Today in Broadcast History

IT WAS MAY 17th ... when the quiz show for the intelligentsia "Information Please!" began its 10-year run on radio, the first 2.5 years on the NBC Blue Network... When the final episode of Groucho's radio/TV quiz show "You Bet Your Life" was taped ... When the Elton John TV special "Say Goodbye To Norma Jean And Other Things" aired on ABC... ..and when NBC-TV paid $5 million for the rights to air the 1939 movie blockbuster "Gone with the Wind" just one time. ALL the milestones for the date INSIDE.

IT WAS MAY 16th ... when the first radio broadcast of the Kentucky Derby was heard via Louisville's WHAS ... When the popular radio thriller 'The Whistler' debuted on Columbia's West Coast network, sponsored by Signal Oil ... When 'Cross Canada Check Up,' the national open line show, debuted on CBC Radio. It has continued for 50 years so far... When the popular series 'In the Heat of the Night,' 'Everybody Loves Raymond' and 'Baywatch Nights' ended their first runs on national TV. ALL the milestones for the date INSIDE.

IT WAS MAY 15th ... when Victoria radio station CJVI 1480 moved to AM 900 and doubled its power to 1,000 watts ... When singer Brenda Lee guested as struggling singer "Tina Davis" on an episode of the CBS-TV sitcom "Make Room For Daddy"... When the 91st and final episode of the original series"Starsky and Hutch"(pictured) aired on ABC-TV... ..and when one of Canada's most successful entertainment exports, "SCTV Network, " a 90-minute variety/comedy show debuted on NBC. ALL the milestones for the date INSIDE.

IT WAS MAY 14th .. when the Ernie Kovacs Show, a highly innovative TV variety show, debuted on NBC...(Kovacs is pictured)... When CBC TV stations in Montreal, Ottawa and Toronto were linked for the first time, the first step in creating a national network ... When Victoria radio station CFAX was sold to Clare G. Copeland, who changed it from a daytime only station to 24/7 at 1070 KHz .. ..and when Paul McCartney and John Lennon were guests on NBC-TV's "Tonight Show" .. but with Joe Garagiola as guest host. ALL the milestones for May 14th INSIDE.

IT WAS MAY 13th ....when "Gene Autry's Melody Ranch" ended its 16 years as a Sunday afternoon staple on CBS Radio (Gene is pictured)... When the 'Kraft Music Hall,' now starring Milton Berle, ended a record 26 years on NBC radio & TV .... When the game-changing 'Pat Burns Hotline' debuted on AM 600 CJOR in Vancouver ... ..and when the CBC's flagship TV news shows The National and The Journal were moved from 10 pm to 9 pm. (The move was a failure & was soon reversed.) ALL the milestones for the date INSIDE.

IT WAS MAY 12th .. when syndicated gossip columnist Walter Winchell (pictured) made his radio debut on New York's WABC... When Frank Sinatra and Elvis Presley (just back from his military service in Germany) appeared on the ABC TV special 'Welcome Back Elvis"... When CBS-TV's Ed Sullivan Show was headlined by Gary Puckett and the Union Gap, along with comedians Richard Pryor and Rodney Dangerfield ... ..and when the final episode of "The Incredible Hulk" was telecast on CBS. ALL the milestones for the date INSIDE.

IT WAS MAY 11th .... when the Bureau of Broadcast Measurement (BBM) was formed as a non-profit Canadian radio ratings service... When the pioneering kids TV show, The Pinky Lee Show, aired for the final time on NBC-TV... When Buddy Holly and the Crickets auditioned for CBS-TV’s “Arthur Godfrey’s Talent Scouts,” but were rejected and didn't get to the air... ..and when John Lennon appeared (with wife Yoko Ono) on ABC TV’s “Dick Cavett Show” (pictured). ALL the milestones for the date INSIDE.

IT WAS MAY 10th ... when future legendary radio announcer & voice actor Gary Owens (pictured) was born in Mitchell South Dakota... When The Jackson Five made their second appearance on CBS-TV's Ed Sullivan Show, together with comedians Don Rickles and George Carlin... When Top 40 formatted radio station WABC New York played its last record before adopting a Talk Radio format. It was John Lennon's "Imagine"... .. and when the last episode of "Laverne & Shirley" aired on ABC-TV. ALL the milestones for May 10th INSIDE.

IT WAS MAY 9th .. when two Canadian musical superstars, Hank Snow and Don Messer, were born ... When a fire caused extensive water damage to New Westminster radio station CKNW, which was forced to use studios in downtown Vancouver while their building was renovated.... When the final episode of the hit TV sitcom 'The Golden Girls' aired on NBC... When Bruce Springsteen (pictured) made his TV debut, singing three songs on NBC’s “Saturday Night Live” ... and when Victoria radio stations The Q and The Zone were sold to Jim Pattison. ALL the milestones for the date INSIDE.