Tuesday October the 7th


ON THIS DAY in 1905, cowboy actor Andy Devine was born in Flagstaff Ariz.  He played comic, raspy-voiced sidekick to several western stars, Roy Rogers in movies, Guy Madison on radio, and Wild Bill Hickok on TV.  He also had TV series roles on Andy's Gang and Flipper. Devine succumbed to leukemia Feb 18 1977 at age 71.  

On this day in 1911, singer & bandleader Vaughn Monroe was born in Akron Ohio.
                                                        
He had 70 chart hits in the 40's & 50's, including his theme Racing with the Moon, and Let It Snow. Monroe died May 21 1973 following stomach surgery, at age 61.

On this day in 1915, evangelist/atheist/politician/broadcaster Charles Templeton was born in Toronto.  In the late 50's & 60's he was prominent in CBC Public Affairs broadcasting.
                          
                   Pictured, center on the set of CBC Close-Up.
His daily radio "Dialogue" with Pierre Berton was on the air for 18 years.  He died June 7 2001 at age 85, after a long battle with Alzheimers.

On this day in 1919, comedian Gabe Dell (Steve Allen Show, The Corner Bar) was born in Brooklyn. He's the only original member of the movies' Dead End Kids to have a successful solo career. Dell died from leukemia July 3 1988 at age 68.  
Here's a skit from YouTube of Pat Harrington Jr. and Gabe Dell Tearing each other apart  on the Steve Allen Show-"Wonderful World Of Violence"
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=zbyHpSDWKOo
2 min 3 sec -

On this day in 1922, the first radio network paired WJZ in Newark, NJ with WGY in Schenectady to bring the World Series game direct from the Polo Grounds in New York. Legendary columnist Grantland Rice
                            
was behind the microphone for the broadcast.

On this day in 1940, the daytime soap Kate Hopkins, Angel of Mercy was heard for the first time on CBS radio. Tom Hopkins, Kate's husband, was played by radio "Superman" & "Beat the Clock" TV host Clayton "Bud" Collyer".  
                            
The announcer for the four-year run was
Ralph Edwards

of future This is Your Life fame.

Also this day in 1940, another radio soap
"Portia Faces Life"

debuted on the NBC Red network. It centered around the life of Portia Blake Manning, an attorney and a widow with a young son, andbecame extremely popular, and hung around for 21 years!

Still this day in 1940, Artie Shaw's orchestra recorded Hoagy Carmichael's standard, Star Dust -- for Victor Records.

On this day in 1950, The Frank Sinatra Show debuted on TV.  Ben Blue, The Blue Family, the Whippoorwills and Axel Stordahl's orchestra were regulars on the show.

Also this day in 1950, "Your Hit Parade"
                            
was first broadcast on NBC-TV.  It started as a radio program in 1935.

On this day in 1952, "Bob Horn's Bandstand" aired for the first time on WFIL-TV Philadelphia.  Dick Clark joined in 1955 as a substitute-host, and took over permanently July '56.   The program went network on ABC-TV as "American Bandstand" this same date in 1957.  

On this day in 1957, RCA Victor announced that they had already received 500,000 advance orders for Elvis' Christmas album.
                                                  

On this day in 1959, a U.S. House subcommittee began investigations of allegedly rigged TV quiz shows.  Their findings killed off some shows ..and led to a movie all about the rigging.


On this day in 1959, singer Mario Lanza,
                                    
he of the operatic voice (Be My Love), died at 38 of a heart attack followed by double pneumonia.

On this day in 1960,
the TV show "Route 66" premiered,
      
starring George Maharis and Martin Milner.

On this day in 1960 the 2nd presidential debate between JFK & Richard Nixon was televised.

On this day in 1964, the Beatles appeared on "Shindig!" The show was taped in London and included the songs "I'm a Loser," "Kansas City," and "Boys."

On this day in 1966, British rocker Johnny Kidd
                                    
(Johnny Kidd & the Pirates) died at 26 in a car crash in England.

On this day in 1967, the Beatles turned down a $1 million New York concert offer by Sid Berstein.

On this day in 1969, the Youngbloods hit, "Get Together",
                          
passed the million-selling mark to achieve gold record status.  
YouTube presents: Youngbloods
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=WybIhLJjlTY

On this day in 1970, a large step towards our computer age was taken as Intel introduced the memory chip.

On this day in 1971, the CRTC okayed Dennis Reid's plan to sell radio stations CKCQ Quesnel, CKWL Williams Lake and CKBX 100 Mile House to a group of local businessmen.

On this day in 1978, the Rolling Stones appeared on "Saturday Night Live."

On this day in 1985, a Spokane AM radio station heard at 590 on the dial for decades,
KHQ signed off for the last time.



On this day in 1986, the No. 1 Billboard Pop Hit was "When I Think of You,'' by Janet Jackson. With this song, Michael and Janet Jackson become the first siblings to both have solo No. 1 singles.

On this day in 1988, singer Billy Daniels (That Old Black Magic) died of cancer at 73.

On this day in 1989, the song "Miss You Much" by Janet Jackson topped the charts and stayed there for 4 weeks.

On this day in 1991, child star Adam Rich (Nicholas on Eight is Enough) now almost 23, was arrested for stealing hypodermics.

On this day in 1992, the CBC unveiled a new (and shortlived) 9:00 pm news program "Prime Time News"; with Peter Mansbridge and Pamela Wallin; to replace The National and The Journal. The earlier hour proved to be a failure.
From YouTube, "CBC Prime Time News" story which was the First Report On The Internet  by the late Bill Cameron
http://www.metacafe.com/watch/21452/first_report_on_the_internet_cbc_prime_time_news/

On this day in 1995, Ottawa's Alanis Morrissette's Jagged Little Pill album made it to number one on the Billboard 200 chart, in its fifteenth week on the chart.

On this day in 1996, an alleged shoplifter surrendered to actors Richard Belzer
                                                                                        
and Clark Johnson after mistaking them for real cops. Belzer and Johnson were filming an episode of "Homicide: Life on the Street."

On this day in 1997, Elton John revived a verbal sparring match with Keith Richards which started earlier in the month.  Replying to Richards' charge that John's only claim to fame is "writing songs for dead blondes," John shot back, "He's so pathetic, poor thing. It's like a monkey with arthritis, trying to go onstage and look young."

On this day in 2000, Howard Stern was named nationally syndicated personality of the year at the 2000 Billboard/Airplay Monitor Radio Awards.

On this day in 2003, Israel H. (Izzy) Asper, tax lawyer, jazz lover, politician, and founder of CanWest Global Communications Corp., died in Winnipeg at age 71.

Also this day in 2003, radio station CBUX-1 FM 88.9 signed on in Victoria, 13 months after its originating station at FM 90.9 debuted in Vancouver, bringing "La Chaine Culturelle" to Victoria and southern Vancouver Island.

On this day in 2004, actress-turned-writer Hildy Parks
                                                  
(To Tell the Truth) died at age 78 following a stroke.   She won an Emmy for writing after 20 years of scripting the annual Tony Awards telecast.


Today's Birthdays:

Singer Al Martino is 81.

Comedian/'View' co-host Joy Behar is 66.

Rock musician Kevin Godley (10cc) is 63.

Country singer Kieran Kane is 59.

Singer John Mellencamp is 57.

Rock musician Ricky Phillips (Styx) is 57.  

Actress Christopher Norris (Another World, Trapper John MD) is 55.

Rock musician Tico Torres (Bon Jovi) is 55.

Cellist Yo-Yo Ma is 53.

Gospel singer Michael W. Smith is 51.

Recording executive and TV personality Simon Cowell (American Idol) is 49.

Rock musician Charlie Marinkovich (Iron Butterfly) is 49.

Country singer Dale Watson is 46.

Singer Ann Curless of Expose' is 45.

Rhythm-and-blues singer Toni Braxton is 41.

Rock singer-musician Thom Yorke (Radiohead) is 40.

Actress Nicole Ari Parker (Second Time Around, Cosby) is 38.

Singer Damian Kulash of OK Go is 33.

Singer Taylor Hicks (American Idol) is 32.


Chart Toppers - Oct. 7

1944
I’ll Walk Alone - Dinah Shore
Is You is or is You Ain’t - Bing Crosby & The Andrews Sisters
It Had to Be You - Helen Forrest & Dick Haymes
Smoke on the Water - Red Foley

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

1962
Sherry - The 4 Seasons
Monster Mash - Bobby “Boris” Picket
Let’s Dance - Chris Montez
Devil Woman - Marty Robbins

1971
Maggie May/Reason to Believe - Rod Stewart
The Night They Drove Old Dixie Down - Joan Baez
Superstar - Carpenters
The Year that Clayton Delaney Died - Tom T. Hall

1980
Another One Bites the Dust - Queen
Drivin’ My Life Away - Eddie Rabbitt
Late in the Evening - Paul Simon
Do You Wanna Go to Heaven - T.G. Sheppard

1989
Miss You Much - Janet Jackson
Cherish - Madonna
Mixed Emotions - Rolling Stones
I Got Dreams - Steve Wariner

1998
Tearin’ Up My Heart - ’N Sync
One Week - Barenaked Ladies
I Don’t Want to Miss a Thing - Aerosmith
Where the Green Grass Grows - Tim McGraw

2007
Who Knew - Pink
Stronger - Kanye West
LoveStoned - Justin Timberlake
Take Me There - Rascal Flatts