Friday September the 26th

ON THIS DAY in 1889, early radio balladeer, songwriter & personality Frank Crumit was born in Jackson Ohio.  He died Sept 7 1943 at age 53.

On this day in 1895, actress Fay Holden was born in Birmingham England.  
                                                              
She was Mother in the Andy Hardy films & MGM's transcribed Hardy Family radio series.  She died June 23 1973 at age 77.

On this day in 1901, bandleader
Ted Weems

was born in rural Pennsylvania.  His band moved to Chicago in 1925, where he started to make radio appearances; at one time in the 30's he played on the Jack Benny Show.  Perry Como began his career as a Weems band vocalist.  Weems died May 6 1963 at age 61.

On this day in 1925, country singer Marty Robbins was born in Glendale Arizona. His biggest crossover hits were El Paso & Devil Woman.   He died Dec. 8, 1982 at age 57.

On this day in 1926, singer/actress Julie London was born in Santa Rosa Calif.  Her most memorable song was "Cry Me a River": her memorable TV series role was as Nurse Dixie McCall in Emergency.
    
She died Oct. 18 2000 at age 74 after a stroke.

On this day in 1927, actor Patrick O'Neal was born in Ocala Fla. His leading TV series roles were on the Doris Day Show, Kaz, Dick & the Duchess, and Emerald Point NAS.  O'Neal succumbed to cancer Sept. 9 1994 at age 66.  

On this day in 1937, Bessie Smith,  the most popular & influential blues singer of the 20's and 30's, died of injuries sustained in car crash at age 43.

On this day in 1953, the song "You You You" by
the Ames Brothers

topped the charts and stayed there for 8 weeks.

On this day in 1956 at 2:30 pm, "Canada's most modern radio station," Vancouver's CKWX equipped with the newest electronic wonders and costing over $500,000 was declared officially open at 1275 Burrard Street.  
                                                        
The following year WX became the first 50,000 watt station in Western Canada.

On this day in 1960, "My Heart Has a Mind of its Own" by Connie Francis topped the charts and stayed there for 2 weeks.

Also this day in 1960, the first of the US presidential debates between hopefuls
Richard Nixon and John F. Kennedy took place.

The debate, moderated by Howard K. Smith, reached more than 69 million people via TV and another 17 million on radio.

On this day in 1961, Bob Dylan's career got underway as opening act at a New York Club for the Greenbriar Boys.  Thus was just 10 days after he'd signed with Collumbia Records.

On this day in 1962, the Beverly Hillbillies began their run on CBS-TV.
                                              
Audiences were enchanted with Jed, Ellie Mae, Granny, Jethro, Miss Jane and that banker feller. Enchanted, as in a trance, in fact, for 216 shows. .

On this day in 1963 "Sugar Shack" by Jimmy Gilmer & the Fireballs

entered Radio's Hot 100.

On this day in 1964, Gilligan's Island began its 98-show run on CBS.
                                                                                                    
The TV sitcom starred Bob Denver in the title role, Jim Backus as Mr. Howell, Natalie Schafer as Lovey Howell, Alan Hale as the Skipper, Russell Johnson as the Professor and Dawn Wells and Tina Louise as Mary Ann and Ginger, respectively.

Also this day in 1964, the song "Oh, Pretty Woman" by Roy Orbison topped the charts and stayed there for 3 weeks.

On this day in 1966, singer Helen Kane, the "boop-boop-a-doop girl," died of cancer at 62.
           
Her trademark song from 1929 was "I Wanna Be Loved by You."

On this day in 1968, CBS-TV aired the 1st broadcast of "Hawaii Five-O" starring Jack Lord.

On this day in 1969, "The Brady Bunch" series premiered on ABC-TV.

Also in 1969, the Beatles walked the road toward a hit LP for the last time, as "Abbey Road" was released in London. The 13th and last album for the "fab four" zoomed quickly to the #1 spot on the charts and stayed there for 11 weeks.

On this day in 1970, Anne Murray's hit song "Snowbird" peaked at #8 on the Billboard pop singles chart.

Also in 1970, Tamla-Motown Records announced that the Jackson 5 had sold 10 million singles world wide in nine months.

On this day in 1972, radio actor Charles Correll, the creator & voice of Andy Brown in the radio show "Amos 'n' Andy",  and the voice of the Colonel in the TV cartoon Calvin and the Colonel, died at age 82.
His Amos 'n' Andy co-star, Freeman Gosden, would live another ten years. Correll is pictured on the right.

On this day in 1974, "Walls and Bridges" was released by John Lennon. He would not release any more new material for almost 6 years.

On this day in 1982, the first episode of "Knight Rider"

was aired on NBC TV.

On this day in 1984, New Brunswick-born movie star Walter Pidgeon died at age 87.
                                                                            
He was a major star for MGM from 1925 to 1978, best known for his performances in Madame Curie, Forbidden Planet, & Mrs. Miniver. He appeared in a number of TV movies toward the end of his career, including The Lindbergh Kidnapping Case, The Girl on the Late Late Show, The Mask of Sheba, and Cosa Nostra, Arch Enemy of the FBI.

Also this day in 1984, the Prince song "Purple Rain" was released.

Still in 1984, Elizabeth Taylor starred in the season opener of the TV soap, "Hotel. Despite incredibly biting bits from John Belushi on NBC's Saturday Night Live regarding her plumpness at the time, viewers were quite amazed when Ms. Taylor appeared in a gown -- with a 24-inch waistline.

On this day in 1986, Dallas, on CBS-TV, smashed NBC's Miami Vice in the overnight ratings. The episode, from Southfork Ranch, had Bobby Ewing (Patrick Duffy) returning from the dead -- in the shower, no less!  The script attributes his "death" to his wife Pam's bad dream (erasing all of last season)

Also this day in 1986, RUN-DMC becomes the first rap group to hit the top 10 (Raisin' Hell).

On this day in 1987, the first episode of "Jake and the Fatman" aired.

Also this day in 1987, Whitney Houston's fifth consecutive #1 U.S. single hit the top. Didn't We Almost Have It All was a cut from her LP, Whitney, which was number one on the album charts from June 27 to Sep 11 that year.


On this day in 1988, "Talk Is Cheap" was released by Keith Richards. It was his first solo album.

On this day in 1992, Roseanne Barr Arnold got a star on Hollywood's Walk of Fame.

On this day in 2000, actor Richard Mulligan died at the age of 67.
                                                  
Mulligan won an Emmy Award for his role as Burt Campbell in the offbeat comedy series Soap (1977). He won a second Emmy in 1988 for playing Dr. Harry Weston in the Empty Nest TV series.

On this day in 2003, singer Robert Palmer died of a heart attack in Paris. He was just 54.    

On this day in 2007, music producer Phil Spector's murder case ended in mistrial. He was accused of killing actress Lana Clarkson in his home in 2003.


Today's Birthdays:

TV fitness expert Jack LaLanne is 94.

Actor Philip Bosco (Law & Order:SVU, Damages) is 78.

Country singer David Frizzell is 67.

Actor Kent McCord (Adam 12, Farscape) is 66.

"The Weakest Link" TV host Anne Robinson is 64.

Singer Bryan Ferry is 63.

Country singer Lynn Anderson is 61.

Actress Mary Beth Hurt (After Amy, Working It Out) is 60.

Singer Olivia Newton-John is 60.

Singer-guitarist Cesar Rosas of Los Lobos is 54.

Country singer Carlene Carter is 53.

Actress Linda Hamilton (Beauty & the Beast, King's Crossing) is 52.

Country singer Doug Supernaw is 48.

Actress Melissa Sue Anderson (Little House on the Prairie) is 46.

Actor Patrick Bristow (Suite Life of Zack & Cody, Ellen) is 46.

Rock musician Al Pitrelli is 46.

Singer Tracey Thorn (Everything But The Girl) is 46.

Ontario-born TV personality Jillian Barberie (Good Morning Miami, VIP) is 42.

Singer Shawn Stockman of Boyz II Men is 36.

Actor Mark Famiglietti (Eyes, Hang Time) is 29.

Singer Christina Milian is 27.


Chart Toppers - Sept. 26

1951
Because of You - Tony Bennett
I Get Ideas - Tony Martin
Come on-a My House - Rosemary Clooney
Always Late (With Your Kisses) - Lefty Frizzell

1960
My Heart Has a Mind of It’s Own - Connie Francis
Chain Gang - Sam Cooke
A Million to One - Jimmy Charles
Alabam - Cowboy Copas

1969
Sugar, Sugar - The Archies
Green River - Creedence Clearwater Revival
Easy to Be Hard - Three Dog Night
A Boy Named Sue - Johnny Cash

1978
Boogie Oogie Oogie - A Taste of Honey
Kiss You All Over - Exile
Hopelessly Devoted to You - Olivia Newton-John
I’ve Always Been Crazy - Waylon Jennings

1987
Didn’t We Almost Have It All - Whitney Houston
Here I Go Again - Whitesnake
I Heard a Rumour - Bananarama
Three Time Loser - Dan Seals

1996
Macarena (bayside boys mix) - Los Del Rio
I Love You Always Forever - Donna Lewis
Twisted - Keith Sweat
So Much for Pretending - Bryan White

2005
Shake It Off - Mariah Carey
Pon De Replay - Rihanna
Beverly Hills - Weezer
A Real Fine Place to Start - Sara Evans