Today in Broadcast History

The parlour game ‘Twenty Questions’ began its 8-year run on the Mutual radio network. Radio station CKLG signed on at 1070 KHz licensed to serve Vancouver’s North Shore. ‘What’s My Line’ (pictured) began a 17 year run Sunday nights on CBS-TV. NBC-TV debuted the 90-minute musical ‘Midnight Special,’ which would run for almost nine years in the late Friday 1 am slot following Johnny Carson. And Britney Spears was both the host and performing musical guest on NBC’s ‘Saturday Night Live.’ ALL the milestones for Feb, 2nd INSIDE.

This was the date 65 years ago when both ‘Private Secretary’ (with Ann Sothern) and ‘General Electric Theatre’ (hosted by Ronald Reagan) debuted on CBS-TV. The date when 26-year-old Toronto-born Peter Jennings (pictured) became anchorman at ABC News for the first time. The TV mini-series that introduced Nick Nolte, ‘Rich Man Poor Man’ began on ABC. And 36 years ago today NBC-TV’s ‘Late Night with David Letterman’ debuted in the hour following Johnny Carson. ALL the milestones for Feb. 1st INSIDE.

Three years and a day after the radio debut of ‘The Lone Ranger,’ WXYZ Detroit introduced ‘The Green Hornet,’ which ran weekly for 16 years. 11-year-old Brenda Lee (pictured) made her T-V debut on ABC’s “Junior Ozark Jubilee.” Julie Andrews, Henry Fonda, Rex Harrison and Jackie Gleason appeared in a two-hour CBS-TV special titled, “The Fabulous Fifties.” "The Wonder Years" began its 115 episode run on ABC-TV. And newsman Edwin Newman retired after 35 years with NBC Radio & TV. ALL the milestones for Jan. 31st INSIDE.

This was the date ‘The Lone Ranger’ aired for the first time, from Detroit’s WXYZ radio. Vancouver got its second TV station (first privately-owned) in CHAN, now known as Global TV. NBC-TV introduced the anthology series ‘Robert Montgomery Presents’; the hour-long show would continue for 8 years. Kevin Eubanks took over the band on Jay Leno's 'Tonight Show,' while Kevin Newman left ABC News for Vancouver and the 'Global National' anchor slot. And Mutual radio began airing ‘The Larry King Show’ from midnight to 5:30 am Eastern. ALL the milestones for Jan. 30th INSIDE.

Victoria’s former CJVI (AM900) changed from playing Top 40 music to the ‘Jack FM’ format, ‘playing what we want’ on 103.1 MHz. Veteran CKNW beat reporter George Garrett retired after 43 years in radio. Lionel Barrymore was conscripted to host CBS’s ‘Lux Radio Theatre’ after star host/producer C.B. DeMille refused to join the performer’s union. Gossip columnist Walter Winchell made his first appearance on radio. The ‘Glen Campbell Goodtime Hour’ premiered on CBS-TV. And the ‘Crook & Chase’ talk show debuted on cable TV’s Nashville Network. ALL the milestones for Jan. 29th INSIDE.

Garry Moore (pictured) was the MC as ‘Beat the Band’ debuted on NBC Radio. The very first Emmy Awards were handed out in Los Angeles. The zany ‘Goon Show’ ended its 9-year run on BBC Radio. ‘Barnaby Jones’ starring Buddy Ebsen began its 8 season run on CBS-TV. Correspondent/anchor Roger Mudd left NBC News after seven stormy years. And ‘Fantasy Island’ began its 6-year-long Saturday night run on ABC-TV. All the milestones for Jan. 28th INSIDE.

The highbrow drama series ‘CBS Radio Workshop’ debuted on the radio network. Much lower on the intellectual scale was the debut of the ABC-TV sitcom ‘Davis Rules’ featuring Jonathan Winters. Louis Armstrong, Ella Fitzgerald and Senor Wences headlined CBS-TV’s “Ed Sullivan Show.’ The hour-long ‘Singalong with Mitch’ began its 3-year run on NBC-TV. And two decades later the sitcom ‘Laverne & Shirley’ (pictured) debuted on ABC-TV. ALL the milestones for Jan. 27th INSIDE.

The medium of television was first demonstrated on Jan. 26th, in London by John L Baird. Singer & radio star Jack Smith took over from Art Baker as host of one of early TV’s most popular shows, “You Asked for It.” The Global Television Network began operations as a six-transmitter regional service covering southern Ontario. ‘Jimmy Kimmel Live!’ made its debut on ABC-TV in the post-midnight slot formerly filled by Bill Maher. And we lost the long-faced Abe Vigoda (pictured) who added so much to ABC's ‘Barney Miller’ police station sitcom. ALL the milestones for Jan. 26th INSIDE.

The daytime soap opera. ‘The Guiding Light,’ began its 72-year broadcast run on this date on NBC radio, later moving to CBS-TV. Vancouver’s CBR 1130 became CBU AM 690. B.J. Thomas sang his current Top 20 hit “Raindrops Keep Falling on My Head” on CBS-TV’s ‘Ed Sullivan Show.’ President John F. Kennedy’s first press conference became the first such event to be carried live on radio & TV. ALL the milestones for Jan. 25th INSIDE.

Vancouver radio station CKWX (AM980) opened a new 5,000 watt transmitter on Lulu Island (now Richmond.) The UK’s ‘The Animals’ and ventriloquist Shari Lewis headlined CBS-TV’s ‘Ed Sullivan Show.’ The short-lived Norman Lear sitcom, “Hot-L Baltimore” debuted on ABC TV. The O.J. Simpson murder trial got underway, making CNN must-see TV for the next 8 months. It was also Jan. 24th when legendary Canadian broadcaster and author Peter Gzowski (pictured) lost his battle with emphysema at age 67. ALL the milestones for Jan. 24th INSIDE.