Columns

IT WAS JULY 8th … when Storer Broadcasting Company purchased WINS radio in New York City for $10 million, the highest price paid for a radio station to that time… When “The Everly Brothers Show” was launched on ABC-TV as a summer series, replacing Johnny Cash… When the final episode of “Mr. Belvedere” aired on ABC TV… …and when the televised Iran-Contra hearings made Lt. Col. Oliver North (pictured) a daytime TV star, outrating the serials and the game shows. ALL the milestones for the date INSIDE.

IT WAS JULY 6th … when Canadian soprano Sarah Fischer sang 30 minutes of excerpts from Carmen in the first opera telecast by the BBC… When following on years in supporting radio roles with Rudy Vallee, Paul Whiteman and Edgar Bergen, Judy Canova (pictured) began her own weekly comedy-and-music show on CBS… When a hidden microphone eavesdropped on unsuspecting people for the first time, as Candid Microphone hit the ABC radio airwaves. Allen Funt was the host… When Garrison Keeler's 'A Prairie Home Companion' had its premiere on National Public Radio .... ..and when Karen & Richard Carpenter hosted the debut of their summer series, 'Make Your Own Kind of Music', on NBC-TV. ALL the milestones for the date INSIDE.

IT WAS JULY 5th … when Ann Southern starred on CBS Radio as “Maisie” for the first time, beginning a six-year run …. When “My Favorite Husband”, starring Lucille Ball (pictured), debuted on CBS Radio, laying the groundwork for the redhead’s later superstardom on TV… When Fred Davis, the longtime host of CBC-TV's ‘Front Page Challenge’ passed away at age 74 … When Anne Murray hosted “The Midnight Special” on NBC-TV, singing five songs including “You Won’t See Me,” “Robbie’s Song For Jesus” and “He Thinks I Still Care”…. ..and when the pilot episode of the landmark TV comedy”Seinfeld” aired on NBC. ALL the milestones for the date INSIDE.

It was the date the 1st million-dollar prizefight (Jack Dempsey vs. Georges Carpentier) aired on US radio. “The Aldrich Family,” “The Adventures of the Thin Man” and the satire of “Bob and Ray” had their premieres on NBC radio. Morning radio star Arthur Godfrey (pictured) signed to host a weekly prime time CBS show. Lawrence Welk debuted his new dance show on ABC-TV. Elvis recorded “Hound Dog” and “Don’t Be Cruel,” Dean Martin recorded “Houston,” and Andy Williams recorded “Canadian Sunset.” Obits on July 2nd include James Stewart, Betty Grable, Lee Remick, Fred Gwynne and Jan Murray. Details of all the anniversaries for this date INSIDE

IT WAS JUNE 30th … when CBS-TV debuted “The Guiding Light,” a daytime serial that had been on radio already for 15 years. Over the next 57 years it would become TV’s alltime longest running drama … When CBS-TV’s Ed Sullivan Show featured The Everly Brothers singing their debut hit “Bye Bye Love”… When “The Burns and Schreiber Comedy Hour,” starring Jack Burns & Avery Schreiber debuted as a 10-week summer replacement series on ABC TV… ..and when Richmond (BC)’s CISL moved up the dial from 940 to 650 KHz. It is now branded Sportsnet 650. ALL the milestones for the date INSIDE

IT WAS JUNE 28th … when an old favorite of radio audiences ‘Amos ‘n’ Andy’ made the switch to TV. Two years later, criticism from the NAACP about ‘stereotyping’ forced CBS-TV to drop the show… When ‘The Quiz Kids’ (pictured) began a 13-year run on radio as a summer replacement for the blind piano virtuoso Alec Templeton… When ‘The Alan Young Show’ debuted on NBC radio featuring the Vancouver-raised comedian. He would later be the human star of the talking horse TV show, ‘Mr. Ed’… When CKUA-FM signed on in Edmonton, and 'Sunny 94' took to the air in Lacombe Alta.... ..and when “The Helen Reddy Show” debuted as an eight-week summer replacement series on NBC-TV, with Flip Wilson, The Pointer Sisters, and Seals & Croft as guests. ALL the milestones for the date INSIDE.

JUNE 27th is the birthdate of Captain Kangaroo and Khloe Kardashian, and also gave birth to an ABC-TV soap called “Loving.” Red Robinson held his first rock concert at the Kerrisdale Arena starring Bill Haley, Elvis began taping his first TV special, and Billy J. Kramer guested on the Ed Sullivan Show. Jim Pattison got the okay to buy six Van. Island radio stations. Hugh Grant was arrested for ‘lewd behaviour’ with an L.A. prostitute, and John Lennon was finally granted his Green Card. Gale Storm and Don Grady and Canadian teen idol Terry Black breathed their last, as did the TV shows Miami Vice, The Flip Wilson Show (pictured), and the NBC Matinee Theatre. Details of these and dozens more milestones for June 27th INSIDE.

IT WAS JUNE 24th … when ‘A Date With Judy’ starring Louise Erickson aired for the first time on NBC radio as a summer replacement for Bob Hope… When “The Steve Allen Show” was seen for the first time on NBC-TV, while “Ed Sullivan’s 8th Anniversary Show” captured the ratings for CBS-TV… When the iconic early sitcom “I Love Lucy” aired its last original episode in CBS-TV prime time, before beginning a record number of reruns in syndication… When Victoria's CKDA Radio narrowed its Oldies format down to just the hits of the '70's ... … and when Front Page Challenge (pictured) debuted on CBC-TV as a 13-week summer replacement program. It would eventually become North America’s longest-running game-interview TV show. ALL the milestones for June 24th INSIDE.

iT WAS JUNE 22nd … when radio station KVL 1370 Seattle debuted on the air at 6:30pm with more than 6 hours of musical celebration featuring live orchestras playing jazz, classical and Hawaiian music… When the final episode of “You Bet Your Life”/”The Groucho Show” aired on NBC-TV… When the 22-year old Barbra Streisand signed a 10-year contract with CBS-TV worth about $200,000 a year… ..and when the 134th & final episode of “Xena: Warrior Princess” aired in North America. ALL the milestones for the date INSIDE.

On this week's edition of "Producers Interviewing Producers," we've got Kattie Laur, a podcast producer from the Toronto area