Today in Broadcast History

It's the date of birth for John Ritter, Kyle Chandler, Jerry Colonna, Hank Williams, Bill Black and Anne Bancroft. ABC debuted the TV series 'Home Improvement', 'Spin City', 'The Fugitive' and 'Battestar Gallactica'; CBS premieres included 'M*A*S*H', 'Bewitched', 'Hogan's Heroes' and 'The Smothers Brothers Show'; while NBC-TV showcased the first episodes of 'MacMillan & Wife', 'The Perry Como Show', and 'Car 54 Where Are You'. CIVT became Vancouver's new station carried on cable channel 9; Pat Boone's Ain't That a Shame was #1; Frank Sinatra waxed his final sides for Mitch Miller and Columbia records, while Tennessee Ernie Ford taped his signature hit, 'Sixteen Tons' for the Capitol label. ALL the milestones for Sept. 17th will be found INSIDE.

It's the date that gave us Amy Poehler, Jennifer Tilly, Ed Begley Jr., Lawrence Dobkin. Allen Funt, B.B. King and Maverick's Jack Kelly. Starting their TV runs Sept. 16th were 'Miami Vice', 'Frasier', and 'The Dean Martin Show' on NBC; 'Shindig' and 'The Outer Limits' on ABC, and 'Wiseguy' and 'The Bob Newhart Show' on CBS. Canadian-born Jenny Jones began a syndicated talk show that lasted 12 years. and the CBC introduced 'The Fifth Estate' which has now been a key network feature for 40 years. See all the milestones for this date INSIDE!

Old Time Radio hosts Jack Bailey, Jimmy Wallington and John Conte were born on this date, along with Penny Singleton, Hoagy Carmichael, Tom Conway, josh Charles and Cannonball Adderly. Several popular TV shows aired for the first time on Sept. 15, including NBC's' L.A.Law', 'Columbo', 'Lost in Space' and 'The Martin Short Show'; 'Green Acres' and 'Bachelor Father' on CBS-TV, and 'The Lone Ranger' on ABC-TV. 'L.A.Law' and 'Murphy Brown' were big winners at the Emmys, Elvis Presley's 'Don't Be Cruel' began a 5-week run as the #1 song, and Barbra Streisand's 'Happening in Central Park' aired on CBS-TV. Obits this date include 'Match Game's Brett Somers, announcer Andre Baruch, pianist Bill Evans, Canadian Tv journalist Warner Troyer, prolific radio & TV actress Virginia Gregg, and broadcast evangelist Garner Ted Armstrong. Come INSIDE for all the milestones.

The TV Lone Ranger, Clayton Moore, actor Sam Neill, actress Joey Heatherton and baseball announcer Jerry Coleman were born this date. 'Mork & Mindy', 'F- Troop', and the third season of 'The Flintstones' debuted on ABC-TV; Richard Boone's 'Have Gun Will Travel' and 'The Waltons' got started on CBS-TV; the radio soap opera 'Big Sister' debuted on CBS, while 'Ironside', 'The Golden Girls' and the short-lived 'My Mother the Car' debuted on NBC-TV. 'Entertainment Tonight' started its 30 year run in syndication, and Chubby Checkers' 'The Twist' was song #1. Signing out and taking their final bows Sept. 14th were Patrick Swayze, Laugh In's Henry Gibson, Vancouver's Winston Reckart, Barbara Jo Allen of 'Vera Vague' fame, Latin bandleader Prez Prado, and Gertrude Berg of 'The Goldbergs.' ALL the milestones for the date are found INSIDE.

Born this date were actresses Jean Smart, Nell Carter and Barbara Bain, singers Dick Haymes, David Clayton Thomas and Mel Torme, and broadcast insiders Fred Silverman, Tyler Perry and Tavis Smiley. Vaudevillian Eddie Cantor made his first national broadcast on NBC radio, 'Late Night with Conan O'Brien,' 'Law and Order', and 'Car 54 Where Are You' debuted on NBC-TV, 'Everybody Loves Raymond' began its nine year run on CBS-TV, 'The Rockford Files' and 'Police Woman' debuted the same night on NBC-TV, and Canada's Guess Who played their final gig together at the Montreal Forum. Frank Sinatra recorded 'The Tender Trap', Jo Stafford had a #1 hit with 'You Belong to Me', and Abba opened their first North American tour in Edmonton. ALL the radio & TV milestones for Sept. 13th INSIDE.

Stars born on this date include Jennifer Hudson, Ruben Studdard, Maria Muldaur, Peter Scolari, Barry White and Louis C. K. It's a day when many many TV series debuted, including Lassie, Family Affair and Maude on CBS; Bonanza, The Monkees and Punky Brewster on NBC; and Taxi, Lois & Clark, and the Jeff Foxworthy Show on ABC. Party of Five was seen for the first time on Fox. and Vancouver radio station AM 1040 signed on with an adult contemporary music format. Obits this date include Johnny Cash, Frank Nelson, Raymond Burr, Lewis Stone, broadcast newsmen John Holliman ans George Putnam, and western star William Boyd, played Hopalong Cassidy. ALL the radio & TV milestones for Sept. 12th INSIDE.

It's the thirteenth anniversary of the single greatest act of terrorism ever carried out on US soil. It's also a date that claimed the lives of a great number of stars, including Lorne Greene, Jessica Tandy, Chester Morris, Paul Douglas, Kim Hunter, John Ritter,

Born on this date were Michael Buble, Hugh Grant, Tom Wopat, Adam Sandler and Cliff Robertson. NBC radio began operations with 26 stations, Calgary's CFCN-TV began programming, 'Welcome Back Kotter' aired for the first time on ABC-TV, 'Love of Life' began its nearly 3 decades of daytime storytelling on CBS-TV, 82% of US viewers watched Elvis Presley on the Ed Sullivan Show, and NBC-TV's 'Huntley-Brinkley Report' expanded to 30 minutes nightly. Leaving us on Sept. 9th were actors Burgess Meredith and John McGinley, musicians Bill Monroe and Norrie Paramor, and big band singer Helen O'Connell. Find ALL the milestones for this date INSIDE.

Legendary entertainers born this date include Sid Caesar, Jimmie Rodgers, Patsy Cline.. and Canadian broadcasters Barbara Frum and Mark Starowicz. Frank Sinatra made his first radio appearance on the Major Bowes Amateur Hour, William Shatner appeared in the first episode of 'Star Trek.' and 9 years later, the first episode of 'Barbary Coast.' Marlo Thomas debuted her hit sitcom 'That Girl,' 'Ally McBeal' debuted on Fox, Toronto's CBLT hit the air as Canada's first English language TV station, and Mary Tyler Moore got her star on the Hollywood Walk of Fame. Obits this date include radio's Superman and TV quizmaster Bud Collyer, Variety columnist Army Archerd, and character actress Mary Fickett. Details of ALL the milestones for Sept. 8th INSIDE.