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This Day in Pop Culture

This Day in Pop Culture for January 14

NBC’s “Today” show aired for the first time on this in 1952 and looked a lot different from the show we know today.

January 23, 2020

2–3 minutes

1952: NBC’s “Today” Show Airs for the First Time

On this day in 1952, NBC’s Today debuted for the first time. What is commonplace now, Today was the very first morning show of its kind and is the 5th longest running American television series. When the show began, the network toyed with calling it The Rise and Shine Revue. Okay…

Today’s original host was Dave Garroway and featured chimpanzee J. Fred Muggs as the show’s mascot. He stayed with the show until June 16, 1961. Today held the number one spot for morning television until the late ‘80’s when rival Good Morning America took the reins.

Today began to be on top once again starting in December 1995 and held that position until April 9, 2012, when GMA took the ratings once again. (Image: Wikimedia)

1973: Aloha from Hawaii

It was on this day in 1973 when Elvis Presley performed two concerts to benefit the Kui Lee Cancer Fund. The first was basically a dress rehearsal for the second one which was to be recorded live for the TV special, Aloha from Hawaii.

The special is considered groundbreaking in that it was the first concert by a solo artist to be aired globally via satellite.

An accompanying double album was released the next month where it sold over five million copies and was Presley’s last U.S. number one pop album during his lifetime.

1964: How Much is That Gorilla in the Window?

Hanna-Barbera’s syndicated series The Magilla Gorilla Show featured a gorilla who spent his days sitting in the front window of Melvin Peeble’s pet shop hoping to find a home. Customers would purchase the gorilla only to bring him back a short time later much to Melvin’s chagrin. The show also featured episodes of Ricochet Rabbit & Droop-a-Long (the sherriff of Hoop N’ Holler and his very slow deputy) and Punkin’ Puss & Mushmouse (a hillbilly cat and mouse show).