“The Queen of Soul” and “Dragnet” - This Day in History – Jan 3rd

“Just the facts, ma’am.” Dragnet premieres on NBC

Back in 1952, Hollywood, producer, director and actor, Jack Webb debuted as Los Angeles sergeant, Joe Friday in the dramatic television series, “Dragnet,” which co-starred actor Harry Morgan.

According to history.com, “After playing a small role in the 1948 film noir He Walked By Night, Webb created a radio series for the National Broadcasting Company (NBC) network that, like the film, was based on actual LAPD cases. As the narrator of the show, Webb provided a matter-of-fact commentary on how the police department worked and how detectives went about solving the specific cases.”

Within the era of the 1950’s, Dragnet was watched by more than half of the television households in America.  However, by the 1960’s sergeant Friday’s character became a more open voice.  According to history.com, “the conservative views of the show’s creators, issuing lectures on the importance of God and patriotism that were meant as a warning to the growing hippie counterculture of Vietnam-era America. In the years to come, despite a 1980s revival after Webb’s death, Dragnet would be eclipsed by the popularity of such crime-themed dramas as The Mod Squad,  Hawaii Five-O, Hill Street Blues and the reality series COPS and America’s Most Wanted.”

There have been other versions of Dragnet that didn’t fare as well as the original series.  The 1987 comedy version, featured actors Dan Aykroyd, Tom Hanks and Harry Morgan as the police captain.  A short-lived 2003 television series, which featured actor, Ed O’Neill did not live up to ABC Network’s expectations.

Links to this story:

http://youtu.be/Hj-qhIGTXdU

http://youtu.be/X6LprmdivN8

http://youtu.be/FZo2hhvvlpw

http://youtu.be/IMc3RS_afSE

http://youtu.be/Ca8JhECUDq0

“Queen of Soul” becomes first female inductee in Rock and Roll Hall of Fame

Back in 1987, the first woman to be inducted into the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame is R&B Legend, Aretha Franklin.

According to history.com, “A combination of history and Hall of Fame policy help explain the gender imbalance. To be considered for induction into the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame, candidates must have released their first album at least 25 years earlier. This means that in its first ten years of existence, the Hall of Fame considered only female rock and roll figures from the 1960s and earlier, a period during which there were relatively few prominent women working in what would generally be considered rock and roll.”

As of today, the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame Inductee ceremony has been in existence since 1986.  As of 2008 the following women in order of induction have received this honor.

• Aretha Franklin
• The Supremes
• LaVern Baker
• Ike and Tina Turner
• Ruth Brown
• Etta James
• Martha and the Vandellas
• Janis Joplin
• The Shirelles
• Jefferson Airplane (Grace Slick)
• Gladys Knight and the Pips
• Joni Mitchell
• The Mamas and the Papas (Cass Elliot and Michelle Phillips)
• Fleetwood Mac (Christine McVie and Stevie Nicks)
• The Staple Singers
• Dusty Springfield
• Bonnie Raitt
• Talking Heads (Tina Weymouth)
• Brenda Lee
• The Pretenders (Chryssie Hind)
• Blondie (Debbie Harry)
• The Ronettes
• Patti Smith
• Madonna

Links to this story:

http://youtu.be/yw2CK0mG9qw

http://youtu.be/J_jDzICbC_o

http://youtu.be/xGHgRZLUKp8

All History facts provided from the link below:

http://www.history.com/this-day-in-history/secretary-fall-resigns-in-teapot-dome-scandal?catId=11