Ike From Space: The Way It Was, 19 December

1958: BOUNCING OFF A SATELLITE---U.S. President Dwight D. Eisenhower broadcasts the first known radio message bounced off a communications satellite based in space. The President spoke from Goldstone, California when the broadcast was transmitted from the radio mirror balloon.

Eisenhower expressed among other things the hope that space-based communications could be used on behalf of peace for all mankind.

CHANNEL SURFING . . .

1944: FIBBER SNOOPS FOR PRESENTS IN THE CLOSET---Like that's a big surprise . . . as Fibber (Jim Jordan) is reminded rather rudely when he sees a don't-even-think-about-it note from Molly (Marian Jordan) before the usual clutter comes clattering down on him, on tonight's edition of Fibber McGee & Molly. (NBC.)

Alice Darling: Shirley Mitchell. Doc Gamble: Arthur Q. Bryan. Beulah: Marlin Hurt. Announcer: Harlow Wilcox. Music: Billy Mills Orchestra, the King's Men, and special treat Marian Jordan (as Teeny) singing the Ken Darby (of the King's Men) arrangement of "Twas the Night Before Christmas." Writer: Don Quinn.

1948: THE SAD NIGHT---A child's copy book dated from 1930 finds its way to Holliday (Alan Ladd), who learns the hard way that it's going to help him find his way to a murder plot, on tonight's edition of Box 13. (Mutual.)

Suzy: Sylvia Picker. Kling: Edmund McDonald. Additional cast: Lurene Tuttle, Alan Reed, Luis van Rooten, John Beal. Writer: Russell Hughes.

1948: JACK BENNY AS SANTA---In one of the all-time old-time radio Christmas classics, Phil's (Harris) former boss does the surprising job on a Christmas Eve in which the Harris children (Jeanine Roos, Anne Whitfield) want to stay up and see Santa---and not Daddy (who sings a charming re-arrangement of "Jingle Bells")---in costume, this time, on tonight's edition of The Phil Harris-Alice Faye Show. (NBC.)

Willie: Robert North. Remley: Elliott Lewis. Music: Walter Sharp with the Phil Harris Orchestra. Writers: Ray Singer, Dick Chevillat.

PREMIERING TODAY

1888---Fritz Reiner (conductor: Curtis Institute Musicale; Ford Sunday Evening Hour), Budapest.
1894---Ford C. Frick (sportswriter/baseball commissioner: Baseball: An Action History), Wawaka, Indiana.
1902---Sir Ralph Richardson (actor: Adventures of Sherlock Holmes), Cheltenham, UK.
1907---Ray Noble (bandleader: The Burns & Allen Show; The Chase & Sanborn Hour), Brighton, UK.
1911---Clark Dennis (singer: The Breakfast Club; Fibber McGee & Molly; Chesterfield Presents), Roscommon, Michigan.
1915---Edith Piaf (as Édith Giovanna Gassion; singer: The Big Show), Paris.
1923---Gordon Jackson (actor, BBC), Glasgow.
1933---Cicely Tyson (actress: Sears Radio Theater), New York City.