Friday June the 20th

ON THIS DAY in 1910
Fanny Brice, born Fannie Borach, debuted in the New York production of the Ziegfeld Follies.
                
It wasn't long before Brice became known as America's funny girl. A regular on Rudy Vallee's radio show, The Fleischmann Hour, in the 1920s, Fanny Brice joined The Ziegfeld Follies of the Air at age 45. The show on CBS radio was the introduction of her funny-voiced character, Baby Snooks. In 1937 she joined NBC radio and continued as the Snooks kid, a seven-year old spoiled brat. Brice's most famous line was, "Whyyyyyy, daddy?"  From 1936 through 1951, Brice was one of radio's biggest draws. Fanny Brice died suddenly of a cerebral hemorrhage on May 29, 1951 at the age of 59.

In 1911, actress/producer Gail Patrick was born in Birmingham Ala.  After a moderatly successful movie career she made her mark in broadcasting as Executive Producer of TV's Perry Mason courtroom drama (1957-66.)  Her attempt to revive Mason ('73) with Monte Markham in the title role was not successful.  She succumbed to leukemia July 6 1980 at age 69.

In 1924, guitarist/producer Chet Atkins was born in Luttrell Tennessee. His picking style, inspired by Merle Travis, Django Reinhardt, George Barnes and Les Paul, brought him admirers both within and outside the country scene. Atkins produced records for Eddy Arnold, Don Gibson, Jim Reeves, Jerry Reed, Skeeter Davis, Connie Smith, and Waylon Jennings. He made over 100 albums, & is credited with helping create The Nashville Sound. He died June 30, 2001 at age 77.

                
In 1924, actor Audie Murphy was born in Kingston Texas.   This hero-turned-movie-star was the most decorated American GI of WWII [27 US decorations plus 5 decorations from France and Belgium.] He starred in one TV series, Whispering Smith (1961) and had just three other TV guest roles.  He was killed in a plane crash May 28, 1971 at age 46.

In 1936, singer/producer Billy Guy was born in Atasca Texas. He is best known as a member of The Coasters, singing lead on such hits as "Searchin'," "Little Egypt," "Run Red Run," & "Wait A Minute." He later produced records for others, including J. R. Bailey. He died Nov 5, 2002 at age 66.

In 1939, W2XBS (later WCBS-TV) in New York City televised the first TV operetta. Pirates of Penzance, composed by Gilbert and Sullivan, was presented to a very small viewing audience. Television was a new, experimental medium at the time.

                
In 1948, Ed Sullivan's T-V variety show, called ''Toast of the Town,'' premiered on C-B-S. Among the guests on the first show was the comedy team of Dean Martin and Jerry Lewis.

In 1962, CKNL Fort St. John began broadcasting with 1000 watts day and 500 watts night at 970 KHz.

In 1963, Gordon Jones, the big beefy character actor best remembered as Mike the Cop on TV's Abbott and Costello Show, died after a heart attack at age 52.

In 1965, country singer and mandolin player Ira Louvin of the Louvin Brothers died in a car accident in Missouri. The Louvins joined the Grand Ole Opry in 1955 on the strength of their first big hit, "When I Stop Dreaming." They broke up in 1962.

In 1965, the No. 1 Billboard Pop Hit was "Mr. Tambourine Man,'' by The Byrds.

In 1966, the U.S. Open golf tournament was telecast from San Francisco, with something extra for the nation's golf fans. It was the first time TV had beamed a golf event in color.

In 1969, the three-day Newport Festival began in Northridge, California, featuring such performers as Jimi Hendrix, Joe Cocker and Ike and Tina Turner. Hendrix was paid a then-record 135-thousand dollars.

              
In 1970, "The Ray Stevens Show," debuted on NBC-TV.

Also in 1970, The Long and Winding Road, by The Beatles, started a second week in the number one spot on the pop music charts. The tune was the last one to be released by The Beatles.

In 1973, American Bandstand celebrated its 20th anniversary with a 90-minute television special. Little Richard, Paul Revere & the Raiders, Cheech and Chong and Three Dog Night made appearances.

In 1975, on  NBC TV's "Midnight Special," Herb Alpert hosted Supertramp and the Captain and Tennille.

              
In 1977, the No. 1 Billboard Pop Hit was "Got to Give It Up (Pt. 1),'' by Marvin Gaye.

Also in 1977, Steve Winwood, formerly with the Spencer Davis Group and Traffic, released his first solo album, a self-titled effort on the Island label.

In 1979, ABC News correspondent Bill Stewart was shot to death in Managua, Nicaragua, by a member of President Anastasio Somoza's national guard.

In 1980, "It's Still Rock & Roll" became Billy Joel's first #1 hit

Also in 1980, Bob Dylan released his second religious-themed L-P, ''Saved.'' It won him the rock vocal Grammy Award.

In 1981, "Stars on 45 Medley" by the Stars on 45 topped the charts and stayed there for just the one week.

              
In 1984, British-born actress Estelle Winwood, who played Aunt Hilda on TV's Batman, and dozens of frail old ladies in various guest appearances, died of natural causes at age 101.  

In 1986, the first Prince's Trust concert was held in London. The performers included Bryan Adams, Eric Clapton, Elton John and Tina Turner.

Also in 1986, Grand Ole Opry humourist Whitey Ford, known as the ''Duke of Paducah,'' died in Nashville at 85.

In 1987, "Head to Toe" by Lisa Lisa & Cult Jam topped the charts and stayed there for just a week.

Also in 1987, Whitney Houston's album, Whitney, debuted on Billboard magazine's album chart at number one. Houston became the first female to have an LP debut at the top.

Still in 1987, The Tonight Show's Johnny Carson married his 4th wife Alexis Mass.

Again in 1987, rhythm-and-blues singer Teddy Pendergrass married former ballerina Karen Still at his home in Penn Valley, Pennsylvania.

                
In 1988, "Price is Right" model Janice Pennington was knocked out by a TV camera during a taping of the show.

In 1989, Ringo Starr was a guest on NBC-TV's "Late Night With David Letterman."

In 1990, British synthesizer band Depeche Mode cancelled an Ottawa Civic Centre concert after asbestos fell from the ceiling while the group's crew was setting up equipment.

Also in 1990, actress Ina Balin, who had recurring roles on TV's Quincy ME & As The World Turns, died at age 52, of pulmonary hypertension.

In 1992, members of the Irish rock band U-2 were among anti-nuclear protesters who used inflatable dinghies to land on a beach in northern England. Their protest against a nuclear reprocessing plant defied a court order.

Also in 1992, "I'll Be There" by Mariah Carey topped the charts and stayed there for 2 weeks.

In 1994, Mick Jagger and the Rolling Stones started rehearsing for their Voodoo Lounge tour outside Toronto.

              
Also in 1994, Howard Stern began his 30-minute (Radio) TV show on the E! cable network.

Still in 1994, Geffen Records offered the estimated two-million subscribers to the CompuServe computer bulletin board an opportunity to download a previously unreleased Aerosmith song. "Head First" was recorded for the 1993 album "Get a Grip."

In 1995, legendary country duo George Jones and Tammy Wynette released their reunion album "One.''

Also in 1995, Michael Jackson's "HIStory -- Past, Present and Future -- Book One" was released. The double C-D, Jackson's first album since child molestation allegations two years earlier, debuted at number-one on the Billboard chart.

              
Still in 1995, a Los Angeles judge took ownership of the Kingsmen's recordings from Scepter-Wand Records and awarded it to the group. The judge ruled the company breached its contract by not giving the Kingsmen royalties. The band's big hit was the 1963 party classic "Louie, Louie."

In 1996, 10,000 watt CFGP-1050 Grande Prairie switched to FM as SUN-FM, at 97.7 MHz with 70,000 watts.

Again in 1996, Westinghouse Electric agreed to buy Infinity Broadcasting for $3.9 billion, a move that would combine the two biggest players in radio. That was just the beginning, as they say, of the gobbling up of American radio by corporate America. Congress had passed the Telecommunications Act in February 1996 permitting expansion of TV and radio station holdings, and removing restrictions on how many stations could be owned by one entity (huge corporation) in one market (your town/city).

Still in 1996, the first Furthur Festival kicked off in Atlanta. It was the first time the members of the Grateful Dead toured together since the death of singer Jerry Garcia.

                
Also in 1996, Paul Anka ended a Las Vegas concert early after he spit the crown of his tooth into the audience. He later sued his dentist for malpractice.

Again in 1996, Lynyrd Skynyrd guitarist Ed King filed suit in Nashville against his bandmates and managers. King claimed they forced him off a 1995 tour after doctors told him he needed a heart transplant.

In 1997, Lawrence Payton, a member of the Four Tops who gave the Motown group its distinctive harmonies on hits such as "Baby I Need Your Loving" and "Reach Out (I'll Be There)," died from liver cancer at the age of 59.

In 1998, trumpeter Bobby Gimby, a one-time member of The Happy Gang, whose song "Ca-na-da'' became the anthem of the country's centennial year in 1967, died in North Bay, Ontario at age 79.

Also in 1998, Green Day bassist Mike Dirnt suffered a fractured skull in a backstage altercation involving Arion Salazar of Third Eye Blind. The incident, at a concert near Los Angeles, occurred after Salazar rushed on stage and bear-hugged Dirnt at the end of Green Day's set. Salazar apologized for the incident, although he did not admit to injuring Dirnt.

                
In 1999, writer/host Clifton Fadiman, who presided over the erudite panel/quiz Information Please for years on radio & its much shorter run on TV, died at age 95.

in 2006, Dan Rather reached agreement with CBS News to leave the network after 44 years. He later accepted an offer from Dallas Mavericks owner Mark Cuban to do a weekly news program for Cuban’s HDNet cable channel.



Today's Birthdays:

Actress Olympia Dukakis (Tales of the City, Center of the Universe) is 77.

Actor Martin Landau (Mission Impossible, Space 1999, Without a Trace) is 77.

Actor James Tolkan (Nero Wolfe Mystery, Remington Steele) is 77.

Actor Danny Aiello (Last Don, Godfather Saga, Lady Blue) is 75.

Actor John Mahoney (Frasier) is 68.

Musician Brian Wilson of the Beach Boys is 66.

Actor John McCook (The Bold and the Beautiful) is 65.

Nova Scotia-born singer Anne Murray is 63.

Home repair show host Bob Vila (This Old House, Home Again) is 62.

Actress Candy Clark (Mystery Woman: Redemption, The Price She Paid, Popeye Doyle) is 61.

Producer Tina Sinatra is 60.

Singer Lionel Richie is 59.

Actor John Goodman (Roseanne, West Wing, Father of the Pride) is 56.

Rock singer Cyndi Lauper is 55.

Bassist Michael Anthony of Van Halen is 54.

Bassist John Taylor of Duran Duran is 48.

Musician Murphy Karges (Sugar Ray) is 41.

Actress Nicole Kidman (Five Mile Creek, Bangkok Hilton) is 41.

Actor Peter Paige {Queer as Folk) is 39.

Actor Josh Lucas (Empire Falls, Cracker) is 37.

Country-folk singer-songwriter Amos Lee is 31.


Chart Toppers

June 20

1952
Kiss of Fire - Georgia Gibbs
Be Anything - Eddy Howard
I’m Yours - Eddie Fisher
The Wild Side of Life - Hank Thompson

1961
Moody River - Pat Boone
Quarter to Three - Gary U.S. Bonds
Tossin’ and Turnin’ - Bobby Lewis
Hello Walls - Faron Young

1970
The Long and Winding Road/For You Blue - The Beatles
The Love You Save - The Jackson 5
Mama Told Me (Not to Come) - Three Dog Night
Hello Darlin’ - Conway Twitty

1979
Hot Stuff - Donna Summer
We are Family - Sister Sledge
Ring My Bell - Anita Ward
She Believes in Me - Kenny Rogers

1988
Together Forever - Rick Astley
Foolish Beat - Debbie Gibson
Dirty Diana - Michael Jackson
I Told You So - Randy Travis

1997
I’ll Be Missing You - Puff Daddy & Faith Evans
MMMBop - Hanson
Return of the Mack - Mark Morrison
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
Summertime - Kenny Chesney