Today in Broadcast History

William S. Paley (pictured), the founder of CBS was born this date, as was Ed Sullivan, the awkward host of early TV’s Sunday night variety blockbuster on CBS. Sept. 28th saw the first color telecast of a World Series game; The Giselle Mackenzie Show, Miami Vice, Hazel, and Dr. Kildare all made their debuts on NBC-TV, while the same network aired the finale of The Shari Lewis Show (with Lambchop.) CBS-TV aired M*A*S*H episode 100, and John Lennon was a guest deejay on New York’s WNEW-FM. Foster Hewitt described Paul Henderson’s summit-clinching goal against the Soviets, and The Beatles were heard for the first time in North America on the Murray the K radio show. Details and ALL the milestones for the date INSIDE.

Celebrities born this date include Randy Bachman, Gwyneth Paltrow, Jayne Meadows, William Conrad, Greg Morris, Wilford Brimley, and Meat Loaf. John Palmer replaced Chris Wallace as news anchor of NBC’s Today Show; Steve Allen (pictured) started his run as first host of NBC’s Tonight Show; Dolly Parton’s short-lived variety show debuted on ABC-TV; Patti Page had the #1 song with ‘I Went to Your Wedding’; the Beach Boys performed on CBS-TV’s Ed Sullivan Show; and Bob Dylan had a concert at Carnegie Hall. Taking their final curtain call Sept. 27th were actors Lloyd Nolan and Robert Montgomery, song and dance man Donald O’Connor, British entertainer Gracie Fields, and John Facenda, the mellifluous original voice of NFL films. Details and ALL the milestones for the date INSIDE.

This date gave us Marty Robbins, Julie London, Olivia Newton John, Kent McCord, and Linda Hamilton. Vancouver’s CKWX opened a newly-built state-of-the-art radio facility on Burrard Street (pictured); Paul Anka and Roseanne Barr had their stars unveiled on the Hollywood Walk of Fame.; the first Nixon-Kennedy Presidential Debate was staged; ‘Beverly Hillbillies’, ‘Gilligan’s Island,’ ‘Jake and the Fatman’ and the original ‘Hawaii Five-Oh’ began their runs on CBS; ’The Brady Bunch’ debuted on ABC-TV. and ‘Knight Rider’ began its run on NBC. Obits Sept. 26th include actors Richard Mulligan (of ‘Empty Nest’) and Charles Correll (of radio’s ‘Amos ‘n’ Andy’), bandleader Billy Vaughn, singer Robert Palmer, and the boop-boop-a-doop girl Helen Kane. Specifics of ALL the milestones for the date INSIDE.

It’s the birthday of Barbara Walters (she’s 90!), Michael Douglas (& his wife), Ian Tyson, Mark Hamill and Heather Locklear. It’s the date XM satellite radio was launched, and saw the debut of Veronica’s Closet on NBC-TV. Rosemary Clooney had a #1 hit in ‘Hey There;’ The Partridge Family (pictured) and a Beatles cartoon series debuted on ABC; Queen was the musical guest on Saturday Night Live; and Elvis Presley performed on the stage of the Grand Ole Opry. A host of celebrities left us on Sept. 25th, including Andy Williams, Don Adams, Walter Pidgeon, announcer Art Gilmore, and Seattle radio icon Jerry Kay. Details and ALL the milestones for the date INSIDE.

It’a the date of birth for Seattle radio legend Pat O’Day (pictured), Jim Henson of the Muppets, Canadian Phil Hartman, Fox Business anchor Lou Dobbs, sportscaster Jim McKay, and Three’s Company’s Audra Lindley. Making their series debut on ABC were The Odd Couple, The Donna Reed Show, The Mod Squad, Growing Pains and The Love Boat. Judy Garland made her TV debut in a Ford special on CBS; 60 Minutes, The Munsters and Petticoat Junction also had their premieres on CBS; and in Canada the CTV National News debuted in a late night quarter hour format. Elvis Presley appeared on the televised Louisiana Hayride on KRKH Shreveport; …and one of the great announcers of bigtime US radio, Harlow Wilcox, took his final breath. ALL the milestones for Sept. 24th INSIDE.

TV stars Jason Alexander and Chi McBride were born on this date, along with Ray Charles, Bruce Springsteen, Julio Iglesias and John Coltrane. Hank Williams made his final recordings, ‘That’ll Be the Day’ by Buddy Holly & the Crickets was #1, Pay-TV got started with the Rocky Marciano/Jersey Joe Walcott fight; Matlock (pictured) and Marcus Welby MD debuted on ABC, and two Ken Burns epics (The Civil War and The War) debuted on PBS. Leaving this ‘vale of tears’ Sept. 23rd were Canadians Henry Champ and Chief Dan George, actors Cliff Arquette and Mary Frann, country music’s Jimmy Wakely and broadcaster Bill Ballance. ALL the milestones for the date INSIDE.

It’s the date that brought us Meryl Streep, Debby Boone, Joni James, Bonnie Hunt, Martha Scott and CBS newsman Richard C. Hottelet. Maverick, Lost and (pictured) Fulll House debuted on ABC-TV; Friends, Baywatch and Man From Uncle had their premieres on NBC Television; the Everly Brothers performed together for the first time in 10 years; The Supremes recorded their next smash ‘I Hear a Symphony,’ and Bob Dylan played Carnegie Hall… Meantime, CIVT became Vancouver’s newest station, a UHF license that would be viewed by most on cable channel 9. Obits include music makers Irving Berlin, Harry Warren and Eddie Fisher; actors George C. Scott, Gordon Jump, Edward Albert and Jackie Burroughs; and Laugh-In’s Dan Rowan. ALL the milestones for Sept. 22nd INSIDE.

Born this date were Bill Murray, Fannie Flagg, Ricki Lake, Cheryl Hines, Jerry Bruckheimer, Bill Kurtis, and the late Canadian performers Leonard Cohen, Tommy Common, and Air Farce’s John Morgan. Kelowna’s CHBC-TV signed on, Monday Night Football and NYPD Blue debuted on ABC TV, Bing Crosby taped his Philco Radio Time in Vancouver, Raymond Burr (pictured) starred for the 1st time as Perry Mason on CBS-TV, The Jack Paar Show debuted in prime time on NBC-TV, and John & Yoko guested on ABC-TV’s late night Dick Cavett Show. Checking out permanently were Walter Brennan, Arthur Godfrey singer Lu Ann Simms, Canadian bandleader Johnny Burt, televangelist Rex Humbard, and Old Time Radio’s Rye Billsbury. Details and ALL the Sept. 21st milestones INSIDE.

Sept. 20th brought us Sophia Loren, Gogi Grant, Gary Cole, orchestra leader Frank Devol, Northern Exposure’s Peg Phillips (Photo) and Leah Pinsent. The Calgary station now known as City TV signed on, while Vancouver’s CKLG 73 ended 29 years of rock music and switched fulltime to talk. Jimmy Stewart debuted a radio western ‘The Six-Shooter’ on NBC,; the ‘Bill Cosby Show’ began its popular 8-year run on NBC-TV, while ‘You’ll Never Get Rich’ with Phil Silvers, and the original ‘Hawaii Five-Oh’ had their premieres on CBS-TV. ALL the milestones for Sept. 20th INSIDE.

It’s the birthday of Joan Lunden, Don Harron (pictured), Sylvia Tyson, James Lipton, Adam West, Mama Cass Elliott, and Brook Benton. The early radio soap opera ‘Just Plain Bill’ debuted on a regional CBS network; ’The Mary Tyler Moore Show’, ‘Search for Tomorrow’ and ‘Judging Amy” had their premieres on CBS Television. ‘M*A*S*H’ aired its finale to a record viewership on CBS-TV, while ‘ER’ played its first episode on NBC-TV. Canada’s Giselle MacKenzie became host and featured singer on NBC-TV’s ‘Your Hit Parade’; Max Weinberg debuted as drummer in Springsteen’s E St. Band; and Frank Sinatra and Paul Newman were costars on NBC-TV’s live production of ‘Our Town.’ ALL the milestones for the date INSIDE.