 19 1971 at age 59.  

In 1913, opera star Rise Stevens was born Rise Steenberg in New York City. Her celebrated 'Carmen' was her signature role with the Metropolitan Opera.  Her voice & good looks made her a natural for movies, and in turn led to frequent guest spots on radio & TV, notably 13 times on the Ed Sullivan Show. Ms. Stevens is still with us today on her 95th birthday.

              
In 1914, actor Gerald Mohr was born in New York City. The radio, film and television character actor appeared in over 500 radio plays, including the title role iin Raymond Chandler's Adventures of Philip Marlowe.  He made 73 films and over 100 television shows, including westerns "Maverick", "Cheyenne", "Bronco", "Sugarfoot" and "Bonanza", as well as episodes of "Perry Mason", "77 Sunset Strip", "Hawaiian Eye", "Lost in Space" etc, and did announce/narration for early episodes of "The Lone Ranger."   He died of a heart attack Nov 9 1968 in Stockholm at the age of 54.

In 1920, pianist Hazel Scott was born in Trinidad. She was a child prodigy who became one of America's premier pianists of her time. Topping her talents off with a warm singing voice to complement her glamorous presence, she was a club and radio star by the late 30s and performed with such notables as Count Basie. Her most successful recording was Tico Tico. She had two TV series in the early years of the 'new' medium, and had guest roles in the series Julia & The Bold Ones.  She died of cancer Oct. 2, 1981 at age 61.

In 1928, King Oliver and his band recorded Tin Roof Blues for Vocalion Records.

              
In 1940, the Ink Spots recorded Maybe on Decca Records. By September, the song had climbed to the number two position on North America's pop music charts.

In 1942, the No. 1 Billboard Pop Hit was "Tangerine,'' with Helen O'Connell, Bob Eberly & the Jimmy Dorsey Orchestra.

In 1949, Hank Williams made his debut on the Grand Ole Opry. His performance, with the audience demanding several encores of "Lovesick Blues,'' is still considered one of the Opry's greatest moments. The success of his recording of that song had led to the Opry contract, and he remained with the show until being fired in August 1952 for perpetual drunkenness.

              
In 1953, the all-black TV sitcom "Amos 'n Andy," which had begun on radio in 1929 with two white men playing all the parts, was driven from the air in the heat of the civil rights movement, for its so-called stereotypical characterizations.  This was the last time it was seen on CBS, though the radio series on which it was based ran until 1960.  

In 1955, "Ain't That a Shame" by Fats Domino hit #1 for 11 weeks on the Billboard R&B Singles chart.

In 1961, Roy Orbison was wrapping up a week atop the Billboard pop chart with Running Scared, his first number one hit. Orbison recorded 23 hits for the pop charts, but only one other song made it to number one: Oh Pretty Woman in 1964.

In 1965, the No. 1 Billboard Pop Hit was "Back in My Arms Again,'' by The Supremes

Also in 1965, the Rolling Stones released "Got Live If You Want It."

              
In 1966, actor Wallace Ford, who co-starred with Henry Fonda in the TV series The Deputy, died after a heart attack at age 68.

In 1966, European radio stations falsely reported that Roger Daltrey of The Who was dead. The truth was that Pete Townshend had minor injuries from a car accident a few days earlier and the stations reported bad information.

Also in 1966, 23-year old Janis Joplin performed for the first time with Big Brother and the Holding Company in San Francisco.

Still in 1966, "Paint It Black" by the Rolling Stones topped the charts and stayed there for 2 weeks.  That same time "I Am A Rock" by Simon and Garfunkel peaked at #3.

In 1969, "The Ballad Of John and Yoko" by The Beatles[/]b hit #1 in the UK.

Also in 1969, David Bowie's single, "[b]Space Oddity," was released to coincide with the first lunar landing.

In 1970, actor Frank Silvera, a regular on the western series High Chaparral, died in an accidental electrocution in his home at age 55, while trying to repair a garbage disposal.

              
Also in 1970, a U-S tour by Ginger Baker's Air Force was cancelled eight days before the first concert because of what was termed the "political situation in America.'' Not mentioned was that only three-thousand tickets were sold for the opening date. Baker, the former drummer for Cream, later opened a recording studio in Nigeria.

In 1976, the TV game show based on pinball, "The Magnificent Marble Machine" with host Art James, aired for the last time on NBC, after an 11 month run.

Also in 1976, Wild Cherry's single "Play That Funky Music" was released.

In 1977, "I'm Your Boogie Man" by K. C. & the Sunshine Band topped the charts .. but stayed there for just a week.

                
In 1978, the No. 1 Billboard Pop Hit was "Shadow Dancing,'' by Andy Gibb.

Also in 1978, the Rolling Stones released "Some Girls."

In 1979,  one of America's greatest legends, both as a movie star and as a symbol of patriotism, died this day. Marion Michael Morrison, known as John Wayne, died following a courageous fight with cancer. "The Duke" was 72. He had been a Hollywood hero for almost 50 years, with some 200 movies to his credit.  Many of them continued to be staples of television programmers for another ten years.  

In 1979, Chuck Berry pleaded guilty in Los Angeles to income tax evasion. The charge stemmed from a 1973 debt of 110-thousand dollars. Berry served four months in prison.

In 1983, "My Love" by Lionel Richie peaked at #5.

In 1986, the short lived mystery series "Blacke's Magic," co-starring Hal Linden & Harry Morgan, aired for the last time on NBC-TV.

              
In 1986, The Police reunited at an Amnesty International show in Atlanta, performing five songs.

In 1988, actor Nathan Cook, a regular on TV's White Shadow, died of an allergic reaction to penicillin at age 38.

In 1988, a huge charity rock concert was staged at London's Wembley Stadium. Sting, Stevie Wonder, Bryan Adams and other singers gathered to denounce South African apartheid and honour jailed black leader Nelson Mandela. More than 70-thousand fans paid 45-dollars U-S each to attend the nearly 11-hour concert.

In 1989, a who's who of Canadian folk music turned out on the banks of the Oldman River in Alberta to help protest construction of a dam. Ian and Sylvia, Gordon Lightfoot and Murray McLauchlan treated about eight-thousand people to a free concert.

In 1990, trumpeter and bandleader Clyde McCoy died in Memphis at age 86. Famed for his "wah-wah" trumpet sound, McCoy was best known for his 1931 hit "Sugar Blues."

                
Also in 1990, singer Olivia Newton-John became a United Nations environmental ambassador.

In 1992, a Kitchener, Ontario, nightclub that billed itself as the world's largest bar, Lulu's Roadhouse, closed after declaring bankruptcy. The three-thousand-seat club owed more than 3.5-million dollars to its creditors. During its eight years, Lulu's hosted such legends as the Everly Brothers, Fats Domino, Jerry Lee Lewis, Johnny Cash and Waylon Jennings. The club re-opened several weeks later under new owners.

In 1993, two short-lived NBC TV game shows aired for the final time;  "Scattergories," & "Scrabble," after a 6 month run.  It had been the second run for Scrabble, which was first on the network between 1984 & 1990.

In 1994, Frank Virtue, leader of the Philadelphia-based instrumental trio the Virtues, died at age 67.  The combo's recording of "Guitar Boogie Shuffle," featuring the twin lead guitars of Virtue and Jimmy Bruno, was a top-five hit in 1959.

              
In 1995, Hole lead singer Courtney Love, widow of Nirvana star Kurt Cobain, was treated in a Seattle hospital for an apparent overdose of prescription drugs. Emergency workers were called to Love's home, where Cobain had shot himself the previous year.

In 1996, Garth Brooks signed autographs for 23 straight hours in Nashville. Some fans waited in line for up to 15 hours.

Also in 1996, a Metallica concert at a small club in San Francisco was broadcast live via the Internet.

In 1998, Stone Temple Pilots lead Scott Weiland skipped a scheduled Superior Court date in Los Angeles and checked himself into a drug treatment facility. The court date stemmed from charges filed in the beginning of the year for possession of heroin.

Also in 1998, following much fanfare, Seattle-based Amazon.comanded its operation from books only to music as well. Amazon.com's online CD seller opened for business with a list of titles numbered at 120,000 divided among 14 genres.

              
In 1999, actor Deforest Kelley who played Dr. McCoy on "Star Trek," died outside Los Angeles after a long illness. He was 79.

In 2001, the first episode of "Fear Factor" aired on NBC.

In 2002, the live Bee Gees album "One Night Only" was released on CD.

In 2007, the final episode of "The Sopranos" aired on HBO (Movie Central in Canada.)


Today's Birthdays:

Opera/movie/TV star Rise Stevens is 95. (see 1913 above.)

Saskatchewan-born retired sportscaster/CTV executive Johnny Esaw is 83.

Actor Gene Wilder (Electric Company, Something Wilder) is 75.

Actor Chad Everett (Medical Center, Centennial) is 71.

Comedian Johnny Brown (Laugh-In) is 71.

Singer Joey Dee is 68.

Actress Adrienne Barbeau (Maude, Carnivale) is 63.

Drummer Frank Beard of ZZ Top is 59.

Actor Michael Swan (One Life to Live, As The World Turns, Stop Susan Williams) is 58.

Rock singer Donnie Van Zant is 56.

Actor Peter Bergman (All My Children, The Young and the Restless, Starland Vocal Band) is 55.

Actor Hugh Laurie (House) is 49.

Country singer Bruce Robison is 42.

Actress Clare Carey (Jericho, Point Pleasant, Coach) is 41.

Bassist Smilin' Jay McDowell (BR5-49) is 39.

Bassist Dan Lavery of Tonic is 39.

Rock musician Tai Anderson (Third Day) is 32.

Vancouver-born actor Joshua Jackson (Dawson's Creek) is 30.

Actor Shia LaBeouf (Even Stevens) is 22.


Chart Toppers

June 11

1952
Kiss of Fire - Georgia Gibbs
Blue Tango - The Leroy Anderson Orchestra
Be Anything - Eddy Howard
The Wild Side of Life - Hank Thompson

1961
Running Scared - Roy Orbison
I Feel So Bad - Elvis Presley
Stand by Me - Ben E. King
Hello Walls - Faron Young

1970
Everything is Beautiful - Ray Stevens
Which Way You Goin’ Billy? - The Poppy Family
Up Around the Bend/Run Through the Jungle - Creedence Clearwater Revival
Hello Darlin’ - Conway Twitty

1979
Love You Inside Out - Bee Gees
We are Family - Sister Sledge
Just When I Needed You Most - Randy Vanwarmer
She Believes in Me - Kenny Rogers

1988
One More Try - George Michael
Together Forever - Rick Astley
Everything Your Heart Desires - Daryl Hall John Oates
I Told You So - Randy Travis

1997
MMMBop - Hanson
Return of the Mack - Mark Morrison
The Freshmen - The Verve Pipe
It's Your Love - Tim McGraw & Faith Hill

2006
Hips Don’t Lie - Shakira featuring Wyclef Jean
Where’d You Go - Fort Minor
What’s Left of Me - Nick Lachey
Settle for a Slowdown - Dierks Bentley