Thursday July the 10th

ON THIS DAY in 1900
one of the most famous trademarks in the world, "His Master's Voice", was registered with the U.S. Patent Office.
              
The logo of the Victor Talking Machine Company, and later, RCA Victor, features the dog, Nipper, looking into the horn of a gramophone machine.  

In 1917, science teacher/broadcaster Don Herbert was born in Waconia Minn. As Mr. Wizard on NBC TV, he was the first broadcaster to demonstrate an interesting side of science to a nationwide TV audience. He succumbed to bone cancer June 12, 2007, a month before his 90th birthday.

In 1920, TV journalist David Brinkley was born in Wilmington North Carolina.  He became a TV sensation teamed with Chet Huntley on NBC for the nightly news 1956-70, and for political convention coverage, the JFK assasination, etc. Many of his commentaries, some tongue in cheek or ironical, were considered minor classics.  Later he would move to ABC where This Week with David Brinkley (below) became a Sunday morning fixture.  He died June 11, 2003 at age 82.
                

In 1921, actress Jeff (Jean Marie) Donnell was born in Maine.  She co-starred as George's wife Alice on The George Gobel Show, had a recurring role in the series Dr. Kildare & Matt Helm, as well as General Hospital.   She died after a heart attack Apr 11, 1988 at age 66.

In 1926, actor Fred Gwynne was born in New York City.  He starred in two popular TV sitcoms, The Munsters & Car 54 Where are You? He died of pancreatic cancer July 2, 1993 a few days shy of his 77th birthday.

In 1931, actor Nick Adams was born in Nanticoke Pa. He starred as Johnny Yuma in the TV series The Rebel, was featured in the short lived series Saints & Sinners, then guested on episodic TV & in movies, often cast as a troubled young man, until his drug-overdose death Feb 7, 1968 at the young age of 36.  

                
In 1936, songstress Billie Holiday recorded Billie's Blues for Okeh Records in New York. Bunny Berigan, Artie Shaw and Cozy Cole supported Holiday, instrumentally, on the disk.  

In 1941, pianist-composer Jelly Roll Morton, who claimed he invented jazz, died in Los Angeles at age 50. Morton, born Ferdinand La Menthe in New Orleans, may not have created jazz, but he was the first jazz composer to put his works on paper. Among the jazz classics that flowed from Morton's pen were ``Jelly Rolly Blues,'' ``Wolverine Blues'' and ``King Porter Stomp.'' Morton's peak years of popularity were from 1917 to '22, when his Red Hot Peppers Band played college and hotel dates and recorded for the Victor company.

                
In 1944, a radio show of international intrigue The Man Called X, starring Herbert Marshall, debuted on CBS radio.  It would be a listening favorite on the Tiffany Network & NBC for the next 8 years.

In 1949, the first practical rectangular television picture tube was presented. The tube measured 12 by 16 inches and sold for $12.

In 1950, a longtime radio institution debuted on TV.  ``Your Hit Parade'' was seen for the first time on N-B-C, featuring the top seven tunes of the week. Snooky Lanson, Russell Arms, and two Canadian-born women, Dorothy Collins and Gisele MacKenzie (pictured below) became the show's best-remembered singing stars.
                

In 1954, New York radio station WINS announced the hiring of pioneer rock disc jockey Alan Freed to be the host of their ``Rock 'n' Roll Party.'' As he did on his earlier ``Moondog Rock 'n Roll Party Show'' on WJW in Cleveland, Freed programmed records by black rhythm-and-blues artists that many white teens had never heard before. Freed is often credited with coining the term rock 'n' roll.

In 1961, "Tossin' and Turnin'" by Bobby Lewis topped the charts and stayed there for 7 weeks.

In 1962, the Telstar communications satellite was successfully launched from Cape CanaverIal, FL. Telstar would usher in a new age of communication via telephone and TV, with voice and picture transmission from Europe to America and back. To commemorate the event, an instrumental hit by the Tornadoes, an English surf-rock group, made it to number one for three weeks in November, 1962. It was titled, Telstar, of course.
              

In 1964, both the single and album ``A Hard Day's Night'' by the Beatles were released in Britain. The single was number one for four weeks in the U-K and the soundtrack album topped the L-P charts for 21 weeks. Both single and L-P also hit number one in North America.

In 1965, the Beatles' album "Beatles' "VI," went #1 for the next 6 weeks.

Also in 1965, the Rolling Stones, who took their name from a Muddy Waters song, hit the top spot on the Billboard pop chart for the first time.  (I Can't Get No) Satisfaction, stayed at number one for 4 weeks.

Still in 1965, Wilson Pickett's "In The Midnight Hour" was released.

              
In 1967, Kenny Rogers and other members of the New Christy Minstrels quit to form the First Edition. The new group received its first national exposure on the Smothers Brothers T-V show, and went on to have such hits as ``Just Dropped In (To See What Condition My Condition Was In)'' in 1968, ``Ruby, Don't Take Your Love to Town'' in 1969 and 1971's ``Something's Burning.'' Kenny Rogers began his immensely successful solo career in 1974.

Also in 1967, Bobbie Gentry recorded her soon-to-be-smash ``Ode to Billie Joe'' at a Hollywood studio.

In 1968, guitarist Eric Clapton announced the breakup of Cream, the power rock trio he had formed with bassist Jack Bruce and drummer Ginger Baker. Cream played a farewell concert in London in November, and Clapton and Baker then formed the short-lived Blind Faith.

Also on this date in 1968, the art rock band the Nice was banned from London's Royal Albert Hall after stomping on and burning an American flag during a concert. Two years later, group leader Keith Emerson joined Greg Lake and Carl Palmer in Emerson, Lake and Palmer.

              
In 1974, David Bowie ended a North American tour by recording a live double-album at Philadelphia's Tower Theatre. It was called ``David Live.''

In 1975, after being married for only 10 days, Cher petitioned for divorce from Greg Allman.

Also in 1975, the ``Gladys Knight & the Pips'' summer series premiered on NBC-TV.

In 1976, "Afternoon Delight" by the Starland Vocal Band topped the charts and stayed there for 2 weeks.

In 1979, Arthur Fiedler, conductor of the Boston Pops Orchestra for nearly 50 years, died at age 84.

Also in 1979, Chuck Berry was sentenced to four months in prison for tax evasion dating back to 1973.

In 1985, the song "Poplife," by Prince, was released.

              
In 1986, guitarist Jerry Garcia of the Grateful Dead guitarist went into a diabetic coma. He was released from the hospital a few weeks later.

In 1987, the man who was once called the world's greatest talent scout, John Hammond, died in New York at age 76. Hammond, who worked most of his life for Columbia Records, discovered such diverse talents as Billie Holiday, Bob Dylan and Bruce Springsteen.

Also in 1987, Winnipeg musician and bandleader Jimmy King died of cancer at 67. King dominated the city's jazz and big band circles for 45 years, directing the Jimmy King Orchestra and the Golden Boy Brass.

In 1989, cartoon voice Mel Blanc, who started in Portland radio, had his own network radio sitcom in the 40's, provided the voices for Daffy Duck, Bugs Bunny and Porky Pig, and did characters on Jack Benny's radio & TV shows for years, died at age 81.  

Also in 1989, British cockney comic Thomas E "Tommy" Trinder died of a heart ailment at age 80.  The wry, rubber-faced comedian had built up his name in traveling variety shows, clubs and dance halls, then achieved stardom in musical revues, before transferring his popularity first to radio & later TV.  He became the lynchpin of Independent Television's "Sunday Night at the Palladium."  

              
In 1990, shock comedian Andrew Dice Clay cried as a guest on the Arsenio Hall late night talk show.

In 1991, Gerome Ragni, who co-wrote and starred in the 1960's rock musical ``Hair,'' died in New York of cancer. He was 48. Ragni and James Rado wrote the book and lyrics, and Montreal-born Galt McDermot wrote the music, for the show that portrayed the sexual liberation, anti-war movement and flower children of the era.

In 1993, the U-S music video channel MTV debuted in the Commonwealth of Independent States, the former Soviet Union.

Also in 1993, Pete Townshend began his first-ever solo North American tour with a show in Toronto.

Still in 1993, "Weak" by SWV topped the charts and stayed there for 2 weeks.

In 1995, a traffic accident injured four of Mary J. Blige's dancers forcing the postponment of a concert featuring Blige, Boyz II Men and Montell Jordan in Springfield, Illinois.

              
In 1998, the Spice Girls played Canada for the first time, selling out the Molson Centre in Montreal. Shows in Toronto the next night and in Vancouver the following month were also quick sellouts. During their Toronto visit, the British group also appeared on a live MuchMusic special telecast across the country.

In 1999, radio station CJVI 900 Victoria dropped its talk shows and returned to playing popular music of the 60s, 70s and 80s.

In 2000, Diana Ross announced the cancellation of the rest of The Supremes' ``reunion'' tour. The tour featured Scherrie Payne and Lynda Laurence who were in The Supremes after Ross had left the group.

In 2002, country superstar Dolly Parton launched a 13-city tour. It was her first tour in decades.

              
Also in 2002, Eddie Van Halen and actress Valerie Bertinelli (above, in happier times) announced that they had secretly separated 10 months before. There was no indication that the two planned to get formally divorced.

In 2003, PBS' Soundstage returned to US television with a performance from Tom Petty and the Heartbreakers. The show had not aired in over 18 years when it ran from 1974 to 1985.


Today's Birthdays:

Writer/narrator Earl Hamner Jr. (The Waltons) is 85.

Canadian broadcaster Elwy Yost is 82.

Canadian author Alice Munro is 77.

Canadian children's entertainer Lois Ada Lillenstein (of Sharon, Lois & Bram) is 72.

Actor Lawrence Pressman (Doogie Howser, Judging Amy) is 69.

Singer Mavis Staples is 69.

Actor Mills Watson (B.J. and the Bear, Misadventures of Sheriff Lobo) is 68.

Guitarist Jerry Miller of Moby Grape is 65.

Actor Ron Glass (Barney Miller) is 63.

Comedian Roger Abbott (Air Farce) is 62.

Actress Sue Lyon (Mantrap) is 62.

Folk singer Arlo Guthrie is 61.

Singer Neil Tennant of the Pet Shop Boys is 54.

Banjo player Bela Fleck of Bela Fleck and the Flecktones is 50.

Drummer Shaw Wilson of BR549 is 48.

Guitarist Peter DiStefano of Porno for Pyros is 43.

Country singer Gary LeVox of Rascal Flatts is 38.

Actor Adrian Grenier (Entourage) is 32.

Actor Thomas Ian Nicholas (Party of Five) is 28.

Singer Jessica Simpson is 28.


Chart Toppers:

July 10

1945
Dream - The Pied Pipers
The More I See You - Dick Haymes
Bell Bottom Trousers - Tony Pastor
Stars and Stripes on Iwo Jima - Bob Wills

1954
Little Things Mean a Lot - Kitty Kallen
Hernando’s Hideaway - Archie Bleyer
Three Coins in the Fountain - The Four Aces
Even Tho - Webb Pierce

1963
Easier Said Than Done - The Essex
Blue on Blue - Bobby Vinton
One Fine Day - The Chiffons
Act Naturally - Buck Owens

1972
Lean on Me - Bill Withers
Outa-Space - Billy Preston
Too Late to Turn Back Now - Cornelius Brothers & Sister Rose
Eleven Roses - Hank Williams, Jr.

1981
Bette Davis Eyes - Kim Carnes
All Those Years Ago - George Harrison
The One that You Love - Air Supply
I was Country When Country wasn’t Cool - Barbara Mandrell

1990
Step By Step - New Kids on the Block
She Ain’t Worth It - Glenn Medeiros featuring Bobby Brown
Hold On - En Vogue
Love Without End, Amen - George Strait

1999
If You Had My Love (facts) - Jennifer Lopez
I Want It That Way (facts) - Backstreet Boys
Wild Wild West (facts) - Will Smith featuring Dru Hill & Kool Moe Dee
Write This Down - George Strait