January 16: This Day in TV History

[Stanislav]

Just a few random TV related events that happened on January 16. Discuss or comment as you please……

1949: After several days of testing, WOIC-TV (channel 9, now WUSA) begins full-time operations in Washington, D.C.

1949: KNBH (channel 4, later KRCA-TV, KNBC) begins broadcasting in Los Angeles. It is the last of the five original NBC owned stations to sign on.

1972: Musician/composer/producer Ross Bagdasarian (The Alvin Show) dies in Beverly Hills of a heart attack, aged 52.

1973: The Cartwrights ride into the sunset as the 430th and last original episode of Bonanza is broadcast on NBC.

1979: Actor Ted Cassidy (The Addams Family) dies in Los Angeles, aged 46.

1981: Harper Valley PTA, based on the hit country song, debuts on NBC.

1995: The UPN network launches with the premiere of Star Trek: Voyager.

2007: Actor Ron Carey (Barney Miller) dies of a stroke in Los Angeles, aged 71.

2008: Actor and voice artist Allan Melvin (The Phil Silvers Show, Gomer Pyle USMC, All in the Family/Archie Bunker’s Place, The Brady Bunch, Magilla Gorilla, H.R. Pufnstuf.....oh, we could go on forever...) dies of cancer in Los Angeles, aged 84.

(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…..)

 

[mleach]

1981: Harper Valley PTA, based on the hit country song, debuts on NBC.

Can't forget the movie Harper Valley PTA LOL. Ah really the movie wasn't all that bad even though it didn't do well at the box office but when NBC aired the flick I believe it did do well there and I am pretty sure that led to the TV show, Harper Valley.

Interesting footnote to Harper Valley PTA. The woman who recorded the song in 1968, Jeannie C. Riley isn't a fan of the song that gave her, well her 5 minutes of fame. I think "hate" may be the right word here. I remember back around 1981 or so, Riley was doing a concert in Virginia and of course everyone wanted to hear Harper Valley only to hear Riley go on about how she will NOT do that song and that "..Harper Valley belongs to Barbara Eden now..I don't want any part of it". Jealousy maybe? Anyway a lot of people walked out of her show as a result.

 

[ShawnHill1]

Just a few random TV related events that happened on January 16. Discuss or comment as you please……

1949: KNBH (channel 4, later KRCA-TV, KNBC) begins broadcasting in Los Angeles. It is the last of the five original NBC owned stations to sign on.

KNBC has produced a 60th anniversary special, scheduled to air tonight at 7pm local time, and again on February 1st after the Super Bowl. It's noteworthy because (at least since I've been in the Los Angeles area, 24 of my 28 years being alive) I can never remember KNBC celebrating any milestone birthdays. It's usually KTLA that does the boasting in that department (and with good reason...they are the first television station not only in Southern California, but anywhere in the western United States). This past year, we've had the 60th anniversaries of KCBS (5/6/1948), KCAL (8/25/1948), KCOP (9/25/1948), and KTTV (1/1/1949), and KABC will have their 60th on September 16th of this year.

 

[onairb]

1981: Harper Valley PTA, based on the hit country song, debuts on NBC.

Can't forget the movie Harper Valley PTA LOL. Ah really the movie wasn't all that bad even though it didn't do well at the box office but when NBC aired the flick I believe it did do well there and I am pretty sure that led to the TV show, Harper Valley.

Interesting footnote to Harper Valley PTA. The woman who recorded the song in 1968, Jeannie C. Riley isn't a fan of the song that gave her, well her 5 minutes of fame. I think "hate" may be the right word here. I remember back around 1981 or so, Riley was doing a concert in Virginia and of course everyone wanted to hear Harper Valley only to hear Riley go on about how she will NOT do that song and that "..Harper Valley belongs to Barbara Eden now..I don't want any part of it". Jealousy maybe? Anyway a lot of people walked out of her show as a result.

Were is she today? Has she changed her attitude...or does anybody even care about/remember her?
I've always hated 'faded celebs' who get that bitter about whatever it was that led to their fleeting fame. It's like, hypothetically, Anson Williams wigging out at somebody who says 'Hi, Potsie', and giving them the same sort of self-serving long-winded speech about 'wanting to be taken seriously', or 'integrity of the artist', or any other cliches one might hear.
I always prefer the ones who accept their past, and settle into semi-retirement, making the occasional personal apperance or nostalgic reunion show.

 

[wbhist]

1949: KNBH (channel 4, later KRCA-TV, KNBC) begins broadcasting in Los Angeles. It is the last of the five original NBC owned stations to sign on.

I.M.H.O., as famous as the various personalities seen on Channel 4 over the years was their announcing staff, which from the mid-1970's to the mid-1980's was comprised of Don Stanley, Donald Rickles (not the insult comic, obviously), Peggy Taylor and Victor Bozeman. Until about 1974, Frank Barton (whose main announcing duties in his last years with the network were on Bob Hope specials and the first year of Tom Snyder's Tomorrow show) was also part of their staff. I presume that, in KNBH/KRCA-TV/KNBC's early years, such other radio holdover announcers as Arch Presby, Eddy King and Wendell Niles were also part of the station's staff announcers (I do know that Niles announced for Monty Hall's Let's Make a Deal in its first year on NBC, 1963-64, before Jay Stewart took over announcing duties).

There may not have been as much quantity in KNBC's announcing staff as there was at, say, New York sister station WNBC-TV, but the West Coast voices were, I.M.H.O., just as prominent (for those seeing NBC Saturday Night at the Movies over the years, for example). But I doubt that there'll be anything about these golden voices on this 60th special KNBC has in store tonight.

 

[ShawnHill1]

1949: KNBH (channel 4, later KRCA-TV, KNBC) begins broadcasting in Los Angeles. It is the last of the five original NBC owned stations to sign on.

I.M.H.O., as famous as the various personalities seen on Channel 4 over the years was their announcing staff, which from the mid-1970's to the mid-1980's was comprised of Don Stanley, Donald Rickles (not the insult comic, obviously), Peggy Taylor and Victor Bozeman. Until about 1974, Frank Barton (whose main announcing duties in his last years with the network were on Bob Hope specials and the first year of Tom Snyder's Tomorrow show) was also part of their staff. I presume that, in KNBH/KRCA-TV/KNBC's early years, such other radio holdover announcers as Arch Presby, Eddy King and Wendell Niles were also part of the station's staff announcers (I do know that Niles announced for Monty Hall's Let's Make a Deal in its first year on NBC, 1963-64, before Jay Stewart took over announcing duties).

There may not have been as much quantity in KNBC's announcing staff as there was at, say, New York sister station WNBC-TV, but the West Coast voices were, I.M.H.O., just as prominent (for those seeing NBC Saturday Night at the Movies over the years, for example). But I doubt that there'll be anything about these golden voices on this 60th special KNBC has in store tonight.

I just watched the special eariler tonight...much of the focus was on the news department and the major stories they covered (RFK assassination, the various earthquakes, the Riots of 1965, '67, and '92, Charles Manson, O.J., Richard Ramirez, etc.). For an hour special, they balanced everything as much as possible, and they paid a small tribute to Tom Snyder at the end.

 

[wbhist]

I just watched the special eariler tonight...much of the focus was on the news department and the major stories they covered (RFK assassination, the various earthquakes, the Riots of 1965, '67, and '92, Charles Manson, O.J., Richard Ramirez, etc.). For an hour special, they balanced everything as much as possible, and they paid a small tribute to Tom Snyder at the end.

I'm curious to know if at least they showed any old vintage test patterns.

 

[RicoGregg]

I just watched the special eariler tonight...much of the focus was on the news department and the major stories they covered (RFK assassination, the various earthquakes, the Riots of 1965, '67, and '92, Charles Manson, O.J., Richard Ramirez, etc.). For an hour special, they balanced everything as much as possible, and they paid a small tribute to Tom Snyder at the end.

I'm curious to know if at least they showed any old vintage test patterns.

What they didn't show (unless I blinked and missed it) was the ill-conceived 1970's-era NBC logo, the one that looked like two outlined state of Nevadas transposed. NBC has never lived that one down.

"NBC is too a word, it's just not a network." - Kelly Bundy, playing Scrabble on an episode of Married, With Children.

 

[firepoint525]

I just watched the special eariler tonight...much of the focus was on the news department and the major stories they covered (RFK assassination, the various earthquakes, the Riots of 1965, '67, and '92, Charles Manson, O.J., Richard Ramirez, etc.). For an hour special, they balanced everything as much as possible, and they paid a small tribute to Tom Snyder at the end.

I'm curious to know if at least they showed any old vintage test patterns.

What they didn't show (unless I blinked and missed it) was the ill-conceived 1970's-era NBC logo, the one that looked like two outlined state of Nevadas transposed. NBC has never lived that one down.

"NBC is too a word, it's just not a network." - Kelly Bundy, playing Scrabble on an episode of Married, With Children.

Their earlier logo looks remarkably similar to the National Bank of Commerce logo! ;D 8) I remember seeing their logo atop their skyscraper in Memphis. I have no idea whether the bank or the network came up with that logo first.

 

[LKellerIII]

I just watched the special eariler tonight...much of the focus was on the news department and the major stories they covered (RFK assassination, the various earthquakes, the Riots of 1965, '67, and '92, Charles Manson, O.J., Richard Ramirez, etc.). For an hour special, they balanced everything as much as possible, and they paid a small tribute to Tom Snyder at the end.

I'm curious to know if at least they showed any old vintage test patterns.

What they didn't show (unless I blinked and missed it) was the ill-conceived 1970's-era NBC logo, the one that looked like two outlined state of Nevadas transposed. NBC has never lived that one down.

"NBC is too a word, it's just not a network." - Kelly Bundy, playing Scrabble on an episode of Married, With Children.

Their earlier logo looks remarkably similar to the National Bank of Commerce logo! ;D 8) I remember seeing their logo atop their skyscraper in Memphis. I have no idea whether the bank or the network came up with that logo first.

I remember the Commerce Bank. Their manager was an excitable guy named Mr. Drysdale, and he had this weird skinny secretary named Hathaway, I think...

 

[wbhist]

What they didn't show (unless I blinked and missed it) was the ill-conceived 1970's-era NBC logo, the one that looked like two outlined state of Nevadas transposed. NBC has never lived that one down.

Actually, from my memory, that 'N' logo earned the network a lawsuit from Nebraska ETV Network, with NBC ending up shelling big bucks to provide for NETV to make a new logo.

 

[firepoint525]

What they didn't show (unless I blinked and missed it) was the ill-conceived 1970's-era NBC logo, the one that looked like two outlined state of Nevadas transposed. NBC has never lived that one down.

Actually, from my memory, that 'N' logo earned the network a lawsuit from Nebraska ETV Network, with NBC ending up shelling big bucks to provide for NETV to make a new logo.

David beats Goliath!

Does anyone have photos of these logos, side by side and back to back? I would like to take a look at them right next to each other and see if I see any similarity in them. Thanks!

 

[RicoGregg]

What they didn't show (unless I blinked and missed it) was the ill-conceived 1970's-era NBC logo, the one that looked like two outlined state of Nevadas transposed. NBC has never lived that one down.

Actually, from my memory, that 'N' logo earned the network a lawsuit from Nebraska ETV Network, with NBC ending up shelling big bucks to provide for NETV to make a new logo.

David beats Goliath!

Does anyone have photos of these logos, side by side and back to back? I would like to take a look at them right next to each other and see if I see any similarity in them. Thanks!

I don't have a pic of the logos, but I can tell you from memory that the two logos were virtually identical.

Right after the debut of NBC's logo, John Chancellor noted on NBC Nightly News that NETV's logo had cost them about $78, while NBC's logo cost several hundred thousand dollars!

FWIW, Nike's "Swoosh" logo cost CEO Phil Knight all of $35.

 

[easttxtv]

Found them...

www.tommcmahon.net/2005/02/the_new_nbc_log.html

 

[firepoint525]

I remember the NBC "N" logo. Didn't they use that one for several years? I had never seen the NETV logo, but then again, I have never lived in Nebraska! :

 

[wbhist]

I remember the NBC "N" logo. Didn't they use that one for several years? I had never seen the NETV logo, but then again, I have never lived in Nebraska! :

In the 'red and blue' color scheme, NBC used the 'N' logo from Jan. 1, 1976 until the fall of 1979; from then until 1986 the 'N' was outlined and incorporated with a redesigned Peacock with 11 feathers.

 

[firepoint525]

I remember the NBC "N" logo. Didn't they use that one for several years? I had never seen the NETV logo, but then again, I have never lived in Nebraska! :

In the 'red and blue' color scheme, NBC used the 'N' logo from Jan. 1, 1976 until the fall of 1979; from then until 1986 the 'N' was outlined and incorporated with a redesigned Peacock with 11 feathers.

Anyone got an image of that? I'd like to see that. Apparently, NBC was trying to phase out the "N." Either that, or the "B" and "C" were getting jealous! ;D

 

[DToTheJ]

Interesting footnote to Harper Valley PTA. The woman who recorded the song in 1968, Jeannie C. Riley isn't a fan of the song that gave her, well her 5 minutes of fame. I think "hate" may be the right word here. I remember back around 1981 or so, Riley was doing a concert in Virginia and of course everyone wanted to hear Harper Valley only to hear Riley go on about how she will NOT do that song and that "..Harper Valley belongs to Barbara Eden now..I don't want any part of it". Jealousy maybe? Anyway a lot of people walked out of her show as a result.

Were is she today? Has she changed her attitude...or does anybody even care about/remember her?

And what gave her the right to use her middle initial anyway? Clearly nobody will confuse her with Jeannie Riley or Jeannie B. Riley - simply because the latter two could be more famous than her!

 

[wbhist]

Interesting footnote to Harper Valley PTA. The woman who recorded the song in 1968, Jeannie C. Riley isn't a fan of the song that gave her, well her 5 minutes of fame. I think "hate" may be the right word here. I remember back around 1981 or so, Riley was doing a concert in Virginia and of course everyone wanted to hear Harper Valley only to hear Riley go on about how she will NOT do that song and that "..Harper Valley belongs to Barbara Eden now..I don't want any part of it". Jealousy maybe? Anyway a lot of people walked out of her show as a result.

Were is she today? Has she changed her attitude...or does anybody even care about/remember her?

And what gave her the right to use her middle initial anyway? Clearly nobody will confuse her with Jeannie Riley or Jeannie B. Riley - simply because the latter two could be more famous than her!

Not to mention former Petticoat Junction, Hee Haw and Dusty's Trail co-star, Jeannine Riley.

 

[LKellerIII]

Interesting footnote to Harper Valley PTA. The woman who recorded the song in 1968, Jeannie C. Riley isn't a fan of the song that gave her, well her 5 minutes of fame. I think "hate" may be the right word here. I remember back around 1981 or so, Riley was doing a concert in Virginia and of course everyone wanted to hear Harper Valley only to hear Riley go on about how she will NOT do that song and that "..Harper Valley belongs to Barbara Eden now..I don't want any part of it". Jealousy maybe? Anyway a lot of people walked out of her show as a result.

Were is she today? Has she changed her attitude...or does anybody even care about/remember her?

And what gave her the right to use her middle initial anyway? Clearly nobody will confuse her with Jeannie Riley or Jeannie B. Riley - simply because the latter two could be more famous than her!

I don't know about musicians, but it's my understanding that if you're registered as an actor with AFTRA, you cannot use a name for professional purposes (even your own birth name) if it is already being used by another AFTRA member. Hence Michael J. Fox, and Terrence O'Quinn. There are numerous other examples.