Columns

The first TV soap opera ‘A Woman to Remember’ debuted on the shortlived Dumont network. The 200th episode of “Perry Mason” (starring New Westminster’s Raymond Burr) aired on CBS TV. Neil Diamond’s first TV special aired on NBC-TV. The 200th episode of the hit sitcom ‘The Jeffersons’ was seen on CBS-TV. Montreal’s Leonard Cohen made a rare TV appearance guesting on NBC’s ‘Miami Vice.’ And David Letterman (pictured) returned to his CBS Late Show some five weeks after having emergency quintuple heart bypass surgery, ALL the milestones for Feb. 21st INSIDE.

It was a Feb. 20th when 8-year-old Ricky Nelson and his older brother David began portraying themselves on ABC Radio’s ‘Adventures of Ozzie & Harriet.’ Until then their roles had been played by actors. When Vancouver’s CHQM AM 1320 dumped its ‘Lite 1320’ format for ‘Memory Music’ from the 1930s to the ’60s. When The Platters made their only appearance on Dick Clark’s ‘American Bandstand.’ When the Dave Clark Five and The Supremes headlined CBS-TV’s Ed Sullivan Show. And when the original host of ABC’s ‘Good Morning America,’ David Hartman (pictured) left the daily program. ALL the milestones for Feb. 20th INSIDE.

It’s the date the late iconic voice of the Seattle Mariners, Dave Niehaus was born. Sammy Davis Jr. kissed the biggotted Archie Bunker to great hilarity on CBS-TV’s ‘All in the Family’ (pictured). Dick Clark staged the first “American Music Awards” on ABC TV. The Four Tops, Pat Boone and Pearl Bailey headlined ‘The Ed Sullivan Show’ on CBS-TV. Toronto radio station CFRB was officially launched. And Calgary was introduced to radio station Q-107 as CKIK-FM switched to Classic Hits. ALL the milestones for Feb. 19th INSIDE.

Canadian-born movie star Glenn Ford was the subject of NBC-TV’s ‘This is Your Life.’ The Everly Brothers sang their latest hit. ‘Cryin’ in the Rain’ on CBS-TV’s Ed Sullivan Show. Career broadcasters Harvey Kirck and Harry Caray died, while Gordon Lightfoot was falsely reported to have died. A US religious group cancelled Pat Boone’s weekly gospel music show after he appeared in black leather and fake tattoos on the American Music Awards show. And the mini-series ‘Roots: the Next Generation’ began its 7-night run on ABC-TV. ALL the milestones for Feb. 18th INSIDE.

Johnny Cash was Ralph Edwards’ surprised guest of honor on NBC-TV’s ‘This Is Your Life’ (pictured). After five years on Minnesota radio only, Garrison Keillor’s “A Prairie Home Companion” was first broadcast nationally on NPR. Aerosmith were the musical guests on NBC-TV’s Saturday Night Live. An L.A. radio station played two unreleased Rolling Stone songs non-stop for 48 hours. And FOX-TV attracted 40 million viewers for its finale of the reality series ‘Joe Millionaire.’ ALL the milestones for Feb. 17th INSIDE.

It was Feb. 16th when Foster Hewitt broadcast his very first hockey play-by-play, Toronto Argonauts vs. the Kitchener Greenshirts, over the Toronto Star’s pioneer radio station CFCA. When Vancouver’s (predecessor to CBU Radio) CRCV increased power from 500 to 5,000 watts, and moved into new studios in the new Hotel Vancouver. When for the first time host John Daly presided over an early CBS TV Sunday night institution, ‘What’s My Line?’ It lasted 17 years! And when during a week co-hosting syndicated TV’s ‘Mike Douglas Show,’ John Lennon sang two duets with his hero, Chuck Berry. ALL the milestones for the date INSIDE.

On this date ‘My True Story’ began its daily, almost 19-year run on ABC Radio. “The Dick Clark Saturday Night Beechnut Show,” a musical variety half-hour, debuted on ABC-TV. Vancouver’s CFBT-FM (The Beat, now Virgin Radio)) first began testing its transmitter on 94.5 KHz. The ‘Saturday Night Live 40th Anniversary Special’ aired on NBC-TV. And one of the stars of the CBS- TV sitcom M*A*S*H, McLean Stevenson (pictured), suffered a fatal heart attack at age 68. ALL the milestones for Feb. 15th INSIDE.

It’s the date that Vancouver’s CKMO AM 1410 became C-FUN, under new ownership. The US first lady, Jacqueliine Kennedy gave a televised tour of the White House to both CBS and NBC. CBS news anchor Walter Cronkite, the ‘most trusted man in America,’ announced his retirement. The musical special, ‘Barbra Streisalnd: Timeless’ aired in prime time on FOX. John and Yoko were in Philadelphia to begin a week co-hosting “The Mike Douglas Show.” And music legend Frank Zappa appeared on NBC-TV’s “Miami Vice” playing the head of a drug ring. ALL the milestones for Feb 14th INSIDE.

Jack Webb’s (pictured) first popular radio series, ‘Pat Novak for Hire,’ went national on ABC, following a successful West Coast run. The pre-school children’s show ‘Mr. Dressup’ with Ernie Coombs began a nearly 30 year run on CBC-TV. ABC-TV announced it had renewed ‘NYPD Blue’ for a tenth seaason. And campus radio station CJSF FM 90.1 signed-on from Simon Fraser University in Burnaby. ALL the milestones for Feb. 13th INSIDE.

It’s the date that Calvin Coolidge made the first US presidential political speech on radio. When Winnipeg’s CKY moved up the dial from 910 KHz to 780. When Vancouver’s CKWX was authorized to increase power from 100 watts to a whopping 1,000 watts. When the comic strip superhero ‘Superman’ made his first appearance on radio via New York’s WOR. And when actor Nicholas Colasanto (pictured), who played Coach on NBC-TV’s Cheers, died of a heart ailment at age 61 partway through the the third season of the sitcom. Details and ALL the milestones for Feb.12th INSIDE.