Lyle Russell Cedric “Skitch” Henderson 
      
           (January 27, 1918 – November 1, 2005)

Skitch is best known as the conductor and bandleader on
TONIGHT! and later THE TONIGHT SHOW from 1953-1966
on NBC-TV. Prior to this, Skitch Henderson led bands on 
such radio programs as THE PEPSODENT SHOW starring
Bob Hope, THE LUCKY STRIKE SHOW starring Frank
Sinatra and THE PHILCO HOUR starring Bing Crosby.

In 1983, Henderson founded The New York Pops orchestra,
based at Carnegie Hall in New York City. He served as the
music director of the orchestra until his death.
 

From left: Steve Allen and Skitch Henderson

Johnny Carson (left) and Skitch

Jack Benny married Sadie Marks (above) on January 25, 1927. The couple met
while she was said to be working as a lingerie salesgirl at a May Department Store
in Los Angeles. Sadie changed her name to Mary Livingstone, a scripted character 
in one of Jack’s vaudeville shows.

            Mary Livingstone (1905-1983)      Jack Benny (1894-1974)

Cast of The Guiding Light from 1937 (left – right) Arthur Peterson, Mercedes
McCambridge, Helen Behmiller, and Henrietta Ledro.

Guiding Light (known as The Guiding Light before 1975) is a television soap opera
the Guinness Book of World Records credits as the longest running drama in TV
and radio history. The program began as a NBC Radio serial on Monday, January
25, 1937 and moved to CBS radio on June 2, 1947. It started on CBS -TV, June 30,
1952 where it ran until 2009 when it was cancelled. Guiding Light was created by
schoolteacher Irna Phillips, who based it on her personal experiences.

Irna Phillips, mother of the Soap Opera

Robert Weston Smith, known commonly as Wolfman Jack 

                         (21 January 1938 – 1 July 1995)

Wolfman Jack had just finished broadcasting his last live radio program,
a weekly show nationally syndicated from Planet Hollywood in downtown
Washington, D.C. Shortly after arriving at his home located in Belvidere,
North Carolina, he died of a heart attack. The Wolfman was only 57. 

1973

D.J. Johnny Otis with son Johnny “ Shuggie” Otis, Jr. in 1957 at KFOX radio
in Los Angeles.

1993

         Johnny Otis  (December 28, 1921 – January 17, 2012)

Otis was a singer, musician, talent scout, D.J., composer, arranger, and
record producer. He was inducted to the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame in
1994 as a nonperformer for his work as a songwriter and producer. Otis
discovered Etta James and Little Richard.

1958