February 9, 2012

Born on this date
Happy Birthday, Heather Blacklock!

60 years ago
1952

Hit parade
#1 singles in the U.S.A. (Billboard): Cry--Johnnie Ray and the Four Lads (Best Seller--6th week at #1, Disc Jockey--5th week at #1, Juke Box--3rd week at #1)

U.S. top 10 (Cash Box)
1 Cry--Johnnie Ray and the Four Lads (2nd week at #1)
2 Slow Poke--Pee Wee King and his Golden West Cowboys
--Arthur Godfrey
--Helen O'Connell
3 Tell Me Why--The Four Aces
--Eddie Fisher
4 The Little White Cloud that Cried--Johnnie Ray and the Four Lads
5 (It's No) Sin--The Four Aces
--Eddy Howard
6 Charmaine--Mantovani and his Orchestra
7 Down Yonder--Del Wood
--Joe "Fingers" Carr
--Champ Butler
8 Any Time--Eddie Fisher
9 Shrimp Boats--Jo Stafford
10 Undecided--The Ames Brothers and Les Brown and his Band of Renown

Singles entering the chart were Tulips and Heather by Perry Como (#25); Silly Dreamer (#26)/Since My Love has Gone (#42) by Tony Bennett; Come What May by Patti Page (#33); When it's Sleepy Time Down South by Louis Armstrong and Gordon Jenkins and his Orchestra (#37); and Wimmin' by Guy Mitchell (#38). Come What May was the B-side (or maybe the A-side) of Retreat (Cries My Heart), which charted at #36.

50 years ago
1962

On television tonight
The Twilight Zone, on CBS
Tonight's episode: Kick the Can, starring Ernest Truex, Russell Collins, John Marley, and Burt Mustin

40 years ago
1972

On television tonight
Rod Serling's Night Gallery, on NBC
Tonight's episode: Stop Killing Me, starring Geraldine Page and James Gregory; Dead Weight, starring Jack Albertson and Bobby Darin

30 years ago
1982

Hit parade
#1 single in Sweden: Cambodia--Kim Wilde (3rd week at #1)

Politics and government
Quebec Premier Rene Levesque, who had threatened to resign after a Parti Quebecois convention in December, received an overwhelming vote of confidence, being backed by 95% of the 290,000 party members who voted. His government, re-elected in April 1981, had more than four years to go before another election was required.

25 years ago
1987

Hit parade
#1 single in Australia (Australian Music Report): Walk Like an Egyptian--Bangles

20 years ago
1992

Hit parade
#1 single in the U.K.: Goodnight Girl--Wet Wet Wet (4th week at #1)

Basketball
NBA
All-Star Game @ Orlando Arena, Orlando
West 153 East 113

Magic Johnson, who had retired from the Los Angeles Lakers several months earlier after testing positive for HIV, came out of retirement for this game. he scored 25 points and had 9 assists and was named the game's most valuable player.

10 years ago
2002

Died on this date
Princess Margaret, Countess of Snowdon, 71. The younger sister of Queen Elizabeth II and youngest daughter of King George VI died, after years of declining health, in London at the hospital named after her great-grandfather, King Edward VII.