November 15 Radio History

➦In 1919...actress Carol Bruce was born in Great Neck NY.

She is best remembered as the domineering station owner Mother Carlson in the sitcom WKRP in Cincinnati. She also had recurring roles in General Hospital & Knot’s Landing.

She died from chronic obstructive pulmonary disease Oct. 9 2007 at age 87.




➦In 1926...The National Broadcasting Company (NBC) began broadcasting comprised of a network of 24 radio stations.

The program was a gala 4½-hour broadcast from the Waldorf-Astoria Hotel in New York City. Two remote pickups were also on the program. Opera star Mary Garden sang from Chicago and Will Rogers presented a humorous monologue from Independence, Kansas. Aviation pioneer Charles Lindbergh was among the luminaries who attended the broadcast.


➦In 1927...KVOS 1200 AM Bellingham WA signed on the air with 100 watts owned by Rogan Jones.  It is now KGMI 790 AM.

Lionel Barrymore

➦In 1954...actor Lionel Barrymore,  who played Dr. Gillespie to Lew Ayres’ Dr Kildare in the movies & on radio, suffered a fatal heart attack at age 76.   He also was beloved as radio’s Mayor of the Town, and as Scrooge in the annual radio broadcast of Dickens’ A Christmas Carol.

➦In 1956...Elvis Presley's first movie, Love Me Tender , premieres at New York's Paramount Theater.

The King's popularity has grown so exponentially large during the filming on the movie that his part -- originally almost a cameo -- is expanded to fit his stardom. Indeed, when his character is killed at the end of the movie, test audiences are so distraught that Elvis re-appears at the end of the movie to reprise the title song.

A fifty-foot cardboard cutout of the singer is posted outside the theater to emphasize his new importance to the project, and the movie -- which recieves lukewarm reviews from critics who nonetheless appreciate the singer's performance -- rakes in a very respectable four million dollars in just two months.

➦In 1959...Three ex-members of the Quarrymen -- later to become known as the Beatles' John, Paul, and George -- audition for a British talent program called TV Star Search at the Hippodrome Theatre in Lancashire, appearing as "Johnny and the Moondogs" and performing two Buddy Holly songs: "Think It Over" and "It's So Easy." Unfortunately, the trio is forced to return to Liverpool the same night, having no money to rent a hotel room, and therefore missing out on the next round of auditions.

➦In 2006...radio personality, Jack Alix, died in Richmond, Virginia. Alix is best known for his syndicated oldies show "Rock and Roll Roots" at one time heard on almost 150 radio stations.

➦In 2007…Baseball broadcaster (Cincinnati Reds)/former Cincinnati Reds pitcher Joe Nuxhall died of cancer at 79. Nuxhall was the youngest player ever to appear in a major league game, pitching 2/3 of an inning for the Reds on June 10, 1944 at the age of 15 years, 316 days.

➦In 2014…Longtime Baltimore disc jockey (WCBM, WFBR) Joe Knight, known to his listeners as "The Knight of the Spinning Roundtable," died of broken hip complications at 87.