Radio History: May 11

Israel Berlin

➦In 1888...Irving Berlin born as Israel Beilin (Died at age 101 from a heart attack -  September 22, 1989) was an American composer and lyricist, widely considered one of the greatest songwriters in American history. His music forms a great part of the Great American Songbook. Born in Imperial Russia, Berlin arrived in the United States at the age of five.

Whether for Broadway musicals or films, for humorous songs or romantic ballads, his compositions are celebrated for their appealing melodies and memorable lyrics. His many popular songs include “There’s No Business Like Show Business,” “God Bless America,” and “White Christmas.” In 1968 Berlin received a Grammy Lifetime Achievement Award.

➦In 1912...Foster Brooks born (Died at age 89 – December 20, 2001).  He was best known as a comedian for his portrayal of a lovable drunk in nightclub performances and television programs.

Foster Brooks

His career started in radio, notably with Marshall Krieger at station WHAS-AM in Louisville. He was a staff announcer, and his deep baritone voice was also well-suited for singing. Brooks gained fame for his reporting of the Ohio River flood of 1937, where he was featured on emergency broadcasts by WHAS and also WSM-AM from Nashville, Tennessee. In 1952, Brooks appeared on local TV in a short-lived spoof of Gene Autry and his "Singing Cowboys".

He later worked in local broadcasting as a radio and TV personality in Buffalo and Rochester, New York, before moving to the West Coast to launch a career as a stand-up comic and character actor. In Buffalo, Brooks performed with a country and western vocal group known as the Hi-Hatters.

In 1960, Brooks moved with his family to Los Angeles to seek more professional opportunities

He then began his drunk act, which went over well with crowds at Las Vegas nightclubs and on television. Brooks was a frequent guest on talk and variety shows and numerous Dean Martin celebrity roasts. Despite his on-screen personna he actually quit drinking in the early 1960s, on a bet, and remained a teetotaler for the rest of his life. He died Dec. 20 2001 at age 89.

➦In 1922...KGU Radio signed-on in Honolulu. In April 1935 it was used as a homing beacon by Captain Ed Musick and Fred Noonan during their survey flights of the Pacific in a Pan American World Airways Sikorsky S-42.

KGU 760 AM (10 Kw)

In 1941, Japanese aviators used the station's signal at 760 AM to lead them to their attack on Pearl Harbor; later that day, a KGU reporter broadcast news of the attack nationwide on NBC, a report that was interrupted by a telephone operator.

On December 24, 2010, KGU began simulcasting on sister station KHUI, after they dropped their Adult Standards format. The station took the callsign KGU-FM to match the AM sister. However, after simulcasting for over a month, KGU flipped to a Business Talk format on February 1, 2011. The station features programming from the Wall Street Radio Network and CNBC. In December 2018, the station adopted a Classic Country format branded as "95.1 and AM 760 Honolulu's Real Country".

➦In 2006...Frankie Thomas died of respiratory failure following a stroke at age 85.  (Born - April 9, 1921). He was an American actor, author and bridge-strategy expert who played both lead and supporting roles on Broadway, in films, in post-World War II radio, and in early television. He was best known for his starring role in Tom Corbett, Space Cadet.

Martha Quinn is 65

🎂HAPPY BIRTHDAYS:

• Singer Eric Burdon (The Animals, War) is 83. 
• Actor Pam Ferris (“Call the Midwife”) is 76. 
• Actor Shohreh Aghdashloo (“24″) is 72. 
• Actor Frances Fisher (“Resurrection,” ″Titanic”) is 72. 
• Actor Boyd Gaines is 71. 
• Drummer Mark Herndon (Alabama) is 69. 
• Former MTV VJ Martha Quinn is 65. 
• Country singer Tim Raybon of The Raybon Brothers is 61. 
• Actor Tim Blake Nelson (“Lincoln,” ″O Brother, Where Art Thou?”) is 60. 
• Actor Jeffrey Donovan (TV’s “Fargo”) is 56. 
• Bassist Keith West of Heartland is 56. 
• Actor Nicky Katt (“Boston Public”) is 53. 
• Actor Coby Bell (“Third Watch”) is 49. 
• Cellist Perttu Kivilaakso of Apocalyptica is 46. 
• Actor Austin O’Brien (“Last Action Hero”) is 43. 
• Actor Jonathan Jackson (“Nashville,” ″Tuck Everlasting”) is 42. 
• Rapper Ace Hood is 36. 
• Singer Prince Royce is 35. 
• Actor Annabelle Attanasio (“Bull”) is 31. 
• Musician Howard Lawrence of Disclosure is 30.

✞REMEMBRANCES

• In 1979..Lester Flatt, American bluegrass guitarist (Flatt & Scruggs - "Foggy Mountain Breakdown"; "Ballad of Jed Clampett"), dies at 64
• In 1981..Bob Marley, Jamaican reggae musician ("Exodus"; "One Love"; "No Woman No Cry"; "Three Little Birds"), dies of brain and lung cancer at 36
• In 2004..John Whitehead, American songwriter and soul singer (McFadden & Whitehead - "Ain't No Stopping Us Now"), murdered outside of his home at 55
• In 2020..Jerry Stiller, Comedian (Seinfield - "Frank Constanza"; King of Queens -"Arthur"; Stiller & Meara), dies of natural causes at 92.