This Day in History April 30, 1952

I always loved Mr. Potato Head (and I think I waited quite a while as a child to own one), and on this date in 1952, it became the first child's toy to be advertised on TV.  It was originally pushpins that could be inserted into a real potato--can you imagine?  I bet someone would be up in arms about that today!  Someone would probably say that was  a waste of food today (halfway kidding, halfway not).  Or they might  be concerned about the safety of children.  Interesting how things have changed.

For more information:
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Mr._Potato_Head
http://cnynews.com/the-first-toy-ever-advertised-on-tv-mr-potato-head-1952-video/
http://www.mrpotatohead.net/tv/tv.htm

This Day in History April 7, 1927

 I was intrigued by today's feature.  It was on this date in 1927, that the first demonstration of long-distance television transmission occurred.  It was provided by AT&T Bell Telephone Laboratories, and it transmitted the live picture and voice of then Secretary of Commerce Herbert Hoover from Washington D.C. over to New York City.  I had no idea that television transmission was possible that far back in history.

For more info:
http://www.historyofinformation.com/expanded.php?id=3986
http://www.tvhistory.tv/pre-1935.htm
http://www.corp.att.com/attlabs/reputation/timeline/27tv.html
http://www.rep-am.com/articles/2013/04/07/news/today_in_history/714494.txt

This Day in History April 5, 1987

I think I actually remember this--even if I don't remember the exact date.  There were three major national networks when I was growing up:  ABC, NBC, and CBS.  Any other network was a local network.  We didn't have a lot of choices.  All that changed on this date in 1987.  Rupert Murdoch, a businessman from Australia who already owned 20th Century Fox, decided to challenge "the Big Three."  Fox Broadcasting Company was launched in prime time with Married...With Children and The Tracy Ullman Show.  I never watched either show--not my style.  But now Fox seems to be the one that instigated the reality show revolution.  At least, that's my opinion.

For more information:
http://www.cs.cmu.edu/~aarong/from-andrew/fox/fox.html
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Fox_Broadcasting_Company
http://famousdaily.com/history/fox-broadcasting-network-begins.html

This Day in History February 14, 1934

It was on this date in 1934 that one of the most beloved TV moms was born--Florence Henderson.  I grew up watching reruns of The Brady Bunch, and it was not that long ago that she was on Dancing With the Stars.  She is indeed a multi-talented star--even a music theater star.  She is now 79 years old, and she is still going strong!

For more info:
http://www.famousbirthdays.com/people/florence-henderson.html
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Florence_Henderson
http://www.flohome.com/main.htm

This Day in History February 7, 2010

There are some discrepancies, but I think I think I have accurate information for what I will post.  On this date in 2010, there was a record number of people watching a certain show.  It was Super Bowl XLIV in which the Saints defeated the Colts.  An average of 106 million (153.4 million total) or possibly 111 million viewers.  It depends on what report you believe.  But it surpassed the previous record of M.A.S.H. series finale (just under 106 million viewers).  According to most reports, the following year's Super Bowl broke this record with 111.3 million viewers.  This year's Super Bowl did not break any records.  But it is clear that  2010's Super Bowl was truly a game worth watching.  Seeing the Saints win only five short years after Hurricane Katrina truly made this a feel good story.

For more information:
http://www.huffingtonpost.com/2011/02/07/super-bowl-2011-ratings-s_n_819559.html
http://sports.yahoo.com/nfl/news?slug=ap-superbowl-ratings
http://famousdaily.com/history/saints-defeat-colts-most-watched-tv-program.html

This Day in History October 16, 1925

By Alan Light (http://www.flickr.com/photos/alan-light/211193459/) [CC-BY-2.0 (http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/2.0)], via Wikimedia Commons

Talk about a living legend!  Today's feature has done it all as far as the entertainment industry goes.  Whether you are talking about movies, television, Broadway, or probably about anything else you can mention, this woman has done it!  On this date in 1925, Angela Lansbury was born.  And she is still living!  And she is not slowing down any time soon.  She still performs on stage and is scheduled to star in Driving Miss Daisy on stage next year!

Her first movie was Gaslight, and she is also well-known as Jessica Fletcher on Murder, She Wrote (my first exposure to her as I was growing up!).  She was born in London but came to New York City in 1940 right before the London Blitz.  Her list of awards is just too numerous to list here.

Here's one you and your children will probably recognize.


For more information, please check out:
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Angela_Lansbury
http://www.imdb.com/name/nm0001450/bio
http://www.famousbirthdays.com/people/angela-lansbury.html

This Day in History October 4, 1961

http://www.flickr.com/photos/mollyeknox/912508036/sizes/s/in/photostream/

Remember the Chipmunks?  On this date in 1961, the Chipmunks were offered their own TV show on CBS--The Alvin Show.  It ran for one season.  It originally ran in black and white.  Ross Bagdasarian, Sr, did all the voices in addition to creating the show.  This was the prime time show.  Later on, in 1983, it became a Saturday morning cartoon show.



For more information, please check out:
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/The_Alvin_Show
http://www.tv.com/shows/the-alvin-show/
http://famousdaily.com/history/alvin-and-the-chipmunks.html

This Day in History September 21, 1970

Are there any football fans out there? This date in 1970, Monday Night football officially began. It was aired on ABC with sportscaster Howard Cosell. In 2005, it ended on ABC as one of the longest-running prime time television programs ever. The contract for Monday Night football is now owned by ESPN until 2021. I apologize to all the football fans out there--I don't like Monday night fooball, although I grew up with it. My mom is the big football fan in the family.

For more information, please check out:
http://famousdaily.com/history/monday-night-footbal-begins.html http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Monday_Night_Football http://sportsillustrated.cnn.com/multimedia/photo_gallery/1009/nfl.rare.photos.1970/content.9.html

This Day in History September 19, 1928

By Greenway Productions-producer of both the television series and the 1966 film. (eBay item photo front photo back) [Public domain], via Wikimedia Commons

Holy Birthday, Batman! Yes, on this date in 1928, Adam West, the original TV series Batman, was born!  And I had no idea he was born either Washington state!  Walla Walla, Washington, to be exact.  William West Anderson was his real name.  He played Batman from 1966-1968 on television. and this is a show that I enjoyed as I was growing up.  My daughter loves it, too.  He was reportedly offered the role of James Bond in Diamonds Are Forever, but his response was that James Bond should always be played by an English actor.  In more recent years, he has done some voice work in various animated television shows and more.  

One of my favorite scenes:

For more information, please check out:
http://www.adamwest.com
http://www.imdb.com/name/nm0001842/
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Adam_West
http://www.famousbirthdays.com/people/adam-west.html

This Day in History August 6, 1911

What a day for television history buffs.  On this date in 1911, Lucille Ball was born.  Most will remember her as the incomparable "Lucy" from her 1950's hit show I Love Lucy.  But her career was much more involved than that.  She was a glamour girl and a star of "B" pictures in the 1930's and 1940's.  Most know of her turbulent marriage to Desi Arnaz that eventually ended in divorce.  She is known for being the first woman to appear on TV as a pregnant mother.  She was suspected of being a Communist during the infamous McCarthyism period of U.S. history.  Her red hair was not natural (just to clear that one up).  Even when her famous TV show ended, it did not end her career.  Her last public appearance was at the 1989 Academy Awards.  She died April 26, 1989, of a ruptured aorta following open heart surgery.  

"I'd rather regret the things that I have done than the things that I have not."

For more information, be sure to check out:

http://www.imdb.com/name/nm0000840/bio

http://www.findagrave.com/cgi-bin/fg.cgi?page=gr&GRid=7003071

http://www.biography.com/people/lucille-ball-9196958

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Lucille_Ball

Picture sources:

http://www.flickr.com/photos/cauldrongraphix/6055254352/

http://www.flickr.com/photos/oface/3831372291/

This Day in History August 1, 1981

Well, today was a monumental day in music history.  And it concerned what you see in the picture above.  Yes, on this date in 1981, MTV was launched!  I remember MTV in its inception because I refused to watch it.  My next-door neighbor loved Madonna, and I remember having to watch her once.  And that was it.  Thankfully, we did not have cable, so I did not have to watch it.

Amazingly, early MTV offered music videos--can you believe it?  Not like today when it has other programming on.  And the first video?  I will attach the video here--it's really a hoot!


Video Killed The Radio Star by drek258

For more information, please check out:
http://famousdaily.com/history/mtv-launched-in-new-york-city.html
http://mtvhistory.10001mb.com/
http://www.history.com/this-day-in-history/mtv-launches

This Day in History June 24, 1949

So do you like Westerns?  Well, on this date in 1949, Hopalong Cassidy became the first TV Western.  I just asked my mom if she used to watch it.  She remembers listening to it on the radio, but she is pretty sure she watched it on TV (but not in '49).

This is show I never watched, but I have heard of it.  I grew up watching reruns of other Westerns, and I have to admit that I couldn't stand Westerns as I grew up!  I kind of enjoy them now.

For more info, check out:
http://www.oldies.com/product-view/40566M.html
http://www.museum.tv/eotvsection.php?entrycode=westerns
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Hopalong_Cassidy#Television_and_radio
http://www.brainyhistory.com/days/june_24.html

This Day in History January 19, 1953

Okay, I know, I wasn't even born yet, and this was way before my time.  But I watched I Love Lucy reruns as I was growing up, and I continued to watch them well into my adulthood.  My daughter loves them.  I don't like to watch them now because my dad loves them, and I can't stand watching anything with him.  He acts like a 2-year-old as he watches the same episode he has seen many times.

On this date in 1953, "Lucy Goes to the Hospital" aired for the first time on television.  They chose this date so that it would coincide with her planned Cesarean section of her real-life child.  It was the most-viewed television show up to this date--at least 68% of American TV's were tuned to this episode, but some estimate the number should be 75%.  More people watched this than the inauguration of President Eisenhower.  This episode was watched by somewhere around 44 million viewers.

I hadn't realized that a few months later, Desi Arnaz, Jr. (the real child of Lucille Ball and Desi Arnaz) was featured on the cover of the very first TV Guide magazine.  This caused that new magazine to skyrocket in popularity as you can well imagine.

I always loved this episode, and if you don't know the history surrounding it, the show did something that had never been done during this time.  Lucille Ball was pregnant, and instead of hiding it, they wrote it into the show.  They didn't have to, but I will tell you that those were outstanding episodes.

I often miss good shows like these old sitcoms.  I hardly watch any current sitcoms, and if I watch anything, I have to be so careful of the content when my daughter is around.  It is such a shame to see what we watch for entertainment nowadays.



For more information, check out these sites:
http://www.emmytvlegends.org/blog/?p=1065
http://everythinglucy.blogspot.com/2007/01/happy-birthday-little-ricky.html

This Day in History November 21, 1980

Okay, I really found this pathetic when I discovered it was the lead story at history.com for November 21, but I chose to cover it because it is something that I am sure is remembered and has become quite a piece of television history.


Wish I could embed this video, but it won't let me, so check out this link.
http://youtu.be/Ffo2Oqt8bIM

Bring back memories for anyone?  I will admit that I remember the theme song, and that was about it.  And who can forget J.R.?

It was on this day in 1980 that 350 million viewers around the world tuned in to answer the most important question in the world--Who shot J.R.?  The fans had been waiting for 8 months, and the question was answered on this episode--J.R.'s sister and his former mistress.

My mom is pretty sure she watched this episode.  She was a Dallas fan.  I couldn't have told you a thing about the show, and I really could care less. 

I don't need to leave any additional links because I placed them all in this blog post.  If you wish to comment about where you were when you found who did the deed, be my guest.  I have heard that the show is supposed to be coming back with Larry Hagman.  Not sure if that is right.  I preferred Larry Hagman on I Dream of Jeannie.  Shows what I like!

This Day in History September 26, 1969

Does this bring back memories?  I would say the vast majority of people in the United States have spent some time in their lives watching this show.  I grew up on it.  I probably all the shows made more than once, and I just didn't get tired of them.

On this day in 1969, The Brady Bunch premiered.  Indeed the show has become an American icon, and it is considered one of the most important shows of the 1970's.  This show portrayed wholesome family life during a time of political and social unrest.  Generally, controversial topics were avoided, and the blended family got along quite well.

The show ran for 177 episodes, and its last original episode aired August 30, 1974.  As I mentioned, reruns are what has continued to keep this show a hit.  There have been all sorts of spin-offs and movies from this show.  According to Florence Henderson (Mrs. Brady), she and the cast receive no revenue from syndication.  Pretty sad, eh?  I won't go into all the "garbage" that came out concerning the show.  I know there were all kinds of affairs between cast members and more, but I really don't care.

What I care about is that even now, this show is a retreat to a simpler, kinder time in history when you didn't have to worry about your children seeing sex, violence, and profanity on TV.  I don't think my daughter has seen this show yet, but I know that when she does, she will enjoy it.  I get so upset with TV nowadays.  In fact, I was just saying to my mom tonight that a few of the shows coming out this season sound good or cute, but they are ruined with sex and profanity.  Will we ever return to a time when TV was clean and wholesome?  Probably not, but I can dream.

For more information, check out this site.

This Day in History September 10, 1955

Okay, I know I did a television yesterday, too, and I could certainly have picked a lot of tragic things, but in light of the anniversary that will be coming this weekend, I thought it would be nice to keep it light again.  Anyone know what TV show premiered on this day in 1955?  The picture might help, but I remember seeing it in color, not black and white.  No, I was not around when it started, but I saw the reruns, and I hated it when I was really young!  It was the premiere of Gunsmoke. It starred James Arness, Milburn Stone, and Amanda Blake. Read on for a little history.

This show began on the radio in 1952.  The radio show actually lasted until 1961--same characters and setting, just different actors.  Three years into the radio show, it was decided that this show should come to television.  They considered bringing the radio cast to the television version, but it was not feasible.  The rumor was that John Wayne was the first choice for Marshall Matt Dillon, but even if that he was seriously considered, he was too big a film star to consider this show. He did suggest his protege, James Arness (who was 6'7").  During the first 6 seasons of this show, it aired for a half hour on CBS Saturday night at 10 P.M.  This show can be described as the first adult Western because it did not follow the traditions of Lone Ranger and other shows like that in vogue around this time.  It took a season or two to take off, but by the third season, it became America's top-rated  TV series (and kept that rating for the next four seasons!).

In 1961, Gunsmoke became an hour-long show.  By 1966, the show was declining in popularity due to various changes in some of the stars.  It was that same year that the show changed from black and white to color, but its popularity was still on the decline. It was announced that the eleventh season would be its final season, but smart decisions were made that saved it (moving to a different time slot, changes in the production staff, etc.).  Within three years, it had moved up to be the second most popular show in America. The show ended finally September 1, 1975 with a total of 633 episodes.  There were several Gunsmoke movies on TV from 1987 to 1994.  The show holds two records--longest-running Western and longest-running drama.

While I couldn't stand this show as I was growing up, I began to appreciate it and even enjoy it as I became an adolescent.  This was a common thing for me as I grew up. I often fought hard against any shows that my mom liked, but eventually they grew on me.  This is one of the only Westerns that I think I would sit down and watch even now.

Toby Keith immortalized this show in one of his early hits:

For more information, check out this site.

This Day in History September 9, 1956

Can you guess what might have happened on this day in 1956?  This was the infamous day when Elvis Presley first appeared on the Ed Sullivan show!  It is an indeed an iconic event in television history.  And of course, Elvis Presley is blamed for the shift that has occurred in American rock music.  He dared to swing his hips around, and it was scandalous!

Before we get into all of that, let's review some actual history of the world-changing show.  Ed Sullivan had already been burned by rock before, and he did not want to even bring Elvis on the show.  And after all, $5,000 was a lot of money to invite this kind of controversy.

But Sullivan finally gave in.  After all, Elvis fever was sweeping the country, and he would be a fool not to have such a popular act on his show. So he agreed to bring him on the show three times for the unprecedented sum of $50,000!

Elvis's first appearance was actually not the big one according to history. Ed Sullivan was recovering from a head-on collision and so Charles Laughton filled in for the host.  Elvis was in Hollywood filming his first movie.  He sang Don't Be Cruel, Love Me Tender, Hound Dog, and Ready Teddy.  It was on this show that "Elvis censorship" began--only showing him from the waist up when he began dancing.

I have heard people blame the change in this country's music solely on Elvis Presley.  I think that is unfounded.  First of all, Elvis was actually and R & B singer.  He did not sing hard rock.  Secondly, his dance moves were extremely tame compared to what happened a few years ago.  Third, girls have been screaming and fainting over musicians for ages.  If you don't believe me, look up Franz Liszt.  He was an 1800's pianist that drove women wild.  And finally, music was changing long before Elvis came along.  I pride myself on being somewhat of a music historian, and "lusty" music that appeals to man's baser instincts has been around for ages.  Check out Roman, Greek, Renaissance--and the list goes on and on!  So let's stop blaming all our problems on Elvis.  I actually have been in a church when a "revival preacher" said this from the pulpit.  No wonder Christians get a bad name!



Read more about that show here.