Wednesday October the 8th


ON THIS DAY in 1895, the Berliner Gramophone Company was founded in Philadelphia. Record players were not too far off in the future.


On this day in 1913, choral director & composer Walter Schumann was born in New York City.  His best remembered composition is the Emmy-winning "Dragnet theme". The Voices of Walter Schumann were featured on a number of radio-friendly albums for Capitol & RCA Victor. Schumann died young 21 August 1958 during pioneering open-heart surgery, at age 44.

On this day in 1935, "The O'Neills" debuted on CBS radio. The theme song, Londonderry Air, opened the 15-minute soap opera. The O'Neills aired Mondays, Wednesdays and Fridays at 7:30 p.m. In 1936 it moved to daytime until 1943 on NBC's Red and Blue networks and on CBS, too. One of radio's original soaps, it was sponsored appropriately by Silver Dust, Ivory soap and Ivory soap flakes.

Also this day in 1935, wedding bells pealed for bandleader Ozzie Nelson and his gal singer Harriet Hilliard.  They would go on to form a most prominent showbiz family.......

On this day in 1936, gossip columnist & broadcaster Rona Barrett
                                                                    
was born Rona Burstein in New York City.  She was a force in entertainment TV beginning in the mid 1960's, on Good Morning America, Today, Entertainment Tonight, & the Tomorrow Show.

On this day in 1937, a radio classic had its first airing on CBS. The anthology series Grand Central Station is better remembered for the dramatic railroad sounds of the opening than for any script in its 17 year run.

On this day in 1944, the first broadcast of
The Adventures of Ozzie & Harriet

was heard on the CBS radio network. The show would continue on radio until 1953 and on ABC-TV from 1952 to 1966.
"Hi Mom, Hi Dad, Hi Dave, Hi Ricky."

On this day in 1953, actor Nigel Bruce, who played a memorable, blithering Dr. Watson in Sherlock Holmes radio broadcasts and movies, died at 58 following a heart attack.

Also this day in 1953, the No. 1 Billboard Pop Hit was Stan Freberg's
hillarious parody of Dragnet called "St. George and the Dragonet.''  

On this day in 1955, "Love Is a Many-Splendored Thing" by the Four Aces topped the charts and stayed there for 6 weeks.

On this day in 1956, a second program for the king of schmaltz,
Lawrence Welk's Top Tunes and"New Talent" debuted,

after the great success of The Lawrence Welk Show on ABC-TV.  A-one and a-two......

Also this day in 1956, legendary Yankee broadcaster Mel Allen
                                                                  
was at the mike, describing Don Larson's perfect game, as the New York Yankee pitched the only PERFECT game in World Series history. Fifity years ago today!  In the words of the play-by-play great: "How about that!"

On this day in 1957, Jerry Lee Lewis
                              
recorded one of greatest hits "Great Balls Of Fire."
YouTube presents, Jerry Lee Lewis and Great Balls of Fire
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=sPFatEXpqUg

On this day in 1958, "Bat Masterson," the series about a fancily-dressed Old West lawman
                        
starring Gene Barry, debuted on NBC-TV.

On this day in 1970, as the "October Crisis" continued in Montreal,the FLQ Manifesto
                                                                                          
was broadcast on Radio-Canada at 10:30 pm

On this day in 1971, John Lennon released his megahit "Imagine."

On this day in 1974, the song Then Came You, by Dionne Warwick and The Spinners, went solid gold.

On this day in 1975, "Quirks & Quarks,"

CBC Radio's weekly national science magazine aired for the first time on CBC Radio.  Except for its first year, it was on the air each Saturday after the noon news.

On this day in 1977, "You Light up My Life"
by Debby Boone

hit #1 for 10 weeks on the top of Billboard and Cashbox singles chart.

On this day in 1978, actor Karl Swenson
                            
(Little House on the Prairie, Cimarron Strip) died at age 70.

Also this day in 1978 bandleader Ralph Marterie died at age 63.

On this day in 1980, reggae star Bob Marley collapsed in New York while preparing for a tour of the U.S. with Stevie Wonder. He was diagnosed as having cancer and died seven months later.

On this day in 1981, the 1st broadcast of "Cagney & Lacey"
aired as a TV movie on ABC-TV.  Strong ratings led to the 6-year series on CBS starting in '82.

On this day in 1982,
actor Fernando Lamas,

who guest starred in TV dramas from 1954-80, died at 67 of cancer.

On this day in 1983, actress Joan Hackett, who had running roles in Another Day & Young Dr. Malone, plus many guest roles in other TV dramas, died of ovarian cancer at 49.

On this day in 1984, Nova Scotia's Anne Murray won the Country Music Association's Album of the Year Award for "A Little Good News." Murray was the first woman to win this award.

On this day in 1985, an icon from rock's early days, Little Richard was seriously injured in a car accident.  But he recovered.

On this day in 1987, another star from rock's first years,
Chuck Berry

received his star on the Hollywood Walk of Fame.  It was the same day that his biographical film "Hail, Hail Rock & Roll" premiered.

On this day in 1988, the comedy "Empty Nest" premiered on NBC. The show, a spinoff of The Golden Girls," starred Richard Mulligan.
                                  

On this day in 1990, George Strait was named Entertainer of the Year at the 24th Country Music Assn Awards..

Also in 1990, Tennessee Ernie Ford was elected to the Country Music Hall of Fame.

On this day in 1996, TV soap opera actor William Prince, ("Young Dr. Malone" 1958-63,"Another World," "The Edge of Night," "Search for Tomorrow" and "A World Apart") died at 83.

On this day in 1998,
the 100th episode of "Friends"

aired on NBC.

On this day in 2000, NBC debuted the television series "Ed."                                                              

On this day in 2001 talk show host Rush Limbaugh announced to his listeners he was totally deaf in his left ear and had only partial hearing in his right ear. The condition had happened in a three month period. (subsequently his hearing was restored through a revolutionary implant procedure.)

On this day in 2003, it was announced that Vivendi Universal and General Electric Co. had reached an agreement to merge. The name for the combined company was NBC Universal.


Today's Birthdays:

Entertainment reporter Rona Barrett is 72.

Rhythm-and-blues singer Fred Cash (The Impressions) is 68.

Comedian Chevy Chase (Sat. Night Live) is 65.  

Country singer Susan Raye is 64.

TV personality Sarah Purcell (Real People, Home Show) is 60.

Actress Sigourney Weaver (Somerset, The Best of Families) is 59.

Rhythm-and-blues singer Robert "Kool" Bell (Kool & the Gang) is 58.

Producer-writer Edward Zwick (Once & Again, thirtysomething) is 56.

Actor Michael Dudikoff (Cobra, Blood Sweat & Tears) is 54.

Comedian Darrell Hammond (Sat. Night Live) is 53.

Actress Stephanie Zimbalist (Remington Steele, Centennial) is 52.

Rock singer Steve Perry (Cherry Poppin' Daddies) is 45.

Gospel/rhythm-and-blues singer CeCe Winans is 44.

Rock musician C.J. Ramone (The Ramones) is 43.

Singer-producer Teddy Riley is 42.

Actress Emily Procter (CSI Miami, West Wing) is 40.

Actress Kristanna Loken (Philly, Pensacola: Wings of Gold) is 29.

Rhythm-and-blues singer Byron Reeder (Mista) is 28.

Actor Nick Cannon (Star Cannon, The Nick Cannon Show) is 28.

Actor Max Crumm (Grease: You're The One That I Want) is 23.

Actor Angus T. Jones (Two & a-Half Men) is 15.


Chart Toppers - Oct. 8

1945
Till the End of Time - Perry Como
If I Loved You - Perry Como
I’m Gonna Love that Guy - The Benny Goodman Orchestra (vocal: Dottie Reid)
You Two Timed Me One Time Too Often - Tex Ritter

1954
Hey There - Rosemary Clooney
I Need You Now - Eddie Fisher
If I Give My Heart to You - Doris Day
I Don’t Hurt Anymore - Hank Snow

1963
Blue Velvet - Bobby Vinton
Be My Baby - The Ronettes
Cry Baby - Garnet Mimms & The Enchanters
Abilene - George Hamilton IV

1972
Baby Don’t Get Hooked on Me - Mac Davis
Ben - Michael Jackson
Back Stabbers - O’Jays
I Ain’t Never - Mel Tillis

1981
Endless Love - Diana Ross & Lionel Richie
Arthur’s Theme (Best that You Can Do) - Christopher Cross
Who’s Crying Now - Journey
Midnight Hauler - Razzy Bailey

1990
(I Can’t Live Without Your) Love and Affection - Nelson
Praying for Time - George Michael
Something Happened on the Way to Heaven - Phil Collins
Friends in Low Places - Garth Brooks

1999
Bailamos - Enrique Iglesias
Smooth - Santana featuring Rob Thomas
I Do (Cherish You) - 98 Degrees
Something Like That - Tim McGraw