Well Known Network Exec Fred Silverman Dies

Fred Silverman, perhaps the most famous network "suit" of all time died last week at 82.  Silverman was  regularly featured in TV Guide at a time, when the medium was dominated by the big 3, CBS, ABC, and NBC.  

Silverman started with CBS being credited with making it a success.   He then moved on to ABC, again helping to make that network number one in the ratings. He then could not resist the challenge to go to NBC, which at the time, was the struggling network,  his tenure there was not as successful, however, he may have "planted the seeds" that allowed that network to later have a roaring comeback. 

TV writer Lee Goldberg knew Silverman and write this tribute, click here.

Iconic Weathercaster Pool Will Retire

KOMO 4 TV Seattle meteorologist Steve Pool, a veteran in the market and a regional icon is retiring.
His last weather forecast will Tuesday, November 26th. 
With a smooth delivery and an uncanny ability to connect with his audience, Pool, one of the nation's first African-American weathercasters, has won 8 Emmy Awards and has filled in more than 70 times on ABC's Good Morning America.

Peggy Lipton Of The Mod Squad

Peggy Lipton, who starred as Julie Barnes in the late 60s-early 70s cop show The Mod Squad, has died.  She was 72.
The ABC network, at the time, was able to somehow dial into the emerging youth culture during an era of change and upheaval.  The Mod Squad blended to opposing forces, the police, who were looked upon as "The Establishment" and young, rebellious youth.
At the time, I was quite taken by the counter culture movement and as I was entering my teen age years, Lipton was an attractive and hip.    
Lipton would later star on the cult classic TV show, Twin Peaks.   She had been suffering from cancer. 

Old Walla Walla Radio Remembered 23--Bob Garred

I had written about Bob Garred in a previous article.  He was one of many famous radio people from Walla Walla.  My parents bought there house on Palouse Street from his parents in the mid 1960s.  I  heard that I had his old room, which is quite coincidental because of my interest in radio history.  According to an article in the Walla Walla Union-Bulletin archives,  Garred started at KUJ in Walla Walla, then went on to CBS, he was with ABC when he died at 41 in December of 1956.

Local Firm Gets Investment On Shark Tank

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A rather unique company received an investment on ABC's The Shark Tank, one of my favorite TV shows.  Combat flip flops, based in nearby Issaquah, features clothing created in war torn countries like Afghanistan and Laos.  It's motto is "business not bullets".
Former Army Rangers Matthew "Griff" Griffin and Donald Lee came up with the idea after seeing locals with jobs making combat boots in Afghanistan. 
The shark investors were Mark Cuban, Damon John, and Lori Granier, combined they put up 300,000 for a 30 percent investment in the firm.  You can find the Combat Flip Flop Facebook page here

Jim Lange Hosted The Dating Game

Folks my age would be more likely to remember the show than Jim Lange, but the former host of The Dating Game is dead at 81.  The Dating Game was a daytime show that ran from the mid 1960s to the early 1970s on ABC , a network that seemed to excel at marketing to America's youth.  Lange, who was also an LA DJ, was animated and telegenic. 
The concept of the show was similar to the to today's The Bachelor, except that it took 15 minutes for the subject to pick a date, rather than a season.  Also, the subject would not see the eligible bachelors or bachelorettes and marriage was not even in the conversation. 
With the chirpy music of Herb Albert And The Tijuana Brass in the background the show was fast moving and hip.  The trademark of the show was at the end when the couples would come out at the end and along with Lange, blow a big kiss to the audience.
TV writer and blogger Ken Levine has this tribute to Jim Lange.

Wide World of Sports Celebrates 50th

The show that proved that there were more sports than just Baseball, Basketball, and Football, Wide World Of Sports debuted on April 29th, 1961. It would remain of the air until 2006. According to the Wikipedia, it was the creation of Edgar J. Sherick, Scherick hired Roone Arledge to be his producer and the rest is history. The show would air every Saturday on ABC. Arledge became became the leading figure in television sports and the creator of Monday Night Football.
Viewers of Wide World Of Sports could see Boxing, Skiing, Track and Field, Auto Racing, and other sports that would not normally be seen on the air. It was Wide World Of Sports where such icons as Jim McKay, who would do the intro shown above, and Howard Cosell became household names.
This week, ESPN, now owned by ABC, will celebrate Wide World Of Sports' 50th Anniversary by showing highlights of the show from over the years. Thank you to KJR's Mike Gastinaeu for the "heads up".