Columns

IT WAS MARCH 27th when ‘Blue Ribbon Town,’ the radio show that starred Groucho Marx was first heard on CBS…. When the daytime serial ‘Myrt & Marge’ ended its 11-year run on CBS radio When a young Steve McQueen (pictured) made his network TV debut on NBC’s Goodyear Playhouse… When a huge tsunami wave nearly demolished Port Alberni’s CJAV radio .. When David Letterman hosted the 67th Academy Awards on ABC-TV … and when Vancouver’s CFUN 1410 once more scrapped its music format to go all-talk under the slogan “Talk with Attitude.” ALL the milestones for the date INSIDE.

IT WAS MARCH 26th when comedian Red Buttons made his serious acting debut on CBS-TV’s Studio One… When the TV special ‘Welcome Home Elvis,’ with Frank Sinatra as host, was taped in Miami Beach …. When CBC Radio listeners chose Four Strong Winds written by Victoria’s Ian Tyson as the greatest Canadian song … When the daytime drama ‘The Young & the Restless’ began its long run on CBS-TV … When Johnny Carson was the headlining comedian on CBS-TV’s Ed Sullivan Show … and when radio’s original Marshall Dillon on “Gunsmoke,” William Conrad (pictured) starred in the TV movie “Cannon” on CBS which spawned a weekly series. ALL the milestones for the date INSIDE.

Ian Leonard is the Chief Meteorologist at Fox 9 in Minneapolis. Sadly, this is a channel that I do not get in Winnipeg.

IT WAS MARCH 25th … when IT WAS MARCH 25th … when Jimmy Durante and Garry Moore (pictured) premiered their joint variety show on NBC radio, replacing another comedy team, Abbott & Costello… When New York’s WNBC became the first radio station to ban Brewer and Shipley’s biggest hit “One Toke Over The Line” due to its apparent marijuana references… When the 58th and final episode of “The Monkees” TV show aired on NBC… When the final episode of “Bewitched” aired on ABC… and when NBC aired the 136th and last episode of ‘Sanford & Son.’ ALL the milestones for the date INSIDE

IT WAS MARCH 24th when one of the most powerful signals from the US mountain west, KSL radio of Salt Lake City began broadcasting…. When Major Bowes’ Original “Amateur Hour” went national on the NBC Radio Network, after a year airing locally on WHN New York… When “Hannah Montana” with Miley Cyrus debuted on the Disney Channel in the US .. When ABC’s late night Iran Hostage crisis program was renamed “Nightline with Ted Koppel”…. and when Whoopi Goldberg (pictured) was host for the 74th Academy Awards telecast. ALL the milestones for the date INSIDE.

IT WAS MARCH 23rd .. when the Vancouver World newspaper launched the BC city’s third radio station… When 20-year old Foster Hewitt (pictured) called his first hockey game over the Toronto Star’s pioneer radio station CFCA… When two radio classics, ‘Truth or Consequences’ and ‘ Beat the Clock’ first appeared, ten years apart .. When Elvis Presley auditioned (unsuccessfully) for Arthur Godfrey’a Talent Scouts on CBS radio & TV… When after 15 years Hugh Downs hosted the final NBC episode of the daytime quiz show ‘Concentration’… and when the 30-minute daytime drama “The Bold & the Beautiful” had its premiere on CBS-TV. ALL the milestones for the date INSIDE.

IT WAS MARCH 22nd when NBC Radio’s “Voice of Firestone”, a 30-minute showcase of semi-classical music, became the first commercial radio program to be carried simultaneously on both AM and FM stations… When Vancouver’s CFMI 101.1 FM signed on with an automated rock/country hybrid format … When Barry Manilow made his first television appearance, performing “Mandy” and “It’s A Miracle” on ABC’s “American Bandstand”… When Glen Campbell, Johnny Cash & Roger Miller guested on an ABC John Denver TV special … and when two disparate music acts Bob Dylan and Liberace played NBC-TV’s Late Night with David Letterman. ALL the milestones for the date INSIDE.

IT WAS MARCH 21st .. when Portland radio station KGW began broadcasting…. When Shirley Booth (pictured) made her TV acting debut in “The Hostess with the Mostest” on Playhouse 90 on CBS…. When CBS-TV’s Ed Sullivan Show starred Gary Lewis & the Playboys singing “This Diamond Ring”…. and when on the CBS-TV prime time soap “Dallas,” JR was shot. ALL the milestones for the date INSIDE.

IT WAS MARCH 20th … when the original Lucky Strike Hit Parade premiered on NBC radio, featuring the top 15 tunes of the week… When Eugene Ormandy conducted the Philadelphia Orchestra on CBS in the first symphony concert to be televised in North America… When a protege of Dick Clark Bobby Rydell (pictured) made his first TV appearance, during the second season of Clark’s daily “American Bandstand” on ABC… When Gibsons BC’s CKAY began testing at 91.7… and when Edmonton public radio station CKUA went dark for five weeks after it ran out of money. ALL the milestones for the date INSIDE;

IT WAS MARCH 19th … when the first televised prize fight aired in ‘living color’ saw Joey Giardello knock out Willie Troy on NBC …. When Vancouver’s C-FUN AM 1410 flipped to a Top 40 format …. When singer Lesley Gore guest-starred on the last episode of the ABC-TV sitcom “The Donna Reed Show”… And when the final episode of the iconic “Mary Tyler Moore Show” (pictured) aired on CBS-TV. ALL the milestones for the date INSIDE.