Saturday October the 4th

ON THIS DAY in 1894, actor Cliff Hall was born in Brooklyn.  He is best remembered as playing straight man "Sharlie" to Jack Pearl's tall-tale-telling Baron Munchausen, the radio sensation of the early 1930's.  Hall died Oct. 6 1972 of throat cancer, two days after his 78th birthday.

On this day in 1917, comedian/TV host Jan Murray
                                            
was born Murray Janofsky in New York City.  In the 1950's he hosted such game shows as Dollar a Second, Treasure Hunt, Songs for Sale, Sing It Again, Go Lucky, & Blind Date. He died July 2, 2006 at age 88, from emphysema & pneumonia.

On this day in 1922 the entire "World Series" was broadcast over radio for the first time over WJZ New York City and WGY Schenectady.  


On this day in 1925, a pioneering concert hour of early radio The Atwater Kent Hour was heard for the first time on WEAF New York and an 11-station network which a year later would form the basis for NBC. Atwater Kent was an early line of radios.

On this day in 1935, Bob Hope was first heard on network radio as part of "The Intimate Revue."

On this day in 1936, Billboard magazine published its first music hit parade.

On this day in 1939, a barber from Canonsburg (near Pittsburgh), who had quite a singing voice, recorded That Old Gang of Mine with the Ted Weems Orchestra. That singer was the feature of the Weems band for many years before going solo as a radio, TV and stage star. You know him as The Incomparable Mr. C, Perry Como.
                                                                                                    
His string of hits for RCA Victor spans four decades. He was an NBC mainstay (radio & TV) for almost as long.

On this day in 1943, "Is You is or is You Ain' My Baby?" was the musical question by
Louis Jordan and His Tympany Five -- on Decca Records.


On this day in 1948, Gordon MacRae
                      
hosted the premiere of a radio classic. The "Railroad Hour" debuted on ABC radio. The theme song was "I've Been Working on the Railroad" and the show was sponsored by -- get ready -- US Railroads.

On this day in 1953, "I Led Three Lives" was first seen in syndication. (it was never on a TV network)  Richard Carlson starred as Herbert Philbrick.

On this day in 1954, comedienne Spring Byington began the successful network TV series, December Bride -- on CBS. The show had started on radio in 1952 before making the switch to black and white TV.

On this day in 1956, one of the milestones of live TV, "Playhouse 90" debuted on CBS-TV.
                                                                    


On this day in 1957, "Leave It to Beaver" premiered on CBS-TV starring Jerry Mathers as the Beaver, Hugh Beaumont (Ward Cleaver), Tony Dow (Wally), and Barbara Billingsley as Mrs. June Cleaver. After a year, the show switched to A-B-C and ran until 1963.


Also this day in 1957, the comic strip & radio show "Blondie"

made the transition to TV, starring Pamela Britton in the title role, and Arthur Lake as Dagwood.  It was not a success.

On this day in 1958, Hockey Night in Canada came to CBUT in Vancouver for the first time as the NHL All Stars played the Stanley Cup champions Montreal Canadiens at the Montreal Forum at 5 pm.  Hockey Night in Canada was simulcast on CBC Radio and TV until 1965.

On this day in 1959, the No. 1 Billboard Pop Hit was "Mack the Knife,'' by Bobby Darin. The song - Darin's biggest hit - earned the singer Grammy Awards as best new artist and best vocal performance by a male.

On this day in 1962, the single "Love Me Do" was released by the Beatles.

On this day in 1963, Eric Clapton was asked to join the Yardbirds to replace Anthony "Top" Topham.

On this day in 1964, a Sunday, Patrick Watson (right) and Laurier LaPierre (left) hosted the first broadcast of the CBC's TV news show, "This Hour has Seven Days".  After a year and a half of controversy the show was cancelled May 8, 1966.

On this day in 1965, the No. 1 Billboard Pop Hit was "Yesterday,'' by the Beatles. The song, which Paul McCartney originally called "Scrambled Eggs,'' has been played on the radio and TV more than any other Beatles song and is the most covered song in history.

On this day in 1966, exactly a year after the "Stork Club"

in New York City closed for the last time, owner Sherman Billingsley, who had hosted a TV talk show from "the Stork," died of a heart attack at age 66.

Also this day in 1966, singer Bobby Hebb received a shiny gold record award for his hit song, "Sunny."

On this day in 1969, the song "Suite: Judy Blue Eyes" was released by Crosby, Stills & Nash.

On this day in 1970, rocker Janis Joplin died from a drug overdose. She was 27.  The Bette Midler movie, The Rose, was based on Joplin's life.

On this day in 1976, TV audiences watched as Barbara Walters joined Harry Reasoner at the anchor desk of the ABC Evening News for the first time. Walters made the switch with a million-dollar paycheck, becoming the first woman to anchor a network evening newscast.

On this day in 1979,
jazz bassist Charles Mingus

died of a heart attack while undergoing treatment in Mexico, for Lou Gehrig's disease.

On this day in 1980, the No. 1 Billboard Pop Hit was "Another One Bites the Dust,'' by Queen. The song, which stayed No. 1 for three weeks, sold more copies than any other single by the group.

On this day in 1982, outstanding Canadian classical pianist Glenn Gould

died of a stroke at age 50; possibly complicated by addiction to medication.

Also this day in 1982, Bryant Gumbel became co-host of NBC's "Today Show."

On this day in 1983, US President Ronald Reagan signed "Radio Marti"

into law.  The station beams US news, entertainment & "propaganda" to Cuba.

On this day in 1984, the sitcom "Night Court" starring Harry Anderson premiered on NBC TV.

On this day in 1986, Dan Rather, of The CBS Evening News, was mugged in New York City. Some ten years later, Rather's attacker was identifed as William Tager, who fatally shot an NBC technician outside the "Today" show studios in 1994.

On this day in 1989, comedian Graham Chapman, a member of Monty Python's Flying Circus, died at 48 due to throat cancer.

On this day in 1990, FOX began airing "Beverly Hills 90210" with Vancouver's Jason Priestly.

On this day in 1994, accountant Keith Moore was charged with stealing $5,000,000 from Sting.  Just over a year later Moore was sentenced to serve 6 years behind bars.  

On this day in 1995, Ottawa rock singer Alanis Morissette appeared on the covers of both Rolling Stone and Spin magazines.

On this day in 1995, Alan Jackson
won the prestigious Entertainer of the Year award at the annual Country Music Association's award ceremony. Alison Krauss swept top female vocalist. Vince Gill was named top male vocalist.

On this day in 1996, Celine Dion's album 'Falling Into You' was certified Multi Platinum 5.00; her single, 'It's All Coming Back To Me Now' was also certified Gold and Platinum.

On this day in 1997, 4 Seasons of Loneliness, by Boyz II Men, was the #1 single in the U.S. The song, from their Evolution album, was number one for just one week.

On this day in 2000, the Dixie Chicks swept the 34th Annual Country Music Assn. Awards,
                          
held at Nashville's Grand Ole Opry House. The genre-defying girl group took home four awards, including entertainer of the year, album of the year for "Fly," vocal group, and video of the year for "Good Bye Earl."

On this day in 2001, Victoria's "New VI" (now known as "A" or ATV) launched with street parties in Victoria and Nanaimo which were broadcast live from 6-8 pm on cable 12.  The CHUM-owned operation was Victoria's first TV station launch in just under 45 years.

On this day in 2004, at 8:00 a.m. CKCQ Quesnel BC did an AM to FM flip, at 100.3 MHz.


Today's Birthdays:

Country singer Leroy Van Dyke is 79.

Actor Eddie Applegate (The Patty Duke Show) is 73.

Actress Lori Saunders (Petticoat Junction) is 67.

Actor Clifton Davis (Amen) is 63.

Actress Susan Sarandon (Rescue Me, Children of Dune) is 62.

Actor Armand Assante (ER, The Doctors) is 59.

Actor Alan Rosenberg (Civil Wars, The Guardian) is 58.

Rap producer Russell Simmons is 51.

Keyboardist Chris Lowe of The Pet Shop Boys is 49.

Keyboardist Gregg "Hobie" Hubbard of Sawyer Brown is 48.

Singer Jon Secada is 47.

Radio-TV personality John Melendez (Tonight Show, Howard Stern) is 43.

Actor Liev Schreiber (CSI, American Masters) is 41.

Actor Abraham Benrubi (Men In Trees, ER) is 39.

Country singer-guitarist Heidi Newfield (Trick Pony) is 38.

Actress Alicia Silverstone (Miss Match) is 32.

Actress Rachael Leigh Cook (Las Vegas) is 29.

Rhythm-and-blues singer Jessica Benson (3lw) is 21.

Actor Michael Charles Roman (Normal, Ohio) is 21.


Chart Toppers - Oct 4

1950
Goodnight Irene - The Weavers
La Vie En Rose - Tony Martin
All My Love - Patti Page
I’m Moving On - Hank Snow

1959
Sleep Walk - Santo & Johnny
Mack the Knife - Bobby Darin
Put Your Head on My Shoulder - Paul Anka
The Three Bells - The Browns

1968
Hey Jude - The Beatles
Hush - Deep Purple
Fire - The Crazy World of Arthur Brown
Harper Valley P.T.A. - Jeannie C. Riley

1977
Star Wars Theme/Cantina Band - Meco
Keep It Comin’ Love - KC & The Sunshine Band
Don’t Stop - Fleetwood Mac
Daytime Friends - Kenny Rogers

1986
Stuck With You - Huey Lewis & The News
Friends and Lovers - Gloria Loring & Carl Anderson
When I Think of You - Janet Jackson
Alway Have Always Will - Janie Fricke

1995
Fantasy - Mariah Carey
Gangsta’s Paradise - Coolio featuring L.V.
Runaway - Janet Jackson
I Like It, I Love It - Tim McGraw

2004
She Will Be Loved - Maroon 5
My Happy Ending - Avril Lavigne
Let’s Get It Started - Black Eyed Peas
Days Go By - Keith Urban