Columns

IT WAS JUNE 13th … when the Rolling Stones made an appearance on ABC-TV’s “Hollywood Palace,” during their first tour of North America …. When John Lennon made his last TV appearance on an ABC-TV salute to UK entertainment mogul Sir Lew Grade that had been taped in April…. When NBC’ late night TV host Tom Snyder interviewed serial killer Charles Manson on what has since become the most famous edition of his “Tomorrow” Show… ..and when Garrison Keilor (pictured), host and storyteller on the award-winning US public radio series, A Prairie Home Companion, left the show and its delightful shores of Lake Wobegon for Denmark where he intended to spend his time writing (he returned to the U.S… and the program … two years later). ALL the milestones for June 13th INSIDE.

IT WAS JUNE 12th … when pioneer Toronto radio station CFCA had its Grand Opening. Foster Hewitt broadcast his first hockey game on CFCA eight months later…. When Pittsburgh’s KDKA became the first 50,000 watt radio station… When the Sunday night TV extravaganza that would be must-see family viewing for the next twenty years, “Toast of the Town,” (later the Ed Sullivan Show), made its debut on CBS… ..and when the early TV comedy hit “Mr Peepers” starring Wally Cox with Tony Randall, aired for the last time on NBC. ALL the milestones for June 12th INSIDE.

IT WAS JUNE 11th … when Hank Williams made his debut on the Grand Ole Opry. His performance, with the audience demanding several encores of “Lovesick Blues,” is still considered one of the Opry’s greatest moments… When the all-black TV sitcom “Amos ‘n Andy” was driven from the air in the heat of the civil rights movement, for its so-called stereotypical characterizations, though the radio version continued for 7 years more … When the first episode of “Fear Factor” with host Joe Rogan, aired on NBC-TV… ..and the final episode of ‘The Sopranos’ aired on HBO. ALL the milestones for the date INSIDE.

IT WAS JUNE 10th … when Ed Sullivan’s 19th Anniversary Show on CBS-TV featured Spanky & Our Gang with their big hit, “Sunday Will Never Be the Same”…. When Gary Lewis and the Playboys (pictured) performed their biggest hit “This Diamond Ring” on NBC-TV’s “Tonight Show starring Johnny Carson.” When the TV horror anthology series “Tales From The Crypt” aired the first of its 93 episodes on US cable channel HBO… ..and when the quirky TV serial drama “Twin Peaks” (the original series) aired for the final time on ABC. ALL the milestones for June 10th INSIDE.

IT WAS JUNE 8th .. in the earliest experimental days of television when WGY-TV in Schenectady, NY revamped its regular program schedule. While continuing to broadcast three days a week, there were only two times each day that viewers could watch TV: 1:30 to 2:00 p.m. and 11:30 to Midnight… It was a different June 8th …..when ‘Lassie’ debuted on ABC radio. It was a 15-minute show about an extraordinary collie… When the future ‘Mr. Television’ Milton Berle made his debut as host of NBC-TV’s ‘Texaco Star Theatre’…. When Saskatoon radio listeners were first treated to programming from CKOM … ..and when the show that introduced us to John Travolta, “Welcome Back, Kotter” aired its final episode on ABC TV. ALL the milestones for June 8th INSIDE.

IT WAS JUNE 7th … when NBC radio presented The Lux Radio Theatre for the final time. For almost all of its 21 years it had brightened the CBS Radio schedule … When children’s puppet show stars Kukla, Fran Allison and Ollie (at right), along with the Boston Pops Orchestra, were stars of the first network TV broadcast shown in “compatible color”… When the “Johnny Cash Show” debuted as a summer series on ABC-TV … ..and when bandleader Ricky Minor jumped from FOX-TV to NBC’s “Tonight Show with Jay Leno,” replacing Kevin Eubanks. ALL the milestones for June 7th INSIDE.

IT WAS JUNE 5th .. when after 22 years, Canada’s longest running radio program, “The Happy Gang,” was heard for the last time… When Toronto newsman Gordon Sinclair wrote and first broadcast one of the most popular spoken-word recordings of all time: “The Americans”… When CBS-TV premiered the summer replacement show “The Bobbie Gentry Happiness Hour”…. ..and when Edmonton’s CISN-FM signed on with 100,000 watts on 103.9 MHz as “Kissin’ Country”. ALL the milestones for the date INSIDE>

IT WAS JUNE 4th …. when NBC-TV’s “The Monkees” won an Emmy award for outstanding comedy series. When ABC-TV’s “Bobby Sherman TV Special” aired, featuring guest performers The 5th Dimension… When the final episode of “The Waltons” aired on CBS TV, though six TV movies followed over the next 15 years … When the CBC’s prairie radio powerhouse CBK AM 540 lost its transmission tower in a severe windstorm … .. and when the final episode of the sitcom “Married With Children” aired on FOX. ALL the milestones for the date INSIDE.

IT WAS JUNE 3rd …when Dragnet (with Jack Webb as Sgt. Joe Friday) was first heard on radio (KFI in Los Angeles), a month before it went nationak on NBC… When Victoria and Vancouver got their first ‘local’ TV service as Bellingham’s KVOS-TV signed on from Mount Constitution … When the Hollywood Palace on ABC-TV hosted the first North American performance by The Rolling Stones… When the characters of Nancy & Chris Hughes returned to CBS-TV’s ‘As the World Turns’, after an absence of 5 years… and when the final episode of the original ‘Star Trek’ series aired on NBC. ALL the milestones for the date INSIDE.

A few episodes ago, I interviewed Jeff Smulyen about his new book. As I read the book "Never Ride a Rollercoaster Upside Down", I wanted to hear more about the construction of some of the great radio stations like KPWR (Power 106) Los Angeles, and Hot 97 in New York.