Wednesday July the 30th

ON THIS DAY in 1889
Vladimir Zworykin, called the "Father of Television" was born in Russia.
              
He invented the iconoscope in 1931 while in the employ of RCA, the parent company of NBC.  He died July 29 1982 on the eve of his 93rd birthday.

In 1930, the long-running radio crime drama The Shadow aired for the first time on CBS.  It would be a radio favorite for the next 24 years, mostly on Sunday afternoons on Mutual.

In 1934, actor Ben Piazza was born in Little Rock. He was brought to Tinseltown on the strength of his performance in the Canada-filmed "A Dangerous Age" (1958 ), subsequently appearing in support of Gary Cooper in the A-western The Hanging Tree. On television, he had regular roles as Jonas Falk on the daytime drama Love of Life and as teacher George Benton in the 1978 sitcom The Waverly Wonders.   He played the role of Walt Driscoll, Dallas, CBS, 1982-83, Dr. Mike Rogers "Ben Casey" (1965), Mr. Cody, The Billionaire Boys Club, NBC, 1987, NBC, and Family Ties, NBC.   He died of AIDS-related cancer Sep 7, 1991 at age 57.

In 1937, the American Federation of Radio Artists (AFRA) was organized. It was part of the American Federation of Labor. The union was for all radio performers except musicians. The union later became The American Federation of Television and Radio Artists (AFTRA) to include TV folk, as well.

              
In 1942, Stage Door Canteen was first heard on CBS radio. The show was broadcast live from New York City and 500 servicemen were entertained each week by celebrities who freely donated their time for the war (WWII) effort.

Also in 1942, Frank Sinatra recorded the last of 90 recordings with the Tommy Dorsey Orchestra on Victor Records. His last side was There are Such Things, which became number one in January of 1943. Sinatra moved on to Columbia Records (1943-1952) as a solo singing sensation.

In 1952, the popular radio soap opera, The Guiding Light, was seen for the first time on CBS television. It debuted on NBC radio Jan. 25 1937.  The daytime drama continues on CBS today.

In 1954, Elvis Presley made his professional debut in Memphis. It was his first concert to be advertised.

            
In 1955, Winnipeg-born pop singer Giselle Mackenzie, of the NBC TV show Your Hit Parade, had a #1 Billboard hit single with 'Hard to Get'.

In 1956, the No. 1 Billboard Pop Hit was "My Prayer,'' by The Platters. The five were the first black artists to have a No. 1 single on the pop charts.

Also in 1956, singer Brenda Lee recorded her first hit for Decca Records. Jambalaya and Bigelow 6-200 started a new career for the petite 11-year-old from Lithonia, GA (near Atlanta). Brenda Mae Tarpley (Brenda Lee) had been singing professionally since age six. She recorded 29 hit songs in the 1960s and had a pair of number one tunes with I�m Sorry and I Want to be Wanted.  She recorded a dozen hits that made it to the top 10, before turning to country music in 1971.  

In 1962, noted stage actor Myron McCormick, who had an extensive resume in radio drama & made about 25 guest appearances in series TV, died of cancer at age 54.
              

In 1966, WOR-FM, New York changed it's programming to a Rock format.

Also in 1966, the No. 1 Billboard Pop Hit was "Wild Thing,'' by The Troggs. Because of a legal dispute, the song was simultaneously released on two different labels, something unique for a No. 1 single.

Still in 1966, the Beatles' "Yesterday... and Today," album went #1 and stayed on top for 5 weeks.

In 1968, the Beatles' Apple Boutique in London closed after heavy losses.

In 1970, the Rolling Stones fired Allen Klein as their manager
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In 1975, the No. 1 Billboard Pop Hit was "One of These Nights,'' by the Eagles. The song was written by Don Henley and Glenn Frey and was the band's second consecutive No. 1 hit.
              
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=x5awZ9ioFjk

In 1977, "I Just Want to Be Your Everything" by Andy Gibb topped the charts and stayed there for 4 weeks.

In 1980, gravel-voiced character actor Charles McGraw, who starred as Rick in the TV series Casablanca, and was guest cast as many a lawman or military officer, died at age 66.

In 1984, the soap Opera "Santa Barbara" debuted on NBC TV.
              

In 1985, the No. 1 Billboard Pop Hit was "Shout,'' by Tears for Fears. The song was the second straight No. 1 song from the group's "Songs from the Big Chair'' album.                

In 1986, RCA Records dropped John Denver from his contract.

In 1987, NBC�s L.A. Law] was nominated for 20 Emmy Awards, one shy of the record for nominations. Hill Street Blues was the recordholder (in the 1981-1982 season). L.A. Law had only been on the air a year when it earned four out of the 20 Emmys.
                

Also in 1987, David Bowie played the first show of his "Glass Spider" tour in Philadelphia.

In 1988, "Roll with It" by Steve Winwood topped the charts and stayed there for 4 weeks.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=yGEqwtyi4_Q&mode=related&search=

In 1992, Motown's biggest stars gathered for a memorial service for Mary Wells, who died 4 days earlier of cancer at the age of 49. Smokey Robinson sang a medley of Wells' hits. Motown founder Berry Gordy called her the "first lady of song."

In 1993, Daniel Lanois and the Tragically Hip joined Midnight Oil, Hothouse Flowers and Crash Vegas in Calgary to record the single 'Land,' written by Jim Moginie and Rob Hirst of Midnight Oil.  Proceeds went to the defence of environmentalists fighting logging in Vancouver Island's Clayoquot Sound.

                
In 1996, actress Claudette Colbert, who followed a distinguished bigscreen career with a number of guest roles in early TV drama, died of a series of strokes at age 93.

In 1996, Tim Collins, manager of Aerosmith since 1984, was fired after a brief meeting with the band in Boston. The band claimed they were tired of being urged to represent Collins' many social causes.

In 1997, '80s group Boys Don't Cry sued Paula Cole, Warner Bros. Records and Imago Records over Cole's pop song "Where Have All The Cowboys Gone."   The $7 million suit claimed that Cole's song sounded too much like the 1986 Boys Don't Cry hit, "I Wanna Be A Cowboy."

                
In 1998, TV personality Buffalo Bob Smith, the co-creator and host of NBC's pioneer kids program The Howdy Doody Show, died of cancer at age 80.

In 2003, Sun Records founder Sam Phillips died of respiratory failure at age 80, the day before the original Sun Studio was designated a National Historic Landmark. Phillips produced early hits by Elvis Presley, Jerry Lee Lewis, Johnny Cash, Carl Perkins and Roy Orbison.

In 2005, a new book published to mark the 35th anniversary of the death of Jimi Hendrix claimed the guitarist pretended to be gay so he would be discharged from the army. "Room Full of Mirrors" by Charles Cross said army records showed Hendrix was discharged from the 101st Airborne Division aged 19 in 1962 for "homosexual tendencies."
              

Today's Birthdays

British actor Richard Johnson is 81.

Singer Christine McGuire (McGuire Sisters) is 79.

Puppeteer Sid Kroft (DC Follies, HR Pufnstuff) is 79.

Actor Edd "Kookie" Byrnes (77 Sunset Strip) is 75.

Blues guitarist Buddy Guy is 72.

Movie director Peter Bogdanovich (The Sopranos) is 69.

Ottawa-born singer Paul Anka is 67.

Jazz saxophonist David Sanborn is 63.

Actor Arnold Schwarzenegger (Liberty's Kids: Est. 1776) is 61.

Actor William Atherton (Centennial, Desperate Housewives) is 61.

Blues singer Otis Taylor is 60.

Actor Frank Stallone (Mike Hammer, Private Eye) is 58.

Actor Ken Olin (thirty something) is 54.

Actress Delta Burke I(Designing Women, Delta) is 52.

Singer-songwriter Kate Bush is 50.

Country singer Neal McCoy is 50.

Actor Richard Burgi (Desperate Housewives, The Sentinel) is 50.

Actor Laurence Fishburne (Six O'Clock Follies, One Life to Live) is 47.

Actress Lisa Kudrow (Friends) is 45.

Country guitarist Dwayne O'Brien of Little Texas is 44.

Actress Vivica A. Fox (I-800-Missing, City of Angels) is 44.

Actor Terry Crews (Everybody Hates Chris) is 40.

Actor Simon Baker (The Guardian, Smith) is 39.

Ontario-born actor Tom Green (Tom Green Live) is 37.

Actress Christine Taylor (Hey Dude) is 37.

Comedian Dean Edwards (Saturday Night Live) is 35.

Bellingham-born actress Hilary Swank (Beverly Hills 90210) is 34.

Actress Jaime Pressly (My Name Is Earl) is 31.

Actress Yvonne Strahovski (Chuck) is 26.


Chart Toppers - July 30th

1947
Peg o� My Heart - The Harmonicats
That�s My Desire - The Sammy Kaye Orchestra (vocal: Don Cornell)
I Wonder, I Wonder, I Wonder - Eddy Howard
Smoke! Smoke! Smoke! (That Cigarette) - Tex Williams

1956
The Wayward Wind - Gogi Grant
Hound Dog/Don�t Be Cruel - Elvis Presley
Whatever Will Be Will Be (Que Sera Sera) - Doris Day
I Walk the Line - Johnny Cash

1965
(I Can�t Get No) Satisfaction - The Rolling Stones
I�m Henry VIII, I Am - Herman�s Hermits
What�s New Pusscat? - Tom Jones
Before You Go - Buck Owens

1974
Annie�s Song - John Denver
Don�t Let the Sun Go Down on Me - Elton John
Rikki Don�t Lose that Number - Steely Dan
You Can�t Be a Beacon (If Your Light Don�t Shine) - Donna Fargo

1983
Every Breath You Take - The Police
Is There Something I Should Know - Duran Duran
Sweet Dreams (Are Made of This) - Eurythmics
I Always Get Lucky with You - George Jones

1992
Baby Got Back - Sir Mix-A-Lot
This Used to Be My Playground - Madonna
Baby-Baby-Baby - TLC
The River - Garth Brooks

2001
All Or Nothing - O-Town
Bootylicious - Destiny�s Child
Someone To Call My Lover - Janet Jackson
I�m Already There - Lonestar