[buddyjh]

271st day of 2009 - 94 remaining

Monday, September 28, 2009
LI’L ABNER DAY

The man who created Li’l Abner was born on this day in 1909 at New Haven, Connecticut. Alfred Gerald Caplin, better known as Al Capp, was responsible for all the happenings in the fictitious hillbilly town of Dogpatch.

From 1934 until 1977, Capp wrote and drew the cartoon, Li’l Abner, with its cast of wonderful characters, Mammy and Pappy Yokum, their son Abner, the lovely Daisy Mae, Fearless Fos**** and the lovable Schmoos. Al Capp even invented a holiday, Sadie Hawkins Day.

Li’l Abner wasn’t just a funny comic strip. It became a Broadway show and a Hollywood movie, too. But above all else, Al Capp used the characters in the Sunday funnies for political satire. It was fairly common to see public figures being lampooned in Li’l Abner. Al Capp would have had a field day with today’s political antics

Events
September 28
1542 - Portuguese explorer Juan Rodriguez Cabrillo landed his ship at what we now call San Diego Bay. The site is marked with a monument, the Cabrillo National Monument, and some folks in California still celebrate Cabrillo day. There’s a reason for that. Cabrillo was the first to find California.

1892 - A football game was played in Mansfield, PA. The game, between Mansfield State Normal School and Wyoming Seminary, was the first one in the U.S. to be played at night.

1928 - Glen Gray’s orchestra recorded Under a Blanket of Blue, with Kenny Sargeant on vocals.

1936 - Bachelor’s Children debuted on CBS radio (at 9:45 a.m.) in addition to its schedule on the Mutual Network (at 10:15 a.m.). The show’s theme song, Ah, Sweet Mystery of Life, opened the 15-minute, critically acclaimed, daily serial. Bachelor’s Children became very popular because of its natural dialogue which made folks think they were hearing a real event. Bachelor’s Children ... brought to you by Old Dutch Cleanser, Palmolive-Peet Soap, Colgate Toothpaste and Wonder Bread.

1939 - The final broadcast of The Fleischmann Hour was heard on radio. The star of the show, Rudee Vallee, wrapped things up after a decade of entertaining radio. The Fleischmann Hour was sponsored by Fleischmann’s Yeast. What else?

1944 - WABD in New York City telecast the first full-length musical written for TV. Ray Nelson was in the director’s chair for The Boys from Boise. The production was carried on the DuMont Network.

1955 - “The following program is brought to you in living color on NBC.” The World Series was seen in all its colorful glory for the first time this day. The New York Yankees beat the Brooklyn Dodgers in the first game, 6-5.

1961 - Richard Chamberlain played the part of handsome, young, Dr. Kildare for five years, beginning this day on NBC. Raymond Massey co-starred in the TV medidrama. Chamberlain’s Theme from Dr. Kildare (Three Stars Will Shine Tonight) became a hit a year into the show. He also sang Love Me Tender and All I Have to Do is Dream in 1962 and 1963 -- all on MGM. Scalpel, doctor?

1961 - Hazel premiered on NBC-TV. The sitcom starred Shirley Booth in the title role, with Don DeFore as George Baxter and Whitney Blake as Dorothy Baxter (the family who Hazel adopted). She was their maid and housekeeper. Hazel was based on the Saturday Evening Post cartoon series by Ted Key.

1968 - The Beatles rode the nearly seven-minute-long Hey Jude to the top of the charts for a nine week-run starting this day. Talk about your microgroove recording! Copies of this Apple release were shipped by the dozen to radio stations because the platters wore out after just a few plays.

1984 - Saluting his 34 years in television, Bob “If There’s an Honor I’ll Be There” Hope showed outtakes of his years in television on (where else?) NBC. When he began in television’s infancy, back in 1950, Hope said he got into the new medium “...because the contract was so delicious, I couldn’t turn it down.”

1991 - Garth Brooks, big ol’ black hat and all, hit number one with his album Ropin’ the Wind. He was the first country artist to debut an album at #1 on both the Billboard album chart and country album chart.

1997 - Europe held off the U.S. in the Ryder Cup, 14.5-13.5.

Birthdays
September 28
1841 - Georges Clemenceau
French government leader; died Nov 24, 1929

1856 - Kate Douglas (Smith) Wiggin
writer: Rebecca of Sunnybrook Farm, Timothy’s Quest, The Bird’s Christmas Carol; organized 1st free kindergarten in San Francisco, established California Kindergarten Training School; died Aug 24, 1923

1892 - Elmer Rice
Pulitzer Prize-winning playwright: Street Scene [prize for drama: 1929]; died May 8, 1967

1901 - William S. Paley
Television Hall of Famer, broadcast executive: founder/owner of CBS; died in 1990; died Oct 26, 1990

1902 - Ed (Edward Vincent) Sullivan
newspaper columnist, TV host: Toast of the Town, The Ed Sullivan Show; died Oct 13, 1974

1905 - Max (Maximillian Adolph Otto Siegfried) Schmeling
International Boxing Hall of Famer: heavyweight champ: bouts: 70; won: 56; lost: 10; drew: 4; KOs: 39

1909 - Al Capp (Alfred Gerald Caplin)
cartoonist: Li’l Abner; died Nov 5, 1979; see Li’l Abner Day [above]

1916 - Peter Finch (Frederick George Peter Ingle-Finch)
Academy Award-winning actor: Network [1976]; Flight of the Phoenix, Raid on Entebbe, Elephant Walk; died Jan 14, 1977

1919 - Tom Harmon
football: University of Michigan [Heisman Trophy: 1940], AFL: NY Americans [1941], NFL: LA Rams [1946-1947]; broadcaster: ABC Sports; World War II fighter pilot [Silver Star, Purple Heart]; father of actor Mark Harmon; died Mar 17, 1990

1923 - William Windom
Emmy Award-winning actor: My World and Welcome to It [1969-70]; Murder, She Wrote, The Farmer’s Daughter, The Girl with Something Extra, Planes, Trains & Automobiles, Escape from the Planet of the Apes, To Kill a Mockingbird

1924 - Marcello Mastroianni (Marcello Vincenzo Domenico Mastrojanni)
actor: White Nights, Yesterday, Today and Tomorrow, Used People, Divorce, Italian Style, La Dolce Vita; died Dec 19, 1996

1925 - Arnold Stang
comedian, actor: Broadside, The Milton Berle Show, Dennis the Menace; cartoon: voice of Top Cat

1926 - Jerry Clower
entertainer: LP: Jerry Clower from Yazoo City, Mississippi Talkin’; CMA Comedian of the Year [1974-82]; TV co-host: Nashville on the Road; writer: Ain’t God Good; died Aug 24, 1998

1930 - Tommy Collins (Leonard Sipes)
singer: You Better Not Do That, It Tickles, If You Can’t Bite, Don’t Growl, I Made the Prison Band; songwriter: If You Ain’t Lovin’ then You Ain’t Livin’, You Gotta Have a License; died Mar 14, 2000

1934 - Brigitte Bardot (Camille Javal)
actress: And God Created Woman, Viva Maria, A Very Private Affair

1935 - Bruce Crampton
golf: best PGA year: 1973: won four times and finished second five times; 10 holes-in-one in pro career

1938 - Ben E. King (Benjamin Earl Nelson
singer, songwriter: group: The Drifters: There Goes My Baby, Save the Last Dance for Me; solo: Spanish Harlem, Stand by Me, What is Soul, Supernatural Thing Part 1

1941 - Charley Taylor
Pro Football Hall of Famer: Washington Redskins wide receiver: played in seven Pro Bowls

1942 - Grant (Dwight ‘Buck’) Jackson
baseball: pitcher: Philadelphia Phillies [all-star: 1969], Baltimore Orioles [World Series: 1971], NY Yankees [World Series: 1976], Pittsburgh Pirates [World Series: 1979], Montreal Expos, KC Royals

1943 - J.T. Walsh
actor: Breakdown, Hope, Hannah and Her Sisters, Tin Men, Tequila Sunrise, The Grifters, Backdraft, A Few Good Men, Loaded Weapon 1, The Last Seduction, The Client, The Babysitter, Crime of the Century, Pleasantville, Hidden Agenda; died Feb 27, 1998

1946 - Jeffrey Jones
actor: The Avenging Angel, Houseguest, Stay Tuned, The Hunt for Red October, Who’s Harry Crumb?, Beetlejuice, Howard the Duck, Ferris Bueller’s Day Off, Amadeus

1946 - Helen Shapiro
singer: Please Don’t Treat Me like a Child, You Don’t Know, Walkin’ Back to Happiness, Tell Me What He Said, Little Miss Lonely, Fever; actress: It’s Trad, Dad, Play It Cool, Oliver!

1952 - Anthony Davis
football: Univ. of Southern California All-American, Tampa Bay Buccaneers, Houston Oilers, LA Rams

1952 - Sylvia Kristel
actress: Emmanuelle series, Lady Chatterly’s Lover, The Concorde: Airport ’79, Beauty School

1954 - Steve Largent
Pro Football Hall of Famer: Seattle Seahawks wide receiver; seven Pro Bowls; NFL record holder: most consecutive games with a reception [177], most yards on receptions [13.089], most touchdown passes [100]; member of U.S. House of Representatives [Oklahoma]

1964 - Janeane Garofalo
actress: 24, The Larry Sanders Show, The Ben Stiller Show, Saturday Night Live, TV Nation, The Truth About Cats & Dogs, The Cable Guy, Cop Land, Felicity, The Independent, The Adventures of Rocky & Bullwinkle, The Laramie Project

1967 - Mira Sorvino
Academy Award-winning supporting actress: Mighty Aphrodite [1995]; Norma Jean & Marilyn, Tales of Erotica, The Replacement Killers, Joan of Arc: The Virgin Warrior, The Triumph of Love

1967 - Moon Unit Zappa
actress: Dark Side of Genius, Heartstopper, Spirit of ’76, The Boys Next Door; daughter of singer Frank Zappa

1972 - Gwyneth Paltrow
Academy Award-winning actress: Shakespeare in Love [1998]; Hook, Great Expectations, A Perfect Murder, The Talented Mr. Ripley, Bounce, The Anniversary Party, Possession, The Royal Tenenbaums, Shallow Hal, A View from the Top

Chart Toppers
September 28
1946To Each His Own - Eddy Howard
Five Minutes More - Tex Beneke
South America, Take It Away - Bing Crosby & The Andrews Sisters
Wine, Women and Song - Al Dexter

1954Sh-Boom - The Crew-Cuts
Hey There - Rosemary Clooney
Shake, Rattle and Roll - Bill Haley & His Comets
I Don’t Hurt Anymore - Hank Snow

1962Sheila - Tommy Roe
Ramblin’ Rose - Nat King Cole
Green Onions - Booker T. & The MG’s
Devil Woman - Marty Robbins

1970Ain’t No Mountain High Enough - Diana Ross
Lookin’ Out My Back Door/Long as I Can See the Light - Creedence
Clearwater Revival
Julie, Do Ya Love Me - Bobby Sherman
There Must Be More to Love Than This - Jerry Lee Lewis

1978Boogie Oogie Oogie - A Taste of Honey
Kiss You All Over - Exile
Hopelessly Devoted to You - Olivia Newton-John
I’ve Always Been Crazy - Waylon Jennings

1986Stuck with You - Huey Lewis & The News
Friends and Lovers - Gloria Loring & Carl Anderson
Walk This Way - Run-D.M.C.
In Love - Ronnie Milsap

Chart Topper September 28th, 1962...Green Onions-Booker T & The MG's

[Victor Hugo]

Excellent job, Thanks Buddy.

[tiger-55]

good reading buddy as always thanks

[peggy13]

Thanks Buddy for the memories and interesting information!!

"Cabrillo Day" never heard of it before, but I could celebrate it....I always like a celebration....lol

[slowboy]

thanks for the great info

[cisco123]

thanks for the info my friend

[jc7257]

Thanks Buddy for all you consistent every day postings and help here at ABA...

[Crystal Dragon]

Thanks Buddy!!!
If ya'll have never heard of Jerry Clower, here is a link to just one of his stories... you gotta give him a listen!!!
YouTube - Jerry Clower - Fishing with the Game Warden

[marty napier]

think you buddy!

[dt8350]

Great Post Buddy!

[dal bilkoski]

thanks buddy i do enjoy

[just4ufolks]

THANKS
again my friend for such useful
info
you bring in your thread
every day

[ccelectro]

Thanks Buddy, I always enjoy the read.