CHRISTMAS EVE in Broadcast History .. Dec. 24th
Happy Birthday to Ryan Seacrest, Ricky Martin, Canadian Steve Smith (whom you know better as Red Green), and actor Mark Valley.
The BBC aired radio’s first play, ‘The Truth About Father Christmas’;
the ‘Voice of Firestone’ began its 27 years of light classical music on US Monday night radio;
Dickens ‘A Christmas Carol’ starring Lionel Barrymore (pictured) began its long run each yuletide on the radio networks;
a Midnight Mass was televised for the first time on NBC, beginning a nearly 70 year tradition thus far;
and Perry Como made his TV debut as NBC televised his ‘Chesterfield Supper Club.’
Checking out on Christmas Eve over the decades were actors Jack Klugman, Charles Durning and Peter Lawford, CBS president Frank Stanton and producer James Komack.
ALL the milestones for the date INSIDE.
Bob Rondeau Has Just One Game Left as ‘Voice of the Washington Huskies’
During his final game at Husky Stadium, Rondeau — who abhors the spotlight — reluctantly allowed us to follow him and chronicle a special day filled with emotional send-offs, tributes and another UW blowout victory in the 110th Apple Cup.
Christmas After Christmas with Edmonton’s 95.7 CRUZ and HOT 107
It’s a sad reality that many of us have everything we want and don’t really need anything for Christmas & yet so many people in Edmonton have no Christmas at all, so HOT 107 & 95.7 CRUZ FM have teamed up with Crystal Glass to celebrate “Christmas After Christmas”
SATURDAY in Broadcast History .. Dec. 23rd
It’s the day when Don McNeill of radio’s ‘Breakfast Club’ and James Gregory of TV’s ‘Barney Miller’ were born. As well it’s Happy Birthday to Harry Shearer, Susan Lucci, Patrick Watson and Eddie Vedder.
The BBC began regular daily radio newscasts;
NBC began programming its national radio network;
the first complete opera (Hansel & Gretel) was televised on WRGB Schenectady;
Swift Current got local TV service as CJFB signed on;
the daytime soap ‘The Young and the Restless’ premiered on CBS-TV;
and the ‘How the Grinch Stole Christmas’ cartoon was televised for the first time.
Obits for Dec. 23 include Dragnet’s Jack Webb, Canadian jazzman Oscar Peterson, comic pianist Victor Borge and actor Charlie Ruggles.
ALL the milestones for the date INSIDE.
Apple faces lawsuits over its intentional slowing of older iPhones
Plaintiffs from two separate class-action lawsuits claim Apple did not have user consent to slow iPhone performance and that it was forcing new purchases
Sportscaster Dick Enberg, 82, Found Dead at Home
He appeared to be waiting for a car that was set to shuttle him to the airport for a 6:30 a.m. flight to join the family in Boston. “We think it was a heart attack.”
FRIDAY in Broadcast History .. Dec. 22nd
It’s the birthdate of actors Ralph Fiennes and Hector Elizondo, Diane Sawyer of ABC News, the late announcer and game show host Gene Rayburn, and singer Jordin Sparks.
Pioneer New York radio station WEAF aired the first ever broadcast of a boxing match;
the first experimental TV signals were aired from the top of the Empire State Building, two decades before the TV era began;
Monty Hall presided over his last ‘Let’s Make a Deal’ on ABC-TV;
Archie Bunker became a grandfather on CBS-TV’s “All in The Family’;
and Conan O’Brien and Jack Black (pictured) engaged in a guitar duel on TBS’ late night ‘Conan.’
Among the obits for Dec. 22nd are bigtime (old time) radio announcer Jimmy Wallington, legendary soap opera creator Irna Phillips, and the great Lone Ranger narrator/announcer Fred Foy.
ALL the milestones for Dec. 22nd INSIDE.