Columns

IT WAS MARCH 18th when a daytime drama based on the Bible “Light of the World” was first heard on NBC radio…. When Joan Rivers made the first of some 62 guest appearances with Johnny Carson on NBC-TV’s ‘Tonight Show’… When the debut episode of “The Greatest American Hero” aired on ABC-TV… When a KOMO-TV news helicopter crashed near the Space Needle, killing the pilot and a photographer.. and when Pat Cashman (pictured) left KJR-FM after 12 years doing morning drive at various Seattle stations. ALL the milestones for the date INSIDE

IT WAS MARCH 17th when Kate Smith (pictured) came out of vaudeville to begin a 3-decade radio career with Kate Smith Sings, a quarter-hour several times a week on NBC. When the live country TV program “Five Star Jubilee” premiered on N-B-C… When Pres. George W. Bush took to TV to issue an ultimatum to Iraq’s Saddam Hussein .. And when CBS-TV’s Ed Sullivan Show featured singers Paul Anka, the Chad Mitchell Trio and the McGuire Sisters. ALL the milestones for St. Patrick’s Day INSIDE.

This week, we've got another long-time radio industry veteran, Rob Creighton. You might not know his name up here in Canada, but down in the States, he's been running shows from Lubbock, Texas to Chicago, Illinois for the last few decades.

IT WAS MARCH 16th … when the president’s daughter, Margaret Truman (pictured), made her professional singing debut in an ABC Radio broadcast from Detroit that attracted 15 million listeners …. When the big winners at the Emmy Awards were The Phil Silvers Show, Robert Young and Loretta Young … When the musical headliners on CBS-TV’s Ed Sullivan Show were singers Janis Joplin and Ed Ames, plus Chet Atkins, Floyd Cramer and Boots Randolph… And when Bell Canada acquired another 84 radio stations and 35 cable TV channels from Astral Media for $3.38 billion …. Details and ALL the milestones for the date INSIDE.

IT WAS MARCH 15th… when BC got its second radio station, this one operated by The Vancouver Sun, two days after The Province station debuted… When future Montreal rock radio powerhouse CFOX hit the airwaves, under the ownership of Gordon Sinclair Jr… When CBS television introduced its ‘Morning Show’ (pictured), hosted by future iconic news anchor Walter Cronkite… When the first episode of the TV sitcom ‘Mr. Belvedere’ aired on ABC… and when CBS announced it was cancelling its Sunday night lynchpin ‘The Ed Sullivan Show’ after 23 seasons. ALL the milestones for the date INSIDE.

It was March 14th when Pete Parker, on radio station CKCK Regina, called the world’s first play-by-play of a complete professional hockey game, just days ahead of Foster Hewitt… when comedians Fred Allen and Jack Benny (pictured) began their 12-year-long ‘feud’ in an NBC broadcast from the Hotel Pierre in New York City, attracting the second largest audience in the history of radio… when Arthur Godfrey turned down the chance to sign Elvis Presley for his CBS TV Talent Scouts Show. Instead at the same audition he signed singer Pat Boone… and when ABC-TV aired the final episode of the original Batman, starring Adam West and Burt Ward. ALL the milestones for the date INSIDE.

It was a March 13th when the radio era officially began hereabouts as the Vancouver Province newspaper started testing its new 2000 watt radio service with music .. and a newscast at 8:30 pm… …when the Manitoba Government Telephone service put Winnipeg’s CKY radio on the air for the first time …. …when Edward R. Murrow (pictured) was first heard on radio, reporting for CBS from Vienna… ..when UK pop singer Tom Jones made his TV performing debut on the BBC ..and when the Merv Griffin TV Show made its debut in daytime syndication across the US. In Southwest BC it was seen in prime time via KVOS-TV Bellingham. ALL the milestones for the date INSIDE.

It was March 12th when the newly elected President of the US Franklin Roosevelt used radio to deliver his first Fireside Chat… ..when singer Fabian (pictured) was named “Most Promising New Talent” in a poll of “American Bandstand” viewers… ..when the TV movie “Wonder Woman” starring Cathy Lee Crosby came to ABC .. ..when Bob Dylan cancelled an “Ed Sullivan Show” television appearance after being told he could not sing “Talking John Birch Paranoid Blues” because it was too political… ..and when syndicated TV’s venerable Entertainment Tonight aired its 3,000th show. ALL the milestones for the date INSIDE.

It was a March 11th when Charles Van Doren (pictured) finally lost on NBC-TV’s rigged game show “21.” He left with $129,000. The scandal overn answers leaked to Van Doren had not yet erupted… When the FCC decreed that 8 to 11 pm would be TV’s prime time controlled and programmed by ABC, CBS and NBC… When Aerosmith was featured on CBS-TV’s 60 Minutes… and when talk show host Glenn Beck singled out Bruce Springsteen’s “Born In The USA” as a perfect example of the progressive politics he said were destroying the country. Details and many more milestones for the date INSIDE.

It was March 10th when 20-year old Julie Andrews (pictured) made her US television debut on NBC’s Ford Star Jubilee…. When Bobby Darin appeared on television for the first time, singing “Rock Island Line” on CBS-TV’s “Dorsey Brothers Stage Show”… When Sonny and Cher guest-starred as “Jerry and Ramona” on ‘The Man From U.N.C.L.E.’ on NBC-TV…. and when Willard Scott became the weatherman on NBC-TV’s ‘Today Show.’ Details and ALL the milestones for the date INSIDE.