Columns

Happy Birthday to Ted Danson, Jon Voight, Mary Tyler Moore, Dinah Christie, Dina Merrill, Patricia Clarkson and Ashleigh Banfield. Radio soap favorite 'Young Dr. Malone' began 4 seasons on CBS-TV; WMCA's Good Goys' became the first N.Y. radio station to play 'The Beatles'; Jane Pauley ended her 13 years as co-host of NBC-TV's 'Today Show"; and Sly and the Family Stone headlined CBS-TV's 'Ed Sullivan Show.' And passing away at age 77 was the 'King of Jazz,' Paul Whiteman (pictured). ALL the milestones for Dec. 29th INSIDE.

Happy Birthday to Dame Maggie Smith, Denzel Washington, Seth Myers, Martin Milner, Nichelle Nichols and John Legend. The last episode of 'Ding Dong School' with Miss Frances aired on NBC-TV; trumpeter Hugh Masekela (pictured) guested on CBS-TV's 'To Tell the Truth'; Prime Minister Trudeau gave a year's end interview to CTV; 'The Edge of Night' wrapped up its 28 year run on CBS and later NBC-TV; CNN boss Ted Turner was named TIME Magazine's Man of the Year; and Ed Bradley interviewed an emotional Michael Jackson on CBS-TV's 60 Minutes. Dec. 28th obits include Clayton Moore (TV's Lone Ranger), Jerry Ohrbach of 'Law & Order,' William Demarest ('My Three Sons'), music men Billy Taylor and Freddie King, and singer/comedienne Kaye Stevens. ALL the milestones for the date INSIDE.

Happy Birthday to broadcast journalists Savannah Guthrie, Cokie Roberts and Arthur Kent. It's also the date when the late Sydney Greenstreet and Oscar Levant were born. 'The Glenn Miller Show' began its 3-year, 3-times a week run on CBS radio; C-ISL AM 650 became Vancouver's Oldies Station, and CKKS became 'JACK FM.' Don McNeill's 'Breakfast Club' ended its 35 year run on ABC Radio; 'Howdy Doody Time' (pictured) started its 13 year run on NBC-TV; the prime time soap 'Knot's Landing' debuted on CBS-TV, and The Doors played 'Light My Fire' on CBS-TV's 'Jonathan Winters Show.' Among those departing forever Dec. 27th were Vancouver's first TV anchorman, Tom Robinson, and music men Hoagy Carmichael, Freddie King and Chris Gage. ALL the milestones for Dec. 27th INSIDE;

Boxing Day saw the birth of funny men Steve Allen and Alan King, actors Jared Leto and Eden Sher, musicians Ronny Prophet and Chris Daughtry, and 'America's Most Wanted' host John Walsh. The WSM Barn Dance began a Saturday night tradition on Nashville radio, soon becoming the 'Grand Old Opry.' 'Big Sister' ended its 16 year run as a daytime soap on CBS Radio; Victoria's 107.3 switched off the Christmas music, and introduced KOOL-FM, with 'Today's Best Music'; 'The Shadow' ended its 24-year radio run; and 'Search for Tomorrow' ended its 35 year run on first CBS-TV, and for the last five years, NBC. Obits Dec. 26th include Jack Benny, Jason Robards, Nigel Hawthorne, Fontella Bass, wrestler Gorgeous George (pictured), and LA sportscaster Stu Nahan. ALL the milestones for the date INSIDE.

Born on Xmas Day were Rod Serling, Jimmy Buffett, WKRP's Gary Sandy, Barbara Mandrell, Sissy Spacek, and bandleader Leighton Noble, who lived out his retirement years in Victoria BC. Trail BC got its own radio station when the experimental 10AT signed on; Milton Cross hosted the first Metropolitan Opera broadcast; Bing Crosby performed 'White Christmas' for the first time on NBC radio's 'Kraft Music Hall'; and Walt Disney made his first foray into TV. Obits this day include Dean Martin, W.C. Fields, Eartha Kitt, Joan Blondell, and the 'Godfather of Soul' James Brown. ALL the milestones for Christmas Day INSIDE.

Happy Birthday to Ryan Seacrest, Ricky Martin, Canadian Steve Smith (whom you know Better as Red Green), and actor Mark Valley. The BBC aired radio's first play, 'The Truth About Father Christmas'; the 'Voice of Firestone' began its 27 years of light classical music on Monday night radio; Dickens 'A Christmas Carol' starring Lionel Barrymore (pictured) began its long run each yuletide on the radio networks; a Midnight Mass was televised for the first time on NBC, beginning a 66 year tradition thus far; and Perry Como made his TV debut as NBC televised his 'Chesterfield Supper Club.' Checking out on Christmas Eve over the decades were actors Jack Klugman, Charles Durning and Peter Lawford, CBS president Frank Stanton and producer James Komack. ALL the milestones for the date INSIDE.

Happy Birthday to Kiefer Sutherland, Ray Romano, Phil Donahue, Jane Fonda, Samuel L. Jackson and Andy Dick. Vancouver's CKST 1040 was sold to Grand Slam Radio, setting the stage for an all-aports format; the CRTC licensed a new Kelowna FM'er, CILK to Nick Frost; Wilf Ray (pictured) landed a morning slot on CKMO 1410, beginning an incredible 63-year career in local radio; David Crosby guest starred on ABC-TV's sitcom'Roseanne'; and Diana Ross sang with The Supremes one final time on CBS-TV's 'Ed Sullivan Show." Signing out forever were actors Richard Long, William Lundigan, and Calgary's Rod Cameron. ALL the milestones for Dec 21st INSIDE.

It's the birthdate of Jonah Hill, Uri Geller, Irene Dunne, John Hillerman, Pamela Austin, and (pictured) the late MP and Vancouver (later CBC) Open Liner Judy Lamarsh. Radio Australia began shortwave transmission, identified by the cry of the Kookabura bird; Vancouver's CKWX was approved for an FM sister station, C-JAZ (it is now JACK FM at 96.9); Kelowna's CILK FM was approved for sale to Standard Radio (now Astral); and NBC-TV experimented with no announcers on a Jets-Dolphins football telecast. It was not considered a success. Bowing out forever on Dec. 20th were Carl Sagan, Foster Brooks, Arnold Stang, Brittany Murphy, Steve Landesberg, and the first black anchor on a network (ABC) newscast, Max Robinson. ALL the milestones for the date INSIDE.