Today in Broadcast History

IT WAS JULY 20th … when NBC radio debuted ‘G-Men’ as a Saturday night feature. For most of its 20-year run the title was ‘Gangbusters’… When “The Arthur Murray Party” premiered on ABC TV, featuring the man behind a nationwide chain of dance schools and his wife Kathryn. As it continued its 10-year run on the tube it would move to DuMont, CBS, & NBC… When UBC’s student-operated radio station CiTR-FM broadcast in stereo for the first time…. ..and when Vancouver-born actor James Doohan (pictured), best known for playing Scotty on Star Trek, died at his home in suburban Seattle at age 85. ALL the milestones for July 20th INSIDE.

IT WAS JULY 19th .. when Regina’s pioneer radio station CKCK signed on with 2000 watts at 420 metres. .. When the BBC World Service began frequent playing of the first notes of Beethoven’s 5th Symphony as Prime Minister Winston Churchill launched his “V for Victory” campaign… When Our Miss Brooks, starring Eve Arden and Gale Gordon (pictured), began its 9-year run on CBS radio… ..and when Vancouver’s CJNW-730 signed on with modern rock and no DJs, preparatory to introducing its ill-fated MOJO format, talk radio for males, three weeks later. ALL the milestones for July 19th INSIDE.

IT WAS JULY 18th …. when Saskatoon got its pioneer radio station as CFQC Saskatoon signed on 400 metres with 200 watts of power…. When CKVU-TV was licensed as Vancouver’s third television station. It signed on 14 months later. Today it is known as City-TV… When CBS radio introduced its experimental Columbia Workshop of the Air,.. ..and when obits included one-half of Canada’s favorite comedy team Johnny Wayne; and veteran NBC & PBS newsman Paul Duke. Details of ALL the July 18th milestones INSIDE.

Broadcast celebrities born July 17th include Canadians Art Linkletter (pictured) and Donald Sutherland, actress/singer Diahann Carroll and Baywatch’s David Hasselhoff. Disneyland opened its doors in California, John Chancellor debuted as host of NBC-TV’s Today Show, Anne Murray scored another #1 hit, and Rod Stewart released his first solo single, “Maggie Mae.” Obits for July 17th include broadcasters Walter Cronkite and Bernard Cowan, jazz greats Billie Holliday and John Coltrane, author Mickey Spillane, and actors Larry Haines and Geraldine Fitzgerald. ALL the milestones for the date INSIDE.

IT WAS JULY 16th … when Diana Ross & the Supremes guest hosted NBC-TV’s Tonight Show, while at the same hour Janis Joplin was the sole guest on ABC-TV’s Dick Cavett Show…. When Los Angeles disc jockey Rick Dees (pictured) debuted his late night TV show “Into The Night with Rick Dees” on ABC-TV… When the Beach Boys appeared on NBC-TV’s Today Show, on the 37th anniversary of their signing by Capitol Records… ..and when the domestic TV diva Martha Stewart was sentenced to 5 months in prison, ALL the milestones for July 16th INSIDE.

IT WAS JULY 14th … when satirist Stan Freberg (pictured) debuted a weekly sketch comedy series on CBS Radio; it ran for 15 unsponsored weeks…. When one of the shock jock’s early forays into TV, “The Howard Stern Summer Show” premiered on WWOR-TV in New York City… When TV trash-talk show host Jerry Springer officially filed papers to run for the U.S. Senate from Ohio… ..and when two distinguished network news anchors, CBS’s Douglas Edwards and NBC’s John Chancellor, were born. ALL the milestones for the date INSIDE.

IT WAS JULY 13th .. when KDBQ San Francisco changed its call letters to KYA, and soon became an iconic rock radio force… When BBC Radio banned “No One Is Innocent” by the Sex Pistols…. When sportscaster Howard Cosell said that he was “tired of being tied to the football mentality” and asked to be released from duties on ABC’s Monday Night Football… ..and when Aerosmith frontman Steven Tyler (pictured) announced he was leaving FOX-TV’s American Idol after two seasons, to focus his attention back on the band. ALL the milestones for the date INSIDE.

IT WAS JULY 12th .. when the Toronto Daily Star’s pioneering radio station CFCA had its Grand Opening. Foster Hewitt broadcast his first hockey game on CFCA seven months later. .. When The Adventures of Sam Spade was heard for the first time, on ABC Radio. Howard Duff (pictured) starred as the San Francisco detective in the summer replacement series which quickly won a year-round following … When PBS began airing concerts by the Boston Pops Orchestra… …and when the daytime game show “Family Feud” premiered on ABC-TV with Richard Dawson as host. ALL the milestones for the date INSIDE.

Actors Tab Hunter and Sela Ward, announcer Harry Von Zell (pictured)l and Canadian guitarist Liona Boyd were born on July 11th. Elvis had his final Sun Records session, Mac Davis debuted his summer CBS-TV variety show, Rupert Holmes hosted NBC-TV’s Midnight Special, and Frank Sinatra married for the 4th time. Obits this date include Vancouver talk radio host Gary Bannerman, composer George Gershwin, singers Helen Forrest and Frances Langford, actors Laurence Olivier and Ray Collins, and iconic New York Yankee P.A. announcer Bob Sheppard. All the milestones for July 11th are INSIDE.

IT WAS JULY 10th … when a radio show of international intrigue ‘The Man Called X,’ debuted on CBS radio, beginning an 8-year run on the networks …. When New York’s WINS Radio announced the hiring of pioneer rock deejay Alan Freed to be the host of their “Rock ‘n’ Roll Party’… When the short-lived “Gladys Knight & the Pips” Summer Series premiered on NBC-TV… .. and when Victoria’s first radio station CJVI AM900 cut costs by dropping its talk shows and went back to playing popular music of the 60s, 70s and 80s. ALL the milestones for July 10th are found INSIDE.