Billboard Hot 100 - Top 100 Songs of Year-End 2009

America's Top 10 - October 3rd 1982

Those occasions when Casey Kasem wasnt available to do the taping for America's Top Ten he had good substitutes and on this occasion it was game show host and former LA disc jockey Bob Eubanks.

I think Bob does a good job, this has been really cut down but you get a good idea of how the show went.

Billboard Hot 100 - Top 50 Singles of 2012

The Jack Benny Show 1952-53 Season

Its Christmas 1952 and time for the Lucky Strike Program starring Jack Benny and here is a classic episode that had aired with subtle changes in previous years.

Thanks to Buck Benny for his Jack Benny OTR podcast!  Please follow him for some great shows.


12/21/1952
Setting Up the Christmas Tree

New York Times Bestseller List - Fiction 12/23/2012

NY Times Bestseller List

Fiction

Week  Ending December 23rd 2012

10 - The Last Man - Vince Flynn   (4 weeks on list)

9  -  Winter of the World - Ken Follett    (12 weeks)

8  -  Agenda 21 - Glen Beck w/Harriet Parke   (3 weeks)

7  -  The Black Box - Michael Connelly   (2 weeks)

6  -  Merry Christmas, Alex Cross - James Patterson   (4 weeks)

5  -  The Forgotten - David Baldacci   (3 weeks)

4  -  Notorious Nineteen - Janet Evanovich   (3 weeks)

3  -  The Racketeer - John Grisham   (7 weeks)

2  -  Gone Girl - Gillian Flynn    (27 weeks)

1  -  Threat Vector - Tom Clancy w/Mark Greaney
(DEBUT)
As China threatens to invade Taiwan, the covert intelligence expert Jack Ryan Jr. aids his father's administration - but his agency is no longer secret.

Gunsmoke - On the Radio (A Christmas Story)

From the Golden Age of Radio, Gunsmoke's first season Christmas episode.

This episode started out by showing that Gunsmoke was not the feel good radio kiddie western.

Thanks to Buck Benny and his OTR podcast for this episode.  Follow his podcast for more great shows.

Xmas Story
Originally aired 12-20-1952
starring William Conrad as Marshall Matt Dillon

The Jack Benny Show 1952-53 Season

Two more wonderful episodes of The Lucky Strike Program starring Jack Benny from the 1952-53 radio season.
Jack was the #2 show of that season behind Amos N' Andy which followed his show on Sunday nights at 730pm.

Thanks again to Buck Benny and his OTR Jack Benny Podcast for these high quality shows.  I am giving you 2 episodes again so we can get to the great Christmas shopping episode for Jack and the Gang.




12/07/1952
Happy Time



12/14/1952
Jack Buys a Gopher Trap for Don Wilson

The Andy Griffith Show (with Parley Baer)

Barney and The Governor
a classic from The Andy Griffith Show with radio legend Parley Baer as Mayor Stoner.

Season 3 Episode 15
Originally aired January 7th 1963
Barney tickets the Governor's car for a parking violation.  Then the Governor wants to meet the man who ticketed his car to shake his had for showing no favorites.

New York Times Bestseller List - Fiction 12/16/2012

New York Times Bestseller List

Fiction

Week Ending December 16th 2012

10 - The Casual Vacancy - J.K. Rowling   (10 weeks on list)

9  -  Gone Girl - Gillian Flynn   (26 weeks)

8  -  The Last Man - Vince Flynn    (3 weeks)

7  -  Merry Christmas, Alex Cross - James Patterson  (3 weeks)

6  -  Agenda 21 - Glenn Beck and Harriet Parke  (2 weeks)
A girl begins to question the authorities who run the Republic, the totalitarian successor to the United States created by the U.N.

5  -  The Racketeer - John Grisham  (6 weeks)

4  -  The Forgotten - David Baldacci   (2 weeks)
The military investigator John Puller, the protagonist of "Zero Day", probes his aunt's mysterious death in Florida.

3  -  Notorious Nineteen - Janet Evanovich
The New Jersey bounty hunter Stephanie Plum tracks down a con man who disappeared from a hospital.

2  -  The Black Box - Michael Connelly
(Debut)
In a case that spans 20 years, the Los Angeles detective Harry Bosch links the bullets from a recent crime to a file from 1992, the killing of a young female photographer during the race riots.

1  -  Cold Days - Jim Butcher
(Debut)
Harry Dresden lives, but he's no longer Chicago's only professional wizard.  Now he's the Winter Knight, Queen Mab's assassin, and she wants her newest minion to pull off the impossible: kill an immortal.

The Jack Benny Show 1952-53 Season

Here are 2 more episodes from the 1952-53 radio season of The Jack Benny Show.

Once again these shows come through the courtesy of The Jack Benny OTR Podcast produced by Buck Benny.  He does such an incredible job bringing us the highest quality OTR programs.

Jack's show finished #2 for this season behind Amos N' Andy that aired right after The Lucky Strike Program on Sunday nights at 730pm.    CBS radio owned the airwaves in 1952-53 with 9 of the top 10 shows on radio.

11/23/1952
USC vs UCLA Game


11/30/1952
Thanksgiving Pilgrims

Flashback - Billboard Top 50 Hot Soul Singles 11/04/1978

The Jack Benny Show 1952-53 Season

Our continuing journey through the 1952-53 season of The Jack Benny Show, the season it finished as the #2 show on radio

Thanks to Buck Benny and his tremendous work on his OTR podcast

11/16/1952
The Purple Pirate
(Jack and the gang take to the high seas)

Hogan's Heroes - Season 1 (John Dehner)

Here is another great episode from the first season of Hogan's Heroes (1965-66) guest starring one of my very favorite actors from radio and television, John Dehner.

John Dehner was a one of the busiest actors during the golden age of radio in the 1940s and into the 50s with many supporting roles in Gunsmoke and starring roles in Have Gun, Will Travel and Frontier Gentleman.

Here he guest stars as the nazi inspector general reviewing Col. Klink and Stalag 13.

Episode 4 Season 1

The Late Inspector General

originally aired October 8th 1965 

(Friday 830-9pm CBS)

Bonanza - Season 6 A Man To Admire

We continue the look at Season 6 of Bonanza (1964-65) as it became the #1 show in prime time television for the first time.


Episode 11
A Man To Admire
originally aired December 6th 1964
NBC Television

Guest stars : James Gregory as Whitney Parker 

Knocked unconscious and framed for the murder of scheming rancher, Flint Durfee, Hoss Cartwright refuses his father's expensive lawyer and trusts his defense to new friend Whit Parker, a troubled trial attorney who is drowning his past in alcohol.

Flashback - Billboard Top 10 Albums Soul & Country 11/4/1978

John Lennon Top 10

Today, December 8th is the day that for a generation, the music died.  John Lennon was murdered December 8th 1980 in New York city.

His music and legacy will never die as he remains one of the biggest selling artist of all time with the Beatles and as a solo performer.

From Billboard Magazine:

John Lennon's Top 10 Hits on the Hot 100

1 - (Just Like) Starting Over
(5 consecutive weeks at #1 Dec 1980-Jan 1981)



2 - Woman
(#2) 1981

3 - Instant Karma
(#3)  1970

4 - Whatever Gets You Through The Night
(#1 for 1 week 1974)

5 - Imagine
(#3)  1971

6 - Nobody Told me
(#5) 1984

7 - #9 Dream
(#9)  1975

8 - Watching The Wheels
(#10)  1981

9 - Mind Games
(#18)  1973

10 - Power To the People
(#11)  1971

John Lennon's Top Ten Albums

1 - Double Fantasy (1980)

(8 weeks at #1)

2 - Imagine  (1971)
(1 week at #1)


3 - Walls and Bridges (1974)
(1 week at #1)

4 - John Lennon/Plastic Ono Band (1970)
(#6)

5 - Rock N' Roll  (1975)
(#6)

6 - Mind Games  (1973)
(#9)

7 - The Plastic Ono Band : Live Peace in Toronto 1969  (1970)
(#10)

8 - Milk and Honey  (1984)
(#11)

9 - Shaved Fish  (1974)
(#12)

10 - Acoustic   (2004)
(#31)

Occurrence at Owl Creek Bridge

One of the most famous short stories of the 19th century was Ambrose Bierce's 1890 tale of the civil war hanging of confederate sympathizer Peyton Farquhar, Occurrence at Owl Creek Bridge.
In the 20th century this story was interpreted in both radio and television, during the Golden Age of Radio by Escape and Suspense to tremendous effect.
On television, first by Alfred Hitchcock Presents in the 5th season, episode 13 aired December 20th 1959.



Thanks to Buck Benny's OTR podcast he brought us this version
The radio adaptations began with Escape's airing on December 10th 1947, starring Harry Bartell as Peyton Farquhar.


Suspense gave us its adaptation in July 9th 1959 with Vincent Price as Farquhar.


Maybe the most famous adaptation on American television was the airing on The Twilight Zone (Season 5, episode 22, Feb 28 1964) of the french short film that won the award for Best Short Subject at the 1962 Cannes Film Festival and the 1963 Academy Awards.


Again on radio by the great OTR revival show CBS Radio Mystery Theater June 4th 1974, starring William Prince as Peyton Farquhar.

Flashback - Billboard Hot 100 Year-End Top 100 Singles of 1990

The Jack Benny Show 1952-53 Season

Here is the next episode in the 1952-53 season of the Jack Benny Show from the Golden Age of Radio.

This season Jack's show was #2 for the entire season behind a resurgent Amos N' Andy.

Here is the next episode in that year

11/09/1952
Jack goes to the doctor for a vitamin shot

Billboard Korea K-POP Hot100 Top50 11/29/2012

New York Times Bestseller List NonFiction 12/01/2012

NY Times Bestseller List Top Ten

Non Fiction

Week Ending December 1st 2012

10 - The Outpost - Jake Tapper
(Debut)
The story of a deadly Taliban attack on a remote American outpost in Afghanistan in 2009, sheds light on the war.

9  -  Far From The Tree - Andrew Solomon
(Debut)
The difficulties and triumphs of families dealing with exceptional children.

8  -  The Last Lion - William Manchester and Paul Reid  (3 weeks on list)

7  -  The Joy of Hate - Greg Gutfeld
(Debut)
The Fox News Channel host denounces liberal double standards and intolerance masquerading as tolerance.

6  -  The Signal and The Noise - Nate Silver   (7 weeks)

5  -  How To Create a Mind - Ray Kurzweil
(Debut)
A new theory of how the thinking part of the brain works can help us create more intelligent matches.

4  -  No Easy Day - Mark Owen  (11 weeks)

3  -  Killing Lincoln - Bill O'Reilly and Martin Dugard  (60 weeks)

2  -  Thomas Jefferson - Jon Meacham
(Debut)
The Pulitzer Prize winning journalist celebrates Jefferson's skills as a practical politician.

1  -  Killing Kennedy - Bill O'Reilly and Martin Dugard
(7 consecutive weeks on list and at #1)

New York Times Bestseller List - Fiction 12/02/2012

NY Times Bestseller List Top Ten

Fiction

Week Ending December 2nd 2012

10 - Crossroads - William Paul Young
(Debut)
A comatose businessman encounters Jesus, the Holy Spirit and God and learns to see through the eyes of others;  the author of "The Shack".

9  -  The Panter - Nelson DeMille   (5 weeks on list)

8  -  The Casual Vacancy - J.K. Rowling   (8 weeks)

7  -  Poseidon's Arrow - Clive and Dirk Cussler   (2 weeks)

6  -  Gone Girl - Gillian Flynn    (24 weeks)

5  -  Flight Behavior - Barbara Kingsolver    (2 weeks)

4  -  Sweet Tooth - Ian McEwan
(Debut)
A British woman working for MI5 in 1972 falls in love with a writer the service is clandestinely supporting.

3  -  The Racketeer - John Grisham    (4 weeks)
(4 weeks at #1)

2  -  Merry Christmas, Alex Cross -  James Patterson
(Debut)
Detective Alex Cross confronts both a hostage situation and a terrorist act at Christmas.

1  -  The Last Man - Vince Flynn
(Debut)
The counterterrorism operative Mitch Rapp searches for a missing C.I.A. asset amid treachery in
Afghanistan.

12/1/2012 Billboard Hot 100 - Top 10 Singles Chart

Bonanza - Season 6 (Old Sheba)

Another episode from season 6 of Bonanza, 1964-65 season.   This was the first season that Bonanza was the #1 show in prime time television.

Episode 10

Old Sheba

originally aired November 22nd 1964 (NBC)

guest star William Demarest as "Tweedy" and Henry Kulky as "Bearcat"

Joe convinces Hoss to wrestle Bearcat at Tweedy's Circus. During the fight, Hoss manages to fractured some of Bearcat's ribs. So in recompense for the income Tweedy will lose, Hoss stays on Tweedy. After a month of fighting bouts, Joe and Hoss come to collect the money that Tweedy owes. Tweedy, however has lost all of his money gambling. The two Cartwright boys arrive home with Old Sheba, an elephant. Ben isn't happy and sets about trying to get rid of the elephant.

The Jack Benny Show 1952-53 Season

We continue to follow the 1952-53 season of The Jack Benny Show, one of the most popular shows in radio history.

This week Buck Benny and his Jack Benny Podcast bring us Jack and the Beavers as they go trick or treating...tremendous stuff.

Thanks Buck!

11/02/1952

Flashback - Top 40 Cashbox Singles 05/19/1984

New York Times Bestseller List - NonFiction November 24th 2012

NYTimes Top Ten Bestseller List

Non Fiction

Week Ending November 24th 2012

10 - Unbroken - Laura Hillenbrand   (104 weeks on list)

9  -  Waging Heavy Peace - Neil Young  (7 weeks)

8  -  America Again - Stephen Colbert   (6 weeks)

7  -  Hallucinations - Oliver Sacks
(Debut)
The renowned neurologist considers his patients' hallucinatory experiences, and his own.

6  -  Bruce - Peter A. Carlin   (2 weeks)
Bruce Springsteen looks at his family, his music and his drive for fame and influence.

5  -  The Last Lion - William Manchester and Paul Reid   (2 weeks)
This biography of Winston Churchill, reaching from World War II until his death in 1965, stresses his courage, intellect and will to action.

4  -  The Signal and the Noise - Nate Silver   (6 weeks)

3  -  Killing Lincoln - Bill O'Reilly and Martin Dugard   (59 weeks)

2  -  No Easy Day - Mark Owen   (10 weeks)

1  -  Killing Kennedy - Bill O'Reilly and Martin Dugard  
(6 weeks on list and 6 consecutive weeks at #1)

Flashback - Billboard Hot 100 Year-End Top 100 Singles of 2007

The Jack Benny Show 1952-53 Season

Our continuing look at the 1952-53 season for The Jack Benny Show, it was the #2 show of the season behind the surprise #1, Amos N' Andy.

Here are 2 more episodes

Thanks to Buck Benny and his Jack Benny Podcast, the best in Old Time Radio.

10/19/1952 - Jack Buys 20th Century Fox


10/26/1952 - Gossip Article on Jack

UK Official Chart Top 40 Singles/Top 20 Albums - 11/17/2012

UK Official Singles Chart

Top 40

Week Ending November 17th 2012

40 - Try - Pink
39 - Good Time - Owl City w/Carly Rae Jepsen
38 - Some Nights - .fun
37 - Live While We're Young - One Direction
36 - The Power of Love - Gabrielle Aplin
(Debut)
35 - Zim Zimma - Sneakbo
(Debut)
34 - Yeah Yeah - Willy Moon
33 - We Are Young - .fun w/Janelle Monae
32 - She Wolf - David Guetta w/Sia
31 - Standing in the Dark - Lawson
30 - Wonder - Naughty Boy w/Emeli Sande
29 - Let Me Love - Ne-Yo
28 - Million Voices - Otto Knows
27 - Turn Around - Conor Maynard w/Ne-Yo
26 - Anything Could Happen - Ellie Goulding
25 - Never Tear Us Apart - Paloma Faith
24 - Va Va Voom - Nicki Minaj
23 - Hottest Girl in the World - JLS
22 - I Cry - Flo Rida
21 - Hall of Fame - Script w/Will.I.Am
20 - I Won't Give Up - Jason Mraz
19 - We Are Never Ever Getting Back Together - Taylor Swift
18 - Beauty and the Beat - Justin Bieber w/Nicki Minaj
17 - Drinking From the Bottle - Calvin Harris w/Tinie Tempah
16 - Your Body - Christina Aguilera
(Debut)
15 - Ho Hey - The Lumineers
14 - Latch - Disclosure w/Sam Smith
13 - One More Night - Maroon 5
12 - Tidal Wave - Sub Focus w/Alpines
(Debut)
11 - Sweet Nothing - Calvin Harris w/Florence Welch
10 - Shine Ya Light - Rita Ora
9  -  Do You Think of Me - Misha B
(Debut)
8  -  Diamonds - Rihanna
7  -  Can You Hear Me - Wiley/Skepta/JME/Ms D
6  -  Gangnam Style - Psy
5  -  Don't You Worry Child - Swedish House Mafia w/Martin
4  -  Skyfall - Adele
3  -  I Found You - Wanted
2  -  Beneath Your Beautiful - Labrinth w/Emeli Sande
1  -  Candy - Robbie Williams
(2 consecutive weeks at #1)

UK Official Album Chart 

Top 20 Albums

Week Ending November 17th 2012

20 - Battle Born - Killers
19 - The Truth About Love - Pink
18 - An Awesome Wave - ALT-J
17 - R.E.D. - Ne-Yo
(Debut)
16 - Ora - Rita Ora
15 - Together - Jonathan and Charlotte
14 - Music From Another Dimension - Aerosmith
(Debut)
13 - The Difficult Second Album - Chris Moyles
(Debut)
12 - Red - Taylor Swift
11 - Some Nights - .fun
10 - Opera - Andre Bocelli 
(Debut)
9  -  Babel - Mumford and Sons
8  -  Fall To Grace - Paloma Faith
7  -  The Abbey Road Sessions - Kylie Minogue
6  -  Our Version of Events - Emeli Sande
5  -  Stronger Together - Military Wives
(Debut)
4  -  18 Months - Calvin Harris
3  -  Evolution - JLS
(Debut)
2  -  Magic of the Movies - Andre Rieu and Johann Strauss Orchestra
(Debut)
1  -  Take The Crown - Robbie Williams
(Debut)

Bonanza - Season 6

Continuing the look at Season 6 of Bonanza, 1964-65, the first season Bonanza was the #1 show in prime time television.

Episode 9
Between  Heaven and Earth
originally aired November 15th 1964
guest star Richard Jaeckel as Mitch

When Joe and his friend Mitch go after a puma, Joe climbs a big peak and throws his gun up higher, intending to crawl up after it. But as he looks down, things begin to spin. He realizes he can't go any higher, and he retreats down the hill. Needing to prove himself, Joe spars against Mitch.

Flashback - Billboard Top 10 Singles - 2/25/1978

The Jack Benny Show 1952-53 Season

Here is the next installment for the Jack Benny Show in the 1952-53 season.  This is the season that Jack's show went to #2 in the overall season ratings behind Amos N' Andy.

From my friend Buck Benny and his tremendous OTR podcast which features, Phil Harris and Alice Faye Show, Gunsmoke, Red Skelton, Fred Allen, Great Gildersleeve, Suspense, Escape, Bing Crosby and Jimmy Durante.

Please go to his podcast and follow him and listen to the greatest Old Time Radio shows.

Tell'em Jim sent ya!




here are episode 4 and 5 from the 1952-53 Season.
As usual 2 great shows and this is a year I would introduce anyone to the Jack Benny Show if they have never heard it.

The Jack Benny Show 1952-53 Season

The Jack Benny Show in the last years of the Golden Age of Radio managed to climb higher in the ratings each season and would culminate in being the #1 show for the 1954-55 season.
We are going to look at the 1952-53 season as The Lucky Strike Program with Jack Benny would be the #2 show of the radio season behind the resurgent Amos N' Andy Show that somehow saw its ratings jump to #1.



In my own opinion this is a really good season even without bandleader Phil Harris, who left the show after the 1951-52 season.  He was ably replaced by Bob Crosby, brother of legendary crooner Bing Crosby.
The sound quality of these shows is remarkable and gives the show a more "modern" feel and they are really in stride this season with Rochester, Dennis, Mary and Don.   I think Mel Blanc was really on top of his game during the 1950s and this season is one of his best.


This week the first 3 episodes of the 1952-53 season.

You get the added bonus of a great introduction by my friend Buck Benny who happily allowed me to post these shows from his Buck Benny Podcast.  Please go listen and follow him for great Old Time Radio from the 30s, 40s and 50s.

NY Times Bestseller List November 18th 2012

New York Times Bestseller List - Non Fiction

Top 10

Week Ending November 18th 2012

10 - NYPD Red - James Patterson and Marshall Karp  (4 weeks on list)

9  -  Iced - Karen Marie Moning
(Debut)
The first book in a new urban paranormal trilogy set in the world of the Fever series features Dani O'Malley.

8  -  The Winter of The World - Ken Follett   (7 weeks)

7  -  The Bone Bed - Patricia Cornwell   (3 weeks)

6  -  A Winter Dream - Richard Paul Evans
(Debut)
When Joseph Jacobson stands to be anointed heir to his father's agency, his 12 brothers cast him out.

5  - Gone Girl - Gillian Flynn   (22 weeks)

4  -  The Panther - Nelson DeMille   (3 weeks)

3  -  The Casual Vacancy - J.K. Rowling    (6 weeks)

2  -  The Sins of the Mother - Danielle Steel
(Debut)
An enormously successful businesswoman tries to make up for past failings with her children, now grown.

1  -  The Racketeer - John Grisham
(2nd week on list and 2nd consecutive week at #1)
Malcolm Bannister, an imprisoned ex-lawyer, knows who murdered a federal judge.  He conconcts a scheme to exchange this information for his freedom.

Flashback - Billboard Top 10 Singles - 11/12/1988

Billboard Korea K-POP Hot100 Top50 11/15/2012

Billboard Top 50 On Demand Songs Week Ending 11/10/12

NY Times Bestseller List - Non Fiction 11/11/2012

New York Times Bestseller List

Non Fiction

Week Ending November 11th 2012

10 - Plutocrats - Chrystia Freeland   (2nd week on list)
The lives of the global elites in the wealthiest 0.1 percent and the consequences of increasing income stratification.

9  -  America Again - Stephen Colbert   (4th week)

8  -  How Children Succeed - Paul Tough    (8th week)

7  -  Makeup To Breakup - Peter Criss with Larry Sloman
(Debut)
The Kiss drummer reflects on his life in rock

6  -  Proof of Heaven - Eben Alexander
(Debut)
A neurosurgeon recounts his near death experience during a coma from bacterial meningitis.

5  -  The Signal and The Noise - Nate Silver   (4th week)
An examination of predictions, the ones that come true and the ones that don't.

4  -  Rod - Rod Stewart 
(Debut)
The pop singer reminisces on his long career

3  -  Killing Lincoln - Bill O'Reilly and Martin Dugard   (57th week)

2  -  No Easy Day - Mark Owen with Kevin Maurer  (8th week)

1  -  Killing Kennedy - Bill O'Reilly and Martin Dugard  
(4th consecutive week at #1)

New York Times Bestseller List - Fiction 11/11/2012

NY Times Bestseller List

Fiction

Week Ending November 11th 2012

10 - Winter of the World - Ken Follett  (6 weeks on list)

9  -  Angels at the Table - Debbie Macomber 
(Debut)
Angels cook up a plan to reunite a young couple

8  -  NYPD Red - James Patterson and Marshall Karp  (3rd week)
Detective Zach Jordan and his beautiful partner must stop a deranged killer who has targeted a glittering New York film festival

7  -  Gone Girl - Gillian Flynn  (21st week)

6  -  The Bone Bed - Patricia Cornwell  (2nd week)
A paleontologist's disappearance in Canada turns out to be connected to crimes much closer to home for the chief medical examiner Kay Scarpetta
The 20th Scarpetta book.

5  -  The Bridge - Karen Kingsbury
(Debut)
The destruction of a beloved bookstore offers the shop's supporters second chances on love and leases.

4  -  Back To Blood - Tom Wolfe
(Debut)
A Cuban-American cop is a hero turned pariah in Miami, where ethnic and class tensions threaten to explode.

3  -  The Casual Vacancy - J.K. Rowling  (5th week)

2  -  The Panther - Nelson DeMille   (2nd week)
(last week's #1)
The anti-terrorist task force agent John Corey and his wife, an FBI agent, pursue a high ranking Al Qaeda operative.

1  -  The Racketeer - John Grisham
(DEBUT)
Malcolm Bannister, an imprisoned ex-lawyer, knows who murdered a federal judge. And he concocts a scheme to exchange this information for his freedom.

Bonanza - Season 6

The 1964-1965 prime television season was the first season that Bonanza was the #1 show for the season.

Square Deal Sam

Episode 8

NBC TV

Originally aired November  8th 1964

The Washburns just arrived in town and are looking for work. When Hoss hears about the difficulties they've been through, he invites them to stay at the Ponderosa. After they sell everyone at the ranch a share in a copper mine, the Cartwrights find out the Washburns are not exactly what they appear to be. But this is just the beginning of the yarns Samuel is willing to spin.

Flashback - Top 50 Billboard Hot Country Singles 10/21/78

Billboard Korea K-POP Hot100 Top50 10/25/2012

Classic TV - The Addams Family

To celebrate Halloween here is one of the funniest shows in the history of tv, The Addams Family.
Based on the weird and funny cartoons of Charles Addams this show came to tv in September of 1964 and ran until April of 1966 for 64 episodes.  Aired on Friday nights on ABC 830-900pm.
Starring John Astin as Gomez Addams and Carolyn Jones as Morticia Addams.

This episode focus' on the bulter, Lurch played by Ted Cassidy with special guest star as Lurch's mother, Ellen Corby (Grandma Walton to the 70s generation).

The first season the show finished at #23 in the ratings but did not make the Top 30 in season 2.

Mother Lurch Visits
Season 1
Episode 17
originally aired January 15th 1965

Flashback - Cashbox Top 40 Singles May 12, 1984

Flashback - Billboard Hot 100 Year-End Top 100 Singles of 2008

Gunsmoke - Season 3

  This was the first of 4 consecutive seasons that Gunsmoke was the #1 show in prime time television.

Season 3

Episode 12 

"How To Kill a Woman"

originally aired November 30th 1957

story by John Meston

screenplay David Peckinpaugh

special guest - Pernell Roberts

New York Times Bestseller List - NonFiction October 21st 2012

NY Times Bestseller List - Non Fiction

Week Ending October 21st 2012

10 - Into The Fire - Dakota Meyer and Bing West  (2nd week on list)
A Medal of Honor winner's first hand account of a crucial battler in the Afghan war.

9 - The Price of Politics - Bob Woodward   (4 weeks on list)
Inside the debt-ceiling negotiations of 2011.

8 - Mugged - Ann Coulter   (2nd week on list)
The political commentator traces racial demagoguery from the 1970s to the present.

7 - How Children Succeed - Paul Tough   (5 weeks on list)

6 - Killing Lincoln -  Bill O'Reilly and Martin Dugard   (54th week on list)

5 - Waging Heavy Peace - Neil Young   (2nd week on list)
The rocker's memoir ranges over his personal life and his music.

4 - Total Recall - Arnold Schwarzeneggar w/Peter Petre
(Debut)
A memoir by the actor, a former body builder and California Governor.

3 - American Again - Stephen Colbert
(Debut)
The mock pundit of Comedy Central's "Colbert Report" tells how to bring America back from the brink.

2 - No Easy Day - Mark Owen w/Kevin Maurer   (5 weeks on list)
An account by a former member of the Navy SEALS of the mission that killed bin Laden.

1 - Killing Kennedy - Bill O'Reilly and Martin Dugard
(Debut)
Recounting the events surrounding the assasssination of President John F. Kennedy

New York Times Bestseller List - Fiction 10/21/2012

NY Times Bestseller List - Fiction

Week Ending October 21st 2012

10 - This is How You Lose Her - Junot Diaz   (4 weeks on list)

9 - Phantom - Jo Nesbo
(Debut)
The Oslo detective Harry Hole returns after three years away to find the social fabric in tatters.

8 - Live By Night - Dennis Lehane
(Debut)
A South Boston punk becomes a Florida crime boss

7 - Dark Storm - Christine Feehan
(Debut)
In the 23rd book in the Dark Series, the Carpathian Dax fights a vampire and meets his life mate.

6 - A Wanted Man - Lee Child   (4 weeks on list)

5 - The Time Keeper - Mitch Albom   (5 weeks on list)

4 - Gone Girl - Gillian Flynn   (18 weeks on list)

3 - Winter of the World - Ken Follett   (3 weeks on list)

2 - Mad River - John Sanford
(Debut)
Virgil Flowers joins the hunt for a teenage Bonnie and Clyde.

1 - The Casual Vacancy - J.K. Rowling
(2nd consecutive week at #1)

Flashback - Billboard Top 10 Singles - 10/30/1976

Bonanza - Season 6

Our continuing look at the episodes of Bonanza from season 6 (1964-65) when it was the #1 rated show in prime television.

Season 6
Episode 7
A Dime's Worth of Glory
Originally aired November 1st  1964
NBC
Ben and Adam capture 2 known outlaws that tried to hold up the stage they are passengers on.  A reporter who was also a passenger and dime novelist, wants to make them both famous.   When they take the gunmen to jail at the next town they are met by an aloof alcoholic sheriff who doesn't mind regaining his past glory with the help of a little creative writing.

guest stars:
Bruce Cabot (Sheriff Reed Larimore), Walter Brook (Tobias Finch), Charles Maxwell (Pickard)

New York Times Best Seller List - Fiction October 14th 2012

The Top Ten Bestselling Novels on the NY Times Bestseller List

Fiction

Week Ending October 14th 2012

10 - Rapture - J.R. Ward
(Debut)
After a man stumbles in front of the reporter Mels Carmichael's car, both find they're in over their heads;  a Fallen Angels novel.

9 - Telegraph Avenue - Michael Chabon   (3rd week on list)

8 - Zoo - James Patterson   (4th week on list)

7 - Low Pressure - Sandra Brown  (2nd week on list)
A woman makes disturbing discoveries and acquires a stalker, when she writes a book about her sister's murder.

6 - This is How You Loser Her - Junot Diaz   (3rd week on list)

5 - The Time Keeper - Mitch Albom   (4th week on list)

4 - A Wanted Man - Lee Child   (3rd week on list)

3 - Gone Girl - Gillian Flynn    (17 weeks on list)

2 - Winter of the World - Ken Follett
(2nd week on list and last weeks #1)
In Book 2 of the Century trilogy, members of five interrelated families from five countries grapple with the tumultuous historical events of the years 1939-1949.

1 - The Casual Vacancy - J.K. Rowling
(DEBUT)
The sudden death of a parish councilman reveals bitter social divisions in an idyllic English town;
a novel for adults by the creator of Harry Potter.

Billboard Charts - October 2012 - (10/13/2012)

The Golden Age of Radio - 1942-43 Season

As you know my favorite OTR podcaster Buck Benny has started his new season of shows and among the seasons he is spotlighting is the 1942-43 season.   That season in during the Golden Age of Radio holds a special place in the annals of old time radio.

1942-43 was the highest rated season of the 1940s and being in the heart of the war years, radio provided not only top notch entertainment but up to the minute news of the war raging now raging on two fronts.

This season Buck is highlighting these wonderful shows, The Grape Nuts Flakes Program starring Jack Benny, Raleigh Cigarette Program starring Red Skelton, Fibber McGee and Molly and Texaco Star Theater starring Fred Allen.  All of these programs rated in the Top 15 of the show airing that season, and 3 of these were in the Top 5 (Jack, Fibber and Red).

NBC ruled the airwaves in the 40s with all these programs. They would have 15 of the top 20 programs for 1942-43 and Tuesday night was the night of, (to borrow a television theme) Must Hear Radio:

9-930pm -  Burns and Allen
930-10pm  - Fibber McGee and Molly
10-1030pm - The Pepsodent Show with Bob Hope
1030-11pm -  Raleigh Cigarette Program withe Red Skelton

Here are the top 5 final season ratings for 1942-43:

1 - The Pepsodent Show starring Bob Hope  (40.9 rating)
sadly there are not many surviving episodes of this wonderful from 1942-43

2 - Raleigh Cigarette Program starring Red Skelton  (40.7)


3 - The Johnson Wax Program starring Fibber McGee and Molly  (37.7)



4 - Chase and Sanborn Program with Edgar Bergen and Charlie McCarthy  (34.8)
again we are missing several season of the Edgar and Charlie, but here is one from the 1937 season.


5 - Grape Nuts and Grape Nuts Program starring Jack Benny   (33.9)


coming in at #15 with his new 30 minute version of Texaco Star Theater, Fred Allen  (21.6)...Fred would eventually find his way to #1 in the 1947-48 season.

Billboard Charts - October 2012 - (10/6/12)

Billboard Korea K-POP Hot100 Top50 10/04/2012

Bonanza Season 6 - The Scapegoat

Our continuing look at Season 6 of Bonanza, 1964-65.  This was the first season it was the #1 show in prime time television.


Episode 6
The Scapegoat
originally aired October 25th 1964
Guest star George Kennedy (Waldo Watson)

Waldo Watson, a born loser who has decided to end it all.  Feeling pity for Waldo, Hoss hires him as a Ponderosa ranch hand.  Waldo is a clumsy and inept worker, but he also puts the Cartwrights lives' in danger with a gang of eastern gamblers who want to collect a long-standing debt from the hapless Waldo.