Saturday July the 12th

ON THIS DAY in 1895
lyricist/songwriter Oscar Hammerstein II was born in New York City.  Together with Richard Rodgers he wrote some of the most memorable musical theatre of all time, including Oklahoma!, Carousel, South Pacific, The King and I, Flower Drum Song, & the Sound of Music.  He & Rodgers appeared jointly at least 9 times on the Ed Sullivan TV Show.  He died of cancer Aug 23, 1960 at age 65.  

              
In 1908, comedian Milton Berle was born in New York City. Known as Uncle Miltie he was the undisputed top banana of early TV.  Berle is said to have sold more TV sets in the late '40's & early 50's than anyone.   His numerous short-lived radio shows were a testament to how critical the visual element was to the enjoyment of his comedy.  He died of colon cancer Mar 27, 2002 at age 93.

In 1909, 'Curly' Joe DeRita was born Joseph Wardell in Philadelphia.  He is the sixth & last of the Three Stooges; he joined the group in 1958 after the death of Shemp Howard.  Critics say his work was bland or dull, largely because by the time he came aboard Moe & Larry were older, and the Stooges' physical comedy had to be toned down.  He died from complications of diabetes July 3, 1993 at age 83.

              
In 1920, one of Canada's best known journalists, editor, broadcaster and author of 46 books, Pierre Berton was born in Whitehorse. He was one of the founders of the University of British Columbia radio station ("RadSoc")which began as a closed-circuit operation. His most significant broadcast credit was as panellist on CBC TV's longrunning Front Page Challenge. He also had his own daytime TV show, and hosted many prime time specials wherein he helped to popularize Canadian history.  He died Nov. 30 2004 at age 84.  

In 1928, a tennis match was broadcast for the first time, as an example of the type of programming that would be possible on television, which was still in the experimental stage.

                
In 1946, The Adventures of Sam Spade was heard on CBS radio for the first time. Howard Duff starred as the San Francisco detective in the summer replacement series, which evolved into a multi-season Sunday favorite. Sam Spade first appeared in the 1930 Dashiel Hammett novel The Maltese Falcon and in the 1931 original film version of The Maltese Falcon, starring Ricardo Cortez. Humprey Bogart played Sam in the 1941 movie.

In 1952, "Auf Wiederseh'n Sweetheart" by Vera Lynn topped the charts and stayed there for 9 weeks.

In 1954, Elvis Presley signed his first recording contract (Sun Records) and quit his job as a truck driver.

In 1958, Yakety Yak, by The Coasters, became the number one song in the U.S.A., according to Billboard magazine. It was the first stereo record to reach the top of the chart.

              
in 1959, Disc Jockey Alan Freed - the man who coined the term "Rock and Roll" - started a Rock and Roll program on ABC-TV, scheduled for 13 weeks.

In 1961, Pat Boone began a 10-day tour of South Africa

In 1962, the Rolling Stones played their first concert at the Marquee club in London. The lineup for that date was lead vocalist Mick Jagger, guitarists Keith Richards and Brian Jones, bassist Dick Taylor on bass and future Kinks drummer Mick Avory.

In 1969, the rock supergroup Blind Faith, fronted by Eric Clapton and Steve Winwood, made its U-S debut at New York's Madison Square Garden. The band made only this tour and one album before splitting up.

Also in 1969, "The Ballad of John and Yoko" was banned by many radio stations because they found the line "Christ, you know it ain't easy" to be offensive.

                
In 1970, Janis Joplin debuted with her new group, the Full Tilt Boogie Band, before four-thousand people in Louisville, Kentucky. Less than three months later, she was dead of a heroin overdose.

Also in 1970, PBS began airing concerts by the Boston Pops Orchestra.

Still in 1970, Johnny Cash presented an autographed gold record of "A Boy Named Sue'' to South Dakota judge Sue Hicks, who inspired the song.

In 1971, 13-thousand people packed the Civic Arena in Pittsburgh to see the first authorized staging of "Jesus Christ Superstar." The brainchild of composer Andrew Lloyd Webber and lyricist Tim Rice made its debut as a record album, which became the top seller of 1971. The rock musical, starring Yvonne Elliman and Ben Vereen, would open on Broadway the following October.

              
In 1976, radio/TV host Ted Mack, who took over radio's Original Amateur Hour when Major Bowes died, and made it a hit on early TV, died at age 72.

Also in 1976, Canada's all-News CKO Radio Network was licensed by the CRTC with a chain of 12 transmitters across the country.

Still in 1976, the TV gameshow "Family Feud" premiered with Richard Dawson as the host.

In 1979, Chicago disc jockey Steve Dahl held a ``disco demolition'' in between games of a baseball doubleheader at Comiskey Park. Dahl burned disco records brought by fans, who received discount admission. Some of those fans decided to start their own fires, and a mini-riot ensued, forcing the Chicago White Sox to forfeit the second game of the doubleheader.

                
Also in 1979, pop singer Minnie Riperton, famed for her five-octave range, died of cancer at age 31. Riperton's recording of Stevie Wonder's ``Lovin' You'' topped the Billboard Hot 100 in 1975.

In 1983, Chris Wood, sax and flute player with the 1960's and '70s rock band Traffic, died in London of liver failure at age 39. Traffic's most commercially successful album was the 1970 release, ``John Barleycorn Must Die.''

In 1986, Culture Club singer Boy George was charged in London with heroin possession. Four others, including the singer's brother, were accused of conspiring to supply Boy George (whose real name is George O'Dowd) with the drug. Boy George, who said he was under treatment for heroin addiction, was later fined 500 dollars.

Also in 1986, four men robbed the home of big band singer Keely Smith of more than 300-thousand dollars in cash and jewelry. Two of the bandits were caught when they stopped at a gas station to phone for help for Smith's brother, who complained of chest pains during the robbery. The theft occurred only hours after Smith was arrested on tax evasion charges in an unrelated case.

In 1990, the first episode of "Northern Exposure" aired on CBS.
              

In 1992, police arrested Guns N' Roses lead singer Axl Rose at New York's Kennedy Airport on charges related to a 1991 incident at a concert in St. Louis. The singer was said to have started a melee by diving into a crowd during the Guns N' Roses concert.

Also in 1992, a memorial to Buddy Holly was unveiled in Dallas.

In 1994, record stores around the world threw midnight parties as the Rolling Stones' "Voodoo Lounge" album went on sale. It was the group's first release since "Steel Wheels" five years earlier.

Also in 1994, thousands of people gathered in New York's Times Square as the finale of Barbra Steisand's Madison Square Garden concert was shown live on a huge T-V screen. Her closing number was "Somewhere" from "West Side Story."

              
In 1996, NBC correspondent/anchor John Chancellor, who succeeded Dave Garroway as host of Today, and anchored, then did commentaries for Nightly News, died of stomach cancer at age 68.

Also in 1996, Jonathan Melvoin, a backup musician with the Smashing Pumpkins, died in a New York hotel of an overdose of drugs and alcohol. He was 34.

In 1998, folk singer and songwriter Jimmie Driftwood, best known for writing ``The Battle of New Orleans,'' died in Fayetteville, Arkansas at age 91.

              
Also in 1998, it was announced by Toronto's Mayor Mel Lastman that the Spice Girls had backed out of a promise to perform at a free outdoor event at Toronto's City Hall. The Spice Girls had decided instead to appear on a cable show on MuchMusic.

In 1999, Limp Bizkit frontman and Interscope senior executive Fred Durst was arrested in St. Paul, Minn. after allegedly kicking a local security guard in the head during the band's show at Roy Wilkins Auditorium.

                
In 2000, Montreal-born jazz pianist Oscar Peterson became the first Canadian winner of the International Music Council UNESCO Music Prize. UNESCO cited Peterson's career as a musician and composer, as well as his work promoting human rights.

In 2002, the first season of "Monk" began on the USA cable network.

In 2003, jazz great Benny Carter (below) died in Los Angeles at age 95. Carter was a master of melodic invention on the alto saxophone, and was also a renowned composer, instrumentalist, orchestra leader and arranger. Carter performed with or wrote music for nearly all of jazz's early greats, including Benny Goodman, Count Basie, Duke Ellington and Dizzy Gillespie. He received the Grammy Lifetime Achievement Award in 1987.
              


Today's Birthdays:

Newfoundland-born actor Gordon Pinsent (Due South, Red Green Show, Street Legal) is 78.

Pianist Van Cliburn is 74.

Actor-comedian Bill Cosby (Cosby, Cosby Show, I Spy) is 71.

Singer Christine McVie of Fleetwood Mac is 65.

Actress Denise Nicholas (In the Heat of the Night) is 64.

Actor Jay Thomas (Cheers, Murphy Brown) is 60.

Singer Walter Egan is 60.

Fitness guru Richard Simmons is 60.

Actress Cheryl Ladd (Las Vegas, Charlie's Angels) is 57.

Shock jock Howard Stern is 54.

Gospel singer Sandi Patty is 52.

Actress Mel Harris (thirtysomething) is 51.

Actor Buddy Foster (Mayberry RFD) is 51.

Rock guitarist Dan Murphy (Soul Asylum) is 46.

Singer Robin Wilson of the Gin Blossoms is 43.

Actress Lisa Nicole Carson (Ally McBeal) is 39.

Country singer Shannon Lawson is 35.

Rapper Magoo is 35.

Singer Tracie Spencer is 32.

Actor Topher Grace (That '70s Show) is 30.

Actress Michelle Rodriguez (Lost) is 30.

Actor Erik Per Sullivan (Malcolm in the Middle) is 17.


Chart Toppers:

July 12

1947
Peg o’ My Heart - The Harmonicats
I Wonder, I Wonder, I Wonder - Eddy Howard
Chi-Baba, Chi-Baba - Perry Como
Smoke! Smoke! Smoke! (That Cigarette) - Tex Williams

1956
The Wayward Wind - Gogi Grant
My Prayer - The Platters
Hound Dog/Don’t Be Cruel - Elvis Presley
Crazy Arms - Ray Price

1965
(I Can’t Get No) Satisfaction - The Rolling Stones
Wonderful World - Herman’s Hermits
Yes, I'm Ready - Barbara Mason
Before You Go - Buck Owens

1974
Rock the Boat - The Hues Corporation
Rock Your Baby - George McCrae
Hollywood Swinging - Kool & The Gang
He Thinks I Still Care - Anne Murray

1983
Every Breath You Take - The Police
Never Gonna Let You Go - Sergio Mendes
Too Shy - Kajagoogoo
Highway 40 Blues - Ricky Skaggs

1992
Baby Got Back - Sir Mix-A-Lot
Under the Bridge - Red Hot Chili Peppers
Achy Breaky Heart - Billy Ray Cyrus
I Saw the Light - Wynonna

2001
Lady Marmalade - Christina Aguilera, Lil’ Kim, Mya & Pink
Pop - ’N Sync
Irresistable - Jessica Simpson
I’m Already There - Lonestar