Friday October the 3rd

ON THIS DAY in 1901, the Victor Talking Machine Company was incorporated. After a merger with Radio Corporation of America, RCA-Victor became the leader in phonographs and many of the records played on them. The famous Victrola phonograph logo, with Nipper the dog, and the words "His Master's Voice", appeared on all RCA-Victor phonographs and record labels.
                                                                            

On this day in 1916, veterinarian & author James Herriot was born in Sunderland England.
Herriot wrote "All Creatures Great and Small"
                  
which led to the successful BBC TV series.  He died Feb 23, 1995 at age 78.

On this day in 1935, actress Madlyn Rhue was born in Washington D.C.
                                      
Pictured as Marla McGivers, her one-time guest spot on Star Trek. She made over 100 appearances on television, including Days of Our Lives, Fame, & Murder She Wrote. She died Dec 16, 2003 at age 68 from pneumonia & cystic fibrosis.

On this day in 1938, rocker Eddie (Ray Edward) Cochran was born in Minnesota.  He has a spot in the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame for his hits topped by Summertime Blues. He was killed at age 21 in a car crash while on a tour of Britain Apr 17, 1960.

On this day in 1945, ten-year-old Elvis Presley made his first public appearance in a talent show at the Mississippi-Alabama Dairy Show, singing "Old Shep." He won second place and five dollars.

On this day in 1946, singer Dennis Day started his own radio show on NBC. Dennis, a popular tenor featured on The Jack Benny Show, played the same naive young bachelor he played on the Benny show. "A Day in the Life of Dennis Day" aired for five years.

On this day in 1948, the National Football League became the first sport televised as sport of the week.

On this day in 1950, actress Ethel Waters became the first black lead on TV when she starred in the title role on Beulah.  The comedy ran until 1952.

On this day in 1951, "The Giants win the pennant! The Giants win the pennant! The Giants are the champs of the National League!" Listeners were hearing the voice of New York Giants play-by-play legend Russ Hodges on the ninth-inning heroics of Bobby Thomson. Thomson's dramatic home run on this day (off Dodger pitcher Ralph Branca) gave the Giants the pennant as they beat the Brooklyn Dodgers 5-4.

Also this day in 1951, CBS-TV presented the first coast-to-coast telecast of a prize fight. The telecast saw Dave Sands kick Carl "Bobo" Olson's butt for the middleweight boxing crown at Soldier Field, Chicago.

On this day in 1952, the first video recording on magnetic tape was made in Los Angeles.

On this day in 1954, one of the favorite TV shows of our time (our parent's time?) made its first appearance. Father Knows Best began its long run on CBS, then made the move to NBC in 1956. For Jim Anderson (Robert Young) and family, it was a made-for-TV marriage of over eight wonderful years.

Also this day in 1954, Grammy Award-winning blues guitarist Stevie Ray Vaughan was born. He was killed in a helicopter crash Aug 27, 1990 at age 45.

This day in 1955 was Bob Keeshan's first day at work in what became a TV institution via CBS: Captain Kangaroo. The children's television milestone featured Mr. Green Jeans, Bunny Rabbit, Grandfather Clock, Mr. Moose and other characters.

Also this day in 1955, Walt Disney
premiered "The Mickey Mouse Club" on ABC-TV.
              

Still this day in 1955, WTVS Ch. 56 PBS Detroit signed on the air.  Since 1989 it has been seen across Canada on cable and satellite TV.

On this day in 1957,
"The Pat Boone Chevy Showroom,''

a weekly music show,
and the comedy series "The Real McCoys,"
                            
were seen for the first time on ABC-TV.

On this day in 1960, the "Andy Griffith Show" debuted on CBS-TV.
                                                      


Also this day in 1960 a program called "Flair" premiered on ABC radio featuring Dick Van Dyke.

On this day in 1961, The Dick Van Dyke Show aired for the first time on CBS-TV.  It starred Rob (Dick Van Dyke), Laura (Mary Tyler Moore), Sally (Rose Marie) and Buddy (Morey Amsterdam.)  Created by Carl Reiner, the show ran for five years (if you don't include cable reruns).

The same day in 1961,
the show about a talking horse "Mr Ed"

starring Vancouver's Alan Young, made its first appearance.

On this day in 1965, actor Zachary Scott died of a malignant brain tumour at 51.
                                
His familiar face was seen all over the TV anthologies of the 1950's & 60's, including Studio 1, Lux Video Theatre, Robert Montgomery Presents, etc.  

On this day in 1967, folk singer Woody Guthrie died in New York at the age of 55. Guthrie had been in the hospital for most of the last decade of his life, suffering from Huntington's disease. Guthrie wrote hundreds of songs about America and its peoples, including "This Land Is Your Land,'' "So Long, It's Been Good to Know You'' and "This Train Is Bound For Glory.''  He was largely responsible for reinventing the folk song as a vehicle for social comment and protest.

On this day in 1976, the first episode of "Quincy M.E."
                                          
aired on NBC.  It was a 90-minute movie entitled "Go Fight City Hall -- to the Death!"

On this day in 1983, Vancouver's CKNW AM 980 began broadcasting in AM Stereo.

Also in 1983, Paul McCartney & Michael Jackson released "Say, Say, Say" in the UK.

On this day in 1985,   CBS newsman Charles Collingwood, one of "Murrow's Boys," died at 68.  He had been plagued by longtime alcohol & gambling addictions.

On this day in 1989, Del Wood,
                          
the ragtime pianist whose 1951 recording of "Down Yonder'' sold more than three-million copies, died in Nashville of a stroke. She was 69. Although "Down Yonder" was her only hit, Wood was a regular performer on the Grand Ole Opry for 36 years. She also played five songs in the movie "Rhinestone," starring Dolly Parton and Sylvester Stallone.

Onthis day in 1990, Fort Lauderdale, Fla., record owner Charles Freeman was convicted by an all-white jury for selling a 2 Live Crew rap album that had been ruled obscene by a federal judge. He was fined $1,000.

On this day in 1992, singer Sinead O'Connor tore up a photo of Pope John Paul II during a performance on the TV show "Saturday Night Live.'' NBC got more than 1,000 calls protesting.

This day in 1995, in an LA courtroom, O.J. Simpson was acquitted of the stabbing deaths of his wife, Nicole Brown Simpson, and waiter, Ronald Goldman.  Simpson smiled and nodded toward the jury, saying "Thank you, thank you."  The trial & the verdict, were seen on live TV.

On this day in 2000, Benjamin Orr,
                          
former bassist and singer of the Cars, died at his home in Atlanta from pancreatic cancer. He was 53. Born Benjamin Orzechowski, the bassist and singer formed the Cars with singer/guitarist Ric Ocasek in Boston in 1976.

Also this day in 2000, 45-year-old Mark David Chapman, the man who twenty years earlier fired five shots into John Lennon's back, faces the parole board. Parole for John Lennon's murderer is denied.

On this day in 2004, actress Janet Leigh died after cardiac arrest at age 77. Although best known for her big screen role in the Alfred Hitchcock thriller Psycho, she appeared in some eight TV movies and guested on dozens of series, in a career that spanned 57 years.  She is also the mother of actress Jamie Lee Curtis.
  
Also this day in 2004, the first episode of "Desperate Housewives" aired on ABC.
  

Today's Birthdays:

Author & frequent TV guest Gore Vidal is 83.

Former CBS & CNN newsman Bruce Morton is 76.

Singer Alan O'Day is 68.

Rock and roll star Chubby Checker is 67.

Actor Alan Rachins (LA Law, Dharma & Greg) is 66.

Letterman stage manager Biff Henderson is 62.

Singer Lindsey Buckingham of Fleetwood Mac is 59.

Jazz saxophonist Ronnie Laws is 58.

Blues singer Keb' Mo' is 56.

Lethbridge-born, Victoria-raised actor Duncan Regehr (Body & Soul, Zorro, V: the Series) is 55.  

Toronto-born actor Hart Bochner (War & Remembrance, East of Eden) is 52.

Actor Peter Frechette (Profiler, Matt Waters) is 52.

Actor Jack Wagner (General Hospital, Melrose Place) is 49.

Rock musician Tommy Lee (Motley Crue) is 46.

Actress Janel Moloney (West Wing) is 39.

Singer Gwen Stefani (No Doubt) is 39.

Pop singer Kevin Richardson (Backstreet Boys) is 37.

Singer Love is 36.

Actress Keiko Agena (Gilmore Girls, Felicity) is 35.

Ontario-born actress Neve Campbell (Party of Five, Catwalk) is 35.

Singer India.Arie is 33.

Rapper Talib Kweli is 33.

Actress Alanna Ubach (Party of Five, Gary & Mike) is 33.

Actress Shannyn Sossamon (Moonlight, Dirt) is 30.

Actor Erik Von Detten (Complete Savages, Dinotopia, Legend of Tarzan) is 26.

Actress-singer Ashlee Simpson is 24.


Chart Toppers - Oct. 3

1949
You’re Breaking My Heart - Vic Damone
Maybe It’s Because - Dick Haymes
Some Enchanted Evening - Perry Como
Slipping Around - Ernest Tubb

1958
It’s All in the Game - Tommy Edwards
Rock-in Robin - Bobby Day
Tears on My Pillow - Little Anthony & The Imperials
Bird Dog - The Everly Brothers

1967
The Letter - The Box Tops
Never My Love - The Association
Funky Broadway - Wilson Pickett
Laura What’s He Got that I Ain’t Got - Leon Ashley

1976
Play that Funky Music - Wild Cherry
I’d Really Love to See You Tonight - England Dan & John Ford Coley
Disco Duck (Part 1) - Rick Dees & His Cast of Idiots
Here’s Some Love - Tanya Tucker

1985
Money for Nothing - Dire Straits
Cherish - Kool & The Gang
Freedom - Wham!
Lost in the Fifties Tonight (In the Still of the Night) - Ronnie Milsap

1994
I’ll Make Love to You - Boyz II Men
Endless Love - Luther Vandross & Mariah Carey
All I Wanna Do - Sheryl Crow
Third Rock from the Sun - Joe Diffie

2003
Shake Ya Tailfeather - Nelly, P. Diddy & Murphy Lee
Can’t Hold Us Down - Christina Aguilera featuring Lil’ Kim
Why Don’t You & I - Santana featuring Alex Band
What Was I Thinkin’ - Dierks Bentley