Today in Broadcast History

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 Edwards & the News’ for West Coast release. Obits include bandleaders Woody Herman and John Scott Trotter, plus guitarist Duane Allman, Kennedy satirist Vaughn Meader, and Canadian-born actor Lloyd Bochner. 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 immensely popular radio show to CBS-TV; The same network broadcast the 100th episode of ‘The Andy Griffith Show,’ and a year later on Oct. 29 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 (pictured), 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.

It’s the date that brought us John Cleese, Nanette Fabray, Matt Drudge, Floyd Cramer, Kelly Osbourne, and Manitoba-born comic actor Jack Carson. Pittsburgh’s pioneer radio station KDKA was granted a broadcast license, ‘Disneyland’ began a long Sunday night run on ABC & CBC televison, Groucho’s quiz show ‘You Bet Your Life’ (pictured) debuted on ABC Radio; Jane Morgan sang ‘Fascination’ on the Ed Sullivan Show, and 11 years later Mary Hopkin sang ‘Those Were the Days’ on the same CBS-TV showcase. ‘Knots Landing’ began its 10th season on CBS-TV, and Jane Pauley announced she would be ending her 13 years on NBC-TV’s ‘Today Show.’ ALL the milestones for Oct. 27th INSIDE.

Happy Birthday today to Seth McFarlane, Keith Urban, Tom Cavanagh, Pat Sajak and Jaclyn Smith. ‘St. Elsewhere’ debuted on NBC-TV; ‘M*A*S*H’ started its tenth season on CBS-TV; Frances Gumm (later known as Judy Garland) made her radio debut on NBC’s ‘Shell Chateau’; ‘Chez Helene’ began its more than 13 year run on CBC-TV; and the acclaimed WWII documentary ‘Victory at Sea’ debuted on NBC-TV. Taking their final bows on this earth were Canadian radiomen J. Frank Willis and Alden Diehl, CBS founder Bill Paley, country music’s Hoyt Axton, and the teacher on ‘Leave It to Beaver’ Sue Randall. Details and ALL the milestones for Oct. 26th INSIDE.

It’s a birthday for Marion Ross, Helen Reddy, James Carville and Katy Perry; also for the late ANNIS STUKUS (pictured), Bobby Gimby, Minnie Pearl and Leo G. Carroll. The longrunnning radio soap opera “Stella Dallas” debuted on New York’s WEAF; Ed Sullivan introduced The Rolling Stones to North American TV audiences; ‘Newhart’ premiered on CBS-TV; the 200th episode of ‘Cheers’ aired on NBC-TV; and Rick Nelson played a dramatic role on ABC-TV’s ‘Streets of San Francisco.’ Obits for Oct. 25th include Vincent Price, Roger Miller, Richard Harris, Mildred Natwick, Forrest Tucker and early radio balladeer Morton Downey, ALL the milestones for the date INSIDE.

Happy Birthday to Kevin Kline, Bill Wyman, Santo Farina, F. Murray Abraham, and Heather Rankin. Radio’s first big variety show ‘The Fleischmann Hour’ with RUDY VALLEE (pictured) debuted on NBC; CBC radio introduced it’s long-running ‘Cross Country Checkup’; and ‘Kojak’ starring Telly Savalas premiered on CBS-TV. Neil Sedaka recorded ‘Calendar Girl,’ and Bob Dylan taped his iconic ‘The Times They Are A-Changin’.’ And the genius behind ‘Star Trek,’ Gene Roddenberry passed away. Details and ALL the Oct. 24th milestones INSIDE.

Born this date were daytime radio star Jane Ace, Hugh Jackman, Nancy Kulp, Kirk Cameron, plus sportscasters Tony Kubek and Dan Russell. After 15 years on radio ‘Burns and Allen’ made their debut on CBS-TV; ‘Mr. Keen, Tracer of Lost Persons’ began its 18 year run on network radio; Walter Cronkite spent all 3 prime time hours on CBS-TV on the memoirs of Dwight Eisenhower; the late singer Karen Carpenter received a star on the Hollywood Walk of Fame; and Vancouver-based Nickelback scored their first #1 album. Celebrities leaving us on Oct. 12th include announcers Joel Aldred and Johnny Olsen (pictured), musicians Ray Conniff, Carmen Cavallero, John Denver and Gene Vincent, Bullwinkle producer Jay Ward, and veteran actor Leon Ames. Details and ALL the Oct 12th milestones INSIDE

It’s the date MARIE OSMOND (pictured) fainted during a live telecast of ABC’s ‘Dancing With the Stars’; Alan Freed brought his all-star rock ‘n’ roll show to Portland; and the Kingston Trio guested on NBC-TV’s WWII drama ‘Convoy.’ Tommy Edwards scored his biggest selling #1 ‘It’s All in the Game,’ and ten years later to the day, passed away. The Beach Boys released their next Chart Topper ‘Good Vibrations,’ while Chubby Checker did ‘The Twist’ on the Ed Sullivan Show. Happy Birthday to Vancouver breakfast broadcaster Kim Seale and to Howard Stern’s mother, while at the other end, obits for Oct. 22 include Soupy Sales, Cleavon Little, Mary Wickes, Melfort Sask.’s Arthur Hill, sportscaster Red Barber, and CBS Newsman Robert Pierpoint. Details & ALL the milestones for the date INSIDE.

Happy Birthday to Kim Kardashian, Judge Judy, Manfred Mann, and the Honeymooner’s Joyce Randolph. Also born this date were the late ROBERT CLOTHIER (pictured) of ‘The Beachcombers,’ Dizzy Gillespie and Hy Averbach. The UK’s Cliff Richard appeared on CBS-TV’s ‘Ed Sullivan Show.’ Elton John received a star on the Hollywood Walk of Fame. Johnny Mathis scored a #1 hit with ‘Chances Are,’ and Chuck Berry topped the charts with ‘My Ding-a-Ling.’ Bob Dylan finished his first album for Columbia, Carl Perkins taped a special for US cable in London, and the new owners of BC radio stations in Powell River and Courtenay changed formats. Passing on this date were BC broadcasters Bob Hall and Daryl Duke, musicians Edmundo Ros and Bill Black, WWII pinup Marie McDonald, Fred Berry of ‘What’s Happening,’ and Canadian patent medicine radio pitchman Gilbert Templeton. ALL the milestones for Oct. 21 INSIDE.

Happy Birthday to actor Viggo Mortensen, 'The Waltons' Eric Scott, ‘The Office’s John Krasinski, country music’s Wanda Jackson, plus the late Tom Petty, Jerry Ohrbach, Arlene Francis, Grandpa Jones, Dr. Joyce Brothers (pictured) and Will Rogers Jr. Lee DeForest demonstrated his major invention, the electric vacuum radio tube; radio’s ‘The Adventures of Sherlock Holmes’ debuted on the NBC Red network; ironman news anchor Robert Trout joined CBS radio;’Break the Bank’ debuted on Mutual radio; Walter Cronkite debuted the CBS-TV documentary series, ‘The Twentieth Century’, and Canada’s first private TV station signed on in Sudbury Ontario. Signing off forever were actors Burt Lancaster and Jane Wyatt, plus country music’s Merle Travis. See ALL the milestones for Oct. 20th INSIDE.