This Day in Pop Culture for April 19

1948: ABC TV Network Debuts

Airing five years earlier as radio network, the American Broadcasting Company (ABC) began to air programming on TV on this day in 1948. Unlike the other networks that relied heavily on live programming, ABC embraced airing shows that were taped ahead of time which proved to be popular with celebrities not wanting to be tied down to a regular filming schedule.

The first show airing on the ABC affiliate WFIL-TV in Philadelphia was On the Corner with Henry Morgan, brought over from radio. Other shows that began broadcasting that year include The Southernaires Quartet, Hollywood Screen Test, Actors Studio, Quizzing the News, America’s Town Meeting, Candid Microphone, Teenage Book Club, Blind Date and Break the Bank. (Image: ABC)

1975: Sadly, Love Didn’t Keep Them Together

On this day in 1975, Toni Tennille and Daryl Dragon sang “Love Will Keep Us Together” by Toni Tennille and Daryl Dragon. Known as the Captain and Tennille, the couple married in November of that year. They became one of the most successful husband/wife musical duos of all time.

The couple produced seven top 10 singles in the next five years with themes about love, marriage and even, gasp, marital sex. Their last album together, ICON, was released in 2013.

For years, no one would doubt that the pair were a happy couple. Unfortunately, on January 16, 2016, Tennille filed for divorce from the Captain after 39 years of marriage! No more “muskrat love” for these two apparently. (Image: Wikimedia)

1971: Charles Manson Sentenced

Cult leader Charles Manson was sentenced to death on this day in 1971 (but the ruling was later changed to life imprisonment) for conspiracy in the Tate-LaBianca murders.

1934: Shirley’s First Full-Length Feature

In April of 1932, Shirley Temple began her film career appearing in an uncredited role in the short film, Runt Page. This led to a string of other cheaply made shorts until this day in 1934 when Shirley starred in Stand Up & Cheer, her first feature-length film.

While she only appeared in a portion of the film that was basically a bunch of vaudeville acts used to boost morale during the Great Depression, this led to bigger and better roles where she would act with such legends as Gary Cooper, John Boles, Victor McLaglen, and Randolph Scott.

Shirley’s favorite costar was Bill “Bojangles” Robinson whom she appeared in four films including The Little Colonel where the two performed their famous staircase dance. (Image: Wikipedia)