Wednesday September the 10th

ON THIS DAY in 1909
orchestra leader Raymond Scott was born in Brooklyn.  He was musical director of NBC radio's Your Hit Parade through most of the 1950's.

  
On this day in 1915, actor Edmond O'Brien was born in New York City.  He played private eye Johnny Dollar on radio, and Sam Benedict (plus scores of guest roles) on TV.  

On this day in 1933, vaudeville star Jimmy Durante debuted in his own radio show on NBC. It would persevere, some of the time on CBS with co-star Garry Moore, for the next 17 years.

On this day in 1934, TV journalist Charles Kuralt was born.  He is best remembered for the "On the Road with Charles Kuralt" feature pieces for CBS-TV.

On this day in 1935,  "I'm Popeye the sailor man...toot! toot!" Popeye was heard for the first time on NBC radio, switching a year later to CBS.

On this day in 1939, Prime Minister W.L. Mackenzie King  took to the radio to announce that Canada was now at war with Germany.

Canada was making her  own declaration of war for the first time, after remaining neutral for a week after Britain declared war.

In 1945, singer Jose Feliciano was born in Lares, Puerto Rico. His flamenco-flavoured versions of rock hits such as the Doors "Light My Fire,'' which made the top five in 1968, and the much-recorded "Hi-Heel Sneakers'' have given Feliciano worldwide popularity. His rendition of "The Star-Spangled Banner'' at the fifth game of the 1968 World Series in Detroit caused quite a stir. Feliciano was one of the first Western singers to appear in Communist Bloc countries, and continues to perform all over the world.

On this day in 1948, Mildred "Axis Sally" Gillars was indicted for treason in Washington, DC.
                                                                  
Gillars was a Nazi radio propagandist during World War II.  She was convicted and spent 12 years in prison.

On this day in 1950, comedian/singer Eddie Cantor moved from radio to television, as he hosted the Colgate Comedy Hour on NBC TV.  

In addition to Cantor, other hosts of the Colgate Comedy Hour included: Fred Allen, Donald O'Connor, Bob Hope, Gordon MacRae and Jimmy Durante.

On this day in 1955, Bert Parks began a 25-year career as host of the Miss America Pageant on NBC. The show became a TV tradition as Parks sang to the newly-crowned beauty queen, "There She is ... Miss America".  It was heard for the first time on this day.

Also this day in 1955, actor James Arness brought Marshall Matt Dillon to life as Gunsmoke debuted on CBS-TV.  It went on to become the longest-running (20 years) series on television.  Gunsmoke had enjoyed a radio run of three years with William Conrad playing Marshall Dillon before the TV version went on the air. The two ran simultaneously for six more years.

On this day in 1956, record stores were swamped with requests for Elvis' "Love Me Tender" which had not yet been released.

On this day in 1961, actor Leo Carrillo

who portrayed Pancho on TV's The Cisco Kid, died of cancer at age 81.

In 1963, radio station CFWB AM1490 Campbell River signed on with 250 watts.

On this day in 1964, Rod Stewart recorded his 1st single "Good Morning Little Schoolgirl"

On this day in 1965, "The Jack Paar Show" had its final broadcast. The studio audience consisted of one: Jack's dog.

On this day in 1966, the Beatles' "Revolver" album went #1 and remained #1 for 6 weeks.

Also this day in 1966, "You Can't Hurry Love" by the Supremes topped the charts and stayed there for 2 weeks. That same day Neil Diamond made his first appearance on the Top 100 with "Cherry Cherry."

Also in 1966, The Rolling Stones made an appearance on "The Ed Sullivan Show."
                                                                          

On this day in 1973 BBC Radio banned the song "Star Star" by the Rolling Stones.

On this day in 1975, the first episode of "Starsky and Hutch" aired on ABC.


In 1978, Canadian songwriter Ernest Seitz died in Toronto at age 86. Seitz's best-known song is ''The World Is Waiting for the Sunrise,'' which he composed in 1918 at a Toronto pub, the Bradgate Arms. The lyrics were written by London, Ontario-born actor Gene Lockhart. Les Paul and Mary Ford had a million-seller with the tune in 1951. Seitz, born in Hamilton, was also a renowned classical pianist and taught for 30 years at the Toronto Conservatory of Music.

In 1983, Vancouver's multi-cultural CJVB 1470 became the first Vancouver station to broadcast in AM stereo.

In 1984, the Federal Communications Commission relaxed the US ownership rules. Henceforth broadcasters were allowed to own 12 AM and 12 FM radio stations. The FCC's previous limit was 7 of each.

In 1985, a New York radio station auctioned the black lace top that Madonna wore in the movie "Desperately Seeking Susan.'' The auction was held to raise money for a local musician injured in a firebombing.

On this day in 1988, the CTV Network switched from ground microwave to satellite transmissions for its program distribution.

On this day in 1990, Will Smith made his debut in "The Fresh Prince of Bel-Air."

Also in 1990, Jessica Tandy and her Canadian-born husband Hume Cronyn, who co-starred in the early TV full-colour sitcom "The Marriage," received National Medals of the Arts at the White House, along with B.B. King and Beverly Sills.

In 1993, "The X-Files" made its debut on Fox.

On this day in 1994, the Vancouver-produced cartoon Reboot debuted on ABC.  It was created with advanced computer animation.

On this day in 1995, Cyndi Lauper

won the Emmy Award for Outstanding Guest Actress in a Comedy Series for playing Mary Ann in "Mad About You".  Other top honors went to Candice Bergen, NYPD Blue, ER, and Frasier.

In 1998, some Hindu groups criticized Madonna's performance at the MTV Video Music Awards. She wore a see-through shirt and a Hindu facial marking while performing "Ray of Light."

On this day in 2000, NBC's "The West Wing" won a record nine Emmy awards.


In 2007, actress (and first wife of Ronald Reagan) Jane Wyman died in Palm Springs at age 90. Wyman’s work included roles in some 86 films and 350 TV shows, including 228 episodes of "Falcon Crest."


Today's Birthdays:

Actor Philip Baker Hall (The Loop, Pasadena, Falcon Crest) is 77.

Country singer Tommy Overstreet is 71.

Actor Greg Mullavey (Tom in "Mary Hartman") is 69.

Jazz vibrophonist Roy Ayers is 68.

Singer Danny Hutton of Three Dog Night is 66.

Singer Jose Feliciano is 63.

Actor Tom Ligon (Oz, Another World) is 63.

Actress Judy Geeson (Gilmore Girls, Mad About You) is 60.

Guitarist Joe Perry of Aerosmith is 58.

Actress Amy Irving (Alias, Once an Eagle) is 55.

Actress Kate Burton (Grey's Anatomy, Rescue Me) is 51.

Director Chris Columbus is 50.

Victoria-raised actress Jennifer Tilly (Family Guy, Hill Street Blues) is 50.

Drummer Robin Goodridge of Bush is 42.

Rapper Big Daddy Kane is 40.

Actor Ryan Phillippe (One Life to Live) is 34.

Bassist Mikey Way (My Chemical Romance) is 28.


Chart Toppers - Sept. 10

1944
I’ll Be Seeing You - Bing Crosby
Swinging on a Star - Bing Crosby
I’ll Walk Alone - Dinah Shore
Soldier’s Last Letter - Ernest Tubb

1953
Vaya Con Dios - Les Paul & Mary Ford
No Other Love - Perry Como
You, You, You - The Ames Brothers
A Dear John Letter - Jean Shepard & Ferlin Husky

1962
Sheila - Tommy Roe
You Don’t Know Me - Ray Charles
Ramblin’ Rose - Nat King Cole
Devil Woman - Marty Robbins

1971
Uncle Albert/Admiral Halsey - Paul & Linda McCartney
Smiling Faces Sometimes - The Undisputed Truth
Spanish Harlem - Aretha Franklin
Easy Loving - Freddie Hart

1980
Upside Down - Diana Ross
Emotional Rescue - The Rolling Stones
All Out of Love - Air Supply
Lookin’ for Love - Johnny Lee

1989
Hangin’ Tough - New Kids on the Block
Don’t Wanna Lose You - Gloria Estefan
Heaven - Warrant
I Wonder Do You Think of Me - Keith Whitley

1998
I Don’t Want to Miss a Thing - Aerosmith
Tearin’ Up My Heart - ’N Sync
When The Lights Go Out - Five
I’m Alright - Jo Dee Messina

2007
The Way I Are - Timbaland featuring Keri Hilson
Big Girls Don't Cry (Personal) - Fergie
Hey There Delilah - Plain White T’s
These Are My People - Rodney Atkins