Columns

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. Pat Boone and Tennessee Ernie Ford recorded #1 hits, while Gunsmoke's bartender Glenn Strange, singer Jim Croce, and bandleader Paul Weston all departed this vale of tears. ALL the milestones for Sept. 20th INSIDE.

It's the birthday of Joan Lunden, Don Harron, 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.' Signing off for the final time on Sept. 19th were Bob's widow Dolores Hope, 'Make Believe Ballroom' deejay Martin Block, pianist Arthur Ferrante, and country singer Red Foley. ALL the milestones for the date INSIDE.

Robert Blake, Jason Sudeikis, Jack Warden, Jada Pinkett Smith, Fred Willard, Frankie Avalon, James Marsden and June Foray all were born on this date. 'Roving Mike' began its 50 year run on CKNW, Victoria's CKDA moved up the dial to 1220 and doubled its power to 10,000 watts, CBS radio came into being with an initial 16 stations, CBC's international service was authorized in Ottawa, 'Toast of the Town' on CBS-TV became 'The Ed Sullivan Show', and 'Wagon Train' began its 8 year run on NBC-TV. Ken Burns opened his 18.5 hour documentary 'Baseball' on PBS, 'I Dream of Jeannie' and 'Get Smart' debuted the same evening on NBC-TV, and 'WKRP in Cincinnati' had its premiere on CBS-TV. Details and ALL the Sept. 18th milestones INSIDE.

It's the date of birth for John Ritter, Kyle Chandler, Jerry Colonna, Hank Williams, Bill Black and Anne Bancroft. ABC debuted the TV series 'Home Improvement', 'Spin City', 'The Fugitive' and 'Battestar Gallactica'; CBS premieres included 'M*A*S*H', 'Bewitched', 'Hogan's Heroes' and 'The Smothers Brothers Show'; while NBC-TV showcased the first episodes of 'MacMillan & Wife', 'The Perry Como Show', and 'Car 54 Where Are You'. CIVT became Vancouver's new station carried on cable channel 9; Pat Boone's Ain't That a Shame was #1; Frank Sinatra waxed his final sides for Mitch Miller and Columbia records, while Tennessee Ernie Ford taped his signature hit, 'Sixteen Tons' for the Capitol label. ALL the milestones for Sept. 17th will be found INSIDE.

It's the date that gave us Amy Poehler, Jennifer Tilly, Ed Begley Jr., Lawrence Dobkin. Allen Funt, B.B. King and Maverick's Jack Kelly. Starting their TV runs Sept. 16th were 'Miami Vice', 'Frasier', and 'The Dean Martin Show' on NBC; 'Shindig' and 'The Outer Limits' on ABC, and 'Wiseguy' and 'The Bob Newhart Show' on CBS. Canadian-born Jenny Jones began a syndicated talk show that lasted 12 years. and the CBC introduced 'The Fifth Estate' which has now been a key network feature for 40 years. See all the milestones for this date INSIDE!

Old Time Radio hosts Jack Bailey, Jimmy Wallington and John Conte were born on this date, along with Penny Singleton, Hoagy Carmichael, Tom Conway, josh Charles and Cannonball Adderly. Several popular TV shows aired for the first time on Sept. 15, including NBC's' L.A.Law', 'Columbo', 'Lost in Space' and 'The Martin Short Show'; 'Green Acres' and 'Bachelor Father' on CBS-TV, and 'The Lone Ranger' on ABC-TV. 'L.A.Law' and 'Murphy Brown' were big winners at the Emmys, Elvis Presley's 'Don't Be Cruel' began a 5-week run as the #1 song, and Barbra Streisand's 'Happening in Central Park' aired on CBS-TV. Obits this date include 'Match Game's Brett Somers, announcer Andre Baruch, pianist Bill Evans, Canadian Tv journalist Warner Troyer, prolific radio & TV actress Virginia Gregg, and broadcast evangelist Garner Ted Armstrong. Come INSIDE for all the milestones.

Our good friend Harvey Oberfeld was recently put in a somewhat awkward position when fellow former broadcasters invited him to a lunch gathering of Webster Lifetime Achievement Award winners which didn't include Harv. Anyone with a brain knew what a talent, and gifted reporter/journalist and contributor this man gave to the industry. Puget Sound Radio believes this lack of recognition for one of the best, Harvey Oberfeld should be set right, and now... Read Harvey comments Inside....

The TV Lone Ranger, Clayton Moore, actor Sam Neill, actress Joey Heatherton and baseball announcer Jerry Coleman were born this date. 'Mork & Mindy', 'F- Troop', and the third season of 'The Flintstones' debuted on ABC-TV; Richard Boone's 'Have Gun Will Travel' and 'The Waltons' got started on CBS-TV; the radio soap opera 'Big Sister' debuted on CBS, while 'Ironside', 'The Golden Girls' and the short-lived 'My Mother the Car' debuted on NBC-TV. 'Entertainment Tonight' started its 30 year run in syndication, and Chubby Checkers' 'The Twist' was song #1. Signing out and taking their final bows Sept. 14th were Patrick Swayze, Laugh In's Henry Gibson, Vancouver's Winston Reckart, Barbara Jo Allen of 'Vera Vague' fame, Latin bandleader Prez Prado, and Gertrude Berg of 'The Goldbergs.' ALL the milestones for the date are found INSIDE.

Born this date were actresses Jean Smart, Nell Carter and Barbara Bain, singers Dick Haymes, David Clayton Thomas and Mel Torme, and broadcast insiders Fred Silverman, Tyler Perry and Tavis Smiley. Vaudevillian Eddie Cantor made his first national broadcast on NBC radio, 'Late Night with Conan O'Brien,' 'Law and Order', and 'Car 54 Where Are You' debuted on NBC-TV, 'Everybody Loves Raymond' began its nine year run on CBS-TV, 'The Rockford Files' and 'Police Woman' debuted the same night on NBC-TV, and Canada's Guess Who played their final gig together at the Montreal Forum. Frank Sinatra recorded 'The Tender Trap', Jo Stafford had a #1 hit with 'You Belong to Me', and Abba opened their first North American tour in Edmonton. ALL the radio & TV milestones for Sept. 13th INSIDE.

Stars born on this date include Jennifer Hudson, Ruben Studdard, Maria Muldaur, Peter Scolari, Barry White and Louis C. K. It's a day when many many TV series debuted, including Lassie, Family Affair and Maude on CBS; Bonanza, The Monkees and Punky Brewster on NBC; and Taxi, Lois & Clark, and the Jeff Foxworthy Show on ABC. Party of Five was seen for the first time on Fox. and Vancouver radio station AM 1040 signed on with an adult contemporary music format. Obits this date include Johnny Cash, Frank Nelson, Raymond Burr, Lewis Stone, broadcast newsmen John Holliman ans George Putnam, and western star William Boyd, played Hopalong Cassidy. ALL the radio & TV milestones for Sept. 12th INSIDE.