Tuesday August the 5th

ON THIS DAY in 1914  
actor David Brian was born in New York City.  
              
Besides a spotty big screen career he starred in radio & TV versions of the weekly series Mr. District Attorney, and guested in episodic TV about 50 times.  He succumbed to cancer July 15, 1993 three weeks short of his 79th birthday.

In 1921 KDKA radio in Pittsburgh did the first play-by-play broadcast of a baseball game. Harold Arlin described the action as the Pirates beat Philadelphia 8-5.

In 1925, songwriter Felice Bryant was born in Milwaukee. Along with husband Boudleaux, she co-wrote the Everly Brothers hits, 'All I Have To Do Is Dream', 'Bye Bye Love', 'Wake Up Little Susie' and 'Raining In My Heart,' a smash hit for Buddy Holly. She died April 22 2003 at age 77.

In 1935, the daily radio drama "Backstage Wife" was first aired -- on the Mutual Broadcasting System. The show, produced by prolific soap opera creators Frank & Anne Hummert, continued in the usual quarter-hour format on NBC and finally CBS Radio, until January 2, 1959.

                
In 1944, "Swinging on a Star" by Bing Crosby hit #1 on Billboard's Pop Music chart, and stayed on top for 9 weeks!

In 1953, the No. 1 Billboard Pop Hit was "Vaya Con Dios" by Les Paul & Mary Ford.

In 1954, Vancouver began its hosting of the British Empire Games. It will be best remembered for the "Miracle Mile" between Landy and Bannister.  Some of the CBC broadcasters were Bill Herbert, Bill Good and Rene Levesque for radio and Ward Cornell, Steve Douglas and Frank Williams for television.  This was Vancouver's first live television coverage to the rest of Canada and showed Vancouver to the rest of the world.

In 1957, "American Bandstand'' made its network debut on ABC Television.  It all began when a radio disc jockey working for WFIL Radio was pressed into hosting duties for a local, after-school dance show on WFIL-TV 6 in Philadelphia.  Originally hosted by Bob Horn, the show was American Bandstand.  For most of its run the young, handsome DJ/host from Utica, New York was Dick Clark.
              

In 1962, actress/sexpot Marilyn Monroe died from a drug overdose in Los Angeles, in a case that is still unsolved and involves a lot of speculation. She was 36 years old.

In 1966, John Lennon made his infamous comment that "the Beatles are more popular than Jesus."
Also the Beatles "Revolver" album was released, including the singles "Yellow Submarine" and "Eleanor Rigby" which also had their release this same day in the UK.

In 1967, Pirate Radio Station "333" (Radio Britain) and "Radio London" ceased broadcasting.

                
Also in 1967, Bobby Gentry released her only hit "Ode to Billy Joe."

In 1968, Luther Perkins, the guitar player who backed Johnny Cash on his original Sun recordings, died.  Perkins and bassist Marshall Grant were known as the Tennessee Two.

In 1970, CJCI 620 signed on the air in Prince George, B.C. "C.I." stood for Central Interior.

In 1972, the Moody Blues released "Nights in White Satin."  
              
watch The Moody Blues on You Tube with - Nights in White satin´67
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=9muzyOd4Lh8

In 1975, singer Stevie Wonder signed the recording industry’s largest contract: $13 million over a seven-year period.  Wonder stayed with his original label, Tamla/Motown, while other major Motown artists, including Diana Ross, Gladys Knight and The Four Tops had left the label over creative differences and financial accounting disputes.

In 1976, the Beach Boys' "It's OK" TV special aired on NBC.

In 1984, legendary actor Richard Burton died of a stroke in a Geneva hospital at 58.

In 1990, the song "Vision of Love" by Mariah Carey topped the charts and stayed there for 4 weeks.  

              
In 1992, drummer Jeff Porcaro died of cardiac arrest at age 38. The co-founder of Toto was spraying insecticide in his yard and developed an allergic reaction that triggered the heart attack.

In 1994, Michael Jackson and bride, Lisa Marie Presley, visited Budapest, Hungary. While there, they filmed an advertisement for his upcoming album, HIStory - Past, Present and Future - Book 1. The couple also visited children’s hospitals where they comforted young patients and distributed toys.

In 1997, rock deejay "The Real Don Steele" who made a major name for himself on KHJ-AM Los Angeles, died of cancer. He  was 61.
              

In 1998, it was announced that George Strait led the list of nominees for the 32nd annual Country Music Assn. Awards, nabbing five nominations, including entertainer, album, and single of the year. These made Strait the most nominated artist - at 47 noms - in the history of the competition.

              
In 1999, Kamloops station owner Ian Clark died at age 88. He started at Vancouver's CKMO in 1934, moving to CKFC Vancouver until 1940, when he left for Kamloops to be an announcer at CFJC-AM. He later became station manager and then owner. In 1957, he founded CFCR-TV Kamloops, later renamed CFJC-TV, one of North America's first small market TV operations. In 1963, he began Kamloops first FM station, CFFM-FM which later became CIFM-FM.

In 2000, Oscar-winning actor Sir Alec Guinness died at his home in southern England at age 86.

In 2002, CJCI-FM was born at 12 noon, to help celebrate the 35th anniversary of Prince George's CJCI-AM.

Also in 2002, Chick Hearn, the legendary Los Angeles Lakers play-by-play announcer, died at 85 years of age.  He called the Laker games on radio & TV until his death.
                      


Today's birthdays

Country singer Vern Gosdin is 74.

Actor John Saxon (Falcon Crest, The Bold Ones: the New Doctors) is 73.

Actress Loni Anderson (WKRP in Cincinnati) is 62.

Actress Erica Slezak (One Life To Live) is 62.

Singer/songwriter Rick Derringer is 61.

Actress Maureen McCormick (The Brady Bunch) is 52.

Guitarist Pat Smear (Foo Fighters) is 49.

Actress Tawny Kitaen (Santa Barbara, Capitol) is 47.

Country fiddler Mark O'Connor is 47.

Rapper Adam Yauch (MCA) of the Beastie Boys is 44.

Actor Jonathan Silverman (The Single Guy) is 42.

Montreal-born country singer Terri Clark is 40.


Chart Toppers - August 5th

1948
You Can’t Be True, Dear - The Ken Griffin Orchestra (vocal: Jerry Wayne)
Woody Woodpecker Song - The Kay Kyser Orchestra (vocal: Gloria Wood
& The Campus Kids)
It’s Magic - Doris Day
Bouquet of Roses - Eddy Arnold

1956
My Prayer - The Platters
Hound Dog/Don’t Be Cruel - Elvis Presley
Whatever Will Be Will Be (Que Sera Sera) - Doris Day
I Walk the Line - Johnny Cash

1964
A Hard Day’s Night - The Beatles
The Little Old Lady (From Pasadena) - Jan & Dean
Everybody Loves Somebody - Dean Martin
Dang Me - Roger Miller

1972
Alone Again (Naturally) - Gilbert O’Sullivan
(If Loving You is Wrong) I Don’t Want to Be Right - Luther Ingram
Daddy Don’t You Walk So Fast - Wayne Newton
It’s Gonna Take a Little Bit Longer - Charley Pride

1980
Magic - Olivia Newton-John
Little Jeannie - Elton John
Take Your Time (Do It Right) - The S.O.S. Band
Dancin’ Cowboys - The Bellamy Brothers

1988
Roll with It - Steve Winwood
Hands to Heaven - Breathe
Make Me Lose Control - Eric Carmen
Don’t We All Have the Right - Ricky Van Shelton

1998
Iris - Goo Goo Dolls
Just The Two of Us - Will Smith
Uninvited - Alanis Morissette
To Make You Feel My Love - Garth Brooks

2007
Hey There Delilah - Plain White T’s
Big Girls Don't Cry (Personal) - Fergie
Beautiful Girls - Sean Kingston
Never Wanted Nothing More - Kenny Chesney