Today in History

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LIFE OF RILEY DAY


NBC-TV presented the first program in the series of The Life of Riley, starring William Bendix, on Jan. 2nd in 1953. The program had aired for one season in 1949 with Jackie Gleason in the starring role of Chester A. Riley. Before that it had a long run on radio where William Bendix also starred in the Riley role (before Bendix, the original Riley on the radio was played by Lionel Stander).

We remember Chester A. Riley as a big, lovable, galoot who had trouble getting things to go right. He worked at an aircraft factory but we usually saw him at home creating all kinds of problems and near disasters for himself and those around him: his wife Peg (Marjorie Reynolds), son Junior (Wesley Morgan), daughter Babs (Lugene Sanders) and good friend Jim Gillis (Tom D'Andrea).

Riley’s philosophy when things went wrong was, “What a revoltin’ development dis is!” When things went right (usually straightened out by Peg), however, Riley was very satisfied with life and ‘the life of Riley’ became synonymous in the 1950s with ‘the good life’.

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MARCH OF DIMES DAY


The March of Dimes was established on Jan. 3rd in 1938 -- by Pres. Franklin Delano Roosevelt -- to fight poliomyelitis (Roosevelt himself was afflicted with polio). The organization was originally called the National Foundation for Infantile Paralysis (as the disease was commonly known).

The March of Dimes accomplished its mission within 20 years. Research led by Dr. Jonas Salk and supported by funds (those marching little dimes) raised annually by thousands of volunteers, resulted in the announcement in April 1955 that the Salk polio vaccine was “safe, potent and effective.” The foundation also supported the research that led to the Sabin oral vaccine, another safe, effective polio preventative discovered later by Dr. Albert B. Sabin.

Following the victory over infantile paralysis, the March of Dimes turned its attention to conquering the largest killer and crippler of children: the mental and physical problems that are present at birth.

Today, The March of Dimes raises funds to support research, education and community-based programs to prevent birth defects and help lower the rate of premature births and infant mortality. The March of Dimes is one of the 10 largest voluntary health agencies in the United States, with 101 chapters nationwide.

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LASSIE FORGETS DAY

On Jan. 4th in 1970, television history was made when super dog Lassie was hit by a car while pushing a child away from danger. Lassie was seen on TV for the next month suffering from amnesia. Here is the list of episodes (thanks to Linda Young’s Unofficial Lassie Web site):

The Road Back, Part 1 (01/04/70):
An injured Lassie, stricken with amnesia, is lost in San Francisco’s Chinatown.

The Road Back, Part 2 (01/11/70):
Lassie wanders Chinatown searching for home without knowing where it is.

The Road Back, Part 3 (01/18/70):
Still unsure of her identity, Lassie helps a retarded girl.

The Road Back, Part 4 (01/25/70):
Her memory recovered, Lassie searches for Scott.

The Lassie TV series, inspired by Eric Knight’s 1940 best-seller, Lassie Come Home[/img], went through three formats centered around a different master. In 1954, Jeff Miller inherited the dog. In 1957, a 7-year-old, named Timmy, was adopted by a childless couple. In 1964, Lassie was given to a forest ranger named Corey Stuart.

Lassie, incidentally, was always played by a male dog and was the first inductee named to the Animal Hall of Fame in 1969.
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ALL MY CHILDREN DAY

The ABC daytime drama, All My Children, created by Agnes Nixon, premiered on Jan. 5th in 1970. The scene: Pine Valley, New York, which later became Pine Valley, Pennsylvania. (Isn’t TV fun? With just the change of a script, a town can move to another state.)

The story line centers around Erica Kane, the most popular character in All My Children, and her many husbands -- so many, in fact, that we lost count. Actress Susan Lucci portrayed Erica. And, in 1999, Lucci, after 18 years of disappointment at the DayTime Emmy Awards, finally earned recognition as AMC’s leading actress.

Performers and behind-the-scenes staffers of All My Children were nominated for Daytime Emmy Awards more than 250 times.

The scripts of All My Children became known for covering subjects often considered taboo on daytime soaps -- story lines about homosexuality, racial bias and war are just a few of the social issues that played out on the TV screen on a daily basis on this risk-taker of a show.

And, as other soaps died around it, whether summer, spring, winter, or fall, the seduction of the audience by All My Children continued until Friday, September 23, 2011, when the TV screen went dark for the last time. The audience was left biting its collective nails as All My Children ended with open-ended plots. Will we ever learn who J.R. Chandler shot?

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SILENT COWBOY DAY

Yippee-i-o-ki-ay! On Jan. 6th in 1880, America’s greatest silent-film cowboy star, Tom Mix, was born! How did the former Texas Ranger and rodeo star become a movie star? Easy -- at least for Tom Mix. He just walked on, rather he rode on to the set of Ranch Life in the Great Southwest. The year was 1909. Mix was just riding along somewhere in Oklahoma when he spotted the Selig Company film crew. The next thing he knew, he was roping a steer on camera.

We could say he was roped into his film career. The Fox Film Corporation signed him as their feature star along with Theda Bara in 1915. By 1923, Mix was in the top 10 of highest paid film stars; with Mix and his horse, Tony, earning $4,000 a week.

Disappointed moviegoers heard that their box-office favorite was a pretty poor cowboy. He had doubles to do his stunts or often faked them and he had accidentally shot himself. (A decade later, Mix admitted that his wife had shot him. She accused him of spousal abuse.) None of this hurt his career. Sixteen years after his first walk-on, Tom Mix became the highest paid movie star to that time. (Fox resigned him at $20,000 a week.) In 1932, Tony retired leaving Mix horseless.

Eight years later, the silent-film great was killed in an accident in a horseless carriage ending the era of the silent-film cowboy.

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RHAPSODY IN BLUE DAY

On Jan. 7th in 1924, George Gershwin began work on the incomparable score of Rhapsody in Blue (he completed it some three weeks later). Incidentally, George was only 26 years old at the time. And, George didn’t even have an interest in music until his family got him a piano when he was twelve. Nine years later he had his first hit, "Swanee", with lyrics written by Irving Caesar.

Rhapsody in Blue was commissioned by Paul Whiteman and then orchestrated by Ferde Grofe of Grand Canyon Suite fame. This first orchestration of Gershwin’s score was never quite right. Grofe’s style didn’t gel with Gershwin’s. Several other artists attempted to do justice to Rhapsody in Blue, never quite making the grade. Some thirty years later, orchestra leader Hugo Winterhalter with Byron Janis at the piano did a jazzed up version; pretty close to the way Gershwin had described his piece. However, it wasn’t until Gershwin’s original solo piano was accompanied by a jazz band led by Michael Tilson Thomas, that the true arrangement of Rhapsody in Blue was heard.

No matter how you hear it, Rhapsody in Blue will remain the signature of one of the most influential of composers, songwriters and pianists in American music history.

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LONG LIVE THE KING DAY


The world welcomed a baby who was destined to truly shake it up! It was on Jan. 8th in 1935 that the King of Rock ‘n’ Roll was born: Elvis Aron Presley (he later changed the spelling of his middle name to Aaron). There is hardly a soul alive who hasn’t heard the name or the voice or seen the swiveling hips of the teen-age idol of millions! From Tupelo, Mississippi to Memphis, Tennessee with stops in Hollywood and Las Vegas; Elvis gave those who grew up with him, the musical memories of a lifetime. Their parents were brought kicking and screaming into a new generation of music; and their children now sing and dance to music performed by those the ‘King’ inspired.

From That’s All Right, Mama and Mystery Train, recorded for Sam Phillips in 1954, to Suspicious Minds, his last #1 hit under the control of Colonel Parker; Elvis Presley was an unequaled phenomenon. He became more than a singer to most of America; a symbol of changes in lifestyles, society and culture.

Today, those of us who were there can still sing Heartbreak Hotel; the words to I Want You, I Need You, I Love You will never escape us; Love Me Tender will forever tear at our heartstrings; while Don’t Be Cruel turns us all into karaoke stars; and, of course, Hound Dog conjures up a vivid image of the sensuous eyes and trembling lips of a young Elvis.

For those who had the good fortune to see Elvis, in person, in Las Vegas and at other venues; and for those who have visited Graceland; to an entire generation, the King still lives in music and memories.

Relive those moments. Get out your Elvis records, tapes, cassettes, CDs and play some real rock ’n’ roll. Play All Shook Up and watch a new generation twist their hips to his music.

Long live the King!

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ROD THE MOD DAY

Born Roderick David Stewart on Jan 10th in 1945, the 5th son of Robert and Elsie Stewart spent his happy childhood doing what he did best: playing football (soccer) and singing. He excelled at the first, becoming captain of his school’s team. Then, for his 14th birthday, Rod’s father bought him a guitar.

That was the start of something big. Music auditions and emulating British and American folk artists convinced young Rod that he needed to play a harmonica. Soon he was singing with The Ray Davies Quartet (The Kinks) as their lead singer – only to irritate some with his now signature scratchy voice.

He was just 18 when he took on another signature – his spiked hairstyle – and earned the nickname, Rod the Mod! From folk music, to rock ‘n’ roll, to rhythm and blues, Stewart was running the gamut of popular music and writing some of his own. However, he wasn’t winning attention in any area until he joined the group, Faces.

Going solo in 1969 led to the beginning of winning in every direction for the throaty, extremely versatile singer. From the international smash hit, "Maggie May" to the even bigger hit, "Tonight’s the Night" to the 1978 chart-topper, "Do Ya Think I’m Sexy", Rod Stewart was charming audiences around the globe. Two more decades of hit songs followed, including a version of "Have I told You Lately" that made one think Rod was singing only to you.

It would be hard to recognize that the seemingly quiet, retiring artist singing just to you was the same man who performed in 1994 at Copacabana Beach in Rio de Janeiro to the largest concert crowd in history: 3.5 million fans celebrating New Year’s Eve and Rod Stewart.

And, although he was inducted into the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame in 1994, Rod Stewart was never awarded with a Grammy (he had 14 nominations) until 2005 when his Stardust… The Great American Songbook, Volume III was voted the Best Traditional Pop Vocal Album. It was also the first time in 25 years that he had another #1 hit. That same year, Rod Stewart was honored with a star on the Hollywood Walk of Fame.

Today, audiences the world over have made the man with the most distinctive voice in pop music an icon and have purchased way more than 100 million of his records. Rod the Mod, now in his fifth decade as a performer, is still singing, selling more records and gaining new fans. And, he still plays in a senior soccer league in California.

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GENTLE BEN DAY

Texans are always ready to boast about their native sons. Well, on Jan 11th in 1952, another soon-to-be-famous Texan was born. Ben D. Crenshaw came into the world at Austin, Texas. As he grew up, he took naturally to the game of golf, winning the NCAA golf championship in 1971 and 1973 while a student at the University of Texas. What happened to 1972, you wonder? Ben won that, too; but he had to share the title with his classmate, Tom Kite. They tied. (Ben Crenshaw was the first to hold three individual titles in amateur golf. He has shared that honor since 1992.)

Following graduation, Crenshaw qualified for the PGA Tour. He didn’t just qualify; he won the competition by 12 strokes, and shot a 30 on the last nine holes! And he won his first venture into professional golf -- the Texas Open. Ben Crenshaw was on his way to a spectacular career -- or was he? The critics didn’t think so.

Although Ben was winning tournaments and big money, he hadn’t won a major event. In the 1975 U.S. Open, at the 71st hole, he hit his tee shot into the water and lost his chance at the title. In 1978, the 71st hole was his downfall once again when he took a double bogey in the British Open. The following year, the PGA championship eluded Crenshaw, too. He was tied with David Graham for the title but lost on the third hole of the playoff. Just bad luck? Crenshaw called the critics bluff.

In 1984 Ben took home the Masters Championship title. The champion golfer, a truly gentle man and a gentleman said, “This is really a sweet, sweet win. I don’t think there will ever be a sweeter moment.”

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AMOS 'N' ANDY DAY

Sam ’n’ Henry debuted on WGN Radio in Chicago, Illinois. It was 1926. The show’s name was soon changed to Amos ’n’ Andy and the voices of its creators, Freeman Gosden and Charles Correll played to Depression-era audiences; portraying two characters who were constantly looking for extra income.

Although the players were white, the characters were supposed to be black. The popular radio show would attract over forty million fans during its radio tenure which ended in 1948. (Gosden and Correll returned to radio with the Amos ’n’ Andy Music Hall [1954-1960]).

When the show moved to television in 1951, black actors replaced Gosden and Correll; and the show was condemned as a one-sided caricature of black Americans. Amos ’n’ Andy, although not politically correct, made broadcasting history. It was the first TV show to have an all-black cast. After two seasons, Amos, Andy and the Kingfish went into syndication.

George Bernard Shaw said, “There are three things I’ll never forget about America: The Rocky Mountains, Niagara Falls, and Amos ’n’ Andy.”

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I HAVE A DREAM DAY

Martin Luther King, Jr. was born on thiJan. 15th in 1929. His lifelong goal was to bring about social, political and economic equality for blacks. In the quest for his ideals, he became one of the greatest civil rights leaders of the 20th century. A Baptist minister (as were his father and grandfather before him), he preached ‘nonviolent resistance’ to achieve full civil rights for all. Leading the African-American struggle for equality through nonviolent demonstrations was what earned King the Nobel Peace Prize in 1964.

In spite of his nonviolent preachings, Martin Luther King, Jr. was the target of violence on several occasions. His home was bombed in Montgomery, Ala.; he was stabbed while in New York City, had stones thrown at him in Chicago and, ultimately, was assassinated (age 39) by a hidden rifleman, in Memphis, Tenn. on April 4, 1968.

On August 28, 1963 more than 200,000 people marched from the Washington Monument to the Lincoln Memorial in Washington, DC and, as millions more watched on television, King addressed the throng saying, “I have a dream that one day this nation will rise up and live out the true meaning of its creed: ‘We hold these truths to be self-evident; that all men are created equal.’”

King wrote five books espousing his philosophy: Stride Toward Freedom [1958], Strength to Love [1963], Why We Can’t Wait [1964], Where Do We Go from Here: Chaos or Community? [1967] and The Trumpet of Conscience [1968].

Martin Luther King, Jr.’s birthday has been a public holiday in the US since 1986, commemorated on the 3rd Monday in January.

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DIZZY DAY

He wasn’t given the name, Dizzy, at his birth on Jan. 16th in 1910; but was named Jay Hanna Dean. Jay gained the reputation of being dizzy because of his malapropisms, used frequently in his later years.
Dizzy Dean also had a reputation for being a champion baseball pitcher. In fact he was one of baseball’s greatest pitchers, learning the game in the Army. Upon his discharge in 1930, he signed on professionally with the St. Louis Cardinals.

He played only one game in his first year with the Cards. By 1932 he led the league in strikeouts [191], in shutouts [4] and in innings pitched [286]. The following year he was strikeout leader again [199]; setting a one-game record of striking out 17 players in nine innings. 1934 was Dean’s greatest year as he was named the league’s MVP and the AP Male Athlete of the Year. Then, for the fourth year in a row, Dean led the league in strikeouts and added number of wins, games completed and innings pitched to his record book.

America’s baseball hero seemed unstoppable. Unfortunately, during the 1937 All-Star game, a line drive broke the big toe on Dean’s left foot. He returned to the Cards’ Gas House Gang before he was completely healed, and compensating with his arm, seriously damaged it and was never able to pitch as well again.

Dizzy Dean then became a broadcaster for the St. Louis Browns and went on to national broadcast fame on the Mutual Radio net, and the ABC/CBS Game of the Week. His malapropisms became widely heard: “The doctors x-rayed my head and found nothing.” “He slud into third.” Some objected to his misuse of the English language, especially his frequent ‘ain’ts’. Dean’s response was a Will Rogers quote: “A lot of people who don’t say ain’t, ain’t eatin’.”

Dizzy Dean earned his place in the Baseball Hall of Fame and earned the applause of millions of baseball fans worldwide ... and we ain’t kiddin’.

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CABLE CAR DAY

Andrew Smith Hallidie of San Francisco, California received a patent for a cable car system on Jan. 17th in 1871. The public transportation system was put into operation in the city by the bay in 1873, providing a fast, safe way to travel up and down San Francisco’s steep hills.

Now, Hallidie didn’t just wake up one day and invent his cable car system. This was one situation that proves the truth of the old adage, ‘necessity is the mother of invention.’ Hallidie realized the necessity for the cable car system when he saw a loaded horse-drawn San Francisco streetcar slide backwards on a slippery hill. It was a summer day in 1869, but the cobblestones were wet from the usual San Francisco dampness. The heavily weighted car dragged five of the horses to their deaths. The catastrophe prompted Andrew Hallidie and his partners to do something to prevent this from happening again.

Coincidentally, Hallidie already had the basic product needed to produce his cable car system. His father had filed the first patent in Great Britain for the manufacture of wire rope. Although Andrew was born in England, he had moved to the U.S. in 1852. As a young man, he was able to use his father’s new, tough rope when he designed and built a suspension bridge across Sacramento’s American River. He also had used the wire rope to pull heavy ore cars out of underground gold mines on tracks. The light bulb went on and his wire-rope manufacturing plant (that he had already moved to San Francisco) began the process of making the new cable car system.

A little known fact is that Mr. Hallidie didn’t call them cable cars at first. Originally, one took a trip on ‘the endless wire rope way.’ The cars ran on rails, pulled by an endless steel cable moving on a slot beneath the street surface. In fact, the San Francisco landmark and tourist attraction works the same way today.

Visitors and commuters alike still consider them a true San Francisco treat.

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SANDWICH ISLANDS DAY

In 1778, on Jan. 18th, Captain James Cook, of the British Navy, thought he was the first to find a group of islands in the Pacific. He named them the Sandwich Islands in honor of England’s Earl of Sandwich, the first lord of the British Admiralty. Little did he know that the islands already had a name. The people who lived on them called the islands Hawaii (known to us now as the 50th of the United States).

Actually, these islands had been discovered long before this day by the Polynesians. Other explorers before Cook probably stopped at the Hawaiian Islands as early as the 1500s. However, it was Cook who spread the word of the existence of this group of tropical isles to the rest of the world.

Captain Cook got along really well with the Hawaiians at first. It seems that his two major trips to the islands occurred during makahiki (a festival) when one of their gods, Lono would, symbolically, return from his travels to preside over the festivities. Some thought Cook was this god. Unfortunately, on his next trip to his Sandwich Islands, Cook lost the godlike image. He had returned to the islands other than when Lono was to arrive and his humanity was revealed. Cook and his men got into a battle with the Hawaiians and Cook was killed in the melee.

History holds no other mention of any further relationship between Hawaii and the Earl of Sandwich, except that folks who live there like to eat huge... well, you know. Pass the SPAM, please.

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THUMBS UP DAY

The first film reviews appeared in Variety magazine on Jan. 19th in 1907. The magazine had only been in print two years before it expanded its section covering new vaudeville acts in order to include reviews of films.

Critics were kind in the days before talkies. Maybe they didn’t bother reading the subtitles and just reviewed the action. The first film to receive the critic’s praise was a comedy titled, An Exciting Honeymoon. It was just seven minutes long. The other ‘first’ Variety film review was of the thirteen-minute movie, The Life of a Cowboy. The critics gave it two thumbs up, saying it was “so melodramatic in treatment that it acted on the audience like a vivid play.”

And, a century later, Variety is still in the movie-review business.