September 12, 1959 –
That’s why we call it Bonanza…Bonanza…Bonanza…
Bonanza, the first US television series to be broadcast in color, premiered on NBC-TV on this date.
Most viewers have only heard the famous theme song by Jay Livingston and Ray Evans played as an instrumental. The theme song actually had lyrics and there is footage of the lead actors singing those lyrics. Lorne Greene, Dan Blocker and Michael Landon sang a lyric version of this famous instrumental theme for the pilot, but it never aired.
Johnny Cash recorded his own version of the theme song.
But this was not why I brought the date up
September 12, 1959 –
While Americans were home watching Bonanza on this date, the Soviet Union launched Lunik II toward the Moon aboard a Luna 8K72 carrier rocket. It was the first man-made object to reach the Moon from Earth.
It was the Soviet’s second attempt to launch a rocket to the moon and the first successful attempt when it landed two days later. It’s data-collecting mission lasted 33.5 hours.
And so it goes
The Haus of Dcaligari 