Columns

On this date ‘My True Story’ began its daily, almost 19-year run on ABC Radio. “The Dick Clark Saturday Night Beechnut Show,” a musical variety half-hour, debuted on ABC-TV. Vancouver’s CFBT-FM (The Beat, now Virgin Radio)) first began testing its transmitter on 94.5 KHz. The ‘Saturday Night Live 40th Anniversary Special’ aired on NBC-TV. And one of the stars of the CBS- TV sitcom M*A*S*H, McLean Stevenson (pictured), suffered a fatal heart attack at age 68. ALL the milestones for Feb. 15th INSIDE.

It’s the date that Vancouver’s CKMO AM 1410 became C-FUN, under new ownership. The US first lady, Jacqueliine Kennedy gave a televised tour of the White House to both CBS and NBC. CBS news anchor Walter Cronkite, the ‘most trusted man in America,’ announced his retirement. The musical special, ‘Barbra Streisalnd: Timeless’ aired in prime time on FOX. John and Yoko were in Philadelphia to begin a week co-hosting “The Mike Douglas Show.” And music legend Frank Zappa appeared on NBC-TV’s “Miami Vice” playing the head of a drug ring. ALL the milestones for Feb 14th INSIDE.

Jack Webb’s (pictured) first popular radio series, ‘Pat Novak for Hire,’ went national on ABC, following a successful West Coast run. The pre-school children’s show ‘Mr. Dressup’ with Ernie Coombs began a nearly 30 year run on CBC-TV. ABC-TV announced it had renewed ‘NYPD Blue’ for a tenth seaason. And campus radio station CJSF FM 90.1 signed-on from Simon Fraser University in Burnaby. ALL the milestones for Feb. 13th INSIDE.

It’s the date that Calvin Coolidge made the first US presidential political speech on radio. When Winnipeg’s CKY moved up the dial from 910 KHz to 780. When Vancouver’s CKWX was authorized to increase power from 100 watts to a whopping 1,000 watts. When the comic strip superhero ‘Superman’ made his first appearance on radio via New York’s WOR. And when actor Nicholas Colasanto (pictured), who played Coach on NBC-TV’s Cheers, died of a heart ailment at age 61 partway through the the third season of the sitcom. Details and ALL the milestones for Feb.12th INSIDE.

Two memorable series from Old Time Radio debuted on this date .. ‘The Chamber Music Society of Lower Basin Street’ on NBC, and ‘Yours Truly Johnny Dollar’ on CBS. Jack Paar (pictured) walked off NBC-TV’s ‘Tonight Show’ because the network had censored his bathroom joke. The 100th episode of ‘Ironside’ aired, starring New Westminster’s Raymond Burr. And Kurt Russell’s TV-movie titled ‘Elvis!’ debuted on ABC. ALL the milestones for Feb. 11th INSIDE.

It was a Feb. 9th when Vancouver’s CHQM AM 1320 ended 34 years of nostalgic/easy listening music and morphed into all-Chinese-language CHMB. When AM 730 switched from a MOJO talk radio format to become Vancouver’s first All-Sports station. When The Beatles made their first of three appearances on CBS-TV’s ‘Ed Sullivan Show’ (pictured). And when the 100th episode of ‘Beverly Hills 90210’ aired on FOX. ALL the milestones for the date INSIDE.

90 years ago today comedian Eddie Cantor’s illustrious radio career got underway as he made an appearance on Rudy Vallee’s “The Fleischmann Hour” on NBC. Two decades later the Fifth Emmy Awards gave top honors to I Love Lucy, Thomas Mitchell and Helen Hayes. Also this date ‘The Smothers Brothers Comedy Show’ (pictured) debuted on CBS-TV, the 200th episode of ‘Married with Children’ aired on FOX-TV, and the 50th ‘Andy Griffith Show’ was seen on CBS-TV. ALL the milestones for Feb. 5th INSIDE.

Baseball’s Jackie Robinson (pictured) signed a contract with NBC’s New York radio & TV stations as Director of Community Activities, thus becoming the first black broadcast executive. Elvis Presley made his second appearance on CBS-TV’s ‘Dorsey Brothers Stage Show.’ ABC-TV aired a 25th anniversary salute to Dick Clark’s ‘American Bandstand.’ And Katie Couric’s “All Access Grammy Special” aired on CBS-TV, featuring interviews with Justin Timberlake, Katy Perry, Lil Wayne and Taylor Swift. ALL the milestones for Feb. 4th INSIDE.

The third of WXYZ Detroit’s kids radio adventure shows ‘Challenge of the Yukon’ debuted… for a Michigan audience only. The comedy team of Abbott and Costello (pictured) joined the cast of CBS radio’s ‘Kate Smith Hour.’ The mischievous chimpanzee J. Fred Muggs became a regular on NBC-TV’s ‘Today Show.’ And Vancouver radio station C-ISL got the okay to move down the AM dial from 940 to 650 KHz and increase power to 10,000 watts. ALL the milestones for Feb. 3rd INSIDE.

This was the date 67 years ago when both ‘Private Secretary’ (with Ann Sothern) and ‘General Electric Theatre’ (hosted by Ronald Reagan) debuted on CBS-TV. The date when 26-year-old Toronto-born Peter Jennings (pictured) became anchorman at ABC News for the first time. The TV mini-series that introduced Nick Nolte, ‘Rich Man Poor Man’ began on ABC. And 38 years ago today NBC-TV’s ‘Late Night with David Letterman’ debuted in the hour following Johnny Carson