Tuesday September the 9th

ON THIS DAY in 1925  
actor Cliff Robertson (Playhouse 90, Falcon Crest) was born in La Jolla Calif.   He won an Emmy in 1965 for a drama on "Bob Hope Presents The Chrysler Playhouse."

On this day in 1926, the National Broadcasting Company (NBC) was formed as a broadcasting service of the Radio Corporation of America, with partners General Electric & Westinghouse. 26 stations made up the first national (US) radio network, which  became exclusive RCA property in 1932.

On this day in 1941, singer Otis Redding was born in Dawson Ga.
          
His lone hit "(Sitting on) The Dock of the Bay" was recorded three days before he was killed in a plane crash in 1967.

On this day in 1946, musician/singer Billy Preston was born.  He collaborated with the Beatles and some of the other greats in music.  He died in 2006 at age 59 from chronic heart failure.

On this day sometime in the 1950's, actor Nick Ramus (Falcon Crest, Dr. Quinn Medicine Woman) was born in Seattle.

On this day in 1950, "The Hank McCune Show" became the first TV program to use a pre-recorded laugh track.

On this day in 1951, the 1st broadcast of the long-running soap "Love of Life" aired on CBS-TV.

On this Sunday night in 1956, 54 million viewers (82.6 percent of the U.S. television audience) turned their TV dials to CBS to see and hear 21-year-old singer Elvis "The Pelvis" Presley.   One female fan described him as, "One big hunk of forbidden fruit." Elvis got the largest fee to that date for appearing on The Ed Sullivan Show: $50,000.  He was shot from just the waist up, the network believing his hip thrusts were too suggestive.    

On this day in 1958, stereo records and phonographs were introduced.

In 1960, Calgary's CFCN-TV signed on to channel 4. Thirteen months later the station joined the newly-formed CTV network.

In 1964, the Animals, with lead singer Eric Burdon, made their U-S debut, beginning a 10-night stand at New York's Paramount Theatre.

In 1967, "Rowan and Martin's Laugh-In" aired as a one-time special on NBC; its success led to a regular series beginning in January 1968.
                                                                            

On this day in 1971, John Lennon released his "Imagine" album, then John & Yoko appeared on the Dick Cavett Show (ABC-TV).

In 1973, Todd Rundgren recorded the voices of 1,000 fans in San Francisco for the left track of his song "Sons of 1984." He had recorded over 5,000 fans in New York for the right track.

On this day in 1975, character actor John McGiver (Patty Duke Show, Jimmy Stewart Show), died at 61.  
    

Also in 1975, the first episode of "Welcome Back, Kotter" aired on ABC.
                                                                      
                                                                        A young John Travolta is second from the left.

On this day in 1978, the song "Boogie Oogie Oogie" by A Taste of Honey topped the charts and stayed there for 3 weeks.

In 1979, British conductor-composer-arranger Norrie Paramor died at 65. As A-and-R manager for E-M-I -Columbia, Paramor guided the careers of Cliff Richard, the Shadows and Frank Ifield, among others.

On this day in 1986, Ted Turner presented the first of his colorized films -- on his superstation WTBS in Atlanta.  The first Hollywood classic to get the new look was Yankee Doodle Dandy.
              
Many people were opposed to the colorization process, feeling that any change interferes with the original creativity.

On this day in 1987, potential presidential candidate Senator Gary Hart admitted on "ABC's Nightline," to cheating on his wife with model Donna Rice.

Also in 1987, the last episode of Mickey Spillane aired on CBS TV.

In 1991, Bryan Adams' (Everything I Do) I Do It for You stayed #1 on the Billboard pop singles chart.

On this day in 1992, the 9th MTV Awards aired: Howard Stern appeared as Fartman.

On this day in 1993, big band era singer Helen O'Connell (Green Eyes, Amapola, Tangerine) died of cancer at 74.  

In 1995, "Help," a charity album recorded by some of Britain's top groups to aid young Bosnian war victims, went on sale in the U-K. It shot to the top of the British charts in one day, raised three-million dollars in four days and became Britain's fastest-selling disc ever. Included were performances by Blur, Oasis and Stone Roses, and a remake of the Beatles' "Come Together" by Paul McCartney, Noel Gallagher of Oasis and ex-Jam singer Paul Weller.

Also in 1995, the rap song "Gangsta's Paradise" by Coolio Featuring L. V. topped the charts and stayed there for 3 weeks.

On this day in 1996, bluegrass music pioneer Bill Monroe died at 84. He gave the style of music its name, his band was "The Blue Grass Boys."

On this day in 1997, actor Burgess Meredith (Twilight Zone, The Penguin on "Batman") died after suffering melanoma and Alzheimer's disease. He was 89.

On this day in 1998, an episode of "Judge Judy" aired in which Sex Pistol Johnny Rotten appeared as the defendant in a case involving a drummer who sued Rotten for allegedly head-butting him during a contract dispute.

On this day in 1999, Nine Inch Nails performed at the 1999 MTV Video Music Awards. It was their first-ever appearance on a televised award show.

Also in, continuing her awards streak, multiplatinum recording artist Lauryn Hill nabbed four trophies at the 1999 MTV Video Music Awards - one short of her output at the Grammys earlier in the year.

On this day in 2003, actor Larry Hovis (Hogan's Heroes, Laugh-In) a native of Wapato Washington, died of cancer at age 67.


In 2004, NBC debuted the TV series "Joey." The show was a spinoff of the show "Friends."

In 2007, the MTV Music Video Awards were handed out.  Video of the Year: Rihanna, Umbrella; Male Artist of the Year: Justin Timberlake; Female Artist of the Year: Fergie.

Today's Birthdays:

Actor Cliff Robertson (Playhouse 90, Falcon Crest, AT&T commercials) is 83.

Actor Topol (Winds of War, War & Remembrance) is 73.

Singer Luther Simmons (The Main Ingredient) is 66.

Singer Inez Foxx is 66.

Singer Dee Dee Sharp is 63.

Singer-keyboardist Doug Ingle (Iron Butterfly) is 62.

Country singer Freddy Weller (also of Paul Revere and the Raiders) is 61.

TV football commentator Joe Theismann is 59.

Actor Tom Wopat (Dukes of Hazzard, Cybill) is 57.

Musician-producer Dave Stewart (Eurythmics) is 56.

Actress Angela Cartwright (Lost in Space, Make Room for Daddy) is 56.

Actor Hugh Grant (Till We Meet Again, Inside the Actor's Studio) is 48.

Actor-comedian Adam Sandler (Sat. Nite Live, Cosby Show) is 42.

Rock singer Paul Durham (Black Lab) is 40.

Model Rachel Hunter (Dancing With the Stars, Make Me a Supermodel) is 39.

Actor Goran Visnjic (ER) is 36.

Burnaby-born pop-jazz singer Michael Buble is 33.

Actress Michelle Williams (Dawson's Creek, Home Improvement) is 28.


Chart Toppers - Sept. 9

1952
Auf Wiedersehn, Sweetheart - Vera Lynn
Walkin’ My Baby Back Home - Johnnie Ray
Wish You Were Here - Eddie Fisher
Jambalaya (On the Bayou) - Hank Williams

1961
Michael - The Highwaymen
You Don’t Know What You’ve Got (Until You Lose it) - Ral Donner
School is Out - Gary (U.S.) Bonds
Tender Years - George Jones

1970
War - Edwin Starr
Ain’t No Mountain High Enough - Diana Ross
25 or 6 to 4 - Chicago
All for the Love of Sunshine - Hank Williams, Jr. with The Mike Curb Congregation

1979
My Sharona - The Knack
After the Love Has Gone - Earth, Wind & Fire
Don’t Bring Me Down - Electric Light Orchestra
I May Never Get to Heaven - Conway Twitty

1988
Monkey - George Michael
Sweet Child O’ Mine - Guns N’ Roses
Simply Irresistible - Robert Palmer
I Couldn’t Leave You If I Tried - Rodney Crowell

1997
Mo Money Mo Problems - The Notorious B.I.G. featuring Puff Daddy & Mase
Quit Playing Games (With My Heart) - Backstreet Boys
2 Become 1 - Spice Girls
She’s Got It All - Kenny Chesney

2006
SexyBack - Justin Timberlake
Buttons - Pussycat Dolls
London Bridge - Fergie
Leave the Pieces - The Wreckers