Columns

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.(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.

Jim Lang is a renowned broadcaster who's worked all over Canada, often covering sports. You probably know him best from either Sportsnet Fan Radio 590, or his Toronto Argos coverage on AM 640

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.

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.