Tuesday June the 24th

ON THIS DAY in 1899
Chief Dan George (Teswahno) was born at the Burrard Reserve #3 in North Vancouver.
              
He was Chief of the Squamish Band from 1951-63. He acted in CBC-TV's Cariboo Country in 1961, and George Ryga's The Ecstasy of Rita Joe (1967), and played in over 10 films and TV series, including The Beachcombers (1971.) He died Sept. 12 1981 at age 82.

In 1903, bandleader/actor Phil Harris was born in Linton Indiana. Orchestra leader of the 30's & 40's, and radio, film and TV actor who always seemed to imply allegiance to the former 'Confederate States of America'. Was a principal of long standing among the comedian Jack Benny's radio retinue, parlaying his popularity into his own radio series, in which his movie star wife, Alice Faye, co-starred. He died of heart failure Aug. 11 1995 at age 92.

In 1940, TV cameras were used for the first time in a political convention as the Republicans convened in Philadelphia, PA.

In 1941, A Date With Judy[/] aired for the first time on NBC radio as a summer replacement for Bob Hope.  It would return two more summers before earning its own run 1944 to 1950, with [b]Louise Erickson[/b[ in the title role.  

              
In 1949, the movie features of [b]Hopalong Cassidy premiered on NBC TV. The films were edited to thirty and sixty-minute versions starring William Boyd as Hopalong & Edgar Buchanan as his sidekick, Red Connors. Eventually, all 66 original films were shown on TV, so Boyd produced more Hopalong Cassidy episodes just for TV.

In 1951, "Too Young" by Nat 'King' Cole topped the charts and stayed there for 5 weeks.

In 1956, "The Steve Allen Show" was seen for the first time on NBC-TV, opposite CBS's super popular "Ed Sullivan Show."

In 1957, the iconic early sitcom "I Love Lucy" aired for the last time in CBS-TV prime time.

                
Also in 1957, Front Page Challenge debuted on CBC as a 13-week summer replacement program. It would eventually become North America's longest-running game-interview TV show. Fred Davis became host after Win Barron and Alex lBarris failed to impress.  Regular panelists were Pierre Berton (1957-1995); Gordon Sinclair (1957-84); Toby Robins (1957-61); Betty Kennedy (1961-95); Allan Fotheringham (1984-95); Jack Webster (1987-95).

In 1960, the long-running soap The Romance of Helen Trent was heard for the last time on radio. Helen and her boy-toy, Gil Whitney, were about to be married, but the loving couple never made it to the altar -- just in case the show would ever be renewed. Helen Trent and her romance aired for 27 years -- a total of 7,222 episodes -- on the CBS radio network.

              
In 1961, the Beatles recorded "If You Love Me Baby."

In 1963 the first demonstration of a home video recorder took place at the BBC Studios in London.   But it would be another 15 years before the first mass marketing of VCR's took place.  

In 1967, Jefferson Airplane's "White Rabbit" and Procol Harum's "Whiter Shade of Pale" were released.

In 1969, the No. 1 Billboard Pop Hit was "The Love Theme from Romeo & Juliet,'' by Henry Mancini.

In 1971, actor Kenneth Washington, the 2nd Sgt Baker on TV's Hogan's Heroes after Ivan Dixon departed, died at age 53.

              
In 1972, I Am Woman, by Helen Reddy, was released by Capitol Records. The number one tune (December 9, 1972) became an anthem for the feminist movement. Reddy, from Australia, had four million-sellers: I Am Woman, Delta Dawn, Leave Me Alone (Ruby Red Dress) and Angie Baby. She had a total of 14 hits on the pop music charts.

In 1973, the Blues Project held a reunion concert in Central Park, New York.

In 1979, the No. 1 Billboard Pop Hit was "Ring My Bell,'' by Anita Ward.

In 1984, film director William Keighley, who became the 2nd regular host of Lux Radio Theatre following Cecil B. DeMille, died of a stroke at age 94.

Also in 1984, "The Reflex" by Duran Duran topped the charts and stayed there for 2 weeks.

                
In 1987, "The Great One", Jackie Gleason, died at the age of 71. Gleason was one of TV's biggest stars in the 1950s and 1960s. He started on the DuMont Television Network, became a celebrated fixture on CBS-TV, and later, a movie star. However he is best remembered from TV, as bus driver Ralph Kramden in The Honeymooners, which still ranks as one of TV's greatest sitcoms.

In 1989, The Who started their North American tour at same Toronto venue they played their farewell performance in 1982.

In 1992, 43-year old Billy Joel received his high school diploma from Hicksville High School on Long Island, N.Y. He failed to graduate with his class in 1967 because of missed gym and English credits. The school choir sang Joel's song "Summer, Highland Falls'' at the ceremony.

In 1994, Victoria radio station CKDA AM 1200 dropped its all oldies format to go all 70's.

Also in 1994, France's 1st "all news" TV station, LCI, began broadcasting.

In 1995, Eddie Vedder of Pearl Jam left the stage after seven songs during a San Francisco concert because of stomach flu. Neil Young finished the show but was booed by fans who had come to see Pearl Jam.

              
In 1997, actor Brian Keith, best remembered as Uncle Bill on TV's Family Affair, committed suicide at age 75.

In 1998, Johnny Cash returned to a Nashville stage and performed for the first time since was stricken with Shy-Drager Syndrome the preceding October. Cash joined a surprised Kris Kristofferson, who is singing Cash's "Sunday Morning Coming Down" at "Witness History II," a tribute to Cash and Waylon Jennings at the Ryman Auditorium.

In 1999, Eric Clapton parted with 100 of his guitars and generated over $5 million for his Crossroads Centre at Antigua, an alcohol and drug-dependency treatment center in the West Indies. Among the stringed beauties auctioned off is "Brownie," a 1956 sunburst Fender upon which he recorded his hit "Layla"; the instrument goes for a record-breaking $497,500. The previous record holder was an axe of Jimi Hendrix's that went for $320,000.

              
In 2002, Connie Chung debuted her prime-time news program on CNN. It was panned by critics, and CNN cancelled it the following year.

In 2003, Steven Cojocaru signed a deal to do celebrity interviews, monitor pop-culture trends and provide fashion commentary for the syndicated TV show "Entertainment Tonight."

In 2005, Paul Winchell died in Los Angeles at 82 years of age. The ventriloquist, inventor and children�s TV show host was well-known in the 1960s for Winchell-Mahoney Time, where he starred with his dummies Jerry Mahoney and Knucklehead Smiff. But he may be even more famous in the movies and on TV as the lispy voice of Winnie the Pooh�s animated friend Tigger.

Also in 2005, Ron Chapman (below) retired after doing his last show on KLUV-FM Dallas, where he'd been for 5 years. The prior 30 years were spent at Dallas's legendary KVIL.  Today he is best known as the substitute voice on Paul Harvey News.
              


Today's Birthdays:

Actor Al Molinaro (Happy Days) is 89.

Comedian Jack Carter (Stage Show, Ed Sullivan Show) is 85.
  
Actress Michele Lee (Knots Landing) is 66.

Drummer Mick Fleetwood of Fleetwood Mac is 66.

Actor-director Georg Stanford Brown (Nip/Tuck, The Rookies) is 65.

Rocker Bruce Johnston of The Beach Boys is 64.

Singer Arthur Brown is 64.

Guitarist Jeff Beck is 64.

Singer Colin Blunstone of The Zombies is 63.

Actor Peter Weller (24, Odyssey 5) is 61.

Bassist John Illsley of Dire Straits is 59.

Reggae singer Derrick Simpson of Black Uhuru is 58.

Actress Nancy Allen (Another Life) is 58.

Actor Joe Penny (Jake and the Fatman, Riptide) is 52.

Singer Astro of UB40 is 51.

Singer-keyboardist Andy McCluskey of Orchestral Manoevres in the Dark is 49.

Bassist Curt Smith of Tears for Fears is 47.

Actress Danielle Spencer (What's Happening) is 43.

Actress Sherry Stringfield (ER) is 41.

Singer Glenn Medeiros is 38.

Actress Minka Kelly (Friday Night Lights) is 28.

Singer Solange Knowles is 22.


Chart Toppers

June 24

1947
Peg o� My Heart - The Harmonicats
Mam�selle - Art Lund
Linda - Buddy Clark with the Ray Noble Orchestra
It�s a Sin - Eddy Arnold

1956
The Wayward Wind - Gogi Grant
I Almost Lost My Mind - Pat Boone
Transfusion - Nervous Norvus
Crazy Arms - Ray Price

1965
I Can�t Help Myself - The Four Tops
Mr. Tambourine Man - The Byrds
Wonderful World - Herman�s Hermits
Ribbon of Darkness - Marty Robbins

1974
Billy, Don�t Be a Hero - Bo Donaldson & The Heywoods
You Make Me Feel Brand New - The Stylistics
Sundown - Gordon Lightfoot
This Time - Waylon Jennings

1983
Flashdance...What a Feeling - Irene Cara
Time (Clock of the Heart) - Culture Club
Electric Avenue - Eddy Grant
You Can�t Run from Love - Eddie Rabbitt

1992
I'll Be There - Mariah Carey
Baby Got Back - Sir Mix-A-Lot
Under the Bridge - Red Hot Chili Peppers
Achy Breaky Heart - Billy Ray Cyrus

2001
Lady Marmalade - Christina Aguilera, Lil� Kim, Mya & Pink
Drops Of Jupiter (Tell Me) - Train
Pop - �N Sync
I�m Already There - Lonestar