March 18: This Day in TV History

[Stanislav]

Just a few random TV related events that happened on March 18. Discuss or comment as you please……

1886: Actor Edward Everett Horton (Rocky and Bullwinkle, F Troop) is born in Brooklyn, New York.

1911: Musician/actor Smiley Burnette (Petticoat Junction) is born in Summum, Illinois. The versatile musician is said (perhaps with a slight [?] touch of exaggeration) to have been able to play “more than 100 different musical instruments.” (Personally, I am an ex-musician, and I don’t think I could even name that many instruments, unless we get into extracultural instruments like sitars, digeridoos, balalaikas, etc., none of which I doubt Burnette ever heard of, let alone played...)

1943: Actor Kevin Dobson (Kojak, Knots Landing) is born in Jackson Heights, Queens, New York.

1949: WGAL (channel 4) begins operating in Lancaster, Pennsylvania. It is the first TV station in the state outside Philadelphia. In December 1952, they would switch to channel 8 to avoid interference with Washington’s WRC-TV.

1953: KGNC-TV (channel 4, now KAMR-TV) signs on in Amarillo, Texas.

1957: WTVA (channel 9) debuts in Tupelo, Mississippi. The station's original equipment (antenna, transmitter, cameras, etc.) was all hand-built in licensee Frank K. Spain's garage, backyard and basement. (An engineering graduate of Mississippi State, he had helped build WRC-TV in Washington, D.C.)

1960: Actor Richard Biggs (Days of Our Lives, Babylon 5, Guiding Light) is born in Columbus, Ohio.

1963: WGSF (channel 28) signs on in Newark, Ohio. It is operated by the Licking County Fund for Public Giving, on behalf of the Newark City School District, with studios at Newark High School. The station would move to channel 31 in 1970 (with channel 28 reassigned to Columbus as a commercial allocation), at which time it became a fully interconnected member station of PBS. (They had previously relied on an off-air pickup from Columbus’ WOSU-TV for PBS programming.) Six years later, with aging equipment and the opportunity for the school board to obtain an exclusive cable channel, WGSF would go dark, to be replaced by W31AA (a translator of WOSU-TV).

1972: WHDH-TV (channel 5) in Boston, Massachusetts, ceases operations after losing its license. The next morning would see the debut of the new channel 5, WCVB-TV, under a new license. (The whole WHDH license saga is way too involved to summarize here...)

1974: Here’s Lucy airs its final original episode on CBS.

1975: In the third season finale of CBS’ M*A*S*H, “Abyssinia, Henry,” Col. Henry Blake (McLean Stevenson) is killed when his plane is shot down on his way back home after his discharge. The unprecedented killing off of a major character on what is purportedly a sitcom (though in practice, it became more of a dramedy, especially in later seasons) prompts many viewers to express their shock and dismay in letters, telegrams, and phone calls.

1978: Actress Peggy Wood (Mama) dies in Stamford, Connecticut of a stroke, aged 86.

1978: Kojak finally runs out of lollipops: the five-season crime drama airs its last original episode on CBS.

1981: The Greatest American Hero premieres on ABC with a 2-hour pilot TV-movie.

2006: Longtime WABC-TV anchor Bill Beutel dies in Pinehurst, North Carolina of complications from Lewy Body Disease. (Yeah, click the link – I’d never heard of it, either...)

(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…..)

 

[LKellerIII]

Just a few random TV related events that happened on March 18. Discuss or comment as you please……

2006: Longtime WABC-TV anchor Bill Beutel dies in Pinehurst, North Carolina of complications from Lewy Body Disease. (Yeah, click the link – I’d never heard of it, either...)

(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…..)

Estelle Getty (Sophia Petrillo on Golden Girls) also died of Lewy Body Disease. It causes dementia. Since Getty was well up into her 80s, it was reported by some sources that she had Alzheimer's. LBD is the second most common cause of dementia.

 

[johnnyu]

FYI, WGAL is on channel 8.

 

[Stanislav]

FYI, WGAL is on channel 8.

Yes...but originally on 4 as I noted:

1949: WGAL (channel 4) begins operating in Lancaster, Pennsylvania. It is the first TV station in the state outside Philadelphia. In December 1952, they would switch to channel 8 to avoid interference with Washington’s WRC-TV.

Please review, as this material will be on the final exam.....

 

[Cincinnati Kid]

Peter Graves (Peter Aurness) is born on March 18, 1926 in Minneapolis, Minnesota. Perhaps his most well-known series are "Mission Impossible" (1967-1973 & 1988-1990) and "Fury" (1955-1966). Graves also narrates many of the "Biography" shows shown on cable TV.

 

[Tim from Springfield IL]

Peter Graves (Peter Aurness) is born on March 18, 1926 in Minneapolis, Minnesota. Perhaps his most well-known series are "Mission Impossible" (1967-1973 & 1988-1990) and "Fury" (1955-1966). Graves also narrates many of the "Biography" shows shown on cable TV.

And he would pass away March 14, 2010--4 days short of his 84th birthday.

Also, one year ago tomorrow:

March 18, 2009: Actress Natasha Richardson dies in NYC of her injuries sustained as a result of a skiing accident in Quebec two days earlier. The daughter of Vanessa Redgrave, her TV appearances included Tales from the Crypt, and Top Chef.

 

[Rob Jason]

1949: WGAL (channel 4) begins operating in Lancaster, Pennsylvania. It is the first TV station in the state outside Philadelphia. In December 1952, they would switch to channel 8 to avoid interference with Washington’s WRC-TV.

Actually, another station might hold that honor (first station outside Philly in PA)...
Major hoopla surrounded the debut of Pittsburgh's first television station, WDTV, channel 3. On the night of Jan. 11, 1949, WDTV went on the air as the "golden spike" that joined the New York and Chicago systems together.

And in the paragraph before that:
The first television signal to reach Pittsburgh came across the ridges - from WJAC, channel 13 in Johnstown. Shortwave radio fanatics on the high hills in Pittsburgh used kit televisions and homemade antennas to pick up the first Johnstown broadcasts. The broadcasts consisted of test patterns and a 15 minute promotional film on the benefits of an Alliance Manufacturing television reception product, the Tenna-Rotor. Implying that WJAC was on the air even before WDTV.

BUT that article contradicts itself: WJAC in Johnstown used kinescopes from all four networks when it made its official debut Sept. 15, 1949.

from http://www.schaeffersite.com/radiotv/tv1103.htm

 

[FreddyE1977]

1949: WGAL (channel 4) begins operating in Lancaster, Pennsylvania. It is the first TV station in the state outside Philadelphia. In December 1952, they would switch to channel 8 to avoid interference with Washington’s WRC-TV.

Actually, another station might hold that honor (first station outside Philly in PA)...
Major hoopla surrounded the debut of Pittsburgh's first television station, WDTV, channel 3. On the night of Jan. 11, 1949, WDTV went on the air as the "golden spike" that joined the New York and Chicago systems together.

And in the paragraph before that:
The first television signal to reach Pittsburgh came across the ridges - from WJAC, channel 13 in Johnstown. Shortwave radio fanatics on the high hills in Pittsburgh used kit televisions and homemade antennas to pick up the first Johnstown broadcasts. The broadcasts consisted of test patterns and a 15 minute promotional film on the benefits of an Alliance Manufacturing television reception product, the Tenna-Rotor. Implying that WJAC was on the air even before WDTV.

BUT that article contradicts itself: WJAC in Johnstown used kinescopes from all four networks when it made its official debut Sept. 15, 1949.

from http://www.schaeffersite.com/radiotv/tv1103.htm

Western PA would have provided many challenges to those early enthusiasts. I could never get WJAC at my house in Pittsburgh even after they had moved to the more powerful Channel 6. I had neighbors just a few houses away who could, but they could not get the Steubenville and Wheeling stations that I got. Our terrain really wreaked havoc with you in the pre-cable era.

 

[Stanislav]

1949: WGAL (channel 4) begins operating in Lancaster, Pennsylvania. It is the first TV station in the state outside Philadelphia. In December 1952, they would switch to channel 8 to avoid interference with Washington’s WRC-TV.

Actually, another station might hold that honor (first station outside Philly in PA)...
Major hoopla surrounded the debut of Pittsburgh's first television station, WDTV, channel 3. On the night of Jan. 11, 1949, WDTV went on the air as the "golden spike" that joined the New York and Chicago systems together.

And in the paragraph before that:
The first television signal to reach Pittsburgh came across the ridges - from WJAC, channel 13 in Johnstown. Shortwave radio fanatics on the high hills in Pittsburgh used kit televisions and homemade antennas to pick up the first Johnstown broadcasts. The broadcasts consisted of test patterns and a 15 minute promotional film on the benefits of an Alliance Manufacturing television reception product, the Tenna-Rotor. Implying that WJAC was on the air even before WDTV.

BUT that article contradicts itself: WJAC in Johnstown used kinescopes from all four networks when it made its official debut Sept. 15, 1949.

from http://www.schaeffersite.com/radiotv/tv1103.htm

The key words there being "official debut." This was a problem I encountered back when I started compiling these daily TDITVH lists: when, exactly, can we say a station officially commenced operating? The day they first switched on the transmitter to run tests, or the first day of regularly scheduled programming? Most TV history sources tend to go with the latter. If WJAC broadcast nothing but test patterns and a 15-minute promo film, probably on an irregular basis, for that first 8 months or so, then I'd cite their official "debut" as the later date.

But you are right -- WDTV has the stronger claim as the "first TV station outside of Philadelphia," not WGAL. The source I read that in probably had that typical tunnelvision that forgets there is lots of Pennsylvania west of Philly.

 

[bk77]

1949: WGAL (channel 4) begins operating in Lancaster, Pennsylvania. It is the first TV station in the state outside Philadelphia. In December 1952, they would switch to channel 8 to avoid interference with Washington’s WRC-TV.

Actually, another station might hold that honor (first station outside Philly in PA)...
Major hoopla surrounded the debut of Pittsburgh's first television station, WDTV, channel 3. On the night of Jan. 11, 1949, WDTV went on the air as the "golden spike" that joined the New York and Chicago systems together.

And in the paragraph before that:
The first television signal to reach Pittsburgh came across the ridges - from WJAC, channel 13 in Johnstown. Shortwave radio fanatics on the high hills in Pittsburgh used kit televisions and homemade antennas to pick up the first Johnstown broadcasts. The broadcasts consisted of test patterns and a 15 minute promotional film on the benefits of an Alliance Manufacturing television reception product, the Tenna-Rotor. Implying that WJAC was on the air even before WDTV.

BUT that article contradicts itself: WJAC in Johnstown used kinescopes from all four networks when it made its official debut Sept. 15, 1949.

from http://www.schaeffersite.com/radiotv/tv1103.htm

The key words there being "official debut." This was a problem I encountered back when I started compiling these daily TDITVH lists: when, exactly, can we say a station officially commenced operating? The day they first switched on the transmitter to run tests, or the first day of regularly scheduled programming? Most TV history sources tend to go with the latter. If WJAC broadcast nothing but test patterns and a 15-minute promo film, probably on an irregular basis, for that first 8 months or so, then I'd cite their official "debut" as the later date.

But you are right -- WDTV has the stronger claim as the "first TV station outside of Philadelphia," not WGAL. The source I read that in probably had that typical tunnelvision that forgets there is lots of Pennsylvania west of Philly.

Pittsburgh's WDTV ( now KDKA ) does hold another special honor, perhaps a "turning point" as they were the first TV station in America to had aired a commercial for an amusement park..that being Pittsbugh's Kennywood in 1949.

While this can be up for debate ( it sure is among historians of amusement parks ) but before Disney opened Disneyland in 1955, many amusement parks back then felt television was would kill their business so as a result many park owners really HATED TV !!!! That is except for Kennywood who took a love to this new thing called television and the "love" continued for decades. Heck Kennywood even allowed WTAE to name their new coaster "The Thunderbolt" in 1968.

And unlike so many parks of the past...Kennywood is still with us today.