Puget Sound Radio

Happy Birthday to Burton Cummings, Ben Kingsley, Sir Anthony Hopkins, Val Kilmer and Bebe Neuwirth. Seattle radio station KOMO debuted at 980 KHz; Guy Lombardo played ‘Auld Lang Syne’ on CBS radio to bring in 1930, and a tradition was born; ‘Dick Clark’s Rockin’ New Year’s Eve’ debuted on NBC-TV (it moved to ABC two years later); CNN’s second channel ‘Headline News’ debuted on US cable systems; the BBC began using the chimes of Big Ben as its ID; and ‘The Doctors’ ended its 19 year run on NBC-TV. Among the obits for Dec. 31 are Vancouver big bandleader Dal Richards, Nashville pianist Floyd Cramer, Canadian philosopher Marshall McLuhan, pop singers Rick Nelson and Natalie Cole, and actress Eileen Heckart. ALL the milestones for the date INSIDE.

Not much one can say about Elvis. He turned out many many hits like this one from 1956: Blue Suede Shoes

Happy Birthday to Tracey Ullman, Meredith Vieira, Sean Hannity and sitcom guru James Burrows. Also born this day were Bert Parks, Jack Lord, Dennis Morgan and Jeannette Nolan. Canada’s first radio network hooking up Monteal with Ottawa broadcast the CNR’s Anniversary Show; the famous Jack Benny feud with Fred Allen kicked off on NBC radio; the first black and white TV sets sold for $1,175 US; James Arness, soon to be Matt Dillon of Gunsmoke, made his TV acting debut on the Lux Video Theatre; ‘Let’s Make a Deal’ with Winnipeg’s Monty Hall (pictured) debuted on NBC-TV; and the same network, after 25 years, cancelled ‘The Wonderful World of Disney.’ Among the obits for Dec. 30th were composer Richard Rodgers, bandleader Ralph Flanagan, and ’60/’70’s Seattle radio DJ Lan Roberts. ALL the milestones for the date INSIDE.

She died on Saturday from complications related to recently-diagnosed thyroid cancer. She was a former award-winning political journalist and Victoria bureau chief with The Province newspaper.

Welcome to JJ-365 Salutes. Over 2018 we pay tribute daily to one of “The Good Ones.” Today we are shining the light on Valerie Ambrose.

Singer-songwriter, 38 songs in the top 10, sold more than 100 Million records.

Happy Birthday to Ted Danson, Jon Voight, Mary Tyler Moore, Dinah Christie, Patricia Clarkson and Ashleigh Banfield. Radio soap favorite ‘Young Dr. Malone’ began 4 seasons on CBS-TV; WMCA’s Good Guys became the first N.Y. radio station to play ‘The Beatles’; Jane Pauley ended her 13 years as co-host of NBC-TV’s ‘Today Show”; and Sly and the Family Stone headlined CBS-TV’s ‘Ed Sullivan Show.’ And passing away at age 77 was the ‘King of Jazz,’ Paul Whiteman (pictured). ALL the milestones for Dec. 29th INSIDE.