Jan. 23 in Entertainment History

01/23/2004 9:02 AM, AP


On January 23rd, 1958, Brunswick Records released "Maybe Baby" backed with "Tell Me How" by The Crickets.

In 1970, singer Judy Collins was denied permission to sing her testimony at the Chicago Seven trial.

In 1972, singer Big Maybelle died in Cleveland while in a diabetic coma. She was 47. Among her biggest hits were "Gabbin' Blues" and "My Country Man."

In 1973, jazz musician Edward "Kid" Ory died in Hawaii of pneumonia and heart failure. He was 93.

In 1976, "Donny and Marie" premiered on A-B-C. It was the first variety show hosted by a brother and sister team, Donny and Marie Osmond .

In 1977, the T-V mini-series "Roots," based on the Alex Haley novel, began on A-B-C.

In 1978, Terry Kath, a vocalist and guitarist with the band Chicago, accidentally shot himself to death. He was 32.

In 1986, the first inductees into the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame were honored. They included Chuck Berry , Ray Charles , Sam Cooke , Fats Domino , the Everly Brothers, Buddy Holly , Jerry Lee Lewis , Little Richard and Elvis Presley .

Also in 1989, James Brown was sentenced in Georgia to another six years in jail in connection with a police chase through two states. At the time, Brown was serving a sentence in South Carolina.

In 1990, former Lynyrd Skynyrd guitarist Allen Collins died in Florida of complications from pneumonia. He was 37.

In 1993, "Scent Of A Woman" won the Golden Globe Award for best dramatic film, as well as the best actor award for Al Pacino . Emma Thompson won the best actress Golden Globe for "Howard's End."

In 1996, the city council in Johnson City, Tennessee, withdrew permission for White Zombie to hold a show there. Several town residents had complained that the band advocated satan worship.

In 1997, "Louie, Louie" composer Richard Berry died in his sleep at his home in South Central Los Angeles.

In 2002, Virgin Records and Mariah Carey terminated their record deal after barely nine months. Virgin paid Carey 28 (m) million dollars to break the contract, on top of the 21 (m) million dollars Carey got for signing with Virgin.

Today's Birthdays: Actress Jeanne Moreau is 76. Actress Chita Rivera is 71. Actor Gil Gerard is 61. Actor Rutger Hauer is 60. Singer Anita Pointer of the Pointer Sisters is 56. Guitarist Patrick Simmons of the Doobie Brothers is 54. Keyboardist Danny Federici of Bruce Springsteen and the E Street Band is 54. Bassist-keyboardist Bill Cunningham of The Box Tops is 54. Actor Richard Dean Anderson ("MacGyver") is 54. Singer-guitarist Robin Zander of Cheap Trick is 51. Singer Anita Baker is 46. Bassist Earl Falconer of UB40 is 45. Actress Gail O'Grady ("American Dreams," "NYPD Blue") is 41. Actress Mariska Hargitay ("Law and Order: Special Victims Unit") is 40. Singer Marc Nelson (Az Yet) is 33. Actress Tiffani Thiessen ("Beverly Hills, 90210") is 30.