Aloha from Hawaii: Via Satellite

Today in 1973 - Elvis Presley drew the largest audience for a single TV show to that time -- an estimated one billion viewers in 40 countries. Elvis - Aloha From Hawaii, a live, worldwide concert from Honolulu International Center Arena (later known as the Neal S. Blaisdell Center Arena). Performed at 12:30 a.m. Hawaiian Time, it was beamed live via Globecam Satellite to Australia, South Korea, Japan, Thailand, the Philippines, South Vietnam and other countries, and was seen on a delayed basis in approximately 30 European countries. The first American airing was April 4th on NBC-TV. The show was also released as a two-record album, and became one of Elvis’s top-selling LPs

This was the last soundtrack (and last #1 album on the Billboard 200 for Elvis) released during Elvis lifetime, the last 2 were released after his death, Elvis in Concert (1977 TV Special) and This is Elvis in 1981.

Here is the complete show from 1973

Sanford and Son - Superflyer

From Season 3 originally aired November 2nd 1973


Fred finds out he had an uncle Leotis who died and left him 1500.00 dollars.  Of course Fred has to fly to St Louis to get the money and Fred don't fly.

Top 5

Our Top 5 this time around covers another of my favorites, Horse racing and the Kentucky Derby.  


Here are the 5 fastest horses to win the Kentucky Derby.

#5 - Decidedly - 1962 2:00.40
This was the son of the 1954 Derby winner Determine.


#4 - Spend a Buck - 1985 2:00.20
1985 Horse of the Year


#3 - Northern Dancer - 1964 2:00
The 3 Year Old Horse of the Year in 1964 and considered one of the greatest sires in the history of thoroughbred racing.  He is an ancestor of all the Triple Crown winners of 2009 (Mine That Bird, Rachel Alexandra and Summer Bird).


#2 - Monarchos - 2001 1:59.97
Only the 2nd (and to date last) horse to ever break the 2 minute barrier in the Derby



#1 - Secretariat - 1973 1:59.40
Considered by many the greatest race horse of all time and the first horse to break the 2 minute barrier at the Derby.  He went on to win the Preakness and Belmont for 1973 making him the first horse since 1948 to win the Triple Crown.

Sanford and Son - Lamont Goes African

In honor of Demond Wilson's 65th birthday today I give you one of the funniest episodes of a very funny show, Sanford and Son.

From January 19th 1973 Episode 31 from season 2

Top 5

The Top 5 shows of the 1973-74 television season


5 - Hawaii Five-O  24.0 rating (CBS Tues 830-930)



4 - M*A*S*H  25.7 rating (CBS Sat 830-9)



3 - Sanford and Son  27.5 rating (NBC Fri 8-830)


2 - The Waltons  28.1 rating (CBS Thurs 8-9)


1 - All In The Family  31.2 rating (CBS Sat 8-830)

Happy Birthday

Today in 1970 one of, if not the greatest thoroughbred of all time, Secretariat was foaled at Meadow Farm in Virginia.

"Big Red" would win the Triple Crown in 1973 and in the process beat the 2 minute barrier in the Kentucky Derby. and win the Belmont stakes in 2:24, both of which have not been beaten. He was called by other jockeys "a living breathing locomotive" and in the famous Belmont race he was called "a tremendous machine".

45th Annual Academy Awards

Today in 1973 It was Oscar night at the Dorothy Chandler Pavilion, Los Angeles Cailfornia

The show was hosted by Carol Burnett, Michael Caine, Charlton Heston and Rock Hudson. Most people, when offered an Academy Award, can’t get up to the stage fast enough to claim the little gold guy. But, Marlon Brando said, “You can keep it," when AMPAS offered him the Oscar for Best Actor for his performance as The Godfather. Brando refused to accept the award because he felt that the U.S. and Hollywood were discriminating against American Indians. The Godfather (Albert S. Ruddy, producer) also was awarded the the prize for Best Picture. That Oscar was accepted, as were several for Cabaret: Best Director (Bob Fosse), Best Actress (Liza Minnelli) and Best Supporting Actor (Joel Grey). Best Supporting Actress was Eileen Heckart for Butterflies are Free and the Best Music/Song prize went to Al Kasha and Joel Hirschhorn for The Morning After from The Poseidon Adventure.