SUNDAY in Broadcast History .. Dec. 1st
Born Dec. 1st were Richard Pryor, Woody Allen, Dick Shawn, David Doyle, Mary Martin, Lou Rawls, Bette Midler, Treat Williams and Sarah Silverman.
Victoria’s CHEK-TV signed on, becoming the first private TV station in Western Canada;
Tom Brokaw (pictured) stepped down after two decades as anchor at NBC News;
‘Edge of Night’ became the first TV soap to switch networks, from CBS to ABC;
CKWX became the first radio station in Western Canada to affiliate with a US network (Mutual- Don Lee);
Gene Autry took a job at WLS radio in Chicago, singing for $35 a week;
’The Abbott and Costello Show’ began its 52-episode run in syndicated TV;
and ‘The Mike Douglas Show’ began its 20-year run as a popular US daytime variety show.
Details and ALL the milestones for Dec. 1st INSIDE.
Chuck’s Classics, featuring Frankie Valli & the Four Seasons
The Four Seasons were popular in the 1960’s and ’70’s. Once known as the Four Lovers, today known as Franie Valli & The Four Seasons
SATURDAY in Broadcast History .. Nov. 30th
It’s a date that brought us a wealth of talent, Dick Clark, Richard Crenna, Ben Stiller, Colin Mochrie, Mandy Patinkin, Efrem Zimbalist Jr., Brownie McGhee, Kaley Cuoco, Allan Sherman and Johnny Horton.
CBS-TV first used videotape for the West Coast delayed airing of the Evening News;
after 74 straight wins Ken Jennings lost on ‘Jeopardy’;
Eric Sevareid retired from CBS News;
the critically-acclaimed ‘Brian’s Song’ (pictured) was the Movie of the Week on ABC;
David Bowie dueted with Bing Crosby on CBS-TV on a Christmas special taped before Crosby’s death 6 weeks earlier;
and Whistler BC got its own FM station, CISQ debuting at 104.9.
Taking a final bow were Evel Knievel, Pierre Berton, Tiny Tim, and the Phillip Morris poster boy, Johnny Roventini.
ALL the milestones for Nov. 30th INSIDE.
RIP Emmy-winning Canadian Documentary filmmaker John Kastner, 73
A former child actor in radio & TV he won 4 Emmys for his documentaries on the CBC and CTV.
Shannon Burns from CHUM 104.5 and iHeart Radio Nights
Shannon Burns is a familiar voice across Canadian radio. Her show iHeartRadio Nights with Shannon Burns airs nationally on 14 iHeartRadio stations, and she does evenings on the legendary radio station she grew up listening to, CHUM 104.5FM.
Chuck’s Classics, featuring Ernie K-Doe
Ernie is best remembered for Mother-In-Law in 1961.
FRIDAY in Broadcast History .. Nov. 29th
Many celebrities were born this date including Vin Scully, Howie Mandel, Don Cheadle, Diane Ladd, Garry Shandling, Merle Travis, Dagmar, Tom Sizemore, Denny Doherty, and TV newsman Frank Reynolds.
NBC radio began using the 3-note chimes;
the early radio crime show ‘Calling All Cars’ debuted on the CBS West Coast network;
the Chicago puppet show ‘Kukla Fran & Ollie’ (pictured) moved to the NBC-TV network;
the Metropolitan Opera was first televised on WJZ-TV;
for the first time the ‘Grammy Awards’ made it to TV;
and PBS televised a taped concert honoring Bruce Springsteen.
Obits for Nov. 29th include Natalie Wood, George Harrison, Gene Rayburn, Ray Smith and Godfrey Cambridge.
Details and ALL the milestones for the date INSIDE.