Today in Broadcast History

Happy Birthday to Sally Field, Emma Stone, Mike Nichols, Glen Frey, Fred Penner and Maria Shriver. On this date Windsor's legendary CKLW came into being when two previous stations were merged; the first commercial TV station WGY Schenectady went on the air; 'Meet the Press' debuted on NBC-TV; Phil Donahue's TV talk show debuted in Dayton, Ohio; 'The Lucy-Desi Comedy Hour' premiered on CBS-TV; Fox-TV debuted the action series '24'; and New York's WOR-TV paid a record $182,000 per episode for reruns of 'The Cosby Show." ALL the milestones for the date are INSIDE.

Happy Birthday to Bryan Adams, Elke Sommer, Art Garfunkel, Sam Shepherd and Sam Rockwell. The comic strip 'The Gumps' debuted as a series on CBS radio; 'The Big Show' debuted as a Sunday night 90-minute radio spectacular on NBC; Vancouver's CKNW increased power from 1,000 watts to 5,000 at 1320 kc; the 'Nat King Cole Show' debuted on NBC-TV; the second Jackson 5 TV special aired on CBS; Tom Jones guested on the soundtrack of Fox-TV's 'The Simpsons'; and Kenny Rogers and The First Edition made their TV debut on CBS-TV's 'Smothers Bros. Comedy Hour.' Those bowing off the world stage Nov. 5th include Fred MacMurray, Johnny Horton, Bobby Hadfield of the Righteous Bothers, Bobby Nunn and Billy Guy of 'The Coasters' (16 years apart); bandleader Guy Lombardo (pictured), and career Canadian broadcasters Norm Marshall and Sid Boyling. ALL the milestones for the date are found INSIDE.

Happy Birthday to Michael McConaughey, Kathy Griffin, Doris Roberts, Delbert McLendon, Loretta Swit and Howie Meeker. Also born this date were Will Rogers, Art Carney (pictured), Kate Reid, Martin Balsam and Vancouver-born Court Benson. The longtime radio serial 'One Man's Familly' debuted on NBC Television; Van Morrison was the musical guest on 'Saturday Night Live'; pioneer Montreal radio station CFCF aired its first commercial show; Vancouver's CHQM introduced stereo FM to the West Coast; Kelowna's CKOV signed on with all its 100 watts of glory; and decades later K 96.3 debuted its classic rock format as it signed on, also to serve Kelowna. ALL the milestones for Nov. 4th are found INSIDE.

It's the date that brought us actors Charles Bronson, Dennis Miller, Roseanne Barr, Lois Smith, Peggy McCay, and singers Lulu and Jane Monheit. The sitcoms 'The Nanny' and 'Dif'rent Strokes' were seen for the first time; the CBC extended its FM Stereo network coast to coast; 'Good Morning America' debuted on ABC-TV; Edmonton's heritage call letters CFRN were heard for the first time; the 'Nashville Network' debuted on North American cable systems; and Geraldo Rivera's nose was broken as a riot broke out during the taping of his syndicated TV show. Details and ALL the milestones for Nov. 3rd INSIDE.

It's the day that gave us Burt Lancaster, David Schwimmer, Paul Ford, Jay Black, k.d. lang, and early West Coast newscaster Sam Hayes. The early radio soap opera Myrt & Marge (pictured) debuted on CBS; the Canadian Broadcasting Corporation (CBC) was created; CFGP brought 100 watts of local radio service to Grande Prairie Alta, and years later, CFCW signed on with 250 watts in Camrose. CBC-TV experimented unsuccessfully with a 9 pm newscast, Ted Danson's 'Becker' debuted on CBS-TV, and NBC-TV aired the 100th episode of 'Third Rock from the Sun.' Three veteran TV character actors left us on this date, Leonard Stone, Sid Melton and voicist Paul Frees. ALL the milestones for Nov. 2nd INSIDE.

It's the date of birth of broadcasters Dan Rather and Jane Pauley, singers Dale Evans and Ethel Waters, actors Michael Landon, Barbara Bel Geddes, Ken Wahl and John Candy, and rapper Vanilla Ice. Vancouver's CHAN-TV (now Global) signed on for the first time; NBC televised 'Carmen' as the first opera ever aired 'in living color'; the 100th episode of 'The Odd Couple' was seen on ABC; and Alive Cooper hosted 'The Monstrous Munster Mash' marathon on superstation WGN. Bing Crosby's 'White Xmas' began an 11 week run at #1; the Rolling Stones played Maple Leaf Gardens in Toronto; and Barry McGuire sang 'Eve of Destruction' on CBS-TV's Ed Sullivan Show. ALL the milestones for Oct. 31st INSIDE.

Happy birthday to Grace Slick, Henry Winkler, Kevin Pollak, Harry Hamlin, Glee's Matthew Morrison and Cash Cab's Ben Bailey. It's the day CBS radio listeners were terrified by Orson Welles 'War of the Worlds'; the 100th episode of 'Cheers' was aired on NBC-TV, and 4 years later the same network broadcast the 100th episode of 'Matlock.' Roy Orbison's 'Oh, Pretty Woman' became a Gold Record. and Frank Sinatra recorded 'My Way.' Leaving us on Oct. 30th were Steve Allen, Robert Goulet, Pert Kelton, John Houseman, and Vancouver-born actor John Drainie. ALL the milestones for this date INSIDE.

Oct 29th gave us musicians Neal Hefti and Zoot Sims, actors Richard Dreyfuss, Winona Ryder and Kate Jackson, plus singer/comedienne Fannie Brice, and DJ/recording star the Big Bopper. KTLA-TV in L.A. originated the first coast-to-coast telecast in HD; Canada's Astral Media completed its $1.8 billion purchase of Standard Radio; Bobby Helms recorded the now iconic 'Jingle Bell Rock'; The Huntley-Brinkley Report (pictured) debuted on NBC-TV, a few decades before Nell Carter's 'Gimme a Break' had ITS premiere; and CBS first used videotape to repeat its nightly 'Douglas Ewards & the News' for West Coast release. Obits include bandleaders Woody Herman and John Scott Trotter, plus guitarist Duane Allman, Kennedy satirist Vaughn Meader, Canadian actor Lloyd Bochner, and BBC TV presenter Jimmy Savile. You'll find ALL the milestones for the date INSIDE.

Happy Birthday to Julia Roberts, Joaquim Phoenix, Dennis Franz, Brad Paisley, Cleo Laine and Andy Richter. New York's WEAF aired the first college football game on a radio network; Jack Benny took his immensley popular radio show to CBS-TV; the same network broadcast the 100th episode of 'The Andy Griffith Show,' and a year later the 100th 'Dick Van Dyke Show.' Red Barber resigned from broadcasting Brooklyn Dodger games to join Mel Allen and the New York Yankees, Elvis made his 2nd appearance on the Ed Sullivan Show, and the flying cowboy radio serial 'Sky King' debuted on ABC. Obits this date include ex-KJR deejay Bwana Johnny, Porter Wagoner, Beryl Davis, James MacArthur, Leon Janney, and pioneer Vancouver sportscaster Leo Nicholson. ALL the milestones for Oct. 28th INSIDE.