(Remembering those we lost in Radio, TV & Records)
January: Del Reeves (74), Yvonne DeCarlo (84), Ron Carey (71), Art Buchwald (82), Denny Doherty (66), Thornton James "Pookie" Hudson (72)... February: Barbara McNair (72), Frankie Laine (93), Anna Nicole Smith (39)...
March: Brad Delp (Boston) (55), Richard Jeni (49), Calvert De Forest a.k.a. Larry 'Bud' Melman (85), Luther Ingram (69)...
April: Barry Nelson (86), Don Ho (76), Kitty Carlisle Hart (96), Bobby 'Boris Pickett (69), Tommy Newsom (78), Tom Poston (85)...
May: Bill Todd a.k.a. Johnny Williams (WRKO) (62), Gus Saunders (Boston Kitchen) (85), Hank Medress (Tokens) (68), Charles Nelson Reilly (76)...
June: Don "Mr. Wizard" Herbert (89), Joel Siegel (63)...
July: Beverly Sills (78), Boots Randolph (80), Bill Pinkney (Drifters) (81), Tammy Faye Messner (65), Tom Snyder (71)...
August: Lee Hazlewood (78), Merv Griffin (82), Max Roach (83), Phil Rizzuto (89), Hilly Kristal (CBGB) (75)...
September: Luciano Pavarotti (70), Jane Wyman (90), Brett Somers (83), Bob Altshuler (CBS Records) (84), Alice Ghostley (83), Marcel Marceau (84), Lois Maxwell (Miss Moneypenny)(80)...
October: George Grizzard (89), Deborah Kerr (86), Joey Bishop (89), Teresa Brewer (76), Paul (Chef Tell) Erhardt (63), Porter Wagoner (80), Robert Goulet (73)...
November: Don Dumont (79), Laraine Day (90), Hi Lit (73), Dick "Mr. Whipple" Wilson (91), Bill Hartack (74), Evel Knievel (69)...
December: Ike Turner (76), Fred B. Cole (92), Dan Fogelberg (56)...
Happy Trails and thanks for all the memories you left us with: http://youtube.com/watch?v=PGvCMruyjVg ...
10 Timeline Memories:
- 0404] Curtains: The last gladiator competition is held in Rome and taped for later use as a NBC-TV special (1/1)...1956] After 5 years on TV, the final "Ding Dong School" airs on NBC-TV hosted by Miss Francis Horwich (12/28)...1966] The final episode of "The Adventures of Ozzie & Harriet" is filmed (1/1)...1984] "Edge of Night" fades to black after 28 years (12/28)...1989] Jane Pauley leaves the "Today Show" (12/29)...1995] The last "Far Side" cartoon runs. Started in 1980 by Gary Larson, 'Far Side' books and calendars continue to be best sellers (1/1)...
- 1851] Why oh why?: The first YMCA is organized in Boston (12/29) which eventually leads to the Village People: http://youtube.com/watch?v=X9DC26UUZhQ ...
- 1863] Mine eyes have seen the glory: Abraham Lincoln signs the Emancipation Proclamation declaring that slaves in rebel states are free (1/1)...
- 1892] Debuted on this date: The Ellis Island Immigrant Station opens in New York Harbor (1/1)...1902] The first 'Tournament of Roses', later renamed the 'Rose Bowl' collegiate football game is played in Pasadena (CA) (1/1)...1935] Charles Darrow patents the game of Monopoly (12/31)...1953] The first color TV sets go on sale for $1,175 (12/30). How many would you like??? 1954] The 24-second clock is used for the first time in the NBA in the Celtics-Rochester game (12/30)...
- 1898] I'll take Manhattan: Manhattan, the Bronx, Brooklyn, Queens and Staten Island are consolidated into New York City (1/1)...
- 1943] Old Blue Eyes takes Manhattan: Times Square greets Frank Sinatra at the Paramount Theater. His career explodes after this appearance (12/31). Here's the 'Chief Cheech' in a movie from 1943: http://youtube.com/watch?v=qsdzGzLzA2Q ...
- 1953] 'Happy Trails': Legendary Country singer Hank Williams is found dead in his car, a victim of a drug and alcohol overdose at 29 (1/1)...1972] Future Baseball Hall of Famer Roberto Clemente is killed on a mercy mission when the cargo plane he had chartered goes down in the Caribbean. Clemente, 38, was en route to helping victims of a Nicaraguan earthquake (12/31)...1980] Folksinger/songwriter Tim Hardin O.D.'s on heroin at 40 (12/29)...1983] Dennis Wilson of the Beach Boys drowns while swimming near his boat at Marina del Rey (CA) (12/28). Ironically, Dennis was the only real surfer in the group. Wilson was 39...1985] Teen Idol Rick Nelson dies in a plane crash on his way to a New Year's Eve concert in Dallas (12/31). Rick was one of the nicest people I had the pleasure of knowing...1997] Michael Kennedy, 39-year old son of the late Robert Kennedy is killed in a skiing accident on Aspen Mountain (12/31)...1999] Sarah Knauss, the world's oldest person (119) dies of natural causes (12/31). Sarah was born in 1880...
- 1958] Frozen in sports history: The Baltimore Colts beat the Giants 23-17 at 8:15 into overtime on a frozen Yankee Stadium field to win the NFL Championship in a thriller (12/28)...
- 1959] Castro takes control: Fidel Castro overthrows the government of Fulgencio Batista and seizes power in Cuba (1/1)...
- 1967] Equal but separate: The FCC starts requiring AM/FM combo stations to be at least 50 percent separate in programming (1/1). Lots of great stations will be born, including WRKO (in March)...
Music Memories:
- 1945] Music City is on the map: Sheb Wooley records the first commercial record cut in Nashville. It was on the Bullet label (so it could get bullets in Billboard?) (12/29)...
- 1956] Recorded on this date: "Heartbreak Hotel" - Elvis Presley (1/1)...1964] "Fun, Fun, Fun" - Beach Boys (1/1)...
- 1965] Released on this date: "My World Is Empty Without You" - Supremes (12/29)...1968] "Touch Me" - Doors (12/28)..
- 1966] Number One on this date: "I'm A Believer" - Monkees (12/31)...1967] "Hello Goodbye" - Beatles (12/30)... 1968] The Beatles 'White Album' (12/28)...1974] "Lucy In The Sky With Diamonds" - Elton John (12/29). Herrrrrreeee's Elton: http://youtube.com/watch?v=Q7AgIEfBq_Q ...
Commentary:
If you think, like me, the year went by too fast, you're ready for the next one. It will be here sooner than you think - Monday night at midnight. However you intend to celebrate, do it safely. Happy New Year!!!! See you next year...
'Happy Birthday...happy birthday":
(12/28) Sienna Miller (26), John Legend (29), Seth Meyers (34), Ray Bourque (47), Denzel Washington (53), Alex (Boxtops) Chilton (57), Edgar Winter (61), Dame Maggie Smith (73), Johnny Otis (86) and Lou Jacobi (94)...
(12/29) Mikhi Phifer (33), Jude Law (35), Paula Poundstone (48), Evonne Elliman (56), Ted Danson (60), Marianne Faithful (61), Jon Voight (69),Tyl Mary Tyler Moore (70), Tom Jarriel (73) and Inga ('Benson') Swenson (75)...
(12/30) Allyson Mireya Phillips (2), LeBron James (23), Tiger Woods (32), Sean Hannity (46), Tracey Ullman (48), Matt Lauer (50), Sheryl Lee Ralph (52), Meredith Vieira (54), Patti Smith (61), Davy Jones (62), Michael Nesmith (65), Paul Stookey (70), Sandy Koufax (72) and Bo Diddley (79)...
(12/31) Joey McIntyre (35), Val Kilmer (48), Bebe Neuwirth (49), Donna Summer (59), Burton Cummings (60), Diane Von Furstenburg (61), Ben Kingsley (64), Sarah Miles (66), Anthony Hopkins (70) and Odetta (77)...
(1/1) Verne Troyer (39), Don (Father Guido Sarducci) Novello (65), Country Joe McDonald (66), Frank Langella (68) and J.D. Sallinger (89)...
Timeline Countdown for January 1, 2008: Happy New Year, 4 days until the NFL Wild Card Playoffs and 11 days for the NFL Divisional Playoffs (the Patriots will be in one of those games)...
