Just a few random TV related events that happened on February 25. Discuss or comment as you please……
1913: Actor and voice artist Jim Backus (I Married Joan, Mr. Magoo, Gilligan’s Island) is born in Cleveland, Ohio.
1928: Writer/producer Larry Gelbart (M*A*S*H) is born in Chicago.
1929: Actor Christopher George (The Rat Patrol) is born in Royal Oak, Michigan.
1935: Talk show host Sally Jesse Raphael is born in Easton, Pennsylvania.
1937: Journalist Bob Schieffer is born in Austin, Texas.
1940: The first televised ice hockey game (Rangers vs. Canadiens) is broadcast from Madison Square Garden on New York’s W2XBS.
1946: The prewar U.S. 18-channel VHF TV allocation is officially dropped in favor of a new 13-channel scheme due to the appropriation of some frequencies by the military and the relocation of FM radio. Only five of the old channels are the same as new channels in frequency and none have the same number as before.
1950: Your Show of Shows premieres on CBS.
1966: TV host Nancy O’Dell (Access Hollywood) is born in Myrtle Beach, South Carolina.
1983: What Were They Thinking Department: The New Odd Couple, a revision of the classic 1970’s show, but this time starring two black actors (Ron Glass and Demond Wilson) is unceremoniously dumped after just 13 episodes. Eight of those episodes were based on recycled scripts from the original series, probably contributing to the general indifference of the viewing audience. (“Wait...haven’t I seen this before? Only done about 100 times better?”)
1987: Actor James Coco (Calucci’s Dept., The Dumplings) dies in New York City of a heart attack, aged 56.
2003: The NYPD Blue episode “Nude Awakening” is broadcast on ABC. It features a scene with actress Charlotte Ross (Connie) in full rear and partial frontal nudity, eliciting a proposed $1.4 million fine by the FCC – a decision not made until 2008, almost 5 years after the original broadcast. The fine was based on the air time of the episode falling before the 10 p.m. “watershed” in the Central and Mountain time zones. ABC has appealed the fine – if unsuccessful, they will be assessed $27,500 per each of the 52 affiliates that broadcast the show before 10 p.m. local time.
2003: Donahue, the MSNBC show featuring the return of Phil Donahue to TV after a 6-year absence, is canceled by the network after just 7 months on the air, despite garnering the highest ratings of any MSNBC talk show at the time (often even topping Chris Matthews’ Hardball). Later, an internal NBC memo would be brought to light, stating that Donahue should be fired because he would be a "difficult public face for NBC in a time of war." (Weenies...)
2006: Actor Darren McGavin (Mickey Spillane's Mike Hammer, Riverboat, Kolchak: The Night Stalker) dies in Los Angeles of natural causes, aged 83.
(Just a little featurette I hope to do as time permits. It’s an entirely random selection based on a quick Net search, and is not meant to be comprehensive. So, don’t post nasty messages about “you forgot THIS” or “how could you not mention THAT?” Do so, and I’ll just take my keyboard and go home…..)
1913: Actor and voice artist Jim Backus (I Married Joan, Mr. Magoo, Gilligan’s Island) is born in Cleveland, Ohio.
1928: Writer/producer Larry Gelbart (M*A*S*H) is born in Chicago.
1929: Actor Christopher George (The Rat Patrol) is born in Royal Oak, Michigan.
1935: Talk show host Sally Jesse Raphael is born in Easton, Pennsylvania.
1937: Journalist Bob Schieffer is born in Austin, Texas.
1940: The first televised ice hockey game (Rangers vs. Canadiens) is broadcast from Madison Square Garden on New York’s W2XBS.
1946: The prewar U.S. 18-channel VHF TV allocation is officially dropped in favor of a new 13-channel scheme due to the appropriation of some frequencies by the military and the relocation of FM radio. Only five of the old channels are the same as new channels in frequency and none have the same number as before.
1950: Your Show of Shows premieres on CBS.
1966: TV host Nancy O’Dell (Access Hollywood) is born in Myrtle Beach, South Carolina.
1983: What Were They Thinking Department: The New Odd Couple, a revision of the classic 1970’s show, but this time starring two black actors (Ron Glass and Demond Wilson) is unceremoniously dumped after just 13 episodes. Eight of those episodes were based on recycled scripts from the original series, probably contributing to the general indifference of the viewing audience. (“Wait...haven’t I seen this before? Only done about 100 times better?”)
1987: Actor James Coco (Calucci’s Dept., The Dumplings) dies in New York City of a heart attack, aged 56.
2003: The NYPD Blue episode “Nude Awakening” is broadcast on ABC. It features a scene with actress Charlotte Ross (Connie) in full rear and partial frontal nudity, eliciting a proposed $1.4 million fine by the FCC – a decision not made until 2008, almost 5 years after the original broadcast. The fine was based on the air time of the episode falling before the 10 p.m. “watershed” in the Central and Mountain time zones. ABC has appealed the fine – if unsuccessful, they will be assessed $27,500 per each of the 52 affiliates that broadcast the show before 10 p.m. local time.
2003: Donahue, the MSNBC show featuring the return of Phil Donahue to TV after a 6-year absence, is canceled by the network after just 7 months on the air, despite garnering the highest ratings of any MSNBC talk show at the time (often even topping Chris Matthews’ Hardball). Later, an internal NBC memo would be brought to light, stating that Donahue should be fired because he would be a "difficult public face for NBC in a time of war." (Weenies...)
2006: Actor Darren McGavin (Mickey Spillane's Mike Hammer, Riverboat, Kolchak: The Night Stalker) dies in Los Angeles of natural causes, aged 83.
(Just a little featurette I hope to do as time permits. It’s an entirely random selection based on a quick Net search, and is not meant to be comprehensive. So, don’t post nasty messages about “you forgot THIS” or “how could you not mention THAT?” Do so, and I’ll just take my keyboard and go home…..)
