This Week in Television History: January 2013 PART I

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As always, the further we go back in Hollywood history, the more that fact and legend become intertwined. It's hard to say where the truth really lies.


January 1, 1943
Don Novello writer, film director, producer, actor, singer, and comedian is born. Novello is best known for his work on NBC's Saturday Night Live, from 1977 until 1980, and then 1985 until 1986, often as the character "Father Guido Sarducci".

Novello has appeared as "Sarducci" on many television shows since then, including Married... with Children, Blossom, It's Garry Shandling's Show, Unhappily Ever After and Square Pegs.

January 5, 1998

Sonny Bono, Congressman and former half of the singing duo Sonny and Cher, is killed in a skiing accident. Born in 1935, Bono rose to fame in the early 1970s as the straight man to his wife in “The Sonny and Cher Show.” As a signer and songwriter he received ten gold records during his career but his biggest hit was undoubtedly 1965’s ”I Got You Babe.” 

He entered the political world in 1988 when he was elected mayor of Palm Springs. He was elected to Congress in 1994 as a Republican. He was 62.

January 6, 1973

The animated Saturday morning TV series of shorts called Schoolhouse Rock premieres on ABC with Multiplication Rock. The first song recorded was Three Is a Magic Number, written by Bob Dorough. 

The short musical cartoons featured lessons in math, history, science, grammar, and more, with classics like "Conjunction Junction," "Interjections," and "The Preamble to the Constitution."

To quote the Bicentennial Minute, "And that's the way it was".

Stay Tuned

Tony Figueroa