Friday-Sunday, September 15-17, 2006

What a TV season...

The Fall Preview of this week'sTV Guide has "all the scoop on 92 hot new shows". Who are we kidding here ? There haven't been 92 hot new shows in the history of television. Try to make a list of 100 of your favorite TV shows. I dare you. Maybe you come up with 25, 50 tops...

"Shark" has James Woods, that could be good. "Studio 60 on the Sunset Strip" and its clone or vice versa, "30 Rock" could be winners. "Heroes" looks good as do "Vanished" and "Kidnapped" - notice some similar plots here ? Then there's "Ugly Betty", "Smith" and on and on...

If you were to search for two days in TV history that more highly rated shows made their debut it would have to be September 15th and September 17th. More than a dozen or so, memorable shows debuted...

Here are those shows in chronological order for September 15th: 1949] "The Lone Ranger". The original show on ABC-TV ended in 1957 but reruns kept it alive until 1969 and the series was revived in 1980. Born on radio, the TV series got as high as #7 when Nielsen began compiling ratings in 1950...1957] "Bachelor Father". This was the show that made John Forsythe a TV star. Although it would never crack the Top 20, it was a show remembered to this day and it lasted 5 seasons...1965] "Green Acres" with that great theme song and with such a diverse cast featuring Eddie Albert, Eva Gabor and Arnold the Pig had could it miss ? It didn't. It peaked at #6 in Nielsen and the "riches to rags", "city to farm" farce ran 6 years...1965] "Lost in Space". The sci-fi series starred June Lockhart, Guy Williams and Billy Mumy as young Will Robinson. It never reached the Top 20 but was a most talked-about series that didn't take itself seriously....1971] "Columbo". Part of NBC's Sunday Mystery Movie that alrernated with "McMillan & Wife" and "McCloud". "Columbo" went as high as Top 5 during its original 22 year run and the great Peter Falk occasionally stars in a "Columbo" movie to this day. What a show !!!

Oh and let's mention a show that folded on September 15th. After a 4-year run, "Bosom Buddies" ran it's last episode. Does anyone remember this show ? If you do, you'll remember it starred Peter Scolari (who would be featured on "Newhart") and an unknown you may have heard of - Tom Hanks...

Now take a look at the shows that premiered on September 17th. By the way, the 16th wasn't too shabby either (as Phil Rizzuto used to say to Bill White)

Let's see the 2006 season match that...

Ten Timeline Memories...

1. [1776] The Redcoats take over New York City, landing at Kips Bay (they wind up chasing George Washington to New Jersey)...
2. [1928] Alexander Fleming discovers the antibiotic penicillin in the mold Penicillium notatum (verily)...
3. [1948] WHN changes call letters to WMGM but don't fret WHN fans, the call letters will change back in 1962...
4. [1952] The Boston Braves play their last game in Beantown (at what is now Nickerson Field, under the turnpike, the place B.U. plays their football games) they move to Milwaukee the following season...
5. [1954] Filming a scene for "The Seven Year Itch", Marilyn Monroe's dress flies up as she stands on a subway grating, infuriating husband Joe DiMaggio (Married in January, they soon divorce in October. The marriage lasted 9 months)...
6. [1958] A commuter train crashes through a drawbridge near Newark (NJ) killing 48 including Yankee second baseman George "Snuffy" Stirnweiss who was only 39...
7. [1962] London Daily Mirror columnist Peter Jones calls The Beatles, "a nothing group" (nice call Peter)...
8. [1963] The Alou Brothers (Felipe, Matty & Jesus) play in the same outfield as The Giants beat the Pirates 13-5 (combined, the Alou's go 1 for 5, all on Felipe's at-bats)...
9. [1978] 36-year old Muhammad Ali beats Leon Spinks (in a decision) in a rematch, to become the 1st heavyweight champ to win the title 3 times...
10. [1982] The 1st issue of "USA Today" hits the newsstands and sells out...

Premiered on this date: 1968] The TV musical "Soul" with Lou Rawls and Martha & the Vandellas guesting...1980] David Bowie, the "Space Man" becomes "The Elephant Man" on Broadway...

#1 on this date: 1969} "Sugar, Sugar" - Archies...

Born on this date: 1971] The environmental organization "Greenpeace" in Vancouver, British Columbia, Canada...

[To ensure accuracy of dates and content, multiple reference sources are used in the timeline]...

"Happy Birthday...happy birthday"...

Britain's Prince Harry (22), Football Hall of Famer Dan Marino (45), Oliver Stone (60), Tommy Lee Jones (60), Football Hall of Famer Merlin Olsen (66), Baseball Hall of Famer Gaylord Perry (68), Corm Nrosby (Norm Crosby to paraphrase Morn, I mean Norm) (79) and Jackie Cooper (84)...

"Congratulations": To The New York Mets who will clinch their 1st division title since 1988. They'll do it over the weekend in Pittsburgh...

Timeline Countdown: 19 days until major league playoffs, 107 days until 2007 and The Mets Magic Number: 1.

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Saturday, September 16, 2006...

Ten Timeline Memories...

1. [1630] The original Native American name of Shawmut is changed to Boston...
2. [1949] The "Road Runner" "beep-beeps" for the 1st time in the WB cartoon "Fast and Furry-ous" (Mel Blanc does the "beep-beep")...
3. [1953] "The Robe" premieres at The Roxy Theater in Manhattan. It's the 1st movie filmed in wide-screen CinemaScope...
4. [1964] "Shindig" debuts on ABC-TV with the Righteous Brothers, Everly Brothers and Sam Cooke...
5. [1966] The Metropolitan Opera opens its new opera house in Lincoln Center...
6. [1968] One of the best comedy series of all-time, "The Andy Griffith Show" bows out after 8 seasons (but will continue in reruns forever)...
7. [1968] Richard Nixon makes his famous "sock it to me" walk-on appearance on "Rowan and Martin's Laugh-In"...
8. [1973] Buffalo running back O.J. Simpson becomes the 1st NFL player to gain 250 yards in a game, against the Patriots (ouch. That one cut like a knife)...
9. [1974] President Gerald Ford grants a conditional amnesty program for draft evaders and deserters during the Vietnam War...
10. [1981] Sugar Ray Leonard rallies to beat Thomas "Hitman" Hearns, winning by a TKO to win the welterweight title. It's Hearns 1st professional loss...

"Happy Trails": 1977] Marc Bolan (T. Rex) dies in a car accident at 29...

Released on this date: 1963] "She Loves You" - Beatles...1979] "Rapper's Delight" - Sugar Hill Gang (most feel, me included, that this was the 1st rap hit)...

#1 on this date: 1985] "Money for Nothing" - Dire Straits...

Premiered on this date: 1963] "Outer Limits" (lasts 2 seasons)...1965] "The Dean Martin Show" (through 1974)...1972] "Bob Newhart Show" (Newhart plays a shrink. It runs until 1978]...1984] "Miami Vice" (changes the way guys dress and runs for 5 seasons)...

Wedding Bells: 1990] Dennis Quaid and Meg Ryan tie the knot (the marriage lasts 9 years)...

[To ensure accuracy of dates and content, multiple reference sources are used in the timeline]...

"Happy Birthday...happy birthday"...

Marc Anthony (37), Mickey Rourke (50), David Copperfield (50), Peter Falk (79), B.B. King (81) and Lauren Bacall (82)...

Timeline Countdown: 18 days until major league playoffs and 106 days left until 2007...

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Sunday, September 17, 2006...

Ten Timeline Memories...

1. [1796] President George Washington reads his Farewell Address before the U.S. Congress...
2. [1862] Union forces repel a Confederate invasion of Maryland in the Civil War Battle of Antietam. 23,100 are killed, wounded or captured in the bloodiest day in U.S. military history...
3. [1947] Brooklyn Dodger Jackie Robinson is named the 1st "Rookie of the Year" (the 1st black to be honored as such)...
4. [1954] Brockton (MA) native Rocky Marciano KO's Ezzard Charles in the 8th round to retain his heavyweight crown at Yankee Stadium...
5. [1967] The Doors sing ""Light My Fire" and "People Are Strange" on "The Ed Sullivan Show"...
6. [1986] The Mets clinch the NL East title by beating the Cubs 4-2 behind Doc Gooden's 15th win of the season (how ironic would it be if the Mets clinch it on the same date, 20 years apart ? It could happen)...
7. [1992] A halt is called on the probe of the Iran-Contra scandal (the investigation lasted over 5 years)...
8. [1994] Heather Whitestone of Alabama becomes the 1st deaf Miss America...
9. [2003] New York Stock Exchange chairman Dick Grasso resigns amid a furor over his $139.5 million pay package (c'mon A-Rod makes $25 million a year)...
10. [2004] Barry Bonds hits his 700th home run for the Giants, joining Babe Ruth (714) and Hank Aaron (755) as the only players to reach that milestone (don't look now but he has 731)...

"Happy Trails": 1996] Former VP Spiro Agnew of leukemia at 77...

Released on this date: 1964] "Baby Love" - Supremes...2002] "A Moment Like This' - Kelly Clarkson (this was originally the "B" side of "Before Your Love"}...

#1 on this date: 1977] "Rumours" LP - Fleetwood Mac (for the 19th of 31 weeks)...

Premiered on this date: 1963] "The Fugitive" (airs until 1967 and then in rerun for one more year)...1964] "Bewitched" (#2 rated show in its 1st season runs until 1967 and then 6 more years as a rerun)...1965] "Hogan's Heroes" (runs through 1971)...1965] "The Smothers Brothers Show" (this was a sitcom that only lasted one season, then the comedy series begins in 1967...1966] "Mission: Impossible" (has a phenomenal run until 1990)...1972] "M*A*S*H" (runs 11 years, ending in 1983 as a 2 1/2 hour special viewed by the largest TV audience ever to watch a single TV program) Reruns are still running somewhere...

"Moving Day": 1955] "The Perry Como Show" moves to Saturday Night on NBC-TV...

[To ensure accuracy of dates and content, multiple reference sources are used in the timeline]...

"Happy Birthday...happy birthday"...

Nona (daughter of Marvin) Gaye (32), Ex-Met John Franco (46), Rita Rudner (51), Laker coach Phil Jackson (57), LaMonte (5th Dimension) McLemore (67) and Football Hall of Famer George Blanda (79)...

Timeline Countdown: 17 days until major league playoffs and 105 days until 2007

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