Cleveland Classic Media

Just when did Jack Benny first appear on the radio?

2012-01-16T19:55:00.000-05:00

One of the things I like about writing the blog is finding out things not generally known, or better yet, refuting things that are suppoosed "known" facts..

One of these assumptions is that Jack Benny began his radio career as a guest of Ed Sullivan on a show in New York on March 29, 1932..His first words were documented as "Hello, this is Jack Benny. Now there will be a slight pause while you say, who cares?"

In recent days, friend Don M. Yowp, whom we have mentioned here before because of his vintage Hanna-Barbera Blog, has started "Tralfaz" a second blog for more of his general entertainment Interests:
Jack Benny On The Air, 1931

Yowp writes about an earlier Benny appearance on RKO Theater of The Air September 4, 1931 on WIBA Madison, Wisconsin.

I thought I'd look around the Plain Dealer Archive to find anything sooner, not really thinking I would..Surprisingly, I came up with a Monday January 20, 1930 Broadcast on WHK-1390 Cleveland at 7:30 PM called "Voices From Filmland"

This appears to be a early Columbia/CBS Radio series on until at least March 1930..According to JJ's Radio log website, this was also on KHJ-930 Los Angeles and WABC-860 New York..
Mr. Benny was on either Radio or TV regularly from 1932-65, with periodic NBC specials until his death in December 1974.

Ms. Laura Leff, a fan of Jack Benny since 10 years of age, runs some facets of the Jack Benny Estate and is head of the International Jack Benny Fan Club..International Jack Benny Fan Club
International Jack Benny Fan Club

Year In Review-2011

2012-01-02T07:15:00.003-05:00

Mary Holt, pioneer among women in Cleveland Broadcasting, passed away March 9th..

Broadcaster Joe Tait retired in April after 39 years of NBA Play-By-Play with the Cleveland Cavaliers..Tait, with Terry Pluto recently brought out his Biography, "It's Been A Real Ball."

Dick Goddard, Cleveland TV Weather Forecaster who on May 1, 2011 celebrated his 50th year in Television, starting out at KYW-TV 3..After a short stint in Philadelphia at KYW, Goddard has been with WJW-8 Cleveland since March 1966..(Photo courtesy Cleveland Leader)

Jane Scott, Rock Music Critic for the Plain Dealer, died July 4 (Photo courtesy Cleveland.com)

Chuck Collier, WGAR Radio Host for over 40 years, passed away September 22..(Photo courtesy WGAR.com and WEWS Newsnet5.com)

Hello..
I'd like to present our second annual Year In Review of Classic Cleveland and Northeast Ohio Media happenings..

Passings..

Mary Holt, a Pioneer in Cleveland Women's Broadcasting..worked at WJMO and WJW Radio as well as KYW-TV 3 in Cleveland..March 9

Dick Dugan, Cartoonist for the Plain Dealer for 38 years..April 16

Jane Scott, Rock Music Writer/Critic for The Plain Dealer..July 4

Chuck Collier..WGAR DJ for over 40 years. September 22..

(If anyone can think of any local folks I might have missed, Email me..)

Milestones:

Dick Goddard celebrated 50 years in TV in May..At That time he brought out his Biography "Six Inches of Partly Cloudy" with Tom Feran..

Joe Tait retires as Cavaliers Basketball Announcer in April after 39 years as an NBA Play By Play man..He also recently wrote, with Terry Pluto "It's Been A Real Ball."
He is replaced by former Lake Erie Monsters Announcer John Michael..

Mike Hegan retires as Indians Radio announcer in October, replaced by Jim Rosenhaus, who was already on the Broadcast Team, rotating with Tom Hamilton And Hegan..

Other News:

In Classic TV Locally, WIVM-52 Canton moves to digital 39 in January, eventually having 4 streams..1. Local With RTV, 2. Tuff TV 3. PBJ Family/Kids Programming 4. Denny and Marge Hazen FM stations..

Antenna TV began on channel 8.2 January 1, 2011
MeTV Began August 1, 2011 on WOIO 19.2 replacing Weather Now
TCT (WRLM-former WOAC) adds a Family/Classic TV channel on 47.3 with TCT regular (.1) TCT HD (.2) and Spanish (.4)

Bounce African American TV Channel is scheduled to begin shortly on WUAB-43.2 or 3 in addition to ThisTV..

In Radio, The biggest news is probably WKRK 92.3 switching from Alt Rock to Sports Talk in late August 2011..

WNWV (107.3) recently was sold by Elyria-Lorain Broadcasting to Rubber City Radio..Format was changed to a form of Smooth Jazz..

Four New FM stations debuted this year in parts of Northeast Ohio..

WKJA (91.9)..Calvary Chapel from California operates this station licensed to Brunswick, Ohio covering much of NE Ohio with 25kw..

WHVY-89.5 Coshocton-Operated by Harvest Baptist Temple Of Clyde, Ohio (WHVT 90.5 and a Findlay Translator on 94.1)

WJDD-90.9 Carrollton (June 2011) and WJEE-90.1 Bolivar (East Sparta)-Operated by Denny and Marge Hazen of TV Ministry Plus Or Minus 60..

More Radio:
WINW Radio 1520 left the air last Spring partly due to Copper Theivery and flooding in the station's transmitter area. They recently returned to the air at low power..

Curtis Perry III, who had been operating WINW under an LMA with an Urban Gospel Format (and appears to be again)..In the meantime, WCER-900 was LMA'ed to Mr. Perry, with the result that the station is currently off the air..Hoping that someone will put 900 back on the air at some point..I's a pretty good facility..

It will be interesting to see what 2012 brings..As always, we're on the lookout for rare Radio/TV airchecks, either audio or video to share on our sites..God Bless you all, thanks for reading and contibuting and Happy New Year to all..

Cleveland Broadcasting-New Years Eve 1949

2011-12-31T12:32:00.000-05:00

Picture Postcard of Hopalong Cassidy, distributed by Bond Bread..The other side had "Tune In Hopalong Cassidy on WNBK-4"..Hoppy was starting his Radio Show Jan. 1, 1950 on Mutual-WHK..The Hopalong movies and TV shows started being shown later in 1950 on NBC..

Football Bowl Games on WGAR-1220, Including the OSU-California Rose Bowl Game from Pasadena..

January 2, 1950 from the Plain Dealer.."Folksinger" (not Country Music Singer) Eddy Arnold had his own weekday morning show on NBC-WTAM

WXEL-9 Test Pattern-Very nice copy..

WXEL-TV 9 Dedication plaque-Cleveland's Third TV Station had been on the air less than two weeks..

Looking some at New Years Eve Radio-TV 1949.

George Condon wrote in his Plain Dealer Column on December 31, 1949 about the possibility of The Cleveland Orchestra making it's debut on Television January 8, 1950 on WNBK-4..Radio broadcasts on WTAM and several other stations were to commence then, and it was planned to have an experimental TV relay during an Orchestra rehearsal from Severance Hall to the NBC Building on Superior Avenue using a Microwave reflector on top of Severance Hall, hoping to get the signal to a dish at WNBK/WTAM..Sohio was to sponsor the Radio/TV Broadcasts
beginning 1/8/1950..

A Narrative Review of the last 50 years in Cleveland was to be aired by WGAR December 31 at 1PM, hosted by Reg Merridew and Sid Andorn..

Talk about going through Material..It was figured out that Cooking Hostess Alice Weston of WEWS had gone through 1, 068 of her own recipies and 168 others from viewers since starting her program February 14, 1949..

Hopalong Cassidy was to begin his own Radio Show January 1, 1950 at 4PM on WHK. Cassidy (William Boyd) was already a huge Movie Star and would soon gain many more fans as his films hit Television..

Robert Kintner, who joined ABC (Blue Network) in 1944, was announced as President of ABC-Radio/TV, where he served until 1956..

More Program Highlights

TV:(Dec. 31)
Jack Carter hosts Cavalcade of Stars on DuMont-WXEL at 9PM
Meet The Press with Senator Scott Lucas (D-Illinois) NBC-WNBK at 9:30
Morey Amsterdam hosts a New Years Eve Party on NBC-WNBK at 10

CBS New Years Party with Ed Sullivan, Robert Q. Lewis and others on WEWS at 10PM

Radio (Dec. 31)

Blue-Gray Football WHK 2:30
East-West Shrine Football-WHK 5:30

Forecast 1950-WTAM 3:30
Dallas Symphony-WTAM 4PM

AHL Hockey Cleveland Barons/Cincinnati Mohawks-WJW 9:45 (Third Period only) (Barons win 5-1 before 6891 at the Arena)

TV (Jan. 1, 1950)
Movie-Little Men WEWS 3PM

Movie-That Uncertain Feeling WXEL 3PM

Super Circus-WXEL (ABC) 5PM
Exit 1949-News Films WNBK 5PM

Perry Como WNBK-NBC 8PM
Toast Of The Town WEWS-CBS 8PM with Charles Laughton and Mary McCarty

Radio Listings in The Plain Dealer Saturday, December 31, 1949 (Open link for better reading)

TV Listings Saturday December 31, 1949

Later Today, Tomorrow or Monday we'll have a brief Classic TV "Year In Review" Post..Want to wish all our readers a Happy and safe New Year..

Christmas 2011..

2011-12-25T00:56:00.004-05:00

December 25, 1947:WSRS radio ad in the Plain Dealer

WAKR-TV 23 Test Pattern from the 1970's

Just wanted to wish everybody on the blog a safe and Happy Christmas and thank you all for all the contributions made, whether it be by asking questions, providing media clips , or just commenting..Its really been an interesting year..And judging by recent Radio/TV changes in the Cleveland area, it promises to be more interesting in the year ahead..I will do a year end review sometime late next week..Again, have a very Merry Christmas everybody..

WEWS Video Vault-Holidays

2011-12-06T11:40:00.001-05:00

In the last few months I've become aware of a portion of the newsnet5.com (WEWS-TV 5) website known as "Video Vault"..TV 5's Tom Livingston digs out old film footage to share with everyone and he has found some real gems..The one drawback is that much of the earlier films are missing the soundtrack, but the memories are there..I want to share on the page today two of the recent Video Vault entries..

October 15, 1959 preparations for Downtown Cleveland Christmas Decorating, then we see shoppers mingling about on November 27, 1959 and then the later Cleveland Christmas Parade..

Christmas 1960:Santa In A Spaceship..One viewer thinks this is from Bailey's Department Store. We also get a look at the Sterling-Lindner Christmas Tree and a brief glimpse of Johnny Mathis, who sang for the City Tree-lighting ceremony November 25, 1960..

Portion of a May Company ad announcing the appearance of Johnny Mathis in Cleveland..

http://www.newsnet5.com/subindex/news/news_archives

Link to Video Vault archives..

December 1964:Plus Ozzie And Harriet "Busy Christmas"

2011-12-05T21:39:00.001-05:00

Wednesday, December 23, 1964:The Adventures Of Ozzie And Harriet:"Busy Christmas"..This was actually a repeat of the December 19, 1956 episode, with a newly-done opening by the Nelsons, with Ricky Nelson singing "The Christmas Song" at the end..Aired on WEWS-TV 5 and sponsored by The Gas Industry..

Christmas Comedy and Music Special produced by KYW-TV Tuesday, December 22, 1964..Looks like a good time was had by all..

Thursday, December 24, 1964:Cleveland Orchestra Concert with Robert Shaw Conducting..This was the fifth annual presentation..

December 23, 1964 Plain Dealer TV Listings..

December 24, 1964:Extensive plans for KYW-AM 1100 for 6PM-Midnight using most of the On-Air Radio Crew as well as KYW-TV 3's Barnaby and Woodrow..

A little bit of Christmas 1964 is featured, with KYW Radio and Television leading the way during Christmas week with a couple of special programs and a 6-hour extravaganza on radio. When TV and radio were creative and really wanted to make holidays special..I only wish that either the radio or TV special might be out there somewhere..Also featuring Ozzie and Harriet in a repeat of a 1956 episode with 1964 vintage commercials for the Gas Industry..

The features on the Facebook page today about Mr. Jingeling really took off..Lots of people responded..Just goes to show that some folks really like Christmas the way they remember it..Appreciate the response..

Images courtsy the Plain Dealer Archive and TV Guide..Video from the Internet Archive..

Cleveland TV..December 1956

2011-12-03T11:57:00.001-05:00

Plain Dealer ad for "Morning Surprise" with Tom Haley and "Mr. Rivitz" on KYW-TV 3

Ad for "Toyland Express" presented by something called the "Toy Guidance Council"

"Brod" Crawford stars in Highway Partol sponsored by Kroger on WKBN-27 Youngstown Tuesdays at 9:30, Preempting Red Skelton..

Ad for "Merry Christmas Mr. Baxter" on the Alcoa Hour Sunday, December 2 at 9:00 on NBC (3-21)

November 16, 1957..The first mention I could find in Halles advertising for Mr. Jingeling(Max Ellis), who may have begun playing the Character on TV in 1957

For our first holiday posting, I thought we'd look at December 1956, partly through the pages of Cleveland TV Guide, December 1-8, 1956..

WEWS was well into the "Holiday Spirit" with shows like Toyland Express(15 minutes) with Jimmy Nelson and his Dummies, shown Saturday at 10:45 and 11:30 and Sunday at 9:45 and 11:45 AM..

Santa Claus Monday, Thursday and Friday at 4:45..

There was also"Toy Preview" weekdays at 12:40 and 6:25 PM..My guess here is that Halles sponsored this, though it's not said so in the listings and no host is mentioned. While Mr. Jingeling was created for Halles in 1956, it appears he only made store appearances and possible other personal appearances.."Mr. Jingeling" as noted above was not mentioned by name in Halles ads till November 1957..

WJW-TV 8 featured Nelson Olmstead's "Ohio Story" weeknights at 6:30 with stories including Medina, Ohio as "Bee Captital" of the world..(To this day, Medina High School Sports Teams are nicknamed "The Bees") Toledo Zoo in Wintertime, and"Darling Nellie Gray" writer Ben Hamby..

Ron Penfound was doing WEWS sign-on news Saturdays at 8:55 and possibly hosting Fun Farm, as Mary Ellen Sussex had left for Florida a month earlier..

Romper Room was carried on WJW-TV 8 weekdays at 9AM with "Miss Pat" (Pat Ryan Dopp)The franchise moved to Channel 5 in 1958 with Barbara Plummer until 1971..

"Mr. Rivitz" was a character played by Jay Miltner in the Saturday morning "Nuts and Bolts" series on KYW-TV 3 and as part of Tom Haley's "Morning Surprise" weekdays at 9AM..A similar character, Mr. Rivets, was played by a different actor at WPTZ/WRCV-3 in Philadelphia from 1954-56..

Saturday, December 1, 1956:

3 KYW-NBC

7:30 This Land Is Ours
8:30 Nuts and Bolts-Mr. Rivitz
9:30 Teachers Meeting-Cleveland Schools
10AM Howdy Doody
10:30 Sheena of the Jungle
11AM Fury
11:30 Buffalo Bill Jr.
Noon Roy Rogers
12:30 Duke Jenkins-Music
1PM Football Preview
1:15 Army/Navy College Football-Lindsey Nelson/Red Grange
4:45 Football Scoreboard
5PM 77th Bengal Lancers
5:30 Ramar of the Jungle
6PM Bowling-Chicago
7PM Racket Squad
7:30 People Are Funny-Art Linkletter
8PM Perry Como-COLOR Carol Channing, Nat King Cole
9PM Caesar's Hour
10PM George Gobel-Guest Angela Lansbury
10:30 Your Hit Parade
11PM News-Tom Field
11:05 Movie-Johnny Come Lately-1943
12:30 News-Tom Field

5 WEWS-ABC

8:55 News-Ron Penfound
9AM Fun Farm
10AM Story of TV
10:30 Friendly Giant
10:45 Toyland Express
11AM Mr. Lollipops-Joe Berg
11:30 Toyland Express
11:45 Learn To Draw-Jon Gnagy
Noon Double Feature Western Movie
2PM Bandstand-Phil McLean Patty Rowe
4PM Movie-Kansas Terrors-1939
5PM Movie-Call of the Mesquiteers-1938
6PM Kit Carson
6:30 Gene Autry
7PM Old Dutch Revue-Johnny Andrews
7:30 Famous Film Festival-Hamlet Part One (Sir Laurence Olivier)
9PM Lawrence Welk
10PM Masquerade Party
10:30 Police Call
11PM I Spy-Anthology about spying and espionage
11:30 Conrad Nagel Theater
Midnight Movie-A Matter of Murder
1AM News-Randy Culver

8 WJW CBS

8:30 Movie-Six-Gun Man
9:30 Captain Kangaroo
10:30 Mighty Mouse
11AM Looney Tunes
11:30 Texas Rangers
Noon Big Top
1PM Lone Ranger
1:30 Humbard Family
2PM Science Sermons-Likely from Moody Bible Institute
2:30 Animal Fair
3PM Teen Press-Maggie Wulff
3:30 Salute-Documentary
4PM Movie-Six-Gun Man (Repeat from 8:30)
5PM Sky King
5:30 Captain Midnight
6PM Hopalong Cassidy
6:30 Annie Oakley
7PM Beat The Clock-Bud Collyer
7:30 Buccaneers
8PM Jackie Gleason
9AM Oh Susanna
9:30 Hey, Jeannie
10PM Gunsmoke
10:30 Frontier
11PM News-Warren Guthrie
11:10 Sports-John Fitzgerald
11:15 Movie-I Am The Law-1938
12:45 Movie-Love From A Stranger-1947

21 WFMJ-Youngstown NBC

10AM Howdy Doody
10:30 I Married Joan
11AM Fury
11:30 Cowboy Theater-Monty Hall
1PM To Be Announced
1:15 Army-Navy Football
5PM Funhouse Gang
6:15 Jungle Jim
6:45 Hollywood Backstage
7PM Rumpus Room
7:30 People Are Funny-Art Linkletter
8PM Perry Como-COLOR Carol Channing, Nat King Cole
9PM Caesar;s Hour
10PM George Gobel-Guest Angela Lansbury
10:30 Your Hit Parade
11PM News
11:15 Movie-The Secret People-1952

27 WKBN-Youngstown CBS/ABC

9:30 Captain Kangaroo
10:15 Toyland Express
10:30 Cartoon Classics
11AM Western Movie
Noon Big Top
1PM Movie-The Old Barn Dance
2PM Movie-Fighting Pioneers
3PM Movie-The Quitter-1934
4PM Western Movie
5PM Bowling Champs
6PM Uncovered
6:30 News
7PM Ozzie And Harriet-ABC
7:30 Buccaneers
8PM Jackie Gleason
9AM Lawrence Welk-ABC
10PM Gunsmoke
10:30 Ford Theater
11PM Polka Party
Midnight Wrestling Time

49 WAKR-Akron ABC

12:30 Movie-Cowboy Holiday-1934
1:30 Humbard Family
2PM Mr. and Mrs. North
2:30 Akron University
3PM Movie-I Met My Love Again-1938
4PM Movie-Gentleman From Texas-1946
6PM Movie-Musical
7PM Grand Ole Opry
7:30 Famous Film Festival-Hamlet Part One (Sir Laurence Olivier)
9PM Lawrence Welk
10PM Movie-More Than A Secretary-1936
11:30 Movie-Fall Guy-1947

Thursday, December 6, 1956

3 KYW NBC

7AM Today
9AM Morning Surprise-Tom Haley
10AM Ding Dong School
10:30 Price Is Right-Bill Cullen
11AM Home-Arlene Francis
11:25 Window-Women
11:30 Home-Continues
Noon Tic Tac Dough
12:30 It Could Be You
1PM Movie-The Flying Irishman-1939
2:30 Tennessee Ernie
3PM Matinee Theater-COLOR "The Refugee"
4PM Queen For A Day
4:45 Modern Romances
5PM I Married Joan
5:30 Mr. District Attorney
6PM Six O'Clock-Adventure-My Hero (Robert Cummings)
6:30 Six O'Clock Adventure-Colonel March (Boris Karloff)
6:55 News-Tom Field
7PM Soldiers Of Fortune
7:30 Dinah Shore
7:45 Huntley/Brinkley Report
8PM You Bet Your Life-Groucho Marx
8:30 Dragnet
9PM People's Choice-Jackie Cooper, Pat Breslin
9:30 Ford Show-Tennessee Ernie Ford-Guest Ken Murray
10PM Project 20-"The Jazz Age" with host Fred Allen (Lux Video Theatre is off tonight)
11PM News-Tom Field
11:10 Weather-Joe Finan
11:15 Sports-Joe Mulvihill
11:20 Big Wilson-Music
11:30 Steve Allen Tonight Show
12:30 My Little Margie
1AM News-Tom Field

5 WEWS ABC

8:55 News-Bill Prentice
9AM Fun Farm
9:45 Paige Palmer
10AM Western Reserve University Telecourse
10:30 Movie-Blonde Ice-1948
11:55 News-Ron Penfound-Probably a voiceover with a slide, as Penfound was likely already in his "Captain Penny" train outfit for his show at Noon

Noon Captain Penny
12:40 Toy Preview
12:45 Beulah-The Play
1:15 Stu Erwin-Yvette
1:45 Susie-Too Much Spring
2:15 Liberace
2:45 Music Masters-Songs
3PM Afternoon Film Festival-It Started In Paradise (English:1953)
4:30 Little Rascals
4:45 Toyland Santa
5PM Mickey Mouse Club
6PM Three Musketeers-The Marshal and Milady
6:25 Toy Preview
6:30 Dorothy Fuldheim
6:45 Weather-Bill Prentice
6:50 News-Paul Wilcox, Ron Penfound
7PM Stories Of The Century-Kate Bender
7:30 Lone Ranger-Decision For Chris McKeever
8PM Circus Time-Paul Winchell
9PM Wire Service-The Avengers
10PM Ozark Jubilee-Red Foley
10:30 Public Defender-The Hitchhiker
11PM Weather-Paul Wilcox
11:05 Movie-The Groom Wore Spurs-1951 (IMDB)
12:30 News-Court Stanton

8 WJW CBS

7AM Good Morning-Will Rogers Jr. with Norman Vincent Peale, Mitch Miller
8AM Captain Kangaroo
9AM Romper Room-Miss Pat
9:30 Heart Of The City
10AM Garry Moore
10:30 Arthur Godfrey
11:30 Strike It Rich-Warren Hull
Noon Valiant Lady
12:15 Love Of Life
12:30 Search For Tomorrow
12:45 Guiding Light
1PM Our Miss Brooks-Thanksgiving
1:30 As The World Turns
2PM Alice Weston
2:30 House Party-Linkletter
3PM Blackboard-Maggie Wulff (Pre-empted Big Payoff today only)
3:30 Bob Crosby-Bob sings brother Bing's holiday hit, "White Christmas"
4PM Brighter Day
4:15 Secret Storm
4:30 Edge Of Night
5PM Movie-Blind Alley-1939 (IMDB)
6:15 News-Roger Kennedy
6:30 Ohio Story-segment on Cleveland Police's Bureau of Scientific Investigation-Nelson Olmstead narrates

6:40 News-Roger Kennedy
6:45 CBS News-Douglas Edwards
7PM Dr. Christian
7:30 Sergeant Preston
8PM Bob Cummings (Love That Bob)-Chuck Buys A Hot Rod
8:30 Climax! Savage Portrait
9:30 Playhouse 90-Made In Heaven with Imogene Coca and Robert Preston
11PM News-Warren Guthrie
11:10 Sports-John Fitzgerald
11:15 Weather-Ken Armstrong
11:20 Les Paul/Mary Ford
11:25 Movie-Parole Racket-1937

21 WFMJ NBC Youngstown

7AM Today
9AM Adelaide Snyder
10AM Ding Dong School
10:30 Price Is Right-Bill Cullen
11AM Home-Arlene Francis
Noon Tic Tac Dough
12:30 It Could Be You
1PM Local News
1:15 Kitchen Corner-Mariner
1:45 Hal's A-Poppin-Hal Fryar
2:30 Tennessee Ernie
3PM Matinee Theater-COLOR "The Refugee"
4PM Queen For A Day
4:45 Modern Romances
5PM Funhouse Gang
6PM Popeye
7PM Dr. Christian
7:30 Dinah Shore
7:45 Huntley/Brinkley Report
8PM You Bet Your Life-Groucho Marx
8:30 Dragnet
9PM People's Choice-Jackie Cooper, Pat Breslin
9:30 Ford Show-Tennessee Ernie Ford-Guest Ken Murray
10PM Project 20-"The Jazz Age" with host Fred Allen (Lux Video Theatre is off tonight)
11PM News/Weather/Sports
11:20 Living Word
11:30 Steve Allen Tonight Show

27 WKBN CBS/ABC Youngstown

7AM Good Morning-Will Rogers Jr. with Norman Vincent Peale, Mitch Miller
8AM Captain Kangaroo
9AM To Be Announced-(Nothing listed-On occasion 27 would run Captain Kangaroo Twice-this may be the case here)

10AM Fashions-Esther Sonntag
10:15 Movie-Charlie Chan In Rio-1941
11:30 Strike It Rich-Warren Hull
Noon Cartoon Carnival
12:30 Playhouse
1PM CBS News-Charles Colligwood
1:10 Stand Up-Women
1:30 Movie-Pearl Of Death-1944
2:45 Casteel's Carousel
3PM Big Payoff
3:30 Western Movie
4:45 Clancy's Clubhouse
5PM Mickey Mouse Club-ABC
6PM Annie Oakley
6:30 Sports/News
6:45 CBS News-Douglas Edwards
7PM Crunch and Des
7:30 Sergeant Preston
8PM Bob Cummings (Love That Bob)-Chuck Buys A Hot Rod
8:30 Climax! Savage Portrait
9:30 Playhouse 90-Made In Heaven with Imogene Coca and Robert Preston
11PM News-Warren Guthrie
11:10 Local News
11:15 Movie-Conflict Of Wings-1955

49 WAKR ABC Akron

1PM Movie-Johnny In The Clouds-1945
2:30 Chef Lorenzo
3PM Afternoon Film Festival-It Started In Paradise (English:1953)
4:30 Adventure
5PM Movie-Paradise Canyon-1935
6PM Local News
6:30 Dinner Spinner-Music
7PM News
7:15 ABC News-John Daly
7:30 Chef Lorenzo
8PM Movie-Four Days Leave-1950 (IMDB)
9:30 Movie-Guest Wife-1945
11PM Movie-Shadow On The Range-1946

Some movie dates courtesy IMDB Movie Database

1956 episode of the 15 minute NBC Dinah Shore Show.

1951 "CBS Color" TV Experiment In Cleveland

2011-11-30T12:07:00.003-05:00

September 29, 1951:Advertisement for Sears featuring early color TV..

September 29, 1951:WEWS Statement explaining the CBS Color TV system..

September 30, 1951:Front Page Plain Dealer article describing the Color College Football Gane aired on CBS (WEWS-TV 5)

Part 2 of the Article above-September 30, 1951..

As so often happens, when I look for one thing in an archive, I find something different to feature that is much more interesting..The FCC, in it's "Wisdom" awarded CBS the first crack at color tv with a "spinning disc" system in 1950,,,By the fall of 1951 they felt ready to test it out..The only problem (a big one) was that CBS color system was not "backwards compatible" with current black and white sets, meaning that if you bought or had an already functioning Black and White set, the CBS Color Picture would be scrambled..The first tests were done with College Football in September-October 1951..The California-Penn game was televised in Color on CBS (WEWS) September 29..

Among the exhibits above: A Sears ad for the first color tv's in Cleveland..A WEWS-TV 5 ad (some might call it a "disclaimer") Basically stating while they were participating in the test, their main focus was still their original monochrome programming..Explaining the picture would be scrambled on all Black and White sets and basically inviting folks to tune to channels 4 and 9, and that to call a TV repairman would be futile..

There is also a Plain Dealer from a day later with a review of the proceedings..The reporter(unnamed)..Stated while there was potential, there was a long way to go..

The CBS experiments lasted only a few weeks..All the CBS Color TV sets were ordered destroyed and CBS ultimately adopted the RCA system..

Early FM Failure in Cleveland..

2011-11-30T11:28:00.004-05:00

November 1947 WEWS Print ad-Coming Soon!

George Condon writes on the demise of some of the early FM stations in Cleveland, such as WEWS-FM and WLAL-FM, licensed to Lakewood..Condon also speculates on the reasons behind FM's failure, which mirrors just about every new entertainment technology to start up..High prices for sets, not much advertising,..In the case of FM, most stations were duplicating AM programming, though in the case of WEWS and WLAL (104.9) they were stand alone operations, without an AM partner..

George Condon Plain Dealer Article-Dated April 4, 1950.. Notice the WEOL-AM/FM Listings

FM would take off again in the 60's and 70's..Music formats were the big ticket..Though in recent years, more talk and sports would find its way to FM, leaving AM an endangered species in some areas of the country..

Hoolihan The Weatherman Premiere at WJW-TV 8 (1965)

2011-11-29T12:54:00.003-05:00

Monday, March 29, 1965:Plain Dealer ad for the premiere of Bob Wells as "Hoolihan The Weatherman" on WJW-TV 8 Cleveland, City Camera News. With the hiring of Dick Goddard a year later, Wells was moved to Noon and Weekends..He would gain lasting fame as half of "Hoolihan and Big Chuck" from 1966-79..

Hoolihan & Big Chuck - Oldies Night, July 1977 -... by tvnut

July 26, 1977:The first ever Hoolihan and Big Chuck "Oldies Night"..

After Bob Wells left Cleveland, he continued to do voiceover commercial work, Had a TV Ministry with his wife Barbara Wells for a time, then retired to Florida, where he still makes occasional appearances in Dinner Theater and comes up to Cleveland and participates in "Ghoulardifest" easch year..A good man, and an awesome talent..

George Condon, First Plain Dealer TV Columnist..dies at 94..

2011-11-27T19:59:00.005-05:00

George Condon, who was the first Cleveland Plain Dealer TV columnist, died October 7, 2011..He was 94.

He began his career at the Plain Dealer in 1943..Becoming TV Critic/Columnist in 1948 and continuing on that beat till 1962...After which he did a daily editorial column until his retirement in 1985..
Condon was also an accomplished author writing several books about Cleveland..

Here is an example of his writing-At the time of the first Cleveland TV Network Swap around March 1, 1955 between then-WXEL-8 and WEWS-5

Link to Plain Dealer Obituary:

http://www.cleveland.com/obituaries/index.ssf/2011/10/george_e_condon_chronicled_cle.html

KYW-Westinghouse 3-day Strike-February 9-11, 1959

2011-11-26T09:28:00.001-05:00

Below is a series of Plain Dealer stories about an AFTRA strike by Announcers and Newsmen at KYW-Radio 1100 and TV 3 which began February 9, 1959 and ended l February 11..Issues were The new technology of video tape and how it would affect the way announcers worked.. as well as wages. Personnel were flown in from other Westinghouse stations to keep the station going, and Cleveland management filled on-air slots.

First:The Plain Dealer Strike Story Monday, February 9..

Continuation of PD Strike Story from Page 1:

Note the early Kenny Kings ad-Before KFC

George Condon Column-Also from February 9, Including full details of on-air radio/tv replacements for strikers and a photo of Tom Haley and Big Wilson outside KYW picketing..

Cleveland Plain Dealer Wednesday February 11, 1959-Details of Strike Settlement..

Some of the issues dealt with at that time are still issues 50-some years later, only more so..Technology has just about wiped out the need of "live announcers" on Television and Radio veterans know the effects of "Voice-Tracking" on radio..

Thanksgiving 1968-November 28

2011-11-23T16:38:00.001-05:00

Ad for one of the first, and I think, best animated Thanksgiving Specials..Mouse On The Mayflower, which had it's premiere showing Saturday, November 23, 1968 on NBC/WKYC-TV 3

Plain Dealer ad for WNOB 107.9. The station is now WENZ "The End"

"The Singing Rage" Patti Page, in a musical special sponored by a pair of Cleveland Area Car Dealerships Sunday, November 24, 1968

November 28:WUAB early "Star Movie" presentation..Channel 43 would use the "Star Movie" title into the 1980's..

Today, we'll look at Thanksgiving 1968 in Cleveland TV..

Some Highlights:

NFL Football:
Philadelphia/Detroit at Noon, Washington/Dallas at 6, WJW-TV 8

AFL Football:
Houston/Kansas City at 1:30 Buffalo/Oakland at 4 WKYC-TV 3

Mr. Jingeling (Earl Keyes) begins his 13th year on WEWS-TV 5 sponsored by Halles at a special time of 2:15 due to College Football

WVIZ-25, despite the Holiday, offered a full slate of classroom TV from 8AM-3PM..Also, nearly all their programming was still Black and White..

WKYC-TV offered a Thanksgiving Special at 1PM, with Tom Haley, Gary Essex and Norma Quarles..

Macy's Parade on NBC was hosted by Lorne Greene and Betty White

Parades on CBS

New York-Burr Tillstrom/Fran Allison
Detroit-Bob Keeshan/Beth Brickell (Gentle Ben)
Toronto-Arthur Godfrey/Barbara McNair
Philadelphia-Mile Douglas/Bess Myerson
North Carolina-Jack Linkletter

Listings for Thursday, November 28, 1968:

WKYC-3 NBC

7AM Today
9AM Mike Douglas
10AM Macy's Parade Lorne Greene/Betty White
Noon Jeopardy-Art Fleming
12:30 Eye Guess-Bill Cullen
12:55 NBC News
1PM Tribute To Thanksgiving
1:30 AFL Football Chiefs/Oilers
4PM AFL Football-Bills/Raiders
7PM Huntley/Brinkley
7:30 Daniel Boone
8:30 Ironside
9:30 Dragnet
10PM Dean Martin
11PM News-Virgil Dominic
11:15 Weather-Wally Kinnan
11:20 Sports-Jim Graner
11:30 Tonight
1AM Playhouse

WEWS-5 ABC
7AM Funny You Should Ask
7:30 Dream House
8AM Treasure Isle
8:30 Bullwinkle
9AM Uncle Al
9:30 Romper Room
10AM Paige Palmer
10:30 Dick Cavett
Noon Bewitched
12:30 News
12:45 Dorothy Fuldheim
1PM What's My Line?-Wally Brunner
1:30 Password-reruns of 1966-67 season.
2PM Captain Penny
2:15 Mr, Jingeling
2:30 College Football-Texas/Texas A&M
6PM Merv Griffin
7:30 Thanksgiving Visitor
8:30 Bewitched
9PM That Girl
9:30 Journey To The Unknown
10:30 Felony Squad
11PM News
11:30 Joey Bishop

WJW-TV 8 CBS

7AM Sunrise Semester
7:30 CBS News/Local News
8AM Captain Kangaroo
9AM Thanksgiving Parades
Noon NFL Football-Eagles/Lions
3:30 Mr. Magoo in Sherwood Forest Compilation of 1964-65 Famous Adventures of Mr. Magoo series..The entire series is now out on DVD, with the Complete Magoo TV Collection.

5PM City Camera News
5:30 Voice Of The Fans-Andy Hale, Blanton Collier
5:45 Best Of The Browns-John Fitzgerald
6PM NFL Football-Redskins/Cowboys
9PM CBS Movie-Marco Polo The Magnificient
11PM City Camera-Doug Adair, Martin Ross, Dick Goddard, Harry Jones
11:25 Movie-The Tender Trap-1955
1AM Moivie-Fury at Furnace Creek-1948 (per IMDB)

WAKR-23 ABC Akron

9:30 Ed Allen
10AM Women's Page
11AM Dick Cavett (Joined In Progress)
Noon Bewitched
12:30 Treasure Isle
1PM Funny You Should Ask (listed as an hour)
2PM Newlywed Game
2:30 College Football-Texas/Texas A&M
6PM ABC News
6:30 Cheyenne
7:30 Thanksgiving Visitor
8:30 Bewitched
9PM Football High School Champs (Akron City Series)
11PM News/Weather
11:30 Joey Bishop

WVIZ-25 NET

8AM Classroom Programs
11:30 Misterogers
Noon Classroom Programs
3PM Being Mature
4:15 Reading
4:45 Friendly Giant
5PM Yoga
5:30 Kindergarten
6PM Misterogers
6:30 Folk Guitar
7PM Insight
7:30 In Society
8PM Joyce Chen Cooks
8:30 French Chef
9PM Don Robertson-Robertson At Large
Special 2 hour show with The Browns' Bill Glass, Classical Music Composer/Conductor Jose Serebrier,Liquor Control agent Ralph Kreiger (who may have just been elected Cuyahoga County Sherriff), Plain Dealer Writer Russell W, Kane and WEWS-TV 5 News Commentator Dorothy Fuldheim.

(Personal Note:In the few times I have seen Robertson At Large listings..The guests that he had make me want to see some of these..Too bad they are'nt likely to have been saved..)

11PM Sign-Off

WUAB-43 Ind

Noon News
12:30 Underdog/Uncle Waldo (Hoppity Hooper)
1PM Lucy Show
1:30 Movie-Magic Sword-1962
3PM Cartoon Special
3:30 Bugs and Friends
4PM Ultraman
4:30 Batman
5PM Batman
5:30 Patty Duke
6PM Real McCoys
6:30 Farmer's Daughter
7PM Gilligan's Island
7:30 I Spy
8:30 Movie-Brass Legend-1956
10:25 Paul Harvey
10:30 Untouchables
11:30 Football Forecast

WKBF-61 Ind.

9AM Jack LaLanne
9:30 Mr. Ed
10AM Woody Woodbury Show
11:30 Make Room For Daddy
Noon Cartoons
1PM Movie-Two-Way Stretch-1961
3PM Linn Sheldon
3:30 Captain Cleveland
4:30 Dennis the Menace
5PM My Favorite Martian
5:30 Superman
6PM Flintstones
6:30 McHale's Navy
7PM Twilight Zone
7:30 Special-This Is Show Business
9PM Ray Anthony Special
10PM News
10:30 Alfred Hitchcock Presents
11PM Perry Nason
Midnight The New Breed

The New Adventures of Huckleberry Finn by AH3RD
Part of the opening episode of "The New Adventures of Huck Finn" Sunday Nights at 7 on NBC/WKYC in the 1968-69 season..

Saturday, November 23, 1968:Mouse On The Mayflower on NBC/WKYC-Opening of the first telecast..

All Images and Listings from the Cleveland Plain Dealar Historical Archives..

I would like to take this time to wish all our friends a Happy and Safe Thanksgiving..

Two popular personalities leave Channel 5-October 4, 1956

2011-11-22T12:06:00.005-05:00

Note:Since there hasnt been a lot of response to the messageboard since I put it up in early October, I've made the decision to discontinue it. I will, however over the next few weeks merge some of the History posts into the blog itself..Thanks to everybody who signed up..

Thursday, October 4, 1956. Cleveland Plain Dealer mentions WEWS' Bob Dale and Mary Ellen Sussex leaving the station..Dale had been with WEWS since 1948 and was probably the most popular personality at the time....

Mary Ellen had hosted Fun Farm since March 1955 after bringing the show from WSPD-TV 13 Toledo..

Dale spent more than 40 years in San Diego TV and passed away in 2008.

Mrs. Sussex continued Fun Farm and other shows in her new home at Tampa, Florida (WTVT-13) from 1957 through 1964.

Sadly, Mary Ellen passed away last April..She and her husband Clyde moved to Hawaii in 1980.

Blog written by TampaBay.com's Eric Deggans at the time of Mary Ellen's passing..

http://www.tampabay.com/blogs/media/content/tampa-kids-tv-pioneer-mary-ellen-dies-hawaii-87

Joe Tait:It's been a Real Ball

2011-11-21T23:27:00.000-05:00

Cover of Joe Tait's Biography, "It's Been a Real Ball" co-authored with Terry Pluto..Gray and Company Publishers

Terry Pluto at one time has covered both the Indians and the Cavaliers in a long newspaper career..Currently a Sports and Faith Columnist for the Cleveland Plain Dealer and frequent guest on "More Sports and Les Levine"..aired Monday-Friday at 6PM with an 11PM repeat on Time Warner Cable Northeast Ohio Network (NEON). He has also authored over 20 sports books, many of them classics..

Here on the blog we have written twice about Joe Tait..The time of his 3,000th NBA game and at his retirement in April 2011..It's no secret I am a Tait fan as from 1971-72 I have listened to Tait call Cleveland Cavaliers Basketball action (as well as the Indians)

It has always been hoped that Tait would someday write a book. According to all indications, he never thought he was that interesting..And never wanted to go through the process..It was a surprise that Tait was the one to ask Terry Pluto, "Well, what about that book?"..So The process was begun this spring..The result is a smorgasbord of Joe Tait Stories, many never made public before..His Illinois upbringing, with a stern Father Figure..Joe's lifelong love for trains, his early Radio work..A friendship with Bill Fitch that would lead to the big leagues as he became the Cavaliers Radio announcer in 1970. The Early Cavaliers years, where there was some doubt the franchise would survive..The Miracle Of Richfield..The Stepien years..His Indians work from 1973-87..Back to the Cavs after a couple of years away..The Lebron years..Some of the people mentioned include Indians announcer Bob Neal, who had a fairly large ego..Frank Robinson, who blamed Tait for getting him fired as Indians Manager in 1977, Ted Stepien, worst owner ever in pro sports..Pete Franklin..and many others..

Much of the book is also taken up with memories of Joe from fans, players and broadcasters, some who worked with Joe and others who looked up to Joe as a Mentor in other broadcasting jobs..Joe Tait, from his earliest jobs in broadcasting, always worked hard and went the extra mile..He also went the extra mile for fans whether it be writing a letter, impromptu invitation to sit with Joe at dinner, an autograph or just taking time to say hello..Joe "Got it" from a fan's standpoint..

As a whole, the book is just a delight. While it covers much of Joe's life biographically it is just as much a book of Cleveland Sports History from 1970-2011 as anything else..I guarantee you will not be able to put it down..

Link to Gray and Company:

http://www.grayco.com/cleveland/books/51070/index.shtml

Coming up in the next few weeks..

2011-11-17T11:29:00.007-05:00

February 1957:Ad for the upcoming "Twin Hearts Ball" Sponsored by KYW-TV, at the Cleveland Arena

Saturday February 2, 1957:WJW Movie "The Farmers Daughter"

Hello:
Just wanted to update everybody on plans for the blog in the coming weeks:

Two books to review by Joe Tait/Terry Pluto and Dan Coughlin..and a possible third book to review..

Special Thanksgiving post..

Our traditional Christmas postings, which should all be new this season..

The end of March 2012 will be the 5th anniversary of the blog..

I might change up some things with the new year..Not sure how as yet..Stay tuned..Have a good weekend..

Ozzie and Harriet on DVD-The Complete Series a possibility..

2011-10-10T11:22:00.003-04:00

January 29, 1958:Cleveland TV Guide Ad for "The Adventures of Ozzie and Harriet" aired Wednesdays at 9 on Cleveland's WEWS Channel 5 and WKST-Channel 45 in New Castle Pa. (Youngstown, Ohio Market)

Good Morning:

Note about an intriguing possibility in Classic TV:

Sam Nelson, son of the late Rick Nelson.has upon the death of his Uncle David Nelson, acquired the Nelson Family Archives. Included in these archives are the 35 mm original Masters of all 435 episodes of the TV series Adventures Of Ozzie and Harriet, along with much other memorabilia..He has launched a campaign to try to digitize all the Ozzie and Harriet episodes to save them and make them available on DVD for future generations..There have numerous DVD collections in Public Domain as well as a few Nelson Family authorized Mill Creek Collections, but these would be official authorized collections of the complete series, which no one thought would be possible till now..Here's hoping Sam Nelson is successful here as I am for saving any Classic tv series to DVD if it can be possibly done..

Ozzie and Harriet:Reviving an American Treasure

http://www.kickstarter.com/projects/2100802854/ozzie-and-harriet-reviving-an-american-treasure

Part of Episode One October 3, 1952

Announcing:New Messageboard

2011-10-05T11:34:00.007-04:00

WJW-TV 8 Drama Shows from December 1956

Partridge Family Reruns on WKBN-TV, October 1975:The show ran on ABC 1970-74.

WEWS-TV 5 Movie:October 1975

WYTV-33 Sitcom Lineup-June 1976

Hello everybody:
As I said before, when we started Cleveland Classic Media, I didnt know how well we'd be received..Though there have been slow times in recent months, I am very pleased and honored that people seem to like what we do..We've extended the reach of C-C-M to a YouTube Page and several Facebook Pages, which have been well received, and I thank you all for that..

Today I want to announce what will be probably our last extension, as far as I know..I have toyed with the idea of an HTML message board for some time now just a few days ago decided to take the plunge..Going through the Boardhost.com free service, I've created the Cleveland Classic Media Message Board..While There will be some room for discussion of current broadcast topics, I've made separate Boards for each full-power station in Cleveland and Youngstown, a board for former TV stations, and a General TV/Radio Board, which will contain current discussion, and National Classic TV Clips, along with perhaps Radio memories as well..I might expand to a new radio section should board action warrant it, but we'll see how things go..We've had 3 members thus far..

Link:
http://clevelandmedia.boardhost.com/index.php

To eliminate possible spam from the outset, all new members will have to be approved by me first..Would love to see some of the regular readers come aboard..

Lawson Deming-50 years in Broadcasting

2011-09-26T00:13:00.000-04:00

WKYC 50 years clip with a segment on Woodrow

Hello All:
I was looking through the Plain Dealer Archives, as I pretty much do every day trying to find articles, etc. of interest..As I did so today I fould a couple of outstanding articles on the late Lawson Deming, who was famed as Detroit's Sir Graves Ghastly from 1967-Late 1982..Before this, however, he had been at WTAM Radio and WNBK/KYW/WKYC Cleveland from 1947-66..His biggest fame in Cleveland was Woodrow's (Clay Conroy) assistant who provided voices for Woodrow's Puppet friends..Even before WNBK, he had been in radio since 1932..

What follows are two separate profiles in the Cleveland Plain Dealer..The first from January 29, 1965 in TV Week where James Flanagan discusses Deming's career to 1965..

The second article is from August 12, 1982..Columnist William Hickey catches up with Deming on his 50th anniversary in broadcasting..At the end of 1982 Sir Graves has begun to be preempted by Sports on WJBK-2 in Detroit..So the show wasnt officially canceled till 1983..Deming continued to make appearances as Sir Graves into the 1990's before passing away April 24, 2007..

Big Chuck and Lil John-Back Where They Belong..

2011-09-13T11:44:00.005-04:00

Part One of a lengthy Plain Dealer article by Richard C. Widman..Attending a taping..Discussing why The Show works..

Part 2:About The Supporting Players in The Skits and The Show's History to 1986..

Part 3:General Thoughts from Chuck and John..Mentioning that the Show's 20th Anniversay is coming up..

Big Chuck and Lil John Hosting a Movie on The Channel 8 set..

With the recent annuncement That Big Chuck and Lil John have returned to WJW-Fox 8 in a new Skit Show Saturday Mornings (11AM) as of September 10, 2011, I thought it would be a good time to give them a plug..The Show has a slightly new opening, with Chuck and John Introducing many of the skits..Some on the first show I hadnt seen before..A lot to look forward to in the coming weeks..

I found this lengthy article on The Big Chuck And Lil John Show during their peak..This was published in the Plain Dealer Friday, August 22, 1986. Written by Richard C. Widman, the article goes to a BC&LJ taping, and talks in depth to the hosts about the history and legacy of the series to that point..And mentions the fact that their show's 20th anniversary is coming up in December 1986. I want to thank the Cleveland Public Library and The Plain Dealer for the opportunity to be able to access the PD archives from home..Has been such a blessing and a help to me with the blog..NOTE:You can click each page to read the print a little better. While The Print came out small, it did come out clear..You might still have to zoom it in a bit..

Oldies Night 1983

Big Chuck Retirement-Story-2007

February 16, 1966:Johnny Cash Show in Canton:From WHOF 1060

2011-09-03T12:12:00.002-04:00

The above advertisement is from the February 11, 1966 Dover (Ohio) Reporter. WHOF Radio 1060 sponsored The Johnny Cash Road Show at Canton Memorial Auditorium..Notice the ticket prices:$3.00 reserved seats and $2.00 General Admission..

Worth noting the Statler Brothers were part of the show by this time..Their first show with Cash was 2 years earlier (March 1964) also at Memorial Auditorium..

The 1060 frequency has had a long and colorful history in Canton: Begun as WCMW in 1946, the call letters were changed to WHOF in 1961 and aired Top 40 music before changing to country in 1965.

WHOF would become WOIO in early 1967 doing talk as "2-way radio" until the early 1970's..Cleveland Sportstalk Icon Pete Franklin worked at WOIO in 1967 briefly before landing at WERE-1300 Cleveland, then WWWE 1100 by 1973..

WOIO then became "Q10" as WQIO 1060 doing Top 40, then country again through much of the 70's, changing again to WRCW,"Adult Radio".

June 23, 1962 WHOF "Top 60" Survey-From Airheads Radio Survey Archive

http://www.las-solanas.com/arsa/surveys_item.php?svid=3539&lidx=0&lttl=1&lcnt=20&srt1=chartweek&srt2=tsc_psv

Link to 1962 WHOF survey page..

WOIO Bumper Sticker from the 1970's..

WHOF's call letters are now on 101.7 FM (Formerly WJER-FM Dover and earlier, WFAH-FM Alliance)..1060 is now WILB Catholic Radio..

All You Ever Wanted to know about early Hanna-Barbera Cartoons..By Yowp..

2011-08-14T21:29:00.005-04:00

"Yowp" character appearance in Yogi Bear Cartoon Duck In Luck (1959) courtesy Don M. Yowp..

May 1965 ad in TV Guide for TV 5 Cartoons..Huckleberry Hound, Yogi Bear and Woody Woodpecker..

Hello all:

I just wanted to alert everyone to a new link..

I've mentioned before about watching Captain Penny in the mid 1960's on WEWS-TV 5 weekday afternoons..At first Ron Penfound as the Captain featured the Little Rascals and the Three Stooges..Later he had Rocky and Friends, King Leonardo, Mr. Magoo, King Features (Beetle Bailey, etc) and others..still later he featured Roger Ramjet and Batfink, as well as newer Terrytoons..

I liked them all, but my favorites were the Hanna-Barbera Cartoons..Captain Penny had Magilla Gorilla and Peter Potamus on the show.

Hanna-Barbera began on Channel 3 (KYW-TV) in 1957 with NBC's Ruff and Reddy, then syndication 1958-59 with Huckleberry Hound, Quick Draw McGraw and Yogi Bear, usually run at 7PM when they were on..All the H-B characters moved to WEWS-TV 5 in spring 1963..Yogi, Huck and Quick Draw still at 7, though they moved to 6:30 by June 1965..Kaiser's WKBF-61 acquired the H-B shows from 1968-75

Saying all that, I want to introduce a friend's blog..while it isnt new, I've enjoyed reading it from time to time over the last couple years..A Vancouver, Canada native, known as "Yowp" on his blog and "Don M. Yowp" on Facebook has been a huge early Hanna-Barbera fan, especially the years from 1958-64..His blog, "Stuff About Early Hanna-Barbera Cartoons" features analysis on specific cartoons, ads, newspaper articles and other memorabilia about Hanna-Barbera and their Cartoons..By the way, "Yowp" refers a dog character that tries to catch a duck in a Yogi Bear Cartoon and in a monotone voice goes Yowp..Yowp Yowp..

http://yowpyowp.blogspot.com/

Link to the Hanna Barbera Blog

Recreation of a WEWS Promo for the Quick Draw McGraw Show-The audio is a live promo for Quick Draw McGraw dated Friday May 24, 1963 done by Ron Penfound at about 12 Noon that day..

WOIO adds MeTV

2011-08-01T11:18:00.005-04:00

MeTV Logo..Putting a zip code in the MeTV database generates a City/Market-specific page for the website..

Card of Rich Koz as Svengoolie-Saturdays at 10PM

We mentioned in a little year-end review at the end of 2010 that A Lot of new "Classic TV" might be on the horizon in NE Ohio..With Antenna TV and RTV already in the fold, the last "holdout" was MeTV, a station operated out of Weigel Broadcasting in Chicago. MeTV is scheduled to premiere sometime today in Cleveland on WOIO 19.2 and Time Warner Cable 987..MeTV replaces "Weather Now" on 19.2 (Though as of this writing Weather Now is still active without CBS 19 forecasters-Just a Weather radar and the 7-day forecast)

MeTV has a great blend of all kinds of Classic TV shows from the 50's to the 80's..With shows like Marshall Dillon, Dobie Gillis, Petticoat Junction, My Three Sons The Beverly Hillbillies, Cannon, Hawaii-Five-O and many more..

Weekends feature Rich Koz as "Svengoolie" a horror host in the vein of Ghoulardi, the Ghoul, etc..Svengoolie was first played by Jerry G. Bishop, who originated the character in Chicago on WFLD-TV 32 in 1970..From what I've seen, Bishop borrowed heavily from the "Ghoulardi" Persona which he was aware of from his days in Cleveland at KYW..

Link to MeTV Website:
http://metvnetwork.com/

Just a note that MeTV is having a 100th Birthday Lucille Ball Marathon August 5-8, so regular programming will be pre empted..

Here's where Classic TV can be found in Cleveland/NE Ohio..

Antenna TV-WJW 8.2 Time Warner 988
RTV-WIVM 39.1, 39.3 and affiliated stations Time Warner 989
RTV-WAOH 29/WAX-35-Time Warner 14(Akron Only)
MeTV-WOIO 19.2 Time Warner 987
ThisTV-WUAB 43.2 Time Warner 996
TCT-WRLM 47.3 various classic shows on a digital family channel (No cable carriage) Former WOAC-67-47.1 and .2 are carried on some cable systems

I'd say we in this area are quite fortunate to have so many great choices in classic tv..

And now, Heere's Cleveland!! A Tonight Show History..

2011-07-29T04:49:00.004-04:00

The Tonight Show has grown into an institution-A tradition in America over the last 57 years that some people watch out of habit..That tradition was'nt always so apparent in Cleveland and a few other markets, especially if Westinghouse owned the NBC affiliate in the early days of the Tonight Show..

To understand the history of the Tonight Show in Cleveland, it's necessary to go back to the early days of TV in the late 1940's...Broadcast days were generally from 4-11PM , eventually stretching from about 1-11 as each station got more established..There was not much news programming to speak of..maybe a couple of 5 minute bulletins at random times of the day..Often the last show of the day was a "Program Previews" which did just that..reminded viewers of program highlights the next day.

March 1949 WEWS-TV 5 ad from Tele-Vue Magazine..Linn Sheldon also hosted "Program Previews" in this era..

This would all change by May 29, 1950..NBC premeiered "Broadway Open House" with Jerry Lester and statuesque blonde Dagmar..Sponsored by Pfeiffer Beer in the Cleveland area on WNBK-Channel 4 and nationally by Anchor Hocking Glass..The show was a mixed success, running 11-Midnight until August 24, 1951..

Segment of Broadway Open House with Jerry Lester-appears to be from December 1950..

Steve Allen with wife Jayne Meadows on the cover on TV Guide-Lake Erie Edition August 21-27, 1954..He was already on with "Tonight" in New York

Clip from the Tonight Show National premiere-9/27/54

WNBK went back to movies and other features until September 27, 1954 when "Tonight with Steve Allen" premiered..The blending of the light Allen comedy touch with musical guests allowed the show to gain a foothold with the late night crowd..Besides, with WNBK being owned and operated by NBC, there was little question of whether Tonight would be carried in Cleveland..

1955:WNBK-TV 3 ad for "Tonight" over NBC-"A Service Of RCA"

The Allen Tonight Show lasted till January 25, 1957, when Steve decided to concentrate on the Sunday Night Steve Allen Show opposite Ed Sullivan..NBC went with something starting January 28, 1957 called "America After Dark" A News/Entertainment program headed by Jack Lescoulie and Al "Jazzbo" Collins with Newspaper Columnists hosting featured segments throughout the country..The show was universally panned by critics..

The Cleveland station, which by this time had become KYW-TV 3, decided to drop America After Dark in favor of "Theater 3" Movies beginning Monday, June 24, 1957 at 11:30 PM..First film being "Fugitives In The Night" (1938)

1957:Typical KYW-TV 3 weekly movie lineup

Meanwhile, other stations were dropping the America After Dark Show in Large Numbers..NBC finally decided to change things up once again by offering what was first called, "Tonight Starring Jack Paar", on Monday, July 29, 1957 (Though later the show would be known as The Jack Paar Show, or The Jack Paar Tonight Show, or simply the Tonight Show)..In Cleveland, Channel 3 had already decided to stay with movies, which were more profitable as a rule locally..Other Westinghouse NBC stations had dropped "Tonight" as well..

Finally, after weeks of negotiation, WEWS-TV 5 agreed to carry the Jack Paar Show in Cleveland, beginning Monday, October 28, 1957..Canton-born Paar had worked at WGAR Radio in the late 1930's, where he was the announcer during the CBS airing of "War Of The Worlds" on October 30, 1938..

1957:Introduction by original sidekick Franklin Pangborn on Paar's first show..Pangborn only lasted a short time before Hugh Downs became the announcer..

In the meantime, KYW-TV 3 had bought a slate of "new" MGM Movies to run opposite Paar on Channel 5 beginning Wednesday, November 6, 1957, The first of these being "Thirty Seconds over Tokyo" (1944)

1959 Ad featuring Movie Host Ronnie Barrett, also known as a radio dj and bandleader..Notice the "Well Above Par" reference..

As WEWS settled into being the Jack Paar station in Cleveland, 1960 brought color to the Tonight Show, which WEWS aired, as their only regular color program until the mid 1960's..
WEWS also carried Huntley-Brinkley from NBC June 29, 1959-July 1, 1960..

December 1963 episode of the Tonight Show with Johnny Carson,which was aired on WEWS-Channel 5..The oldest known episode still in existence of the Carson show...

Westinghouse decided to actually try to compete with "Tonight" in the early 1960's with "PM East PM West" With Mike Wallace and Joyce Davidson in New York and TV Writer Terence O'Flaherty in San Francisco..Premiering June 12, 1961, PD writer George Condon likened it somewhat to the failed "America After Dark"..An August 19, 1961 Plain Dealer Column by Condon stated that WJW-TV 8 gained viewers from KYW-3 that wanted to watch movies..

On February 5, 1962 The PM West portion was dropped and PM East took over the entire 90 minute show..

The PM East program was cancelled June 22, 1962 and replaced with..Steve Allen..The comedian was signed to Westinghouse to compete with Jack Paar..His first show was Monday June 25, 1962..

May 22, 1962:"Promotion for new show on KYW-TV at the Sahara Motel. Disc Jockey Ronnie Barrett was picked as looking most like Allen. Allen's new nightly 90-minute show will begin June 25 on KYW and other stations in the Westinghouse chain"(Original Cleveland Press Caption)

Allen was relatively successful for over 2 years before being replaced by a young Regis Philbin Monday, October 26, 1964..Philbin only lasted about 4 months , his last show being March 5, 1965.

TV Guide ad for the Regis Philbin Show

KYW then went back to showing movies for awhile starting March 8, 1965..It was during the 1963-64 period that WJW-TV 8 owned Friday Nights for a time with Horror-Movie Host Ghoulardi..

March 8, 1965 KYW Movies which ran till May 7..

Merv Griffin had been all over TV since the 1950's, hosting music and game shows..He hosted a daytime talk show for NBC in 1962..He began his long career with Group W/Westinghouse on Monday, May 10, 1965 at 11:20 PM on KYW-TV..

Merv Griffin and Arthur Treacher in a 1965 show..

With all these changes, one other big change would ultimately settle things down..The NBC/Westinghouse swap back of Radio and TV properties, whicn took place at 5AM Saturday, June 19, 1965..Partly as a result of this, Merv Griffin's last night show for now NBC-Owned WKYC-TV would be Friday, September 10, 1965..Griffin immediately moved over to WEWS weekday afternoons at 3:30 Monday September 13, 1965.. WKYC-TV 3 went back to movies, beginning with "The Man In The Gray Flannel Suit on Sept, 13, 1965 (The Late Show)..

NBC and Scripps-Howard (WEWS Owner) began negotiatons for NBC to reacquire The Tonight Show, which had starred Johnny Carson since October 1, 1962.."Tonight" finally returned to WKYC February 28, 1966 where it has been ever since..

Ad announcing Johnny's "homecoming" to channel 3, though the show hadnt been on WKYC beforehand..February 28, 1966.

The Tonight Show has been on WKYC since 1966 through Johnny's retirement in 1992, Jay Leno's reign as host 1992-2009 and 2010-present, as well as the ill-fated Conan O' Brien Jay Leno at 10PM experiment in 2009-2010..

Grateful thanks to all that contibuted..While many of the photographs are from my own collection..Videos and some photos from Cleveland Press and Plain Dealer Archive, Ray Glasser, Ira Gallen, Wikipedia and other various sites..

Cleveland Television:August 21-27, 1954

2011-07-14T11:52:00.001-04:00

Bob Clampett and his "Time For Beany" puppets during the last days of the show..Daws Butler and Stan Freberg had just left..WXEL and later WEWS carried the 15 minute puppet show from 1949-53

Ad for CBS' late afternoon soaps from 4-4:30:Brighter Day and Secret Storm, aired on WXEL rather than WEWS..WXEL also had Portia Faces Life at 1 and The Seeking Heart at 1:15..By March 1, 1955 all CBS shows would be on channel 8..Notice the scene in the top picture..Hal Holbrook in an early tv role..

Ad for Dragnet reruns "Badge 714" Fridays at 7PM-WNBK

Ad announcing WFMJ-TV's very recent move from channel 73 to channel 21, along with their subsequent power increase..

Ad for Live Hot Rod Races from Detroit on WXEL-8..I assume this was aired in connection with Storer's WJBK-TV 2 Detroit..Storer did acquire WXEL in 1954..

Notice of "Justice" a series apparently modeled after "Dragnet" that ran Thursdays at 8:30..Notice that the ad puts the show on 3 and "73", though WFMJ-TV has been on Channel 21 since August 7..

I thought we would take a look at August 21-27, 1954 in the pages of TV Guide, Lake Erie Edition..

In Lake Erie Dateline, the Cast of NBC's summer replacement series Midwestern Hayride(WNBK) was scheduled at the Lorain County Fair August 24..The Mello-Larks and The CrewCuts were also scheduled to appear during the fair..Toast On The Town(WEWS) will have an Ice Capades preview September 5, with the show scheduled to hit The Cleveland Arena October 1-17..

Other program highlights:

Walt "Kousin" Kay returns to WXEL-8 Saturday August 21 at 11AM

Toast Of The Town has its first Color Telecast on channels 5 and 27 Sunday August 22 at 8PM

Rex Humbard airs at 8PM Sunday on WAKR-49

Monday-Friday..Dinner Platter with Bob Dale 5:45-6:30 WEWS Channel 5

A couple of Crooners end vacations-Perry Como Mon/Wed/Fri 7:45 on Channels 5-27 and Eddie Fisher Wed/Fri 7:30 on Channels 3-21

Indians Baseball on WXEL-9. Sat/Sun at Baltimore Tue/Wed at Philadelphia A's and Thu/Fri at Washington-Jim Britt and Clay Dopp announcing

Tom Field News and Joe Finan Weather were weeknight features on WNBK-3

Schedules:

Cleveland

WNBK-3 NBC
WEWS-5 CBS
WXEL-8 DuMont/ABC

Akron
WAKR-49 ABC

Youngstown
WFMJ-21 NBC
WKBN-27 CBS/ABC/DuMont

Saturday, August 21, 1954

9AM
3 Movie-(Early Bird Theater)-Gaiety

9:15
8 First Reel

9:30
8 Comedy Carnival

9:55
5 News Bulletins

10AM
3 Cartoon Time
5 Movie-(Early Show)-The Reckoning
8 Sandlot Baseball
27-Movie-TBA

10:30
3 Fun Wagon-Glenn Rowell

11AM
5-27 Winky Dink And You
8 Merry Go Round-Walt "Kousin" Kay-Return

11:30
3 Movie-(Flim Flam Film)-The Drifter
5 Abbott And Costello
27 Panorama-Film

Noon
5-27 Big Top
8 Movie-Western

12:30
3 Mr. Wizard

1PM
3 Movie-(Feature Film)-Captain Fury
5 Lone Ranger
8 Movie-(On Stage)-Headline Crasher
21 Movie-(Movie Party)-South Sea Adventure
27 Movie-TBA

1:30
5 Johnny Jupiter-Kids

2PM
5 Movie-(Feature Film) Double Feature
Exile Express
Danger Ahead

21 Movie-(Movie Party)-Traffic In Crime

2:30
3 Movie-(Stagecoach Theater)-Pinto Canyon

3PM
8 Movie (Saturday Matinee)-After Midnight
21 Dairy Hop-Music
27 Movie-TBA

3:30
3 Movie-(Saturday Showtime)-Saps At Sea:Laurel and Hardy

3:45
5 Bandstand-Phil McLean

4PM
21 Movie-(Golden West)-A Missouri Outlaw

4:45
5 To Be Announced

5PM
3 Johnny Mack Brown
5 Ramar Of The Jungle
8 Main Event-Wrestling
21 Wrestling
27 Horse Race
49 Movie-(Bar 49 Theater)-Wild Horse Range

5:30
3 Horse Racing
5 Contest Carnival
27 Hopalong Cassidy

6PM
3 Cisco Kid
5 Polka Time
8 To Be Announced
21 News Summary

6:15
21 Industry On Parade

6:30
3 Annie Oakley
5 The Big Picture
21 Movie-(Roundup Time)-Desert Patrol
27 News This Week

6:45
8 News/Sports
27 Sports-Don Gardner
49 Wahington Reports-Sen. Thomas Burke

6:55
27 Weather Report

7PM
3 Files of Jeffrey Jones
5 Beat The Clock
8 Big Picture
27 Panorama
49 Wings Over The World

7:30
3-21 Youth Wants to Know-Stephen McCormick
5 Mr. District Attorney
8-49 Dotty Mack-ABC
27 Beat The Clock-Bob Kennedy subs for Bud Collyer

8PM
3-21 Bank On The Stars-Jimmy Nelson/Puppet Danny O'Day-Last Show-Replaced by "Mickey Rooney"
5-27 Stage Show
8 Baseball-Indians At Baltimore Orioles
49 Enterprise USA

8:30
3-21 Amateur Hour
49 Great Sports Thrill-ABC

9PM
3-21 Saturday Revue-Eddie Albert
5-27 Two For The Money
49 Boxing-Asbury Park-ABC

9:30
5 Jack Paar Show
27 Playhouse-Colby

9:45
49 Fight Talk-Bob Cooke

10PM
5-27 That's My Boy-Comedy
49 Movie-(Feature Film)-Wanted By The Police

10:30
3-21 Private Secretary
5 Theater-Drama
8 Movie-(Saturday Night Show)-Meet John Doe
27 Two In Love-CBS

11PM
3 News-Tom Field
5 Movie (Playhouse) Young Lovers
21 Movie (Skyline Theater) I Cheated The Law
27 Wrestling-Chicago-DuMont

11:05
3 Movie (Theater) Sing Along With Me
27 Sports Showcase

11:20
27 Wrestling-DuMont

Midnight
21-27 News

12:30
3-5 News

Sunday, August 22, 1954

8:30
3 TV Sunday School

9AM
3 Funny Funnies-Glenn Rowell

9:30
3 Golf Lesson

9:45
3 News Of The Week

9:55
5 News Bulletins

10AM
3 Dog Training
5 What Catholics Believe

10:15
3 Fashions, News and Sports

10:30
3 Hoot Gibson
5 Exploring God's World

10:45
3 Lets Go Places
8 The Christophers

11AM
3 The Catholic Hour
5 To Be Announced
8 Talent Parade-Joe Berg

11:30
3 To Be Announced
27 Movie-Western

Noon
3 Anywhere USA
5 Gene Carroll
8 Faith For Today

12:30
3 Norman Vincent Peale
8 Cheerful House
27 Contest Carnival

12:45
3 Industry On Parade

1PM
3 Movie (One O Clock Playhouse) Topper
5 Polka Parade-Vadnal
8 Film Fill
27 This Is The Life

1:30
5 Movie (Sunday Matinee) Double Feature
Candles At Nine
Alaska Patrol

21 The Catholic Hour
27 Polka Party

1:45
8 Baseball Previews

2PM
8 Indians Baseball at Baltimore
21 Movie (Front Row Center) That Uncertain Feeling
27 Chesterton Hour

2:30
27 Movie-TBA

3PM
3 Techni-Science
21 To Be Announced

3:30
3 To Be Announced
21 Movie (Wooley West) Flaming Lead

4PM
3 The American Forum

4:30
3-21 Zoo Parade
5 Fun With Charades

4:50
8 Ohio Story-Gentle Johnny Appleseed

5PM
3-21 Out On The Farm
5-27 What In The World
8 Scores And Squaws
49 Movie (Feature Film) Motor Patrol

5:15
8 Super Circus-ABC

5:30
3-21 Youth takes A Stand

6PM
3 Meet The Press
5-27 Now And Then
8 This Is The Life
21 That We May See
49 Abbott And Costello

6:15
21 To Be Announced

6:30
3-21 Roy Rogers
5-27 Man Of The Week
8 Big Picture
49 Royal Playhouse

7PM
3-21 Musical College-Tennessee Ernie Ford
5 Range Rider
8-49 You Asked For It
27 Ramar Of The Jungle

7:30
3-21 Mr. Peepers
5 Your Playtime-Anthology Reruns
8-49 Pepsi Cola Playhouse-Colby
27 Edward Arnold Show

8PM
3-21 Colgate Comedy Hour
5-27 Toast Of The Town-Color
8 Flight No.7
49 Humbard Family

8:30
8 To Be Announced

9PM
3-21 Philco TV Playhouse
5 GE True Theater
8 Bob Considine
27 March Of Time
49 Movie-TBA

9:15
8 Jane Pickens

9:30
5-27 Man Behind The Badge
8 Two In Love-CBS

10PM
3-21 Dollar A Second
5 Foreign Intrigue
8-49 Break The Bank-Bill Cullen subs for Bert Parks
27-The Web-CBS

10:30
3-21 The Hunter
5-27 What's My Line?
8 Movie (Theater) Heritage Of The Plains
49 This Is the Life

11PM
3 Movie (Feature Film) I Shot Billy The Kid
5 News Bulletins
21 Movie (Skyline Theater) Mr. Peek-A-Boo
27 Movie (Playhouse 27) Over The Moon
49 News, Sports, Weather

11:15
5 The Web

11:45
5 News Bulletins

Midnight
21 News Bulletins

12:30
3-27 News Bulletins

Episode of Captain Video from DuMont, shown on channels 8 and 27 weeknights at 7..

Friday, August 27, 1954

7AM
3-21 Today-Garroway
5-27 Morning Show-Jack Paar (Ch. 5-Paige Palmer 8:25, 8:55)

8:55
8 Preview Corner

9AM
3 Movie (Early Bird Theater)Calaboose
5 Movie (Early Show) Danger Ahead
8-27 Breakfast Club-ABC Don McNeill
21 Movie (Morning Matinee) Motor Patrol

10AM
3-21 Ding Dong Schiil-Frances Horwich
5 Garry Moore
8 Alice Weston
27 Movie Miniature

10:15
27 Garry Moore

10:30
3-21 A Time To Live
8 Movie (Maggie Wulff Show)Behind Stone Walls

10:45
3-21 Three Steps To Heaven

11AM
3-21 Home-Arlene Francis
27 The Good Look

11:30
5-27 Strike It Rich-Warren Hull

Noon
3-21 Bob Smith Show
5 Valiant Lady
8 Drama At Noon
27 News Bulletins

12:15
5-27 Love Of Life

12:30
3 One O Clock Preview
5-27 Search For Tomorrow
8 Rena And Bob (Ledyard)
21 Hal's A Poppin-Hal Fryar Not long after this, Hal would move to Indianapolis, where he became long time Kiddie host, "Harlow Hickenlooper" on Channel 6 in that city..
http://www.harlowhickenlooper.com/

12:45
5-27 Guiding Light

1PM
3 Movie (One O Clock Playhouse)The Wall Of Death
5 Woman's Window
8-27 Portia Faces Life-CBS
21 News

1:15
8 Seeking Heart-CBS
21 Hal's A Poppin Continues
27 Home Cooking-Resch

1:30
5 Welcome Travelers
8 Movie (Midday Moivie) Little Pal

1:45
27 Curious Camera

2PM
5-27 Robert Q. Lewis
21 Movie (Sittin Easy) Tough Assignment

2:15
3 Maggi Byrne

2:30
5 Linkletter's House Party
21 Kitchen Corner-Marjorie Mariner
27 Outdoors

2:45
3 Maggi's Kitchen
8 All For You-Alice Weston

3PM
3-21 One Man's Family (Moves to 3:30 next week)
5-27 Big Payoff
8 Paul Dixon-DuMont

3:15
3-21 Golden Windows

3:30
3-21 First Love (Moves To 4:15 next week)
5 Bob Crosby
8-27 Paul Dixon-DuMont

3:45
3-21 Miss Marlowe

4PM
3-21 Hawkins Falls
5 Mixing Bowl
8 Brighter Day-CBS
27 Pays To Remember

4:15
3-21 Bride and Groom-Last Show of Thw Series
8-27 Secret Storm-CBS

4:30
3-21 Betty White
5 On Your Account
8 King Jack
27 Grizzly Pete

5PM
3 Pinky Lee
5 Uncle Jake-Gene Carroll
8-Desert Deputy-Movie
21 Susie Sidesaddle
27 Barker Bill-CBS
49 Hinky Dinks-Kids

5:15
27 Grizzly Pete continues

5:25
5 News

5:30
3-21 Howdy Doody
5 Twenty Fingers
49 Summer Matinee-Music

5:45
5 Professor Pet

5:50
5 Dinner Platter-Bob Dale

6PM
3 Suppertime Comics
21-49 News Summary

6:15
8 Sports-Bob Neal
21 Sports-Eddie Lane
49 Humbard Family

6:25
21 Weather

6:30
3 Sports-Tom Manning
5 Dorothy Fuldheim
8 Weather-Dr. Annear
21 Pounding Hooves
27 News Today
49 Sports-Bob Wuylie

6:45
3 Today's News
5 Sports Page-Jack Graney, Paul Wilcox
8 Joe Portaro
27 Sports-Don Gardner
49 Ranch 49-Woodell

6:55
5-27 Weather

7PM
3 Badge 714
5 The Big Playback
8-27 Captain Video-DuMont
21 What's Your Trouble?
49 News-Jack Fitzgibbons

7:10
49 Scores-Bob Wylie

7:15
5 Green Thumbs
8 News-Bob Lang, Jimmy Dudley
21 Telerama
27 News-Features
49 ABC News-John Daly

7:30
3-21 Eddie Fisher
5-27 Douglas Edwards CBS News
8 Stu Erwin-ABC
49 Chef Lorenzo

7:45
3-21 Camel News Caravan-John Cameron Swayze
5-27 Perry Como

8PM
3-21 The Duke
5 Pantomime Quiz
8 Baseball-Indians at Washington Senators
27 Dangerous Assignment
49 Teen Who Club

8:30
3-21 Life Of Riley
5-27 Topper
49 Greatest Sport Thrills

9PM
3-21 Best In Mystery
5-27 Schlitz Playhouse Of Stars
49 Paul Hartman Show

9:30
3-21 Soundstage
5-27 Our Miss Brooks
49 In Our Time

10PM
3-21 Sports Highlights
5-27 Star Theater
49 Movie (Feature Film) Convicts At Large

10:30
3-21 Moments In Sports
5 I Led Three Lives
27 It's News To Me

10:45
3 To Be Announced
21 Paul Killiam

11PM
3 News-Tom Field
5 Movie (Feature Film) 40,000 Horsemen
8-27 News-Warren Guthrie
21 News

11:05
3 Weather-Joe Finan

11:10
3-21 Sports
27 News-Sid Davis

11:15
3 Custom Inn-Glenn Rowell
8 Sports-John Fitzgerald
21 Barn Dance
27 Movie (Playhouse 27) The Pretender

11:20
8 Movie (Night Owl Theater) The Man Who Walked Alone

11:30
3 Movie (Hollywood Theater) Topper

Midnight
21 Late News

12:30
5-27 News Bulletins

12:45
3 News Bulletins

"Six Inches Of Partly Cloudy"

2011-06-08T12:18:00.000-04:00

Photo taken with Dick Goddard at the 2009 Ghoulardifest..

TV Guide ad on the return of Dick Goddard to Cleveland fom Philadelphia-March 28, 1966..

Cover of Legendary Meterologist Dick Goddard's new book "Six Inches Of Partly Cloudy" on sale now..

One would think, if you've been in Northeast Ohio long enough, that if anyone in TV should write a Biography, Dick Goddard would be the one..Well, he finally has gotten it done..With editing help from Tom Feran, the book, "Six Inches of Partly Cloudy" is now available through Gray Publishing Co. of Cleveland.

The book is an eclectic mix of stories about Dick's 50-year career in Television, Interesting Weather and scientific facts, thoughts from co-workers at WJW-TV 8 (Tim Taylor Robin Swoboda, among others), some fan memories (including one from yours truly) about Goddard's impact on Northeast Ohio, and Goddard's own thoughts on various subjects., including his love for pets..

The book is full of Dick's own drawings, displaying the talent he was hoping to use at Disney..They did call him just as he was to start at Channel 3..The book is also full of photos from his days dating back to KYW-TV 3..

As we said above, the book is a mixture of subjects..I would love to have read more stories about his TV days..Some of the thoughts Dick shares might be a bit "heavier" than one would expect from him, but to be fair, Dick is fair to his subjects..He projects as the "nice guy" even when talking about such subjects as war and religion.

The book is a fairly good read, with a good balance of subjects..If I have any criticism, It's that I would have started writing the book earlier, or possibly even written two books, one a straight biography, and one about his thoughts on other subjects..There would have been more than enough material for 2 books..All profits from the book will go to Animal Charities..

Rare audio from Dick Goddard's last Eyewitness News at KYW-TV 3 Cleveland..Others on here include Pat Murray, Jim Graner and Tom Haley..June 18, 1965..

Barnaby's first Success..

2011-05-30T23:37:00.002-04:00

One of the first TV Guide ads for the Popeye Show on KYW-TV 3, to premiere September 2, 1957..

Publicity photo for Barnaby (Linn Sheldon)Courtesy TVParty.com

The above article is from the Cleveland Plain Dealer November 16, 1957. TV Writer Tom O' Connell Interviews Linn Sheldon, two months after the premiere of "The Barnaby Show"..The show has become a breakout success, even beating the Mickey Mouse Club on Channel 5 by a margin of 3 to 1 in the ratings..One could argue that no one else locally had that kind of fast success until Ernie Anderson's "Ghoulardi" came along in January 1963 on WJW-TV 8..Sheldon seems amazed that after being on Cleveland TV for 9 years, that Barnaby/Popeye has been so successful, so fast..

Sheldon, of course, continued with Barnaby for most of the next 33 years, playing the character on channel 43 from 1969-90.

New Blog Info Source:Plain Dealer Archive

2011-05-20T01:10:00.001-04:00

Front Page of Cleveland Plain Dealer January 12, 1918..Notice the masthead:CLEVELAND Plain Dealer, rather than just "Plain Dealer" since the 1960's. Source:ohiohistory.org..

Hello:
A number of times, I've mentioned where I get much of the material for the blogs and the Facebook Page, I won't go into that again, but I do want to announce an exciting development..

I made a daylong trip to Cleveland last Monday, May 16..I probably take these trips 3-4 times a year to visit landmarks, take in a sporting event, but mostly to do research at the Cleveland Public Library..Made a stop at the Library once again..This time, after a bit of research, I decided to try something new..

I'd been made aware of a digitized Cleveland Plain Dealer Archive, which consists of a vast majority of the Complete Plain Dealer Newspapers from 1845-1991..In years past, I'd been denied a Cleveland Library card because of not living in Cuyahoga County..They changed their policy, apparently as I signed up for a Library card Monday with no problem. With Modern Libraries, a Card opens a lot of doors to research databases, Newspapers, Magazines, downloadable audio and video, etc..from Home Computers as well as inside the Library..The Plain Dealer Vintage Archive is one of the databases that can be accessed from Home Computers.

What this means is that I now have a fullly accessible history of Broadcasting in Cleveland from 1922-91, including the entire History of Cleveland/Northeast Ohio Television up to 1991..I've already on the Facebook Page shared The Premiere of Pete Franklin's Sportsline in Cleveland on WERE and Captain Penny's 10th Anniversary on TV 5..This is an outstanding development for the blog and I hope to take full advantange of this opportunity.

My heartfelt thanks to Cleveland Public Library for their assistance in allowing this to happen..

Jimmy Dudley-Seattle Pilots 1970

2011-05-11T11:02:00.006-04:00

Here we have a real rarity..Play By Play of the late Jimmy Dudley..Dudley was with the Cleveland Indians mostly on radio from 1948-67..He was fired from the Indians after the 1967 season..It was said he and partner Bob Neal didnt get along..

Seattle was awarded an American League Franchise for the 1969 season..Owned by Dewey Soriano and Former Indian owner Bill Daley, it was a disaster from the start..Playing in an antiquated ballpark(Sicks Stadium), the team was rushed into play due to factors beyond their control..One bright spot was the Broadcast team of Jimmy Dudley and Bill Schonely on KVI-570.

Here are 3 rare clips from March 28, 1970..The next to last game for the Seattle Franchise. Schonely was later known as the primary Broadcaster for the Portland Trail Blazers of the NBA.

Interesting notes:

Mike Hegan, current Indian Broadcaster, had just bought a home in the Seattle area, but with the pending Milwaukee move, that was now up in the air..

Ted Kubiak, now Indian minor league manager at Class A Lake County, turned a double play with Gus Gil, for the last 2 outs of the game..

Roy Foster, mentioned in the Mike Hegan Clip, played 1970-72 with the Indians, afer 2 decent power seasons, his numbers dropped off a lot by 1972 and he was out of Major League Baseball by the end of the season.

The audio clips are courtesy Mike Fuller at

http://www.seattlepilots.com/

A great Historical site detailing the Pilots History..
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Seattle_Pilots
Wikipedia article on the Pilots

While I love baseball, and part of that interest is reading about teams that move from one city to another or disband, the main attraction here is hearing extended work of Jimmy Dudley, arguably one of the better Tribe announcers of all time..

Of course, younger fans remember Jimmy Dudley as the "Garfield-1-2323" man on local tv commercials

Some personal thoughts and updates..

2011-04-19T12:42:00.001-04:00

October 1962:Jimmy Dean headlines an hour of songs and comedy, presumably filmed at the WEWS-TV 5 studios in Cleveland. Among the guests are Minnie Pearl, Pee Wee King and teen sensation Andrea Carroll. Landmark Farm Bureau Cooperative had earlier sponsored "Landmark Jamboree" on WEWS Saturday Nights in the 1950's. We can assume also that WTVN-6 Columbus and WCPO-9 Cincinnati also aired the show

May 1954:Ad for something called "Century Foods Exposition" Held In Youngstown in Spring 1954..WFMJ-TV 73 did a lot of remote telecasting from there that week..Included in this ad are rare photos of Marjorie Mariner and Hal Fryar..

1955:Ad for the Red Buttons Show-WNBK/3

1955:WXEL Channel 8's "New Evening Lineup" as of January 1955..Seeing Ohio Story as part of the lineup reminds me how much I'd love to see some episodes of "Ohio Story" sometime..

September 1956:WOR-TV 9 New York City TV Guide ad for Crusader Rabbit and Terrytoons..This is one of the earliest Animnation packages to be released to Television, with Farmer Alfalfa and the Original Black and White Crusader Rabbit Cartoons..Knowing this isnt Cleveland, but feeling the historical aspect is important..

Hello folks:
Just wanted to update folks on where the blog is going, along with thoughts about other classic tv matters..

March 28 was our blog's fourth anniversary..Just about forgotten about it(The anniversary)..I appreciate everybody's support and contributions over the years..Especially those who have been kind enough to send me photos, audio and video material..Has really added to the blog's popularity..I do appreciate it much..

While we're on the subject, if anyone has Video or audio especially of local Cleveland TV (Akron-Canton-Youngstown-Wheeling-Steubenville as well) or even photos they'd be willing to share, particlarly from the 1950's to the early 1970's..Radio airchecks are welcome too, from the 1940's to the early top 40 era..Would be much appreciated. Email me with the contact link at the right..

We've had our Facebook Page for Cleveland Classic Media up for about 15 months now and it has been a blast to do..Thanks for all the response there..

The Classic KYW Facebook Page has been slow going as of late..Not a lot that I have that I havent already shared..

About questions:We've covered before about the rarity of Local TV clips, especially from the 50's and 60's..Stations just didnt think much was important enough to save..When Videotape came in, programs were erased over..General saving of things like newscasts and local shows didnt happen till 1978 or so...When someone writes to ask, "Can you help me find a Mr. Banjo or Barnaby show I was on in 1960?" I hate to say that it would be almost impossible to find because of the above reason..I will try to answer any other question I can..

As far as research, even the internet has limits sometimes..Research I do outside the home involves trips to Akron or Cleveland, which have been limited by time and finances. In saying all that, Please keep emailing me your questions. If I can find a way to answer them, I will..

You may (or may not) have noticed the postings to this blog have slowed down considerably over the months. To do a Major post takes about 2-3 days to do right..To take several hours a day to work on the blog is a bit difficult with work and home considerations. I'll try to post more in the coming weeks here..

More good classic TV News locally..WOIO will add MeTV to one of its digital channels soon..WIVM-52 moved to channel 39 recently and added Tuff TV and will add AMGTV soon along with having RTV..Antenna TV was put on WJW-TV 8.2 in January..

Thank you for all your support and God Bless..

Have a Good Life, Joe Tait!

2011-04-13T09:54:00.002-04:00

Legendary Cleveland Cavaliers Radio Broadcaster Joe Tait..He will be calling his final game as The Cavs play their season finale tonight against The Washington Wizards at Quicken Loans Arena. Courtesy coolcleveland.com

My favorite Cavaliers logo-Used from 1970-80

http://www.nba.com/cavaliers/multimedia/Joe_Taits_Greatest_Calls-59408-44.html

From nba.com..Some of Joe Tait's classic calls over the years..

Tonight marks the end of an era in Cleveland Sports and Broadcasting..The words "iconic" and legendary" are thrown around so easily these days..However, the subject of our blog today is definitely legendary in his field, or court, wherever he calls play by play at a sporting event..I am speaking of course, of Joe Tait,the voice of the Cleveland Cavaliers from shortly after the beginning of their first season (1970-71) through 2010-11, with the exception of 1981-83 when he called games for the New Jersey Nets on radio and the Chicago Bulls on Cable TV.

I remember trying during the 1971-72 season to hear the games in the basement of our East Sparta home when the only station I could get the games on was the old WCUE 96.5FM(WAKS)..Was hard enough to get FM in rural Stark County without trying to get an FM station from Akron in a brick basement..Joe was my connection to the Cavaliers when not many games were on TV..He made the Cavaliers sound exciting even in a 141-87 blowout by Philly, which happened in the first season. His signature calls...BINGOO!! when Bobby Smith woulld launch a long jumper..WHAM! With the Right hand! for a dunk..His disdain for the officials became a regular thing that the fans loved..For as great as Joe was, he was/is one of us..He came about in a simpler era in the NBA when pretty much the game was all that mattered..Sure players had their issues, but The GAME was the thing..From recent interviews with Joe, you get the idea that Today's NBA is to much about "show"..Fireworks, cheerleaders, and other things that distract from the game on the floor..

I remember a second season game against the Knicks (February 20, 1972) when the Cavs beat them 111-109..The Knicks were still considered a championship contender..This was the Cavaliers first ever win against The Knicks..Youd have thought from Joe's call theyd won the NBA title..His calls in the Washington Bullets Playoff games in 1975-76..Classic..

As good as he was in Calling the Cavs action, Joe also called Indians games on radio from 1973-79 and TV from 1980-87.. Tait enjoyed doing Play-by-play so much he would do small college and high school games whenever time permitted..He even called some Barons Hockey games for a time..

Joe unfortunately never got to call a Cavaliers NBA championship, though the team made it to the finals in 2007.. 2010-2011 has been a particularly rough seson for Joe as illness and surgery robbed him of most of the season, which he had already announced would be his last..He has been able, however, to call the last 5 home games, including a recent memorable win over the Miami Heat..

His final game will be tonight at the Q when the Cavaliers take on the Washington Wizards..Fox Sports Ohio will be doing something unique, as they will be piping in Joe's call of tonight's second half with occasional comments from Fred McLeod and Austin Carr..FSO will also premiere an hour special after the game tonight, "Have a Good Night. Everybody"..In which past and present Cavs personnel share their memories of Joe Tait. This special with be repeated several times throughout April..

A personal note..From what I've read in recent days, Joe has been a "real"..Person, a friend to those he makes friends with if that makes sense..And a real encouragement to those breaking into the broadcasting/journalism business..It really irks me to see people on Cleveland.com comments recently say "Joe should have retired years ago" or "He was never that good to begin with"..He lasted 39 years..And will still be doing Mount Union Football..Who of those that make uninformed comments like that will last even 10 years in broadcasting, let alone 39.. Joe Tait is, and has been, one of the BEST ever in front of a microphone..We love you Joe and God Bless in your retirement..

Encore:Indians Broadcast History

2011-04-03T10:30:00.004-04:00

With another new baseball season upon us, I thought we'd put up an encore post..with some slight updates, on Indians Broadcasting History..Originally posted in October 2007

TV Guide Ad for A Cleveland Indians-Chicago White Sox Game May 10, 1958..On WTRF-TV 7 Wheeling, W. Va. This was the CBS Game of the Week with announcers Dizzy Dean and Buddy Blattner. (White Sox won 5-4) TV Guide Ad for early 1970 Indians Game on WJW-TV 8. (Indians won 9-4) TV Guide Closeup for a Pirates/Philadelphia game on May 16, 1958. Pirate Network stations represented are KDKA 2 Pittsburgh, WJAC 6 Johnstown, Pa., WSTV 9 Steubenville, Oh, and WKST 45, New Castle, Pa. (Youngstown Market)(Phillies won 6-2)

With the Indians heading into the playoffs with the New York Yankees, I thought it would be kind of fun to go into some of the Cleveland Indians Broadcast History.

RADIO

Former Tribe Player Jack Graney was the first Radio announcer for Indians Baseball, beginning in 1932 on WJW-AM going all the way to 1944 with several partners, Though Tom Manning did some games for WTAM in the 1929-31 period, but he also was League Park Announcer. In a unique situation, Four stations broadcast the June 28, 1946 game, Shortly after Bill Veeck bought the team..WJW (Earl Harper) WTAM (Tom Manning) WHK(Don Campbell) and WGAR (Jack Graney, Bob Neal) WGAR then held the rights for 1947 with Jack Graney solo. WJW gained the rights for 1948-49 with Jimmy Dudley and Graney..WERE 1300 then acquired Broadcast rights from 1950-72..Jimmy Dudley was play by play man from 1950-67 with a number of color men..including Graney (1950-53) Ed Edwards (1954-55) Tom Manning (1956) Bob Neal (1957-61, 65-67) and Harry Jones (1962-64)..Dudley left the Indians after the 1967 season..It was said he didnt get along well with Bob Neal..Dudley announced Seattle Pilots games in 1969 before retiring in Arizona. Bob Neal was then partnered with Herb Score from 1968-72 (My first baseball memories are in 1970 with Herb Score and Bob Neal) WWWE-1100 gained the Broadcast rights in 1973, with Joe Tait, Cavaliers broadcaster joining Herb Score until 1980..when Nev Chandler of Channel 5 joined Herb Score through the 1984 season..1985 saw Steve LaMar opposite Herb..Lamar was here through 1987..Paul Olden joined Herb in 1988..Olden had an uncanny knack for sounding like Vin Scully..Olden stayed through 1989.. Tom Hamilton joined the broadcast team in 1990..and has been with the team since then..WKNR-1220 gained radio rights from 1992-97, with the Score-Hamilton duo intact..Herb Score Retired after the 1997 season, but not before calling two Indians World Series..(1995, 97) WTAM-1100 (WWWE) acquired radio rights once again in 1998, with the Tribe going to a 3-man broadcast booth..Hamilton, former MLB player Mike Hegan and Former Tribe coach Davey Nelson were the team in 1998-99, with Channel 5 sports staffer Matt Underwood replacing Nelson from 2000-2006..In 2007, Underwood went to Sports Time Ohio as Indians annoiuncer with Rick Manning..Leaving just Tom Hamilton and Mike Hegan as the radio team..
UPDATE:Hamilton/Hegan in 2011 will be joined by Jim Rosenhaus, pregame host who will do a few innings a game to spell Hegan or Hamilton

TELEVISION

Cleveland Indians TV coverage began as early as 1948 on WEWS Channel 5 with Van Patrick in the booth, being replaced by Tris Speaker and Bob Neal in 1949..1950 saw WXEL-9 get the TV rights..Holding them at first through 1955 (as WJW-8 by this time) Announcers were Jimmy Dudley/Jack Graney in 1950, Hal Newell in 1951, Bob Neal and "Red" Jones in 1952-53..Ken Coleman and Jim Britt 1954-55 on WXEL/WJW. WEWS got the rights back from 1956-60..with Coleman/Britt in 1956-57, Coleman and Bill McColgan from 1958-60. WJW-TV 8 would get the rights once again in 1961-holding them through 1979..Ken Coleman partnered with Harry Jones in 1961, then Bob Neal in 1962-1963..Coleman left the Indians after the 1963 season. Herb Score joined Bob Neal in 1964, then Score was joined by Harry Jones from 1965-67..Harry Jones was joined by Yankee legend Mel Allen in 1968..1969-71 saw the team of Harry Jones and Dave Martin..Jones then partnered with Rocky Colavito in 1972, then Mudcat Grant in 1973-74..(Little bit of chin music there..) 1975-76 had Bob Brown and Rocky Colavito as the broadcast team..1977 it was back to Harry Jones and Mudcat Grant..1978 (WJKW) saw Jim Meuller and Eddie Doucette of Milwaukee as the TV Team..In 1979 it was Joe Castiglione and Bruce Drennan.. WUAB-TV 43 gained broadcast rights in 1980-2001..Joe Tait and Bruce Drennan as the team from 1980-82..Then Joe Tait was joined by retired Browns(?) receiver Reggie Rucker from 1983-84..Joe Tait then was with Jack Corrigan in 1985-87 (now part of the Rockies' Radio team).Corrigam teamed with Steve LaMar in 1988..then with Mike Hegan from 1989-2001, joined by Matt Underwood as the 3rd man in the booth in the 2000 season only.. In 2006..WKYC-TV 3 began airing a limited number of broadcast games through Cable home SportsTime Ohio..with Rick Manning and Jim Donovan

CABLE

Early unsuccesful attempts at Cable included Ted Stepien's TenTV in 1982..With Joe Castiglione and Bob Feller as announcers..Then the Sports Exchange in 1983, with Feller, Jack Corrigan and Denny Schreiner.. 1990 saw the debut of SportsChannel Ohio(FOX Sports Ohio as of 1998), with Rick Manning and Plain Dealer writer Dan Coughlin. Coughlin was replaced in 1991 bu Pittsburgh Sports TV Veteran John Sanders. They were joined in 2002 by Mike Hegan through 2005.. The Indians in 2006 took their TV production in house with the advent of SportsTime Ohio..While Sanders, Manning and Hegan were the team in 2006, it was decided in 2007 not to bring Sanders back..Hegan went exclusively to Radio and Matt Underwood joined Rick Manning as the Current Broadcast TV Team..
2010 UPDATE:Jim Donovan is no longer announcing the Channel 3 games..They are now straight simulcasts with STO..

Longest serving announcers..

Radio
Jack Graney 1932-53
Jimmy Dudley 1948-67
Herb Score 1968-97
Bob Neal 1946, 1957-61, 1965-72
Tom Hamilton 1990-2011

TV (broadcast and Cable)
Ken Coleman 1954-63
Harry Jones 1961, 1965-74, 1977
Joe Tait 1980-87
Jack Corrigan 1983, 1985-2001
Rick Manning 1990-2011
John Sanders 1991-2006
Mike Hegan 1989-2006

I realize this has been exhaustive, but it points out how many talented broadcasters have come through Cleveland, and some not so talented (Rucker) and colorful personalites (Feller, Mudcat Grant, Drennan).. Baseball scores provided by shrpsports.com..Information provided by the Cleveland Indians..

Looking back:January 1958

2011-03-20T20:22:00.002-04:00

"Susie"-Syndicated title for "Private Secretary", which had aired on CBS from 1953-57 Ann Sothern returned to series TV in the "Ann Sothern Show" from Fall 1958-Spring 1961..After a few months. cast changes were made that essentially made the show "Private Secretary" in a Hotel setting..Ann Sothern was best known on TV as "Mother" in the 1965-66 NBC series "My Mother The Car"

"Sherrif of Cochise" aka as "US Marshal" Thursdays at 10:30 PM on KYW-TV..Smaller Low power networks still show this on occasion

Ad for the Syndicated "Douglas Fairbanks Jr." on WEWS Friday nights at 10:30PM

Rev. Rex Humbard, from the Calvary Temple, which became Cathedral of Tomorrow

Wednesday, January 29, 1958:US Steel Hour Starring Andy Griffith on CBS:and Ozzie And Harriet on ABC, in their sixth season..

Hello
For our first pure historical posting in awhile I thought we'd look at January 1958.

Doug Adair was doing a 9:55AM News bulletin weekdays on channel 8..

The Syndicated "Liberace" aired weekdays at 11:30 on channel 5

8:55 AM News was being aired by Channel 3 (Tom Haley) and 5 (Court Stanton or Bill Prentice)

Tom Field returned to Cleveland at WEWS-5 from WRCV-3 Philadelphia, replacing John B. Hughes..

In a letter to TV Guide, One Bill Sanders of Canton was not pleased with the change: "I understand that Ton Field is returning to Cleveland to replace JOHN B. HUGHES AND THE NEWS on Channel 5. Why? I have enjoyed Hughes and his staff and the manner in which they give the news coverage. I doubt that Tom Field can offer anything close in this line of service."

John Daly News was aired weeknights at 7:15 on WKST-45 and WAKR-49..

In Pro Basketball, on NBC The Minneapolis Lakers took on the New York Knicks at Madison Square Garden Saturday, Jan. 25 at 2PM (Knicks won 128-116)

"Spirtuals" was the name of the program Mary Holt hosted on Sunday mornings at 9:30on KYW-TV 3..Miss Holt passed away last week at the age of 89..

Sitcom, "Date With The Angels", with Betty White and Bill Williams, ends its ABC Run Friday, Jan. 31, 1958 at 9:30, being replaced the next week by a sketch variety show starring..Betty White! She is enjoying a well deserved surge of popularity these days, helped by starring in the TV Land original series, "Hot In Cleveland"

NBC:Portion of It Could Be You with Bill Leyden in a Nighttime Episode from September 1958..Sort of a takeoff on "This Is Your Life" Or "Queen For A Day"

TV Listings Cleveland Edition TV Guide
Saturday, January 25, 1958

3-KYW Cleveland NBC
5-WEWS Cleveland ABC
8-WJW Cleveland CBS
12 WICU Erie ABC-NBC
21-WFMJ Youngstown NBC
27-WKBN Youngstown CBS
35 WSEE Erie CBS
45-WKST Youngstown ABC
49-WAKR Akron ABC

7:30
3 This Land Is Ours

8AM
8 Camera Three

8:30
3 Numbers and Space

8:55
5 News-Ron Penfound

9AM
3 Geophysical Year
5 Cowboy G-Men
8 Looney Tunes

9:30
3 Kartoons For Kids
5 Cartoon Time
8-27 Captain Kangaroo

10AM
3-21 Howdy Doody
5 Christophers
12 Toy Time

10:30
3-21 Ruff and Reddy
5 Movie-Code Of The Lawless (Kirby Grant)
8 Mighty Mouse
27 Cartoon Classics

11AM
3-21 Fury
8-27 Heckle and Jeckle-Return
12 Movie-To Be Announced

11:30
3-21 Andy's Gang-Andy Devine
5 Liberace
8 Adventures In Music
27 Saturday Playhouse
49 Get Set, Go!-Variety

Noon
3-21 True Story
5 Mr. Lollipop
8 RFD
12 Ramar
27-35 Jimmy Dean
49 Devotional Time

12:30
3-21 Detective's Diary
5 Telvideo Theater
8 Tomorrow-Science
12 High School Wrestling
27 Celebrity Theater
49 Movie-The Lost Trail (Johnny Mack Brown)

1PM
3 Movie-Along The Rio Grande (Tim Holt)
5 Movie-Riders Of The Range-1942 (Bob Steele)
8 Lone Ranger
21-35 Movie-TBA
27 Gene Autry

1:30
8-49 Rex Humbard

2PM
3-12-21 NBA Basketball-Minneapolis Lakers at NY Knicks
5 New Horizons-Industry
8-27-35 NHL Hockey-Detroit at Boston (Bruins win 5-3)
49 Bowling Stars

2:30
5 Movie-Old Chisolm Trail (Johnny Mack Brown)
49 Medical Society-Public Service

3PM
45 Film Drama
49 Movie-The Man From Utah (John Wayne)

3:30
5 All-Star Golf
45 Film Drama

4PM
3 Through The Hooping Glass (cute)
21 Popcorn Party-Kids
45-49 All-Star Golf

4:15
12 Civil Defense-Public Service

4:30
3-21 Horse Race-Royal Palm Handicap from Hialeah
5-27 College Basketball-Jack Drees Iowa at Minnesota
8 Bandstand-Phil McLean
12 All-Star Golf
35 New Horizons

5PM
3 Meet Corliss Archer
21 Popeye
35 Man To Man-Religion
45 Movie-TBA
49 Movie-Ghost and Mrs. Muir 1947

5:15
35 Off To Adventure

5:30
3 TV Auction Party-Big Wilson
8 Frontier
12 Chalk it Up-Religion
35 Little Rascals
45 Film Drama

6PM
3 Mr. Wizard
5 Bowling Stars
8 Hawkeye
12 Rin Tin Tin
27 News, Sports
35 Movie-TBA
45 Travel Time

6:30
3 Lights, Camera, Questions
8 Annie Oakley
12 Broken Arrow-ABC
21 Get Set, Go!

6:45
5 Liberace
45 Our Miss Brooks

7PM
3 City Detective
5 Jamboree
8 Charlie Chan
12 Navy Log-ABC
21 Rumpus Room
27 Range Rider
45 Teen Time
49 Movie-Summer Holiday 1947

7:20
27 Ohio Story

7:30
3-12-21 People Are Funny-Art Linkletter
5-45 Keep It In The Family
8-27-35 Perry Mason

8PM
3-12-21 Pery Como-Color
5-45 Country Music Jubilee

8:30
8-27-35 Dick and The Duchess
49 Country Music Jubilee

9PM
3-12-21 Polly Bergen Show
5-45-49 Lawrence Welk
8-27-35 Oh! Susanna

9:30
3-12-21 Gisele McKenzie
8-35 Have Gun Will Travel
27 My Little Margie (You could say WKBN-27 had The Gale Storm Hour)

10PM
3-12-21 End Of The Rainbow
5-45 Mike Wallace
8-27-35 Gunsmoke
49 Movie-Parnell 1937

10:30
3-12-21 Your Hit Parade-Color
5 Four Star Theater
8 Silent Service
27 News Tonight
35 Championship Bowling
45 Movie-TBA

10:40
27 Movie-Lloyds of London 1936

11PM
3 News-Jay Miltner
5 Movie-The Whistler 1944
8 News-Jim Doney
12 Star Performance
21 Sports. Weather

11:05
3 Sports-Johnny Bell

11:10
3 Movie-Cry Havoc 1943
8 Sports-Doug Adair

11:15
8 Weather-Scotty Armstrong
21 Championship Bowling

11:30
12 Movie-The Wolf Man 1941
27 Wrestling
35 Movie-Footlight Serenade 1942
49 Movie-Laugh Your Blues Away 1943

12:15
21 Movie-The Caribbean Mystery 1945

12:30
3 News-Pete French

12:30
3 Movie-Betrayal Of The East

1AM
5 News-Court Stanton
8 Movie-The Mask Of Dijon 1946

Monday, January 27, 1958

7AM
3-12-21 Today-Dave Garroway

7:55
8 Morning Meditation

8AM
8-27 Captain Kangaroo

8:45
8 Mr. Banjo-Davey Herbert
27 Cartoon Carnival

8:55
3 News-Tom Haley
5 News-Court Stanton
12 Your Church-Religion

9AM
3 Movie (Cash On The Line)-The First Hundred Years 1938-Tom Haley
5 Fun Farm
12 Movie-TBA
21 Adelaide Snyder
27-35 Captain Kangaroo

9:15
8 Susie-Ann Sothern

9:30
5 Paige Palmer

9:45
27-35 CBS News-Richard C. Hottelet

9:55
8 News-Doug Adair

10AM
8-27-35 Garry Moore
12-21 Arlene Francis

10:15
5 Movie-Doorway To Suspicion 1954

10:25
3 Window-Women

10:30
3-12-21 Treasure Hunt-Jan Murray
8-27-35 Arthur Godfrey

11AM
3-12-21 Price Is Right-Bill Cullen

11:30
3-12-21 Truth Or Consequences-Bob Barker
5 Liberace
8-27-35 Dotto-Jack Narz-In its fourth daytime week-The show that began suspicion that game shows may be fixed, though Narz himself was cleared of any wrongdoing

Noon
3-12-21 Tic Tac Dough-Gene Rayburn
5 News-Court Stanton
8-35 Hotel Cosmopolitan-serial
27 Cartoon Carnival

12:05
5 Noon Show Ron Penfound as Captain Penny

12:15
8-27-35 Love Of Life

12:30
3-12-21 It Could Be You-Bill Leyden
8-35 Search For Tomorrow
27 Movie-Appointment In Berlin-1943

12:45
8-35 Guiding Light

1PM
3 Movie-Wild Cargo 1934 Big Wilson
5 One O Clock Club-Dorothy Fuldheim
8 Movie-Glamour For Sale 1940
12 Tex and Jinx-Had been in radio since the 1940's. This was apparently their last TV series..
35 Hy Yaple-Women
49 Movie-Salute To The Marines-1943-Apparently a repeat from Sunday 9PM

1:15
21 Kitchen Corner-Marjorie Mariner

1:30
12 Howard Miller-Color
35 As The World Turns

2PM
5 Our Niss Brooks
21 Howard Miller-Color
27-35 Beat The Clock-Bud Collyer

2:15
8 Alice Weston-Debut

2:30
5 Stu Erwin
8-27-35 House Party-Art Linkletter
12-21 Kitty Foyle-serial

2:55
3 News-Pete French

3PM
3-12-21 Matinee Theater-Matinee Theater was normally in color, but today appears to be in B@W unless there was a mistake on TV Guide's part-"Soldier's Boy"
5-45 American Bandstand-Dick Clark
8-27-35 Big Payoff-Randy Merriman
49 Movie-Private Nurse 1941

3:30
5-45 Do You Trust Your Wife?-Johnny Carson (Later changed title to Who Do You Trust?)
8-27-35 Verdict Is Yours

4PM
3-12-21 Queen For A Day
5-45-49 American Bandstand
8-35 Brighter Day
27 Caroon Classics

4:15
8-27-35 Secret Storm

4:30
8-35 Edge Of Night
27 Colonel Bleep (With other cartoons I would think..Can't see 90 minutes straight of Colonel Bleep..)

49 Operation Blackboard

4:45
3-12-21 Modern Romances

5PM
3 Dear Phoebe-Peter Lawford sitcom-NBC
5-12-45 Superman-George Reeves
8 As The World Turns
21 Fun House Gang
35 Movie-The Return Of Daniel Boone 1941
49 Movie-Valley Of Fear Johnny Mack Brown

5:30
3 Popeye-Linn Sheldon as Barnaby
5-12-45 Mickey Mouse Club
8 Beat The Clock

5:45
21 Popeye

6PM
3 Six O Clock Adventure-Brave Eagle, followed by Sky King
5 Captain Penny
8 Action at Six
12 Candy Cane Lane
27 My Little Margie
35 Popeye
45 What's New For You?
49 Looney Tunes

6:10
45 Weather, News, Sports

6:30
5 Dorothy Fuldheim
8 News, Sports
12-21-27 News, Sports, Weather
35 Gene Autry

6:45
5 News-Tom Field
8-27 CBS News-Douglas Edwards
12-21 Huntley-Brinkley Report
45 Our Miss Brooks

6:55
3 News-Pete French
5 Weather-Bill Prentice
49 Weather,News

7PM
3 Frontier Doctor
5 Waterfront
8 Badge 714 (Dragnet)
12 Walter Winchell
21 Death Valley Days
27 State Trooper
35 Erieland Newsreel

7:15
35 CBS News
45-49 ABC News-John Daly

7:30
3-12-21 Price Is Right-Color
5 Meet Your Schools
8-27-35 Robin Hood
45 Duffy's Tavern
49 Movie-Adam Had Four Sons 1941 (also aired Sunday Jan. 26 at 1PM)

8PM
3-12-21 Restless Gun
5-45 Love That Jill
8 Burns and Allen
27 Studio 57
35 Amos 'N' Andy

8:30
3-12-21 Wells Fargo
5-45 Bold Jouirney
8-27-35 Talent Scouts-Arthur Godfrey

9PM
3-12-21 Twenty-One-Jack Barry
5-45-49 Voice Of Firestone-Howard Barlow
8-27-35 Danny Thomas

9:30
3-12-21 Alcoa Theater
5-45-49 Top Tunes-Lawrence Welk
8-27-35 December Bride

10PM
3-12-21 Suspicion
8-27-35 Studio One

10:30
5 Bob Cummings Show (NBC-Tuesday 9:30)
45 News Sports Weather
49 TV Auction Party

11PM
3 News-Pete French
5 News-Tom Field
8-27 News-Warren Guthrie
12-21-35 News, Sports, Weather
45 Confidential File
49 Movie-Broadway Melody of 1938 (1937)

11:10
3 Weather-Joe Finan
8 Sports-John Fitzgerald

11:15
3 Sports-Bob Neal
5 Tonight-Johnathan Winters
8 Weather-Ken Armstrong
27 Movie-Thirteen Rue Madeline 1946
35 Movie-Tight Shoes 1941

11:20
3 Movie-Idiot's Delight 1939
8 Movie-The Flanagan Boy English 1954
21 University Story

11:30
12 Wrestling-Buffalo
21 Tonight-Jonathan Winters
45 Travel Time-Documentary

1AM
5 News-Bill Prentice

"Dimension" Cleveland TV History Special-WVIZ--1988

2011-03-02T19:48:00.000-05:00

The Classic WVIZ-25 Logo from 1978-From a still of a YouTube video from RobtatSea

Featured in this post will be a YouTube Video-Part of the WVIZ-TV "Dimension" Series of hour long monthly specials. This is from 1988. A History of Cleveland Televison as it was then..40 years in..Hosted by Jack Marschall, who had just weeks/months before this started at WUAB-TV's Ten O Clock News..and Anne Mulligan, who may have been at Channel 8 at this time..Producer was Dennis Goulden, known first at KYW-TV in 1964, then as producer of the long running "Montage" series (1966-84) on WKYC-TV 3..The hour is all too brief, as most shows of this type are. Run in tandem with PBS' "Television" history series (Not "Pioneers Of Television" currently being shown), There are clips galore, though many of them would be reused on later TV station retrospectives..There are a number of "New" Interviews with pioneers and then-current station representatives such as..

Tom Haley, WKYC
Jim Breslin, Don Webster WEWS (Webster was station manager)
Chuck Schodowski, Dick Goddard, Lou Gatozzi WJW
Dennis Thatcher WOIO
Betty Cope, Mike Massa WVIZ
Alice Weston, Gib Shanley WUAB

Also mentioned:WCLQ-61..Which had just recently become WQHS-61, having been purchased by Home Shopping Network..

Interesting look into local TV of the mid-1980's..a few years before HD and digital tv was thought of..

Encore:The Bill Randle Show-WEWS-TV 5-Sunday, March 4, 1956.

2011-02-19T09:12:00.003-05:00

Today, we present an encore post from Monday, June 16, 2008..Likely the most rare program in the Jerry Immel collection..The Bill Randle Show on WEWS-Channel 5 from Sunday, March 4th, 1956. The only change from the original post is that I changed the Internet Archive version to the Google Video version. Note:This is the first time I ever tried to add appropriate pictures to an audio..As it's 27 minutes long, I frankly got tired of the process at that point..So I just uploaded it to Google Video as it was..I may try to redo it and put it on Facebook in the weeks to come..

Portion of a TV Guide Page for Sunday, February 19, 1956..Showing the 10:30 PM listings..Bill Randle's Guests are Margaret Whiting, Nelson Riddle and Bobby Scott..Two weeks before the featured program below..

Bill Randle, Longtime Cleveland Disc Jockey, working in the music business or radio from the late 1940's to 2004..(Courtesy Life In Legacy)

Photograph taken at a Concert in Brooklyn, Ohio (Brooklyn High School) October 20, 1955..L-R:Bill Randle, Tommy Edwards of WERE, Elvis Presley and Bass player Bill Black..Courtesy Chris Kennedy Through Wikipedia

Today we will take a look at legendary Disc Jockey and music promoter Bill Randle..Born March 14, 1923 in Detroit, his first radio experience in the late 1940's in his hometown at WJLB-AM 1400. It was here that he became one of the first Disc Jockeys to play Jazz and Rhythm and Blues on the radio regularly in the North. Randle moved over to WERE-1300, Cleveland in 1949. It was here that he developed a reputation as a shrewd promoter in the then-new music field of Rock and Roll..He helped launch the careers of Tony Bennett, Rosemary Clooney, Bobby Darin, Fats Domino and most famously, Elvis Presley, whom he introduced to Northern Audiences for the first time on the Dorsey Brothers' CBS Stage Show television series on January 28, 1956. Before that Presley, Pat Boone and others were at pair of concert s in Brooklyn (Ohio) High School on October 20, 1955.

Randle's popularity was such that along with fellow Jocks Tommy Edwards, Phil McLean and Howie Lund, he was responsible for WERE's dominance of the Cleveland airwaves through much of the 1950's. Here is a link to a Time magazine article naming Randle top "Jock" of 1955..

http://www.time.com/time/magazine/article/0,9171,807032,00.html

Randle was always a very busy man, doing six days at WERE, another show at WCBS Radio in New York, WEWS-TV, promoting concerts, etc..He tired of the grind by the early 1960's and walked away from radio..He went to college, getting several degrees throughout the 1960's eventually doing a bit of radio in New York.He then taught at Kent State and the University of Cincinnati.

At the age of 64, he passed the Ohio Bar exam and became an attorney, specializing in bankruptcy and estate planning. In the 1990's he returned to Cleveland Radio, doing the "Big Show" weekends on WRMR 850/1420..When WRMR was sold to Salem Communications in July 2004, the format was changed to talk from music..Randle passed away July 9, 2004..Two days later, WRMR played his last "Big Show".The final music program aired on WRMR.

Bill Randle was a legend in his time..one of the Greats of Cleveland Radio..

What follows courtesy of Jerry Immel, is Audio from "The Bill Randle Show" a live half hour music program aired Sunday evenings at 10:30 PM on WEWS-TV Channel 5..Randle had connections to get a lot of the top performers to come to Cleveland to do the show. This particular episode aired Sunday, March 4, 1956. Sponsored by Bayard-Forest Heating /Cooling Co. of Cleveland, Randle's announcer/sidekick was Alan Douglas, who gained fame from hosting a number of talk shows on TV and Radio into the 1970's, including the original "Morning Exchange".

The guest list was very impressive..Billy Eckstine, Lou Busch (aka Joe "Fingers" Carr), Nick Noble, (Fresh from the Ed Sullivan Show) Dick Duane (On his way to do the Sullivan show the next Sunday) and The Four Coins, who cover the Platters' "Great Pretender"..There is a "Middle commercial" with Douglas, and an offer of an Elvis Presley picture by Randle at the end of the show. This is probably the only episode of this show around in any form..extremely rare..It sounds great for as old as it is..There appear to be a couple of cuts during the show, but it is pretty much complete.just over 27 minutes.

Some Information courtesy Wikipedia..

This is the kind of stuff I'd love to feature more of in the blog.. rare Audio or Video of Northeast Ohio TV and Radio..

WEWS-TV behind the scenes, 1966-67

2011-02-18T18:31:00.003-05:00

Small portion of 11PM News Copy..

In today's post I want to share some of the logs and inside info relating to WEWS-TV in the 1966-67 period..This is when our friend Jerry Immel worked as a summer announcer, doing vacation fill-ins and the like..as is shown below..I think this is a fascinating look behind the scenes of Local TV in the 60's

Beginning of the log sheet (script?) for Upbeat for September 16, 1967..They always seemed to have a full show..

Program sign-on log for Monday September 5, 1966..Notice the very minute detail of what goes on..

Here's the WEWS Schedule for that date: (Elyria Chronicle-Telegram)
8:25 News
8:30 Donna Reed
9 Where The Action Is
9:30 Romper Room
10 Paige Palmer
10:30 Father Knows Best
11 Supermarket Sweep
11:30 Dating Game
Noon News, Captain Penny
1 Ben Casey
2 Newlywed Game
2:30 A Time For Us
3 General Hospital
3:30 Nurses
4 Dark Shadows
4:30 Comedy Clubhouse
5 Woody Woodpecker
5:30 Merv Griffin
6:30 Danger
7 News, Weather, Dorothy Fuldheim
7:30 12:00 High
8:30 Jesse James
9 Man Called Shenandoah
9:30 Peyton Place
10 Big Valley
11 News-Tom Field
11:25 Movie-The Next Voice You Hear
1 News

Above is the WEWS announcer shift schedule for August 19-26, 1967. Aside from Jerry Immel, the announcers were Bill Prentice, Court Stanton and Don Webster..Webster, of course, was also doing duty on Upbeat, and possibly doing weather reports..Stanton and Prentice in the past had done sign-on/sign-off news bulletins as well..Randy Culver was on Vacation that week..

I have two other sets of clips..One with Various KYW-AM-FM program opens, sign-offs etc..and a number of Detroit area audio clips..Need to make them first, but will have them up as soon as possible..Also some channel 5 pictures, though I am not sure who most of the folks are...

Thanks to Jerry Immel...

2011-02-14T23:50:00.010-05:00

Jerry Immel at WCNS-900 Canton in 1962..

Jerry Immel with friend Gordon Ward in 2007..Ward, who later spent many years at WTOL-TV 11 Toledo, is featured on some KYW Radio-TV clips in the Immel collection..

Hello folks:

When I started the blog nearly 4 years ago now, I was completely clueless on how to scan pictures, or to present audio and video in a form that people could enjoy..It has been a long learning process for me, but as of February 2011, I think I finally have it down (hopefully)..

In 2008 a man who I first learned about through tv-signoffs.com, Jerry Immel, was kind enough to send me on a CD loads of audio clips from roughly 1955-66 that he had recorded off live tv and radio..Included in these were sign-offs from stations all over Ohio, as well as Pittsburgh and Wheeling areas..Also other rarities such as tv commercials and one complete half hour live music TV show with Bill Randle from March 1956 on WEWS Channel 5..Immel has worked as an announcer at WJER Dover, WCNS Canton, WEWS-TV 5 and for many years at WQXI in Atlanta..He still is doing voiceoiver work at his own studio in Atlanta, where he lives with his wife Althea..

http://jerryimmel.com/

While I was enjoying these Ive shared them sparingly because early on it took me a LONG time to get even one clip done for YouTube or Dailymotion. As i've recently bought a new computer and found the Windows Media Maker version I like to use, sharing clips has been much easier..I plan on putting up everything Mr. Immel has sent me over the next little while..Including parts of program logs and other photos from Jerry's Channel 5 days as a part time summer announcer in 1966-1967..

Cleveland Indians 10th Inning ad and opening from about 1956-57 with Bob Neal and Tom Manning

1950's Cleveland station id's and sign-offs

1950's and 60's Akron-Canton and Pittsburgh-Wheeling area id's, along with other small town Ohio stations..some TV is included here as well..

I want to thank Jerry for sharing these rarities with us..Especially the Cleveland TV audio clips, which I will be presenting soon..For being done in the 50's, the sound is excellent. For what we've done already, I'd like to credit Eric O'Brien's Pittsburgh Radio/TV Board for some of the pictures used in the slides above..Thanks Eric..PBRTV.com is in our links..Some of our next few posts will feature Jerry's material..

KYW-TV Cleveland Eyewitness News-June 18, 1965

2011-01-31T11:30:00.004-05:00

Hello all:
Courtesy of Radio historian/collector Jim Davison, Here is from our YouTube account, portions of the last evening of KYW-TV 3 Cleveland, before the switchover to WKYC-TV the next day..Some of Eyewitness News, a station editorial and sign-off..Including Dick Goddard's last KYW forecast..Also featuring Pat Murray and Jim Graner..

This is on our Facebook page as well..

New Link:clevelandseniors.com Profiles

2011-01-05T12:17:00.001-05:00

Good afternoon:
In putting up a new Facebook Post about former Cleveland Plain Dealer Sports Cartoonist Dick Dugan, I came to a site I have frequented for years..clevelandseniors.com. The site is mainly a clearinghouse of information for and about the Senior Citizen lifestyle, but I have to say my favorite part of the site is the "Senior Profiles", which are long-form articles, amply illustrated..Interviewing interesting older Cleveland area folks..some more famous than others, but many of them are TV and Radio people that made a name in Cleveland and have very good stories to tell..Here's a link to the profile page:

http://www.clevelandseniors.com/people/profiles.htm

I also want to thank clevelandseniors.com for the use of some pictures over the years for Cleveland Classic Media..Is very much appreciated..

Ken Goodman Weather-KYW-TV 3-1962, 1964

2011-01-03T20:37:00.003-05:00

Ken Goodman Weather report slide-1962

KYW-TV Logo from 1961-63...The program promos for One Step Beyond and Biography feature this logo prominently..

Hello:
I mentioned in our last posting from December 30 that I hoped the coming year would bring more Vintage Cleveland TV Video to light..I honestly didnt think anything would come along this soon..Just found this on YouTube..A series of commercials and two late night weather forecasts by KYW-3's Ken Goodman from the 1962-64 era..Commercials included two Vernors spots and a White Rock Beverages ad..Along with two program promos for "One Step Beyond" and David L. Wolper's "Biography" shows. Some other thoughts:

The first Weather Forecast was sponsored by Sinclair Oil and the announcer was Jay Miltner..It was on a Sunday Night during the "Big Movie"..Goodman says to "Check With Dick Goddard" during the Noon Eyewitness News the next day about an arctic air mass coming through the Cleveland area..

The second (Saturday Night) weather report was sponsored by Vernors and I think I caught Ken saying "Stay tuned now for Gib (Shanley)" but the video cut off at "Gib"..While the video is clocked at 15:11, there are several blank spots..The video actually ends at around 14:00-14:30..Thanks to hhg on YouTube, who uploaded this in October 2010..Some of the video isnt in real good shape, but to have this at all is a real find..

Classic Media-2010 in Review

2010-12-30T23:46:00.001-05:00

MeTV, originally on Weigel Broadcast stations in Chicago and Milwaukee, has recently gone national with their classic TV lineup..Hoping for an announcement on a NE Ohio affiliate soon..

Antenna TV, from Tribune Co. set to begin on WJW-TV 8.2 January 1, 2011..

RTV Logo..RTV is on two low-power TV combos in NE Ohio..

Barbara Plummer, teacher of WEWS' Romper Room from 1958-71, passed away in 2010
Photo courtesy clevelandseniors.com

Paige Palmer, longtime Women's host at WEWS Channel 5 from 1948-73
From JCU Collection

John Fitzgerald, Sportscaster and announcer for WXEL/WJW from 1950-83..He passed away December 24..from Cleveland.com

Good Evening..
Thought I would do something I havent done before-A Year In Review post..First, lets look at people that left us this year..Including Paige Palmer (November 2009), Barbara Plummer (Miss Barbara from Romper Room), Paul Wilcox of Polka Varieties fame, Carl Day, who spent his early TV years at WJAN-17 Canton, and most recently John FitzGerald of WJW-TV 8, who died Christmas Eve..He was at Channel 9/8 from 1950-86..On the radio side, Ken Courtright, and Bill Weissinger of WSTB's Sunday Oldies Jukebox passed away as well..(Any others I may have forgotten, let me know please)

On The Bright side, while "TV Land" strays farther from its roots by showing movies, reality shows and original sitcoms, RTV is still active in the area on channels 29/35 Akron/Cleveland and 52/29 Canton/New Philadelphia..Recent good news is that 29 has already turned on its digital channel and WIVM will move to 39 and become digital sometime in January..Both facilities will add at least 3 more digital subchannels to their lineup..

Also, "Antenna TV" from Tribune Co..Is set to launch on WJW-TV 8.2 January 1, 2011with a Three Stooges marathon..It has also been recently announced that "MeTV" a Weigel Broadcating channel that has been operating in Chicago and Milwaukee for several years, will be going national in the coming year..Expecting that there should be a Cleveland/Akron affiliate announced soon..With MeTV, Antenna and RTV (which also may be adding new services)..There will be a lot of good Classic TV in 2011...

Here's hoping also, that more vintage Cleveland TV Video and audio might be found in 2011 that might be shared with our readers and the public..

Finally, everyone have a Safe Happy and Prosperous New Year..

Merry Christmas To All:

2010-12-24T19:25:00.004-05:00

While most of the post below (Except for the Barnaby/Woodrow TV Guide Ad) is admittedly an "Encore" from Christmas Day 2007 and the dates are slightly behind, the sentiments are the same..Thanks to everyone for reading the blog over the last 3 and a half years, and for the suggestions and comments..I only regret that I cant always answer folks questions..But I honestly appreciate everyone's input and contributions to the success of the blog..I will try to find a couple of video features to put up on the Facebook Page before tomorrow..Merry Christmas to all and everyone have a safe holiday..

One of my favorite TV Guide ads:For the Barnaby/Woodrow Christmas Party on KYW-TV 3 December 25, 1961..

Thoughtful Christmas Greeting from WKEF-TV 22 Dayton Ohio-December 25, 1968 (Southern Ohio TV Guide)

Simple Christmas Greeting from WICU-TV 12 in Erie, Pa. from December 25, 1969 (TV Guide, Cleveland Edition)

On behalf of my dear wife Linda and myself, I would like to wish everybody a Merry Christmas and a happy and prosperous 2008. I at first had no idea how this website/blog would be received, or if I could even do quality enough work for it to be noticed. This has succeeded byond our wildest dreams..since late August, when we began keeping records, there have been nearly 10,500 blog visits from here in the U. S. and all over the world. representing over 18,000 single-page views..An average currently of 99 visits per day..most of those are from the Cleveland/NE Ohio area..The backbone of our readership and without which we wouldnt be here.

This site grew out of retro-schedules on Radio-Info.com and Radioinsight.com. I've always been a "Broadcasting Geek" from the time my mother got me a shortwave radio as as teenager..Earlier than that, I was known as the "walking TV Guide" by my family because of knowing instinctively what was on all the channels at any one time..(Wasnt hard with only 3 channels..LOL) I only wish I had kept the TV Guides from that era...With doing the retroschedules, I always felt I wanted to do more. Make the local TV memories more real, I guess, When we hit on the blog Idea in March 2007. I want to thank a few people that have been a real support.

First, my wonderful wife Linda..She doesnt always understand why I enjoy this like I do, but she supports me a lot and I love her for it. She has been very patient..Thank you so much, honey..

WIXYGrad74..Cliff Feightner from Rittman, Ohio..He is a committed Christian that went to the WIXY School of Broadcasting and has made himself a good home and family there in Rittman. He was the first one to inspire me about starting a blog and has been this blog's number 1 supporter..Thanks Cliff!

Mike and Kris While..an awesome couple from the Salem, Ohio area. Mike is one of the Administrators for bigchuckandliljohn.com and companion site couchpotatotheatre.com Two great sites carrying on the legacy and tradition of Big Chuck and Lil John/Hoolihan/Ghoulardi..We have worked together for a number of months promoting each other's sites and the legacy of local Cleveland Television..

Ohio Media Watch-A site run by a former broadcaster that also inspired me to start this..

And last but not least, Thanks everyone for comments, encouragment and most of all for reading us..Again, Merry Christmas and Happy New Year!!

1100 Cleveland....3WE....Smilin' Through..with Larry Morrow...

2010-12-21T08:01:00.004-05:00

Cover of "This Is Larry Morrow:My Life On and Off the air"..Latest title recently released by Gray and Company..A delightful read..Note of reminder:Larry will be a guest on "More Sports and Les Levine" on Time Warner's NEON Network Channel 23 tonight (Tuesday, December 21) at 6PM (Live) and 11PM (replay)..

Larry spent 10 years as the morning man at WWWE-1100...It was during this time, as well as at WIXY, that he cemented his reputation as one of Cleveland's great boosters.(courtesy Wikipedia)

Early 1970's ad for CKLW "The Big 8" in Windsor..Larry hit the big time here as the overnight man, "Duke" Windsor..upon arriving in Cleveland at WIXY-1260, he found that the name "Duke Windsor" was owned by CKLW, so he had to use his real name..courtesy The "Big 8" Tribute Page

Larry Morrow "Cartoon" design used during his WIXY heyday..Larry's mother was very unhappy with this..Larry loved it, however..Courtesy Cleveland Seniors website

The post title above refers to what is called in the radio business as a "jingle" ..A short music interlude to bring the host back in from a commercial break..I fondly remember this from Mr. Morrow's days at WWWE-1100 in the 1970's and early 80's, though it could also refer to his life attitude..as we see in the latest release from Gray and Company, "This Is Larry Morrow:My Life On and Off the Air"..

Morrow tells of his upbringing in Pontiac Michigan, where he was born in 1938, and his loving family..He also tells of his early desire to move to California after his military service but was compelled to return home because of his father's illness..His start in radio in native Michigan, leading to his first success as "Duke Windsor" at "The Big 8" CKLW in 1965..after being let go at CKLW, he agreed to move to WIXY Cleveland in July 1966..He tells a story of being in his hotel room..tuning through the TV, thinking the same movie was on all three channels, but actually being the Hough Riots in the news covered on all channels..Larry wondered if he had made a mistake..Deciding to stay, he became part of the "WIXY Supermen", which propelled WIXY-1260 to the top of Cleveland Radio by the late 1960's, during which a 1969 promotion to "Bring the boys Home" for Thanksgiving during the height of the Vietnam War was a success, and gave Larry one of his most enduring memories. after a 6 year run at WIXY, Larry moved to Nick Mileti's 3WE, where he was morning man for 10 years..After a format change at WWWE, he everntually moved to WERE for a couple years then at WQAL from 1985-2000.Thoughout Larry speaks in endearing terms of most of his co-workers and management.He tells of various celebrities he has met along the way..

But his biggest success in radio was connecting with the people.Along the way, Larry grew in love with Cleveland when many Cleveland natives would just as soon joke about their city..Larry went so far as to dress like Founder Moses Cleaveland at various city functions, becoming the city's biggest booster in the media..He also tells of his love for his wife Rosary and 3 daughters..

The book itself is an enjoyable read..You feel Larry is there speaking to you over a cup of coffee..I highly recommend this book.

Sample chapter:

http://www.grayco.com/cleveland/books/51069/sample/index.shtml

Larry Morrow at the "WIXY 1260 Reunion" in 1988 on WMJI-105.7-Courtesy Ray Glasser..

Encore:Christmas Eve 1959

2010-12-20T12:20:00.001-05:00

Originally posted December 25, 2007:A look at December 24, 1959..

A 1959 Holiday Greeting on behalf of the employees of WJW-TV 8 in Cleveland. Doug Adair started at the station in '59. Howard Hoffman, John Fitzgerald and Jim Doney were at TV 8 well into the 1970's. Another name on the list is Casey "Kassem"..actually Casey Kasem, who worked at TV 8 for a short time in the late 1950's before his greatest fame as "American Top 40" host and "Shaggy" on Scooby-Doo as well as other cartoon voices..He was also NBC announcer for awhile.

KYW-3 Eyewitness News Sunday Ad featuring Hugh Danaceau, who worked as a newsman for over 40 years at numerous Cleveland area Radio and TV stations ending at WCLV/WRMR at the time of his passing in 2003..By all accounts, a great newsman and a very authoritative voice..

Kraft Music Hall ad for Perry Como's Christmas Show Wednesday, December 23, 1959.

Highlights of Christmas week 1959:KYW-3 and WKBN-27 had "Year in Review" Shows, sponsored on both stations by Fisher Foods. NBC's Amahl and the Night Visitors is shown for the 10th time, though this year's version was taped in 1958. The Statewide 10 minute Documentary series, "The Ohio Story" featured "The First Christmas Tree."

Thursday, December 24, 1959

3-KYW NBC Cleveland

7AM Today
8:55 News-Tom Haley
9AM Cash On The Line Movie-Whistling In Dixie 1942
10:25 Girl On The Go-Gloria Brown
10:30 Play Your Hunch-Merv Griffin
11AM Price Is Right-Bill Cullen-COLOR
11:30 Concentration-Hugh Downs
Noon Truth Or Consequences-Bob Barker
12:30 It Could Be You-Bill Leyden-COLOR
1PM Movie-Never Take No For An Answer-1951-English
2:50 News-Pete French
3PM Young Dr. Malone
3:30 From These Roots
4PM House On High Street
4:30 Split Personality
5PM Barnaby, Popeye and Friends
5:30 Movie-When a Feller needs a Friend-1932
6:50 News-Pete French
6:55 Weather-Stu Cramer
7PM Bengal Lancers
7:30 Night Before Christmas-Tom Haley hosts this program featuring the Oberlin College Octet, Linn Sheldon and Ronnie Barrett
8PM Amahal and the Night Visitors-SPECIAL
9PM Bachelor Father
9:30 Ford Show starring Tennessee Ernie Ford-COLOR-Guest:Jay North (Live)
10PM Groucho Marx
10:30 Phil Silvers (Bilko)
11PM News-Pete French
11:10 Weather-Howard (Specs?)
11:15 Sports-Jim Graner
11:20 Story Of Christmas-Paul Bedford from the Cleveland Museum of Art
Midnight-Church Service-St. Patrick's Cathedral in NYC

WEWS-5 ABC Cleveland

8:55 News-Randy Culver
9AM Christmas Chorus
9:30 Paige Palmer
11AM My Little Margie
11:30 Stu Erwin
Noon News-Randy Culver
12:05 Noon Show-Captain Penny (Mr. Jingeling at 12:25)
1PM One O-Clock Club-Dorothy Fuldheim, Bill Gordon
2:30 Gale Storm Show
3PM Beat The Clock
3;30 Who Do You Trust
4PM American Bandstand
5:30 Three Stooges
6:25 Mr. Jingeling
6:30 Dorothy Fuldheim
6:45 News-Tom Field
6:50 Weather-Sunny Day
6:55 Three Stooges and Friends
7:15 Huntley/Brinkley Report (NBC)
7:30 Gale Storm
8PM Donna Reed-Guest Buster Keaton
8:30 Real McCoys
9PM Pat Boone
9:30 Untouchables
10:30 Glencannon
11PM News-Tom Field
11:15-Jack Paar (NBC)
Midnight-Church Service-Catholic-from Washington, DC
1AM News-Paul Wilcox

WJW-8 CBS Cleveland

7AM Dateline UN
7:30 Rex Humbard
7:45 Spunky and Tadpole
8AM Captain Kangaroo
9AM Watch and Win Movie-Nancy Drew,Detective 1938
10:30 Medic
11AM I Love Lucy
11:30 December Bride
Noon Love Of Life
12:30 Search For Tomorrow
12:45 Guiding Light
1PM Movie-Heaven With a Barbed Wire Fence-1939
2:30 House Party
3PM Millionaire
3;30 Verdict Is Yours
4PM Brighter Day
4:15 Secret Storm
4:30 Edge Of Night
5PM As The World Turns
5:30 Movie-Konga, The Wild Stallion
7PM City Camera News-
7:10-Sports Camera-Warren Moran
7:15-CBS News-Douglas Edwards
7:30 Mackenzies Raiders (Instead of To Tell The Truth)
8PM Betty Hutton Show
8:30 Johnny Ringo
9PM Zane Grey
9:30 Playhouse 90
11PM-News-Warren Guthrie
11:10 City Report-Doug Adair
11:15 Sports, Weather
11:20 To Be Announced
11:30 Church Service-Natl. Cathedral, Washington, DC
12:30 Film Feature

WAKR-49 ABC Akron

Noon Restless Gun
12:30 Love that Bob
1PM Music Bingo
1:30 Looney Tunes
2PM Day In Court
3PM Gale Storm
3:30 Who Do You Trust?
4PM American Bandstand
4:30 Movie-The Great Lover
6PM Looney Tunes
6:30 Singing Towers-Christmas Music
6:55 Weather, News, Sports
7:15 Singing Towers
7:30 Gale Storm
8PM Women against Women-1938
8:50 Ohio Story
9PM Pat Boone
9:30 Movie-Min and Bill-1930
10:30 Ernie Kovacs
11PM Church Service-Episcopal
Midnight-Church Service-Catholic

Listings and ads courtesy TV Guide Dec. 19-25, 1959

Encore:Perry Como at The Hollywood Palace-1969

2010-12-19T09:43:00.002-05:00

Today's Encore is from December 7, 2009..Perry Como hosting ABC's Hollywood Palace, in a full one hour Christmas episode, originally aired December 20, 1969, including commercials:

TV Guide Listing for Hollywood Palace December 20, 1969

"From December 20, 1969:Here is ABC's Hollywood Palace Christmas Show hosted by Perry Como, with Guests Dihann Carroll, Then starring in NBC's Julia, Comedian Shecky Greene, Edward Villella of the New York City Ballet, and Burr Tillstrom with Kukla and Ollie..(Shecky:Who'd you think I thought they were, Huntley and Brinkley?)..This hearkens back to the time of the "Christmas TV Special" when you had beautiful music and sometimes cheesy comedy..but most of us loved it..Perry here is at his easygoing best.as he reacts nicely to the goings on around him and sings some good songs as well..Commercials Included

Hollywood Palace-12/20/69 Part 1

Part 2-Kukla and Ollie, with Shecky Greene

Part 3 Dihann Carroll Sings

Part 4 Shecky Greene sketch, Perry Sings "Christmas Eve"

Part 5-Kukla, Ollie

Part 6 Christmas Medley with Perry Como and Singers

Como mentions here that he'll be back in February with a special sponsored by Sears "On another network that doesnt begin with C"

Quick thanks for all the Birthday greetings from Facebook friends and especially Cliff (WIXYGrad) Feightner for mentioning my birthday in his blog.."

Also thought I'd kind of try to change up the blog background hopefully to give a more "Holiday" feel to it..Let me know if you have problems seeing anything..I took out the "Shokus Radio" widget as well, thought it might be slow loading up the blog on my end..

Encore:Hoppity Hooper Christmas Episode (Cartoon Fun)

2010-12-17T05:30:00.003-05:00

Originally posted November 28, 2007:

I believe this was telecast Sunday afternoons at 5PM on WEWS-TV 5 (ABC) "Hoppity Hooper" (though not this episode, unfortunately) has several episodes on Public Domain DVD..As I mention in the post I thought this show was underrated..

A little fun to start the Holiday season:A Christmas Episode of "Hoppity Hooper" from December 19, 1965..This was actually a repackaging of "Hoppity" into a series called "Cartoon Fun" on ABC-TV sponsored by Topper Toys, which ran Sunday afternoons from September-December, 1965. Veteran comic actor Hans Conreid was Waldo Wigglesworth, Bill Scott(Bullwinkle) was Fillmore the Bear and Chris Allen was the naive frog Hoppity..The show was reminiscent of Rocky and Bullwinkle, with crude animation and puns galore..Very underrated in my opinion..Thanks to Toontracker for this gem..

Encore:Newscenter 8 December 24, 1977

2010-12-15T19:59:00.003-05:00

For our next Encore posting we present the complete Newscenter 8 broadcast from December 24, 1977. Including commercials and staff greeting spots..More details in the post below..Originally from December 13, 2007..

Tonight we present courtesy of Google Video, a complete Newscenter 8 broadcast from 30 years ago.. Saturday, December 24, 1977..The 32-minute program includes all commercials, as well as before and after newscast promo spots. There are several nice, heartwarming TV 8 "Seasons Greetings" spots..The Anchors were Jim Finerty and Kathy Adams with News, Mike Marlier with weather and Fred McLeod on Sports (now FSN-Channel 43 Cavaliers announcer)..In one of the last spots, we see Channel 8 was the 1977-78 local TV home for the Cavaliers, plus the sportscast mentions Barons NHL Hockey..being Christmas Eve, it was a relatively slow news day..

Note:The video above is actually a repeat posting from July 10th, 2007, but many of our newer readers may not have come across it as yet. Being closer to Christmas, I thought it was appropriate to repeat..

Encore:Stark County Radio-Christmas 1948

2010-12-13T13:35:00.004-05:00

For our second encore holiday posting we go back to 1948 in Canton/Stark County Radio..Posted Originally December 20, 2008

Timken Roller Bearing Company ad for 2 Sponsored Christmas Day Programs on Canton Radio..Timken, being the largest employer for many years in Canton/Stark County led the way in many areas, including radio..

WAND-AM 900/FM 92.5 ad for Christmas programming on December 25, 1948..Canton Repository `12-24-48

A Downtown Canton Tradition for over 60 years..The Newsstand/Bookstore News Depot..The store was located for many years at 207 Market Avenue North. It is now at 220 Market Avenue South, In The Huntington Bank Building..

Here I thought we would take a look at Stark County and Cleveland area radio in the Christmas Season in 1948. The Canton Repository listed all Canton Stations and 3 major Cleveland AM Stations..Some others from Akron (WADC, WHKK), Pittsburgh (KDKA), Wheeling (WWVA) and Cincinnati (WLW) were listed under their respective networks, but programming was not listed for these stations.. Some Highlights:

Thursday December 23
Jack Webb in a Red Cross Dramatization at 6:30-WHBC-Months before his premeiere on Dragnet..

Frankie Laine guests on "Chesterfield Supper Club" with Perry Como at 7PM-WTAM

Homer Gives His Father a Box Of exploding cigars on the "Aldrich Family" at 8PM-WTAM

"Two Days Before Christmas" will be dramatized on "Crime Photographer" at 9:30 on WGAR

Friday, Drcember 24

White House Christmas Tree Lighting Ceremony with President Truman-5PM-WHK, 5:15 WTAM, 7:30 WHBC

Ghost Of Christmas Past-Ohio Story 6:30 WHBC

Santa Claus Appears on "Mr. Ace And Jane"-8:30 WGAR

Santa Takes a Powder on "This Is Your FBI" 8:30 WHBC

"Legend Of The Candle" by Mrs. Twila Carmen of Minerva-9:30 WHBC

Saturday, December 25

Two Hour Christmas Party-9AM WAND

Christmas Address by King George VI Of England at 10AM-All Networks

The "Story Lady" Presents a program from Stark County Home as residents there receive Christmas Gifts from WCMW sponsors and listeners-10:30 WCMW

Santa Claus confuses Lou Costello with a Penguin on "The Abbott and Costello Show"- 11AM WHBC

Miracle For Christmas-Grand Central Station (Frank Sinatra-12:30 WGAR

"The Boy Who Sang For The King" will be presented on the "Dennis Day Show"-10PM WTAM

Canton Repository Program Listings
Saturday,December 25, 1948

900/92.5 WAND Canton (Now WCER and WDJQ, respectively)

7:45 Light Of The World
8AM News
8:05 Morning Melodies
8:30 Calvary Call
8:45 Organ Reveries
9AM Christmas Party
11AM Holiday Music
11:30 Victor Herbert
Noon Lunch Serenade
1PM Bing Crosby
1:30 Freddy Martin
2PM Fred Waring
2:30 Frank DeVol
3PM Loretta Young-"Littlest Angel"
3:30 Richard Himber
4PM Lionel Barrymore
4:30 Dave Dennis
5PM Weather/Sign-Off

WAND-92.5 FM Only
5PM Nutcracker Suite
5:30 Carnival
6PM Messiah
8PM Weather

1060/94.9 WCMW Canton (Now WILB and WQMX Respectively)

7:45 Man About Town
8AM Musical Clock
9AM Little Shepherd
9:15 Carol Singers
9:30 Santa Rides Again
10AM Fire Fighters
10:30 Old Folks Christmas-Stark County Home
11AM Man About Town
11:15 Children's Choir
11:30 Story Lady
12:15 Del Courtney
1PM Christmas Carols
2PM World Carols
2:15 Thanks for Christmas
2:30 Merchants
4PM Concert Hour
4:45 Voice Of The Army/Sign-Off

WCMW-94.9 Only
5PM Claude Thornhill
5:30 Russ Morgan
6PM Frankie Carle
6:15 Navy Band
6:30 Dinner Concert
7:30 Danceland

1100-WTAM NBC Cleveland

7AM News/Musical Clock
7:30 Musical Clock/News
8AM Jack Elton
8:15 Naval Reserve
8:30 News
8:45 Strike Up The Band
9AM Mind Your Manners
9:30 Cornich Choir
10AM King George VI
10:15 Mary Lee Taylor
10:30 Archie Andrews
11AM Meet The Meeks
11:30 Ed McConnell
Noon Edward Wallace (Early Newscaster on WNBK Channel 4)
12:15 Perry Brown
12:30 Marine Band
12:45 Guest Star
1PM Farm And Home Hour
1:30 Edward Tomlinson
1:45 Ohio News
2PM Kiddies Concert
2:30 First Piano Quartet
3PM Yes, a Santa (how listed..I am assuming this is Yes Virginia, There Is A Santa Claus)
4PM Star Time
6PM Treasure House
6:15 News
6:30 NBC Symphony
7:30 Vic Damone
8PM Star Theater
8:30 Truth Or Consequences
9PM Your Hit Parade
9:30 Judy Canova
10PM Dennis Day
10:30 Grand Ole Opry
11PM News
11:15 Morton Downey
11:30 Guy Lombardo

1220 WGAR-CBS Cleveland

7AM Bill Mayer (News-Martin-Motor Melodies at 7:45)
9AM Christmas In Cleveland
9:45 St. Francis Hour
10AM King George VI
10:15 Chariot Wheels
10:30 Romance Drama
11AM News
11:15 Let's Pretend
11:30 Junior Miss
Noon Theater Of Today
12:30 Grand Central Station
1PM County Fair
1:30 Give and Take
2PM Stars Over Hollywood
2:30 Concert Orchestra
3PM BBC Singers
3:30 Dave Stephens
4PM Holiday Show
6PM Van Patrick
6:15 Bob Neal
6:30 Midwestern Hayride
7PM Audition Ambition
7:30 Vaughn Monroe
8PM Messiah
10:30 Minstrel Gitl
10:45 Decision Now
11PM News
11:15 Footlights Forum
11:30 Morgan's Musicale

1420 WHK Mutual-Cleveland

7AM News
7:15 Meditation
7:30 Spins and Needles
8AM World News
8:15 Breakfast Melody
8:30 Pat and Mike
9AM Hillbilly Music
9:15 Modern Revue
9:30 Polish Serenade
10AM King George VI
10:15 Book Caravan
10:30 Albert L. Warner
10:45 Rent Control
11AM Fire Safety
11:15 Story Teller
11:30 Magic Rhythm
12PM Smoky Mountain Hayride
12:30 Meet The Press
1PM Talent Parade
1:30 Christmas Story
2PM Polka
2:15 Polish Music
2:30 Hungarian Music
2:45 College Football-North/South Game
5PM Take A Number
5:30 True Or False
6PM Big Broadcast
8PM Twenty Questions
8:30 Cowboy Classics
8:45 Strikes and Spares
9PM True Or False
9:30 Guy Lombardo
10PM Take A Nubmber
10:30 Chicago Theater
11PM RCA Victor Choir
11:30 Eddy Duchin

1480/94.1 WHBC-ABC Canton

7AM News/Alarm Clock
8AM News/Top of the Morning
8:30 Morning Melodies
9AM Shopper's Special
10AM King George VI
10:15 Hansel and Gretel
11AM Abbott and Costello
11:30 Tomorrow's Headlines
11:45 Early Christmases In Canton-E.T. Heald of Stark County Historical Society
Noon News
12:15 Music Of All Nations
12:30 Fine Arts Quartet
1PM Maggie McNeils
1:30 Christmas Overseas
2PM Metropolitan Opera
5PM Tea and Crumpets
6PM News
6:15 Sports
6:30 Reminiscient Rhythm
6:45 Christmas Songs
7PM Episcopal Hour
7:30 Christmas Music
8PM Kay Starr
8:30 Famous Jury Trials
9PM Saturday Serenade
9:30 Amazing Malone
10PM Musical Etchings
10:30 Bing Crosby
11PM News
11:15 Sports Whirl
11:30 Hawthorn Thing (No idea what this is)

Encore:"Christmas In Cleveland 1953

2010-12-13T07:03:00.000-05:00

Hello:
As we mentioned recently on our Facebook page, our home computer went on the fritz over a week ago (hard drive failure)..We plan on getting a new computer by income tax time..Hopefully by mid February, if not earlier..The computer I'm on is 9 years old and low on RAM memory, so I'm kind of leery of trying to do extensive new postings on the blog at this point.. (Would just take too long) Was hoping to do some Christmas postings through the month of December..Came up with the idea of doing "Encores" throughout the month..We'll also continue to do separate things on the Facebook Page..

Today:Christmas Week December 1953..Originally posted December 21, 2007

A "Cleveland Christmas Song" commissioned by TV Guide, written by "Captain" Glenn Rowell and Puppeteer Cy Kelly..Rowell was host of a WNBK 9AM Kids show..He earlier was partner with Gene Carroll in a 1930's and 40's Radio Comedy Act "Gene and Glenn." Carroll, of course, was well established at WEWS-5..Kelly was host of "Weather Factory" on WNBK-4. The opposite page is a list of Holiday-Themed programming for the week.

Ad touting WXEL's move to Channel 8 from Channel 9. On December 24th, 1953, WSTV-Channel 9 Steubenville first went on the air, Making the move of WXEL to Channel 8 necessary. WXEL had moved to Channel 8 December 10, 1953.

Sample pages of TV Guide December 22, 1953..The Photos on the top of the page are Dave Garroway-4 7AM (Today)
Crandall Hendershott and Randy Culver-On Wings of Song-5 8:05 AM
Bride And Groom-4, 73 Noon
King Jack-8 4PM

We now look at Christmas 1953...Let's look at an edited version of "Lake Erie Dateline" from the Dec. 18-24, 1953 Issue of TV Guide Lake Erie Edition-Originally at RadioInsight.com

Below are portions of a Local TV News column that appeared in TV Guide's "Lake Erie Edition" for December 18-24, 1953..Familiar Names made news that week:

"TV's Week: Welcome Akron and WAKR TV! Beginning with this issue, TV Guide will carry the complete program listings for Rubber City's Channel 49. Residents of Cleveland, Youngstown and now Akron can get all their program information for the five (actually now six) TV stations appearing in this area with a single TV Guide.

Channel Chatter:John Fitzgerald, well known to Clevelanders for his nightly Sports Final on channel 8 at 11:15PM, and for his color and background presentations during the Cleveland Browns' Games, has been named Promotions Director of WXEL. John, who has been a staff announcer since 1950, is a local boy. He Graduated from Lakewood High in 1943 and then studied speech at the University of Michigan.

Other notes:(my edits-not full text)
Fitzgerald's replacement at WXEL was Jack Beauchamp, an announcer at WHEN-TV Syracuse, NY.

An amusing Story about WNBK-4's Johnny Andrews, Host of Lights, Camera, Questions!..He was apparently late to work for the first time in 16 years because of..a faulty garage door opener! The then new technology went wrong..He was stuck in his garage and had to have the garage door maker come out and open his door..

Two soloists on WEWS Channel 5's Gene Carroll Talent Show,Marge Pawlak and Rose Hinkle, were encouraged by Gene ro form a duet..And were so popular they decided to make it a permanent pairing..But they they couldnt come up with a name for their duet..Viewers were asked to come up with suggestions.."

TV Guide:Lake Erie Edition

Monday, December 21, 1953

Channels:
4 WNBK Cleveland NBC
5 WEWS Cleveland CBS
8 WXEL Cleveland DuMont/ABC
27 WKBN Youngstown CBS/DuMont/ABC
49 WAKR Akron ABC
73 WFMJ Youngstown NBC

Morning

7AM
4 73 Today

8AM
5 News

8:05
5 On Wings Of Song

8:30
5 Beauty For You-Exercise

8:45
5 News Bulletins

8:50
5 Beauty For You-Paige Palmer

9AM
4 Captain Glenn-Glen Rowell
5 Mixing Bowl-Van Cleve
8 Movie-Kiss Of Araby
73 Pictorial Parade

9:25
4 Ohio Today-Tom Haley

9:30
4 Idea Shop-Mildred/Gloria
5 Television I.Q.

9:55
4 Ohio Today-Tom Haley

10AM
4 73 Ding Dong School
5 Arthur Godfrey Time

10:30
4 73 Glamor Girl-Jack McCoy
"Lucky Girl gets Beauty overhaul" (Not unlike today's "makeover" shows)
8 Charming Children-Marjore Harm
TV Kindergarten

11AM
4 73 Hawkins Falls-serial
8 Alice Weston-cooking
27 Morning Movie-Feature

11:15
4 73 Three Steps to Heaven-serial

11:30
4 73 The Bennetts-serial
5 Strike It Rich
8 Movie-Warren Case

11:45
4 73 Follow Your Heart-serial

Afternoon

4 73 Bride And Groom
5 Valiant Lady

12:15
4 Haley's Daily
5 27 Love Of Life
73 Noontime Comics

12:30
4 73 Maggi Byrne-Fashion
5 27 Search For Tomorrow
8 Rena And Bob-TV Shop
"Viewers Buy and Sell On TV"

12:45
5 Guiding Light
27 73 News

1PM
4 Movie-Westward Ho
5 Women's Window-Ethel Jackson
8 Movie-Scarlet Clue (Charlie Chan)
27 Home Cooking-Marion Resch
73 Movie-My Son The Hero

1:30
5 Garry Moore-Guests Roger Price{Known for "Droodles") and Denise Lor
27 Feature Matinee-Movie

2PM
5 Double Or Nothing

2:15
4 Joe Portaro-Fashion
73 Fashion Sketchbook

2:30
4 Nancy Dixon-Shopping
5 Art Linkletter
73 Kitchen Corner-Mariner

2:40
8 You are what You eat

2:45
4 Chef Lorenzo-cooking
8 All For You-Alice Weston

3PM
4 73 Kate Smith
5 Big Payoff
8 Maggi Wulff-Club News
27 Paul Dixon-DuMont

3:30
5 Bob Crosby
8 27 Paul Dixon-DuMont

4PM
4 73 Welcome Travelers
5 Dinner Platter-Bob Dale
8 49 Turn To A Friend-Dennis James-ABC
27 Action In The Afternoon Live Action western series from Philadelphia-CBS

4:30
4 73 On Your Account-Win Elliott
8 King Jack's Toy Box
27 49 Ern Westmore show-ABC

5PM
4 Atom Squad
5 News
8 73 Santa Claus (two different local shows)
27 Movie-Western
49 Hinky Dinks-Game

5:30
4 73 Howdy Doody
5 Movie-Where Trail Ends
8 Desert Deputy-Western (various serial westerns)
49 Corral Time-Western

Evening

6PM
4 Superman-George Reeves
27 Adventure Time
73 News/Weather

6:10
8 Bob Rowley-News
27 Humbard Family-Religion
73 Viz Quiz-Film

6:20
8 Al Rosen-Sports
73 Eddie Lane-Sports

6:30
4 Tom Manning-Sports
5 Dorothy Fuldheim
8 TV Weatherman
27 News Today
49 Tootsie Hippodrome-ABC
73 Film Fare

6:40
4 Weather Factory-Puppets
8 Les Paul/Mary Ford
27 News At Home

6:45
4 Tom Field-News
5 Lee Sullivan-Variety
8 Home with the Grahams
27 Don Gardner-Sports

6:55
5 Johnny Price-Weather
27 Weather

7PM
4 Dangerous Assignment-Syndicated
5 Twenty Fingers-Piano
8 27 Captain Video-DuMont
49 News
73 it Happened Here-History

7:15
5 Art Linkletter-Kids
8 News Parade-Lang/Dudley
27 Rambling Reporter-News
49 Kenny Nichols-Quiz
73 Film Short

7:30
4 Arthur Murray
5 27 CBS News-Douglas Edwards
8 49 Jamie-ABC

7:45
4 73 NBC News-John Cameron Swayze
5 Perry Como
27 The Pastor-Religion

8PM
4 73 Name That Tune
5 Burns And Allen
8 Twenty Questions-DuMont
49 You Asked For It-ABC

8:30
4 73 The Voice Of Firestone
5 Talent Scouts
8 The Big Issue-ABC
27 Of Many Things-Discussion
49 Teen WHO Club

9PM
4 73 Dennis Day
5 I Love Lucy
8 Lingo-word game
49 Junior Press Conference-ABC

9:15
8 Bible Forum

9:30
4 73 Robert Montgomery Presents
5 27 Masquerade Party
8 This Is The Life-ABC
49 Why The Chimes Rang

10PM
5 27 Studio One "Cinderella '53"
8 Carling Boxing=DuMont
Bob Baker/Clarence Henry-Heavyweight bout
49 Mystery Theater

10:30
4 73 Badge 714-Dragnet Reruns
49 Akron Bar Association

10:45
8 Ringside Interviews

11PM
4 Tom Field-News
5 73 Polka Revue
8 27 Warren Guthrie-Your Sohio Reporter
49 News/Sports/Weather

11:05
4 Ken Coleman-Sports

11:10
4 Joe Finan-Weather
8 Ted Malone-Today's Top Story
27 Sid Davis-News

11:15
4 Movie-Mississippi Rhythm
8 John Fitzgerald-Sports

11:20
8 Movie-"Fear"
27 Movie-TBA

12:00 Midnight
5 News
73 News

12:05
5 Movie-Cheating Blondes

12:15
4 News

12:30
27 News

Father Knows Best:Home For Christmas..

2010-12-03T13:51:00.003-05:00

Opening titles for Father Knows Best, aired from 1954-60 on NBC and CBS and aired on ABC Daytime in the mid-1960's..

Hello:
In our first of several postings for the Holiday Season we begin with The NBC "Big Event" from December 1977:The Opening moments of "Father Knows Best:Home For Christmas" A reunion of the cast of Father Knows Best in a full length TV movie with Robert Young and Jane Wyatt..with Laurin Chapin, Billy Gray and Elinor Donahue..As Is Our custom during the Holidays, I'll be looking for Christmas Music and TV video memories of the past as well as focusing on a couple of years specifically during the month..

Thanksgiving-1967

2010-11-25T00:31:00.001-05:00

WFMJ-21 Movie ad

Channel 49 (soon to be 23) ad for College Sports Specials and a WKBN-27 Movie Ad..

TV Guide Ad for the ABC Friday-After Thanksgiving Cartoon Block, which they did through at least the 1970's..This may have been the first year for it.

Today we'll look at Thanksgiving week in 1967..A few random notes:
Most of the TV shows of this period were in color, though there were still pockets of Black and White Local shows such as WJW-TV's Rex Humbard and some short newscasts,,On ABC, Game Shows Everybody's Talking and Family Game were also Black and White...
WVIZ-25 was all Black and White at this point. WJAN-17 and WAKR-49 Local shows were still monochrome, though WJAN showed a few off network reruns in color..

WJAN was still broadcasting 4-11:15 Monday-Friday 12-9 Saturday and off the air Sunday..

Franz The Toymaker was airing on WJW-TV 10-10:30 Sunday Mornings and weekdays 9-10..

WEWS' Upbeat with Don Webster was in the middle of its run..also airing in Youngstown, Erie and Toledo..

WKYC-TV countered with "Big Ralph" Saturdays at 6..With host Jay Lawrence (who, when asked about the name Big Ralph, said it was the name of his horse)

The Captain Penny Noon Show was 12:20-1 Monday-Friday and Comedy Clubhouse 4-5 PM weekdays on WEWS. The Noon Show would be gone by February, 1968, after a 13-year run, replaced by ABC "Bewitched" reruns and local news at 12:30..

"Sherlock Holmes and The House Of Fear" (1945) was The "Hoolihan and Big Chuck" Show Movie Friday, December 24, 1967 on Channel 8.

WAKR-49 moved down the TV dial to Channel 23 December 1, 1967

A young Jenny Crimm did news updates daily on WJW-TV at 3:25 PM after To Tell The Truth..She would move over to Channel 5, where for many years she did News Updates on the Morning Exchange and also the Noon News..

TV Listings Thursday, November 23, 1967
Source:TV Guide Cleveland Edition
(While TV Guide designated color shows, I'll indicate shows without the COLOR designation as BW)
Stations:
Cleveland 3, 5, 8, 25
Akron 49
Canton 17
Youngstown 21, 27, 33

6:20
3 Farm Front

6:25
3 Education Exchange
8 News-BW

6:30
8 To Be Announced

7AM
3-21 Today
8 Rex Humbard-BW
27 To Be Announced

7:15
8 News

7:30
5 Donna Reed
8 Cartoons
27 CBS News-Joseph Benti

7:55
27 Local News

8AM
5 Magilla Gorilla
8-27 Captain Kangaroo
33 Cartoons

8:30
5 Romper Room-Miss Barbara Plummer

9AM
3 Mike Douglas
5 Everybody's Talking-Game-BW
8 Franz The Toymaker
21 Tele-View
27 Romper Room
33 Ed Allen Show-Exercise

9:15
21 Classroom TV

9:30
5 Dating Game
21 Cartoon Time
27 FYI-Cliff Ferre
33 Dateline:Youngstown-Charles Devalut

10AM
3-21 Macy's Parade-Lorne Greene, Betty White
5 Paige Palmer
8-27 Thanksgiving Parades-New York, Philadelphia, Detroit, Toronto
49 Ed Allen

10:30
5-33 Dateline:Hollywood-BW
49 Women's Page-BW

10:55
5-33 Children's Doctor

11AM
5-33-49 Honeymoon Race

11:30
5-33-49 Family Game-BW

Noon
3-21 Jeopardy!-Art Fleming
5 News-Dorothy Fuldheim, Tom Field
8-27 NFL Pregame
33-49 Everybody's Talking-BW

12:15
8-27 NFL Football
LA Rams at Detroit Lions-Announcers:Van Patrick, Gil Statton andFrank Gifford (Rams won 31-7)

12:20
5 Noon Show-Captain Penny

12:30
3-21 Eye Guess-Bill Cullen
33-49 Donna Reed

12:55
3-21 NBC News

1PM
3 Three On The Town
5-49 Fugitive-BW
21 Match Game
33 Rip Van Winkle-SPECIAL

1:25
21 Virginia Graham

1:30
3 Let's Make A Deal-Monty Hall

2PM
3-21 AFL Football
Oakland Raiders at Kansas City Chiefs-Curt Gowdy, Paul Christman
(Oakland Won 44-22)
5 Cartoons
49 Newlywed Game-Bob Eubanks

2:30
33 News
49 Great Moments In Music-BW

2:45
5-33-49 NCAA Pre-Game

3PM
5-33-49 College Football-Oklahoma at Nebraska-Chris Schenkel, Bud Wilkinson

3:15
8 Mr. Magoo in The King's Service-Likely edited episodes from "Famous Adventures of Mr. Magoo (NBC 1964-65)
27 To Be Announced

3:30
27 Edge Of Night

4PM
8 King Family Thanksgiving
17 Ladies' Day-BW
27 Secret Storm

4:30
17 Leave It To Beaver-BW
27 Merv Griffin

5PM
3-21 AFL Football
Denver at San Diego (Chargers won 24-20)

8 News-Doug Adair, Martin Ross, Dick Goddard, Frank Gleiber
17 Frontier Circus
25 Folk Guitar

5:30
8 Voice Of The Fans
25 Kindergarten-Joyce Marron
27 News

5:45
8 Best Of the Browns

6PM
5 Merv Griffin
8-27 NFL Football
St. Louis Cardinals at Dallas Cowboys-Jack Drees, Jack Buck and Pat Summerall
(Dallas won 46-21)

17 News-BW
25 What's New-BW
33 Mike Douglas
49 Cartoons

6:15
17 Sidelight-Interview-BW

6:30
17 Record Hop-BW
25 Let's Lip Read-BW
49 Sports Talkback-BW

7PM
5 News-Fred DeBrine, Dave Buckel, Gib Shanley, Don Webster
25 Opinion:Washington-BW
49News-BW

7:15
49 Women's Page

7:20
5 Dorothy Fuldheim Commentary

7:30
3-21 Daniel Boone
5-33-49 Batman
17 Hall Of Fame-Football
25 Arnold Toynbee

7:35
17 News-Carl Day-Carl recently passed away after many years on Dayton TV/radio

7:45
17 Holiday

8PM
5-33-49 Flying Nun
17 Movie-Claudia-1943-BW
25 Spectrum-BW

8:30
3-21 Ironside
5-33-49 Bewitched
25 French Chef-BW
49 High School Football Akron Championship

9PM
5-33-49 That Girl
8-27 CBS Movie-PT 109-BW
25 Robertson At Large-Don Robertson
Guests:John Ryan, Folksinger, "Big Chuck" Schodowski and Bob Wells of Channel 8

9:30
3-21 Dragnet
5-33 Peyton Place
17 Suspicion-BW

10PM
3-21 Dean Martin
5 Hondo
33 Good Company

10:3o
17 Talkback-BW
33 Rat Patrol

11PM
3 News,Weather, Sports-Virgil Dominic, Wally Kinnan, Jim Graner
5 News, Weather, Sports Dave Buckel/Fred DeBrine, Ron Penfound, Gib Shanley
17-33-49 News-BW
21 News

11:15
8 News, Weather, Sports Doug Adair/Martin Ross, Dick Goddard, Frank Gleiber
27 News

11:20
33 Outdoor Report-Jerry Blinzley-BW

11:25
33 Horse Racing-BW

11:30
3-21 Johnny Carson
5-33-49 Joey Bishop

11:40
8 Movie-Double Feature

1. How To Be Very Very Popular-1955
2. Main Street To Broadway-1953-BW

27 Movie-Dodge City-1939-BW

1AM
3 Sea Hunt-BW

At this time I would like the wish our readers a happy and safe Thanksgiving..

New Gadget:Shokus Internet Radio

2010-11-04T10:37:00.005-04:00

Hello:
You may notice something new on the Blog page..Last night I added a new "widget" The Live 365 feed of Shokus Internet Radio..Stu Shostak has been programming this station for several years now, with nostalgia-based programming..Especially about classic TV..His main program on Wednesdays at 4PM PT/7PM ET has live two hour interviews with actors and people behind the scenes in the entertainment world..Especially those who arent necessarily "big stars" but have interesting stories to tell..Here's a link to shokus.com, Shostak's store for rare classic TV series..

Shokus.com..Classic TV Video store

http://shokus.com/

We'll add this to our permanent links..

Northeast Ohio Broadcast Archives

2010-10-19T00:52:00.001-04:00

July 1961-KYW's Bill Jorgensen with the early evening news at 6:30PM weeknights followed by Huntley-Brinkley at 6:45

The Northeast Ohio Broadcast Archive, located at John Carroll University..Photo courtesy John Carroll University

Hello folks:
Having a rare Monday off from work, I decided to make a run up to the Cleveland area to check out something that I had always wanted to see. The Northeast Ohio Broadcast Archives at John Carroll University..It was kind of an adventure getting there as I got to take my first Cleveland RTA Rapid Train Ride..After getting off at the Warrensville Center Road Station it was about a mile and a half walk to John Carroll.
Special thanks to the staff of the Bertram Woods Branch of The Shaker Heights Public Library for their help and directions..

Finally found John Carroll..Just beyond a small shopping area near Fairmount Street. I was very impressed with the buildings and the ambience of the area..Reminded me of what a small New England college might look like..Making my way to the administration building, a very nice young lady called around to find the info about the archive's location..Finally found O'Malley Hall, where the Archive is located in one small room in the basement..Was able to meet Ms. Lisa Lewis, who serves as Media Services Coordinator of the Tim Russert Dept. of Communications and Theatre Arts..As part of her duties, she helps manage the archive as far as helping to copy film onto other formats, including VHS and DVD..Some interesting facts about the archive..

The archive is mostly News Film and assorted TV Reports from WEWS-5 (1959-88) and WKYC-3 (1959-78), as well as radio reports and other materials

She said there may be a few entertainmemt programs in the mix, but they have a lot to catalog as yet..Much of it is 2" tape, but there is some older format that they havent been able find a machine to play it on..

She also went over prices for duplication..The Archive is used mostly for research for documentaries..I got to look at the room..represented in the picture above..many cans of film and materials..She says they may try to put some things online down the road, but with being short of staff and money to really do it right, it may be a long time before anything like that is considered.

I also got to meet with Archive Manager Dr. Alan Stephenson briefly, as he was about to start a class..He along with retired TV 5 director (and sometime on-air talent) Jim Breslin, were instrumental in starting the Archive in 1988..Dr. Stephenson also worked at WVIZ-25 during its early days.

Grateful Thanks to Ms. Lewis and Dr. Stephenson for their time and patience in talking with me and showing the Archive..

Link to the Northeast Ohio Broadcast Archives Page:

http://www.jcu.edu/communications/noba.htm

Report on the Archive from WVIZ-25

New On Facebook:WEWS 50th Anniversary

2010-10-13T19:14:00.000-04:00

Old WEWS Logo's 1950's and 60's

More Current WEWS logo"Circle 5" based on The Circle 7 used at ABC Owned stations..

Good Evening: Just wanted to mention about The TV 5 50th Anniversary Show..While we've had some parts of it on YouTube for several years, Just today we put the entire program on YouTube and on our Facebook account..Here's a link to the FB page:

http://www.facebook.com/pages/Cleveland-Classic-Media/245324499326?ref=ts

I originally wanted to upload these directly to Facebook, but uploads there are extremely slow for some reason.. The show is in 5 10 minute blocks..If you want to watch from beginning to end, scroll down the page slightly..

Recreated Station ID from Ron Penfound-1963

Encore Post-Hockey Night in Cleveland!

2010-10-06T12:28:00.002-04:00

American Hockey League 75th Anniversary Logo. The Cleveland Barons had a long, storied history in the AHL from 1936-73, with another Club named Barons from 2001-2006..Now represented in NE Ohio by the Lake Erie Monsters..Logo Courtesy American Hockey League and theahl.com

About three years ago, I posted about the return of AHL Hockey to Cleveland in the form of the Lake Erie Monsters..along with a History Of Pro Hockey in the Cleveland area over the years..I thought we'd revisit that history again, in light of the 75th anniversary of the Anmerican Hockey League..The AHL's six oldest cities, Cleveland, Rochester, Syracuse, Springfield, Hershey and Providence..Will play a home and home series with each other Fri. and Sat. Oct. 8-9..Lake Erie will play Syracuse at Quicken Loans Arena Friday Night, then at Syracuse Saturday Night..All six teams will wear throwback uniforms from their past..FSN Ohio will televise the Friday Night Game, with Broadcaster Ben Holden hosting some special features about Cleveland Hockey History..From The Monsters' Website,Holden writes:

"On opening night, October 8th, we will have a two part feature on Cleveland hockey history on our TV/radio simulcast. We are doing this in honor of the 75 year anniversary of the AHL. Cleveland was one of the founding cities in the AHL and we are looking forward to a special night in the arena, and on our TV/radio simulcast. Among those that will a part of the features are, Bill Needham, Wayne Muloin, Ron Ward, Jock Callander and Phil Simon. The game will air on FOX Sports Ohio that night, and on the radio side, AM 1220 WHKW will air its first game of the season."

Holden is entering his second season as Monsters' Radio-TV Voice..The team has done better each year, record-wise and has drawn among the top ten in AHL attendance each of the past 3 years..

Here is the original post-From October 6, 2007..With a couple of small updates at the bottom

Secondary Logo for the Lake Erie Monsters-New AHL team owned by Dan Gilbert..Which began play tonight at the Q..Losing to Grand Rapids 3-2

Cleveland Barons 2001-06 AHL Logo..The San Jose Sharks in my mind set this team up to fail, doing almost no promotion or marketing..

Cleveland Lumberjacks International Hockey League Logo 1993-2001

WHA Cleveland Crusaders Logo 1972-76

Mid 1960's Cleveland Barons AHL Logo

Local Newspaper ad for Radio Broadcasts of NHL Barons Hockey..Larry Hirsch was on PBP sometimes joined by Harry Howell, Barons General Manager..Hirsch went on to broadcast for the New Jersey Devils and The Tampa Bay Lightning.

Presumably a TV Guide Ad for the 1976-78 NHL Clevelamd Barons on WUAB-43..The team wa a failure om and off the ice for many reasons..I do believe Pete Franklin provided color commentary for the TV Games, but I have no idea who the gentleman in the picture is. Supposedly the play-by play guy..EDIT:Retired WKYC-TV reporter Joe Mosbrook e-mailed me to say that the man in the picture is former WKYC-TV weekend sports anchor Dick Hammer. Thanks, Joe!

One of my other interests is Pro Hockey..and With the Lake Erie Monsters of the American Hockey League set to begin play tonight, I thought I'd mention some Hockey TV and Radio folks in Cleveland as well as give a primer on Hockey in Cleveland..

The first team to call Cleveland Home ws call the "Indians" in the late 20's early 30's..The team played at the 7,000 seat Elysium..By 1937 Sportsman Al Sutphin had built the Cleveland Arena and renamed the team the Barons..With great players like Fred Glover, Johnny Bower, Les Cunningham and others..The team won 10 division titles and 9 American Hockey League Calder Cups, the last in 1964..The team was the class of the AHL. The NHL in the 1940's invited Cleveland into the League, but Sutphin declined, fearing it would cripple the AHL..Cleveland was later denied admission several times..WGAR and WERE had Barons Radio with Bob Neal at the mike for the most part..WEWS-TV 5 had Barons Games in 1948-49 for certain..dont know beyond that..

Nick Mileti bought the Barons in 1968. He founded the Cavaliers in 1970..Then went into the World Hockey Association in 1972 with the Crusaders while still owning the Barons.Two teams in town didnt work so the Barons left in early 1973..Radio/TV announcers included Steve (He Shoots He Scores) Albert, Lee Hamilton, Les Levine, with Frank Sweeney and Ted Patterson on WUAB-43 and Mileti-owned WWWE-AM 1100.The Crusaders were mostly competitive, with HOF Goalie Gerry Cheevers, but the move to the Coliseum really hurt the team as the fanbase was too spread out for the team to be a success..the team moved to Minnesota in 1976 as the NHL was arriving..

Mel Swig and George Gund brought the California Golden Seals to Clevelamd in 1976-78..Two bad winters, very bad teams, no promotion and the Coliseum location did the team in..It would take too much money to build the fanbase..The team was merged with the Minnesota North Stars..the Best players were probably Goalie Giles Meloche and Center Dennis Maruk..Larry Hirsch and Harry Howell were announcers on WJW-850 and WKNT 100.1 Kent-Akron (WNIR)..

After a gap of 14 years between 1978-1992 Larry Gordon moved his Muskegon Lumberjacks of the International Hockey League to Cleveland..Playing at the Coliseum for 2 years (1992-94) before moving to downtown Cleveland at Gund Arena in 1994. The team drew better, though the on ice success was mixed..Jock Callender, one of the greatest players in IHL history, starred with the Lumberjacks along with Dave Michayluk. The IHL tried to somewhat compete with the NHL, moving to larger cities and paying bigger salaries..The plan ultimately backfired and the IHL folded in 2001..6 teams joined the AHL..Channel 43 and 55 had games variously along with WKNR-1220/850..Tim Saunders was one of the announcers..

The AHL's Kentucky Thoroughblades moved to Cleveland in 2001 and stayed till 2006..Again, not much promotion or marketing..It was if the San Jose Sharks didnt want to be here..playing to sparse crowd for 5 years, they moved to Worcester, Mass. in 2007..Jamie Smock was the announcer on WKNR-850..No TV games

Dan Gilbert then bought the dormant Utah AHL franchise..Following a year of preparation, The team was named the Lake Erie Monsters..Affiliated with the NHL Colorado Avalanche, Opening night was tonight..Despite a disappointing loss, the crowd was 15,132..A great start for the new franchise..Fox Sports Ohio and WKNR-850 are the broadcast homes, with AHL veteran announcer John Michael announcing..

I beleve Cleveland has been given a bad rap over the years as far as being a Hockey City..There has been a lot of High School Hockey played in the Cleveland area for years..Each of the situations outlined..If the owners (Except for the first Barons AHL team) could have done a little more or just stuck it out, we wouldnt have had so many teams over the years..

Logos:
Crusaders:From the former Minor League Hockey Logo Page/Ralph Slate (Now Logoserver
http://www.logoserver.com/Hockey.html

Lumberjacks:Wikipedia
Original AHL Barona:Wikipedia
2001-2006 Barons:clevelandpress.com
Monsters:Cleveland.com

Other Images
Cleveland Barons (NHL) History Pages
http://members.aol.com/gowhalers8/history.html

Updates to the above:
FSN Ohio and WUAB will share a 15 game TV package in 2010-2011..WHKW-1220 and WKNR-850 will each air 40 regular season games..

Also want to mention the passing of Van Lane, Cleveland Broadcaster who did Play-By Play for the Barons on WDOK-1260..Presumably in the 1960's..Condolences to his family..

New Link:Northeast Ohio Airchecks

2010-10-01T22:07:00.001-04:00

WINW coverage area map-1966

1967-WHLO Logo

Current WDPN Logo-Formerly WFAH-Geoff Mears recently began here as News Anchor after being at WHBC for several years..

WOIO Logo from when they had a few years of success as a Top 40 station. Now Catholic WILB

WIXY 1260 Logo from the early 1970's Now WWMK Radio Disney

WGAR 1220 Logo-1980's Now WHKW

WHBC Canton-1947-48 era

WKYC-AM 1100 Logo-1965

Geoff Mears, Veteran Stark County Radio News Anchor..Has started an exciting new project..A Blog of Northeast Ohio Radio Airchecks

Anyone that knows me in relation to the vintage broadcasting hobby knows that I enjoy finding rare examples of Broadcast shows, commercials, etc Whether Local or National in scope..There are several sites in the links at the right that feature such rarities as well as DailyMotion, YouTube and archive.org..It is exciting to me when someone starts a new site up, especially when it features local content..

Geoff Mears is a News/Anchor-Reporter at WDPN-1310, Alliance, where he recently started after about 10 years with WHBC-1480 in the same position. I got to meet Geoff a few months back at the WHBC 85th Anniversary Birthday Party..He's as interested in Broadcast History as I am..He has begun a new blog called Northeast Ohio Airchecks..His plan is to feature radio broadcast airchecks from Northeast Ohio from all eras and formats..A site like this is long overdue, and we wish Geoff the best of luck in this new endeavor. Of course, our plan is to link to the site permanently..Here is the address:

http://neoairchecks.blogspot.com/

Again, Best of luck to Geoff on this new site..

Does This Program go to Parma??-Ghoulardifest 2010

2010-09-29T11:03:00.001-04:00

October 23, 1965 -6:30 PM listing for "The Ernie Anderson Special"-Some skits were taken out of this special and shown during the Friday/Saturday Night Show over the years, but the entire special has never been rebroadcast.

July 1961-Ernie's Place-TV Guide Ad for the premiere of Anderson's Morning Movie Show

Classic Manners "Big Ghoulardi" Ad..

November 21, 1992-First "Ghoulardi Night" (Part One) on Big Chuck and Lil John..Chuck visits Ernie Anderson out in Hollywood and Lil John hosts from Cleveland..All 3 parts of the show (minus movie) are on our Facebook Page..

"Hey Group"

Time for yet another Ghoulardifest..(Number VI). This year being held at the UAW Hall in..Parma! (cue polka music) 5615 Chevrolet Blvd. October 22-23-24 2010. Guests include:

Hoolihan (Bob Wells)-He will be presented with a Cleveland Association of Broadcasters "Legend" award..
Big Chuck
Lil John
Art Lofredo
Mary Ann Winkowski returns-Her stories provided the basis for CBS' Ghost Whisperer Series

The Cast of "The Dead Matter" Film that Chuck, Mike Olszewski and Al Pawlowski of SportsTime Ohio appeared in-Including:
Jason Carter
Barry Van Camp
Donna Williams
Producer Gary Jones..

The DVD of "The Dead Matter" Will be available for sale, as well as a new "Best Of" Big Chuck and Lil John Volume 5-First "Live" Project Chuck and John have done since their retirement in 2007..

Also:
Big Chuck and Lil John Halloween PJ Party Saturday, Oct. 23 8-11:30..A Newly found Hoolihan and Big Chuck Show will be shown during this time-Hooli, Chuck and John will be there of course, with the "Dead Matters" Cast and Son of Ghoul..Admission to the PJ Party is $10.00 food will be provided at reasonable cost..

The Ernie Anderson/Tim Conway "Are We On" Video will be shown during Ghoulardifest VI..This was taped at Bowling Green State University in 1965..

There will be a "Movie Room" with Showings of:
Ernie Anderson Tribute Show
Ghoulardi PBS Special
BC/LJ Halloween Special
Best of Ghoulardi Shock Theater
Dead Matters Movie (Q and A with Cast following)
And more..

TICKET INFORMATION

Adults: $15.00 per day
3 day pass still only $30.00
Children up to 12 years old FREE (When accompanied by an adult)

($2.00 OFF on one day or $5.00 OFF on 3 day)

Providing Entertainment will be Take II and The Soul Men Blues Brothers Tribute..

I hope to be able to make it one day during the fest, but Fans of The Cleveland Horror Host Tradition and Classic Local TV need to be here..It is a great time and Hoolihan. Chuck and John are class acts..You will have fun..

Ghoulardifest VI link with more information

http://www.theghoulardifest.com/Home_Page.php

bigchuckandliljohn.com thread for Ghoulardifest VI-The complete Movie Room Schedule

http://www.bigchuckandliljohn.com/forums/index.php?topic=4212.msg47998#msg47998

Andrea Carroll..Now Dr. Andrea Hill..

2010-09-13T22:59:00.001-04:00

Here is the lovely Miss Andrea Carroll..Her real name was Andrea Lee DeCapite..She made many appearances on "The Gene Carroll Show" as a teenager..Photo courtesy Neil Zurcher's NE Ohio TV Memories..

In doing the blog over the last 3 and a half years, I am amazed at finding out stuff I didnt know about Cleveland TV..Andrea DeCapite was a young lady who grew up in Cleveland..She made a name for herself as a teen through many appearances on the Gene Carroll Show on WEWS in the early 1960's. In appreciation of the Break Gene gave her, she took the stage name "Andrea Carroll"..She had several local hit songs, including "Please Don't talk to the Lifeguard" and "Why am I so Shy?".The reason I bring this up now is that along with the Picture on Neil Zurcher's page, EX-WGAR Newsman Eric Braun tells of a link to a website that updates Andrea Carroll, now Dr. Andrea Hill, who owns a Drama School with her husband,Lyle B. Hill in Burbank, California.

Here's a link to the blog page by Chuck Benjamin.."Andrea Carroll..Pop Princess to P.H.D" that updates where Ms. Hill is now, along with lots of nice feedback.. Thanks Eric for sharing this

http://cbenjamin.wordpress.com/2008/03/08/andrea-carroll-pop-princess-to-phd/

Original Picture page with comments-Neil Zurcher's NE Ohio TV Memories:

http://neohiotvmemories.wordpress.com/2010/07/24/a-scrapbook-of-cleveland-television-memories/unknown-young-lady-d/

Also wanted to mention..Because of some spam comments recently, I've had to start moderating comments..If you commented on a post, it may take me a few days to see it, which delays them being published..

September 1954..Here She Is...

2010-09-05T00:00:00.002-04:00

Early "Dragnet" reruns were shown in 1954 on WNBK-3 under the title "Badge 714"..Dragnet was the first off network series to be widely syndicated around the country.

Ad For WFMJ-TV 21's new transmitter/antenna tower..WFMJ had very recently moved from Channel 73 to 21

Review of NBC's
"Your Show of Shows" summer replacement, "Saturday Night Review" with a Young Eddie Albert, who hosted most weeks (Though George Gobel and Csesar Romero hosted the show this particular week in late July 1954)

Ad for "The Brighter Day" one of CBS' afternoon soaps, carried by WXEL..WXEL carried several of the afternoon soaps from CBS, as WEWS elected to fill the time locally..Of course, by March 2, 1955 all the CBS soaps and other programming would permanently move to WXEL in the first Cleveland Network Swap, which would be undone in 1994, as WJW would become FOX.. Notice a young Hal Holbrook in this ad, before he became famous in Films, Broadway and Television.

TV Guide ad for the first telecast of the Miss America Pageant on ABC-TV (Ch. 8,27 and 49) Hosting were John Daly and Bess Myerson (Miss America 1945)

Today, we'll look at September 11-17, 1954..The fall TV season was about to gear up for the networks and local stations.Several highlights...

Myrus the Mentalist was featured Mondays at 9:30 PM on WXEL-8

Hey, Mulligan with Mickey Rooney had just premiered Saturdays at 8PM on NBC

Dotty Mack Show was featured Saturdays at 7:30 on WAKR-ABC 49

Miss America Pageant-First telecast 10:30-Midnight Saturday Sept. 11 on channels 8, 27 and 49

"Color Spectacular" Satins and Spurs with Betty Hutton Sunday 7:30-9 on Channels 3, 21..The reviews of the day were not kind to Miss Hutton, unfortunately.

WKBN-27 Noon Show with Stu Wilson premiered Monday, Sept. 13

WEWS-5 Dinner Platter with Bob Dale Monday-Friday 5:45-6:30

Medic-Richard Boone Premiered Monday at 9 on NBC 3, 21

ABC News-John Daly Monday-Friday 7:15 ABC WAKR-49

Humbard Family Sunday Night 8PM WAKR-49

Ohio Story Sunday afternoon 4:50 WXEL 8

My Favorite Husband-Saturdays 9:30 WEWS-5 CBS

Lassie Sunday 3:30 WEWS-5 CBS..Premiere Episode

Listings:
TV Guide Lake Erie Edition

Saturday, Sept. 11, 1954

WNBK-3 NBC

9AM Early Bird Theater-Tales Of Robin Hood
10AM Cartoon Time
10:30 Fun Wagon-Glenn Rowell
11:30 Movie-Western
12:30 Mr. Wizard
1PM One O Clock Playhouse-John Halifax, Gentleman
1:45 Canadian Football
4:30 Movie-To Be Announced
6PM Cisco Kid
6:30 Western Film
7PM Files Of Jeffrey Jones
7:30 Ethel and Albert
8PM Mickey Rooney Show (Hey Mulligan)
8:30 Amateur Hour-Last Show
9PM Saturday Review-Eddie Albert, Alan Young
10:30 Your Hit Parade-Polly Bergen-RETURN
11PM News-Tom Field
11:05 Home Theater-Obsessed
12:15 Theater-Invisible Killer

WEWS-5 CBS

9:25 News
9:30 Winky Dink and You
10AM Early Show-Penal Code
11AM Captain Midnight
11:30 Abbott and Costello
Noon Big Top-Jack Sterling
1PM Lone Ranger
1:30 Uncle Johnny Coons
2PM Bandstand (No relation to the Dick Clark Show)
3PM Movie-TBA
4PM Joe Palooka
4:30 Out Of This World-Cleve. Museum of Natural History
5PM Ramar
5:30 Contest Carnival
6PM Polka Time
6:30 Big Picture
7PM Travel Film
7:30 Beat The Clock
8PM Stage Show-Dorseys with Phil Foster and Jerry Colonna
9PM Two For The Money
9:30 My Favorite Husband-RETURN
10PM That's My Boy
10:30 Theater
11PM Playhouse-the Man Who Lost Himself
12:30 News

WXEL-8 ABC/DuMont

9:15 First Reel
9:30 Comedy Carnival
10AM Smilin Ed-ABC
10:30 Space Patrol-ABC
11AM Merry Go-Round-Walt Kay
Noon Saturday "Night" Show-American Empire
1PM Act Two-Dangerous Love
3PM Saturday Matinee-Alimony Madness
5PM Main Event-Wrestling-Wild Red Barry/Freddie Blassie
6PM TBA
6:45 News/Sports
7PM Big Picture
7:30 American Barn Dance-DuMont
8PM Football '54-College Football Preview-ABC
9PM Boxing-Cincinnati-ABC
9:45 Fight Talk-Bob Cooke-ABC
10PM The Stranger-DuMont
10:30 Miss America Pageant-ABC
Midnight-Movie-TBA

WFMJ-21 NBC Youngstown

1PM Movie Party-Dude Ranger
2PM Movie Party-Wrecking Crew
3PM Dairy Hop
4PM Golden West-Tumbledown Ranch In Arizona
5PM Wrestling
6PM News
6:15 Industry On Parade
6:30 Roundup Time-Come On, Cowboy
7:30 Ethel and Albert
8PM Mickey Rooney Show (Hey Mulligan)
8:30 Amateur Hour-Last Show
9PM Saturday Review-Eddie Albert, Alan Young
10:30 Your Hit Parade-Polly Bergen-RETURN
11PM Skyline Theater-General Spanky (Spanky McFarland)
Midnight News

WKBN-27 CBS/ABC/DuMont Youngstown

10:30 Winky Dink and You
11AM Western Theater
11:30 Panorama
Noon Big Top
1PM Movies-TBA
5PM Panorama
5:30 Hopalong Cassidy
6:30 News This Week
6:45 Sports-Don Gardner
6:55 Weather
7PM Panorama
7:30 Beat The Clock
8PM Stage Show-Dorseys with Phil Foster and Jerry Colonna
9PM Two For The Money
9:30 Pepsi-Cola Playhouse-ABC
10PM That's My Boy
10:30 Miss America Pageant-ABC
Midnight-News

WAKR-49 ABC Akron

5PM Bar 49 Theater:(1) Ghost Rider (2) Rolling Home To Texas
7PM Wings Over The World
7:30 Dotty Mack
8PM Football '54-College Football Preview
9PM Boxing-Cincinnati-ABC
9:45 Fight Talk-Bob Cooke
10PM TBA
10:30 Miss America Pageant

New Link:Tampa's "Big 13"

2010-07-29T23:43:00.001-04:00

"Big 13" Logo used by WTVT for a number of years. WTVT has been Fox affiliated since 1994 and Fox owned and operated since 1997..For a time, WTVT and WJW-8 Cleveland were co-owned..from the Gillett/New World days of the mid 1980's till WJW was sold to Local TV, LLC in 2008..

1955-56:From John Carroll Archives through Neil Zurcher's TV Memories Blog..A really nice picture of Captain Penny (Ron Penfound), Uncle Leslie (Linn Sheldon) Texas Jim (Jim Breslin) and Mary Ellen Sussex (Fun Farm)..visiting a little girl in the hospital..Mrs. Sussex moved on to The Tampa, Florida area in 1957..Hosting children's shows on WTVT-13..

Good evening all:
Introducing a brand new link to our readers..An extensive Historical Website for WTVT-13 in Tampa-St. Petersburg, Florida..Created by Mike Clark, who worked at WTVT from 1972-77. Clark has also been instrumental in keeping retired WTVT employees connected with each other through reunions, and helping to save some vintage WTVT Material. The website concentrates on the CBS years from 1955-94, when just as in Cleveland, several longtime Market Icons were on, such as Weatherman Roy Leep, Newsman Hugh Smith, singer Ernie Lee and Children's hostess Mary Ellen Sussex..Mrs. Sussex, a Toledo native began her TV Career at WSPD Toledo in 1952 with a show called "Fun Farm", which moved to WEWS Channel 5 in 1955-56..Mary Ellen hosted various Kid shows on WTVT from 1957-64, where she was a very beloved personality..

Included in the website are some video, Old newsletters and pictures presented in a fun way by Mr. Clark..Well worth checking out..

Link:
http://www.big13.net/

WXEL-9 Opening-November/December 1949

2010-07-19T12:45:00.007-04:00

Update:Am in the process of putting all the WXEL Pictures on a seperate blog..Have the first 10 up now..Should have the others up before the end of the week..
http://wxel1949photos.blogspot.com/

Vintage WXEL 1949 Photo Page

Good looking copy of the WXEL Test Pattern..

Exterior of WXEL Building at Pleasant Valley and State Roads in Parma

WXEL-TV Dedication Plaque

Cleveland Indians Pitching Coach Mel Harder with WXEL sportscaster Gail Egan..Howard Hoffman and Russell Spires observe. Notice what appears to be a ceramic "Little Ajax" on the piano.

Empire Coil Executive Robert Harris, DuMont Comedian Morey Amsterdam and WXEL's Howard Hoffman..

Here's "Little Ajax" a papier mache elephant that was to have been the station's mascot. The Late Howard Hoffman said in a 1999 interview that the mascot never really caught on with the viewers and was quitely dropped..

Radio/TV Editors from the 3 Cleveland Newspapers..

Early Staff Dinner:Consulting Engineer Ben Adler Tommy Mayer (assuming Herbert Mayer's Son), Chief Engineer Thomas Friedman, Station Manager Franklin Snyder, Program Director Russell Spiers, Sandra and Herbert Mayer..

Hello:
A good friend (Richard Warner)recently acquired a Number of Black and White Still Photographs of WXEL Channel 9's Opening ceremonies and some other occasions around the same time..While sharing a few of them here, I am going to try to make a new page with all the thumbnails so that anyone can view them all at their leisure..

WXEL was the third Television Station in Cleveland..Built by Herbert Mayer's Empire Coil Company. WXEL went on the air officially December 19, 1949. Among the pictures are several of special guest Morey Amsterdam, who hosted a show on the DuMont Network,of which WXEL was a primary affiliate..WXEL also carried ABC, and as we will see in a bit, a surprising number of CBS Shows, though WEWS-5 was considered primarily a CBS affiliate..

Along with the pictures, Mr. Warner sent along what looks like a WXEL schedule mailing or a newsletter dated February 18-24, 1951..Here are a few sample schedules from that newsletter.

Sunday Feb. 18, 1951

11AM Test Pattern/Tone

Noon Ranger Joe-ABC

12:15 Chester The Pup-ABC

12:30 Old Fashioned Revival Hour-ABC

1PM On Trial-ABC

1:30 TBA

2PM Sunday Matinee-I Married A Witch/Short Subjects

4PM Musical Manor-Alan Freed

4:30 Hobby Lane-Rena/Bob Ledyard

5PM Facts We Face-CBS

5:30 People's Platform-CBS

6PM Billy Rose Show-ABC

6:30 Mr. I Magination-CBS

7PM You Asked For It-Art Baker-DuMont

7:30 Showtime USA-ABC

8PM Once Upon A Time-DuMont

8:30 Armed Forces Hour-DuMont

9PM Youth On The March-ABC

9:30 Famous Jury Trials-DuMont

10PM Hands of Mystery-DuMont

10:30 What's My Line?-CBS

11PM Week In Review-CBS

11:15 Telenews Weekly

11:40 Sign-Off

Monday Feb. 19, 1951

10AM Test Pattern/Tone

12:30 Preview Corner

12:35 News Tape and Music (sounds like AP/UPI News with music overlay)

12:45 Telenews-Bob Rowley

1PM Village Fair

2PM Alice Weston

2:30 Darts For Dollars-Rena/Bob Ledyard

3PM Impromptu-Alan Freed/Grant Wilson

3:30 Fashion Magic-CBS

4PM Homemakers Exchange-CBS

4:30 Vanity Fair-CBS

5PM Lucky Pup-CBS

5:15 ChuckWagon Playhouse-CBS

6PM Small Fry Club-DuMont

6:30 Tom Corbett Space Cadet-ABC

6:45 Evening News

7PM Captain Video-DuMont

7:30 Hollywood Screen Test-ABC

8PM Can You Top This-ABC

8:30 Man Abour Town-Sid Andorn-From The Bronze Room of The Hotel Cleveland

9PM The College Bowl-ABC (Variety series starring Chico Marx)

9:30 Wrestling-New York (Dennis James)-DuMont

11PM News Briefs

11:05 Sports-Clay Dopp

11:15 Nite-Owl Theatre

12:40 Sign-Off

Saturday, Feb. 24, 1951

9AM Test Pattern/Tone

10AM Chuckles 5 Bar Ranch "Stagecoach Outlaws"

11AM Kousin Kay's Red Goose Merry Go Round

Noon The Big Top-CBS

1PM Polka Penthouse

1:30 Test Pattern/Tone

5:30 The Note Box

6PM Beulah-ABC

6:30 Manpower Headlines

6:45 Jimmy Dudley's Sports Digest

7PM Beat The Clock-CBS

7:30 Stu Erwin Show-ABC

8PM Paul Whiteman's TV Teen Club-ABC

8:30 Madison Sqare Garden-DuMont

11:15 Wrestling From Chicago-Jack Brickhouse-DuMont

12:40 Sign-Off

Grateful thanks to Richard Warner for sharing the pictures/etc..And for being such a good friend of the Blog..

Neil Zurcher-Tales from The Road

2010-07-17T11:33:00.001-04:00

Neil Zurcher, longtime WJW-TV reporter..He also has had a Vintage Cleveland TV Pictures website for a couple of years, which is in our links..

Cover of Neil's Latest Book..

Location of the Grocery/Gas Station in Henrietta Townshp, Ohio where Neil spent much of his time as a boy..

One of the many stunts Neil tried..What he doesnt know is that the rope is slowly unraveling..

Many of the News Staff of WJW-TV 8 circa 1969..Mostly Photographers, but including Neil Zurcher, Dick Goddard and Reporter Pete Cary..

Today I want to review the newest book by Neil Zurcher, "Tales From The Road", published by Gray and Company.

Neil spent more than 40 years at WJW-TV 8 as first a freelance photojournalist, then as an Investigative/Breaking News Reporter, making his name as the originator of the "One Tank Trips" segment of NewsCenter 8, then Fox 8 News from 1979-2004.

The Book is at first a memoir, telling of Neil's formative years living in Henrietta, Ohio..A small village in Lorain County west of Elyria..Reminds me of my growing up in East Sparta, South of Canton. Neil writes with great affection of his parents, who owned a small grocery/gas station in Henrietta Township..He relates some of his escapades, such as trying to drive a car before he is old enough..And trying to copy a locally well-known daredevil stunt driver, which didnt turn out too well..He also tells of trying out for the "Gene Carroll Show" in the 1950's (He didnt make it)..Living in small-town Ohio, he developed his desire to travel and see new things at a early age...Once out of high school, his early media days were at the Oblerlin Newspaper and at WEOL-AM 930 Elyria/Lorain as a Newscaster/reporter..The bulk of the book is mostly "Stories From The Road"..Stories he worked on as a reporter, places and people he met in Ohio and surrounding States..Written in a conversational style that takes himself not too seriously and makes you feel as if you are there with him. I truly enjoyed the Book..a great read..

A Local angle (to me anyway) is that the Nash Metropolitan that Neil Zurcher drove on the One Tank Trips for so many years is now on display at the Canton Classic Car Museum in downtown Canton, Ohio..

Link to a sample chapter..

http://www.grayco.com/cleveland/books/10645/sampleChapter.shtml

Another Brief Note..As of now, I am going to put a permanent link to Gray and Co. Publishers Website..Should have done so long ago..

Speculative Fun-Classic TV 8 channel

2010-06-30T01:03:00.002-04:00

Various WJW Logos over the years..Top:1962

Middle:1966 Bottom 1965.

Thought i'd go into something completely different..Since WJW-TV 8 has only one Digital channel currently, I thought it would be fun to "suggest" a second digital channel-A Classic TV 8 Channel, that would be used for some live simulcasts and relays of Fox 8 News, as well as "Classic" shows from the WJW-TV archives, even something different than the normal...Actual movies and syndicated/CBS originals from the bygone days of channel 8..Show the Big Chuck/Lil John DVD's as specials, etc..

Note:All speculative, I fully realize you have rights issues that may keep anything close to this from happening, but this is all purely for fun..

Monday-Friday

5AM Fox 8 Morning News (Live simulcast)

10AM Robin Swoboda (Live Simulcast)

11AM Movie

1PM Fox 8 News at Noon (Tape Delay)

2PM Adventure Road Classics=At least 2-3 times a week depending on what's out there-Maybe an Hour drama from the 60's the other 2-3 days

3PM Movie

5PM Robin Swoboda (repeat)

6PM Hawaiian Eye/77 Sunset Strip/Surfside 6

7PM Fox 8 News at 6 Tape Delay

8PM PM Magazine Classics

8:30 Leave It To Beaver/Beverly Hillbillies. etc..

9PM NewsCenter 8/City Camera Classics-complete newscasts..Any they can find from as far back as possible..

10PM One Tank Trip Classics

10:30 Just The Skits

11PM Fox 8 News at 10 (Tape Delay)

Midnight-3AM Monday-Thurs.-Repeat 8-11

3-5AM Monday-Thursday Movie

Friday Only
Midnight Big Chuck Lil John Classics-Chuck and John host new show, only with the movies THEY want to show and the classic skits..Hoolihan needs to make appearances on this.
2-5AM Repeat 8-11 (Friday Only)

Saturday/Sunday

5AM Movie
7AM Movie
9AM Looney Tunes
10AM Woodrow (1997 Revival)
11AM Just The Skits
11:30 One Tank Trip Classics
Noon Gunsmoke

1PM Marshal Dillon

1:30 Green Acres

2PM Beverly Hillbillies

2:30 Petticoat Junction

3PM Movie

5PM Marcus Welby

6PM NewsCenter8/City Camera Classics

7PM Fox 8 News
8PM Cinema 8 Weekend
10PM Fox 8 News
11PM Warner Brothers Dramas (Sunset Strip, Hawaiian Eye, etc)
Midnight Rawhide
1AM Have Gun Will Travel
1:30 Wanted Dead or Alive
2AM Gunsmoke
3AM Movie

Also special programs over the years..

Any CBS/Syndicated show originally ran on TV 8..

I know the idea is out there..Doubt there'd be enough of some shows to do a full series..

Paul Wilcox-1925-2010

2010-06-27T20:36:00.000-04:00

Paul with a very young Tana Carli..Looks to be late 1960's..Courtesy Neil Zurcher's NE Ohio TV Memories Site and The Joe/Tana Carli Dimino Collection.

Paul Wilcox, posing with one of the bands on Polka Varities..Courtesy Neil Zurcher's NE Ohio TV Memories site and John Carroll University Media Archives

Paul Wilcox with Paige Palmer..Wilcox co-hosted "The Paige Palmer Show" weekday mornings on WEWS for a time in the 1960's

Paul Wilcox, the versatile WEWS-TV 5 announcer/Newsman/program host passed away last Friday, June 18, 2010 at his home in Florida at the age of 85..He was born in Sylvania, Ohio near Toledo, and prior to a heroic stint in the Korean War, (Wilcox was also in WWII) began his broadcasting career at WGAR-1220 in 1950..

He joined Channel 5 in 1954, and, like many broadcasters, did a lot of different things..He handled sports reports, sign-on news and booth announcing..

"Cleveland-Style" Polka Shows had their roots in WEWS-TV shows such as Polka Parade, Polka Hour, Polka N Fun, Polka Time and Possibly others hosted by people such as Johnny Vadnal, George Bass, Court Stanton and Danny Landau as early as 1952. Mr. Wilcox began his long run as Polka Varieties host in 1956-Hosting the show until 1983..In the 1960's Mr. Wilcox also did the Noon Weekday News and co-hosted The Paige Palmer Show..After doing some radio and promotion work, Wilcox retired to Florida in the 1990's..

Links:

Newsnet5.com

http://www.newsnet5.com/dpp/about_us/paul-wilcox,-host-of-

Cleveland.com

http://www.cleveland.com/obituaries/index.ssf/2010/06/paul_wilcox_85_hosted_wews_cha.html

WEWS Friday, May 24, 1963 Noon News with Paul Wilcox Reporting

From WEWS's YouTube Page..Polka Varieties clips..

Dailymotion.com..

The classic "Certain Ethnic Varieties" skit from WJW-TV 8's Hoolihan and Big Chuck. It was said that Paul had a great sense of humor about this skit and enjoyed it whenever it was aired..

Our prayers go out to the Wilcox Family at this time..

New Widget..Also November 1961

2010-06-22T14:46:00.003-04:00

Not having anything directly to do with the rest of the post..This was an article in the April 16, 1953 edition of the Massillon Evening Independent..WMAC-23 was to have been built in the Whipple Heights section of Canton..(12th St. NW, near Perry Drive)..Accoring to a later Independent article of May 5, 1960, The permit for channel 23 had been cancelled..WAKR switched from 49 to 23 December 1, 1967..

Ad for "45 Hop", which was hosted by longtime Youngstown DJ Boots Bell.. aired weeknights 6:30-8PM on WXTV-It was very rare for WXTV to spend the money for a TV Guide ad..By this time, the station was only on 6-Midnight, and both Movies in the listings had already been shown earlier in the week..The station would leave the air by March 1962..

Wanted:Dead or ALive Thursdays at 7 on WKST-33

Tom Haley, just off of the long running "Cash On The Line" Movie Show, hosts this local game show weekdays at 10AM on Channel 3..

Hello..
Just want to announce officially first of all a new Widget..Courtesy Cox Enterprises..The Palm Beach Post/Miami News archives..I'm always looking for ways to have low-cost/free Newspaper Archives from the past..Thanks to Facebook Friend Jason Beard for making me aware of this..Also, lets take a look at November 9, 1961..

Today 7AM 3-21 John Chancellor, Frank Blair, Robbin Bain as the "Today Girl"
Ernie's Place-9AM 8-The Case against Mrs. Ames-1936
Give N Take-10AM 3-Hosted by Tom Haley
Love That Bob!-11:30AM 5-33-49 Ann Jeffreys (Topper) and Herbert Rudley (Mothers-In-Law) guest star..
Early Show-5:05 PM 3 Invaders from Mars-1951

Thursday, November 9 1961-TV Guide Cleveland Edition

3 KYW-NBC

5:50 News
5:55 Farm Fare
6AM English For Americans
6:30 Continental Classroom-Color
7AM Today
9AM Funsville-Josie Carey
9:25 Kukla/Ollie
9:30 Truth Or Consequences-Barker (Tape Delay)
10AM Give-N-Take-Haley
10:30 Play Your Hunch-Merv Griffin-Color
11AM Price Is Right-Cullen-Color
11:30 Concentration-Dow10AM Give-N-Take-Haley
Noon Local News-Bud Dancy, Dick Goddard, Jim Graner
12:30 It Could Be You-Bill Leyden-Color
12:55 NBC News-Ray Scherer
1PM Movie (Fall Film Festival)-The Men-1950
2:30 Loretta Young
3PM Young Dr. Malone
3:30 From These Roots
4PM Make Room For Daddy
4:30 Barnaby/Popeye
5:05 Movie (Early Show) Invaders From Mars-1951
6:30 News-Bill Jorgenson
6:40 Weather-Dick Goddard
6:45 NBC News-Huntley/Brinkley
7PM Yogi Bear
7:30 Outlaws
8:30 Dr. Kildare
9:30 Hazel
10PM Sing Along With Mitch-Color
11PM News, Weather-Jorgenson, Goddard
11:15 PM East/PM West Mike Wallace, Terrence O'Flaherty
12:45 Movie-The Road To Glory-1936

5 WEWS-ABC

8:55 News
9AM Western Reserve Telecourse-French
9:30 Romper Room
10AM Paige Palmer
11AM Texan
11:30 Love That Bob!
Noon News
12:10 Noon Show-Capt. Penny
1PM One O Clock Club-Dorothy Fuldheim, Bill Gordon
2:30 Seven Keys-Jack Narz
3PM Queen For A Day-Jack Bailey
3:30 Who Do You Trust-Johnny Carson
4PM American Bandstand-Dick Clark
4:50 American Newsstand-Roger Sharp
5PM Captain's Clubhouse-Capt. Penny
6:30 Dorothy Fuldheim
6:45 News-Tom Field
6:55 Weather-Carolyn Johnson
7PM Victory At Sea
7:30 Ozzie and Harriet
8PM Donna Reed
8:30 Real McCoys
9PM My Three Sons
9:30 Margie-Cynthia Pepper
10PM Suspicion
11PM News-Tom Field, Joel Daly
11:15 Jack Paar-Color
1AM News

8 WJW-CBS

6:50 Meditation
6:55 News
7AM College Of The Air
7:30 Rex Humbard
7:45 Clutch Cargo
8AM Captain Kangaroo
9AM Movie (Ernie's Place-Ernie Anderson)-The Case Against Mrs, Ames-1936
11AM Video Village-Monty Hall
11:30 Your Surprise Package-George Fenneman
11:55 CBS News-Harry Reasoner
Noon Love Of Life
12:30 Search For Tomorrow
12:45 Guiding Light
1PM David Niven Theater
1:30 As The World Turns
2PM You Asked For It-Jack Smith
2:30 House Party
3PM Millionaire
3:30 Verdict Is Yours
4PM Brighter Day
4:15 Secret Storm
4:30 Edge Of Night
5PM Movie (Big Show) Boy Troubles-1939
6:25 Sea Hunt
6:55 Weather-Howard Hoffman
7PM City Camera News-Doug Adair
7:10 Sports-John Fitzgerald
7:15 CBS News-Douglas Edwards
7:30 Frontier Circus
8:30 (New) Bob Cummings Show
9PM The Investigators
10PM CBS Reports
11PM News-Warren Guthrie (Sohio Reporter)
11:10 City Report-Adair
11:20 Movie-Skylark-1941
1AM Soldiers of Fortune

21 WFMJ-NBC Youngstown

6AM Continental Classroom-Color(2 episodes)
7AM Today
9AM It's A Great Life
9:30 Yancy Derringer
9:55 News
10AM Say When-Art James
10:30 Play Your Hunch-Merv Griffin-Color
11AM Price Is Right-Cullen-Color
11:30 Concentration-Dow10AM Give-N-Take-Haley
Noon Truth Or Consequences-Barker
12:30 It Could Be You-Bill Leyden-Color
12:55 NBC News-Ray Scherer
1PM News
1:15 Kitchen Corner-Marjorie Mariner
2PM Jan Murray-Color
2:30 Loretta Young
3PM Young Dr. Malone
3:30 From These Roots
4PM Make Room For Daddy
4:30 Here's Hollywood-Helen O'Connell
5PM Kukla/Ollie
5:05 Capt. Sailiorbird/Susie Sidesaddle
5:30 Bozo The Clown-Russell
6:30 News/Sports
6:45 NBC News-Huntley, Brinkley
7PM King Of Diamonds
7:30 Outlaws
8:30 Dr. Kildare
9:30 Hazel
10PM Sing Along With Mitch-Color
11PM News
11:20 Jack Paar-Color

27 WKBN-CBS Youngstown

7:25 College Of The Air
7:55 News
8AM Captain Kangaroo
9AM Romper Room
10AM Calendar
10:30 I Love Lucy
11AM Video Village-Monty Hall
11:30 Your Surprise Package-George Fenneman
11:55 CBS News-Harry Reasoner
Noon Love Of Life
12:30 News-Dick Minton
12:35 Movie (Playhouse 27) See Here, Private Hargrove-1944
2PM Password-Allen Ludden-Players:Abe Burrows, Vivian Vance
2:30 House Party
3PM Millionaire
3:30 Verdict Is Yours
4PM Club 27
4:15 Secret Storm
4:30 Life Of Riley
5PM Three Stooges/Stanley
6PM Huckleberry Hound
6:30 News,Sports
6:45 CBS News-Edwards
7PM Roving Camera-Stu Wilson
7:30 Frontier Circus
8:30 (New) Bob Cummings Show
9PM The Investigators
10PM CBS Reports
11PM News-Warren Guthrie (Sohio Reporter)
11:10 News/Sports
11:20 Movie-When Your Smiling-1950

33 WKST-ABC Youngstown

9AM Kartoon Showtime
10AM Susie-Ann Sothern
10:30 Burns and Allen
11AM Texan
11:30 Love That Bob!
Noon Camouflage
12:30 Make A Face
1PM Day In Court
1:25 ABC News-Alex Drier
1:30 December Bride
2PM Number Please
2:30 Seven Keys
3PM Queen For A Day-Jack Bailey
3:30 Who Do You Trust-Johnny Carson
4PM American Bandstand-Dick Clark
4:50 American Newsstand-Roger Sharp
5PM Barney Bean
6PM ABC News
6:15 News/Weather
6:30 Jeff's Collie
7PM Wanted:Dead Or Alive
7:30 Ozzie And Harriet
8PM Donna Reed
8:30 M Squad
9PM My Three Sons
9:30 Whiplash
10PM Untouchables
11PM News
11:25 Movie-So Goes My Love-1946

45 WXTV-Ind Youngstown

6PM What's In The World
6:15 Club Calendar
6:20 Baby Showcase
6:25 Weather
6:30 45 Hop-Boots Bell
8PM Movie-Quiet Man-1952
10:10 Weather
10:15 Movie-Attack!-1956

49 WAKR-ABC Akron

11AM Texan
11:30 Love That Bob!
Noon Camouflage
12:30 Make A Face
1PM Day In Court
1:25 ABC News-Alex Drier
1:30 Cartoon Time
2PM Number Please
2:30 Seven Keys
3PM Queen For A Day-Jack Bailey
3:30 Who Do You Trust-Johnny Carson
4PM American Bandstand-Dick Clark
4:50 American Newsstand-Roger Sharp
5PM Movie-Air Raid Wardens 1943
6:30 Akron Art Institute
6:45 ABC News
7PM News-Jack Fitzgibbons
7:15 Weather
7:20 Capt. Ernie's Hobby Club
7:30 Mackenzie's Raiders
8PM Hop-Rick Shaw
9PM My Three Sons
9:30 Captain Grief
10PM Untouchables
11PM News/Sports
11:15 Movie-After Office Hours 1935

Also, Ive decided to change up the background..make it a bit brighter..

Turn Blue-On Facebook

2010-06-03T13:56:00.003-04:00

Classic Sign on Cleveland Area Transit Buses back in the day..

Hello:

Havent been on a lot I know, just needed a break I guess from posting..I do want to announce for those who dont regularly visit the Facebook Page, I just put up the Western Reserve PBS Special from Last Fall, "Turn Blue, The Short Life Of Ghoulardi" on our CCM Facebook Page..The special is in 7 parts..The first 6 being 6-8 minutes and the last part being about 15 minutes, including Closing Credits and PBS promos at the end..While the special has been included as a pledge gift, There are no announced plans to make it available for purchase, when/if it is, I will announce it..I do know that I have had a number of requests from around the US from people wanting to see this..I have to believe there would be a market for it.Here is the Link:

http://www.facebook.com/pages/Cleveland-Classic-Media/245324499326?ref=ts

I'll try to put up a completely new post soon..Meantime, Enjoy!

Celebration at WHBC-April 22, 2010

2010-05-05T13:38:00.002-04:00

WHBC special 85th Anniversary logo..This and the below image come from an 85th Anniversary WHBC brochure..Special thanks to Larry Gawthrop, WHBC GM for allowing us to use these images..

WHBC Logo from about 1967-Used mostly in print ads..

Pictures showing in the WHBC Lobby-On the left is Jim Roberts. He was with WHBC from the 1950's into the 1980's..Hosted the nightly call-in program "Viewpoint" and also played the WHBC "Santa Claus" during the holidays..

On the right is Jim Burnett, who was a newsman, later became News Director. He was with WHBC from the early 60's into the 80's.

Tom Morrison, staff announcer who conceived the idea for "Viewpoint" which was aired mostly 11:30-1AM Monday-Friday from the early-mid 1960's into the 1990's..He also was announcer for "Reed Musicale" sponsored by Reed Funeral Home for many years..

Ron Ponder, Current 10AM-Noon host, visiting with longtime listeners..

WHBC General Manager Larry Gawthrop, presenting the "Time Capsule" to be buried on the lawn at 550 Market Ave. S. Among the onlookers is Program Director/morning co-host Pam Cook

The headstone of the Time Capsule-From the station lobby before the burial-Most of these pictures come from a cell phone-apologize for the quality..

1480 WHBC-AM
Time Capsule
Celebrating 85 Years of Broadcasting April 22, 2010
To Be Rediscovered
April 22, 2095

Just wanted to share some thoughts from Newstalk 1480 WHBC's 85th anniversary on April 22, 2010..The day began with a Nice breakfast at Athens Restaurant on 9th and Harrison, SW, just a few blocks from home for me. Fred Chenevy and Pam Cook were doing the Morning Show from Athens from 5:30-10AM. I was there from about 7:15-8:45..Was a very nice time..On air guests (by phone) included Tom Morrison, who was at WHBC from 1961-I think till the early 70's. He had the idea for "Viewpoint" the long running telephone talk show that aired from 1967-Into at least the 1990's..He also did newscasts..He has been the "Voice" of the "Reed Musicale" sponsored by Reed Funeral Home Sunday Mornings on WHBC for many years..

Also there by phone was Doug Lane, on WHBC from 1988-98. He was morning show host with Ms. Cook for most, if not all of that run...Other phone-In guests were regular contrubutors Joe Tait, Cleveland Cavaliers Radio Voice who remembered Former sports director Jim Johnson, and Indians PR man Bob Dibiasio..All in all, a fun, relaxing time..During breaks, people were coming up and sharing WHBC memories..

One more special phone-in guest was Retired TV 5 anchorman Ted Henry, who shared his own memories as a boy growing up in Canton listening to WHBC..Henry began his broadcast career at WCNS-900 in the early 1960's..

After a short time back home, I went down to The WHBC studios, where Ron Ponder was broadcasting live outside on the lawn from 10-1 (extended time)..Live guests included Canton Mayor William J. Healy, as well as the Stark County Commissioners..Ponder also talked by phone to Jon (No h) Wilson, a mainstay at HBC in the 70's and 80's..He now works for ABC Radio/Citadel in Texas..Outside the broadcast, It was nice to just mill around and see people greet each other and share stories of the old days..Among the guests were Skip Hornayk..On WHBC from the 60's to the 80's. You could tell he was well loved and respected..Also there was Dick Waco...While he was at WHBC in the late 60's, he has been in radio since 1943 and still does a Big Band Show Saturdays on WCER-900..I enjoyed getting to meet and talk to him a bit..Also got to meet Facebook Friend Geoff Mears, who was on the job that morning doing News Updates..he has the same passion for Broadcast History as I do..It was great getting to meet him in person..

After the Broadcast, which also included a wonderful Lunch provided by several sponsors, WHBC General Manager Larry Gawthrop and station staffers participated in the burial of a Time Capsule on the side lawn. I was honored to move a few shovelfuls of dirt, though I wasnt really part of the station at all..

I didnt leave the station till 2:30 that day..It was great to be involved in the celebration of an 85 year Canton tradition, which a lot of cities can't say they have..And, despite changes in broadcasting over the years, WHBC-1480 can still say they are a "full service" station..I thank The Management of WHBC for allowing me to be a part of such a special day..

Edit:
Here are more photos of the day from the WHBC website-Also, you can listen to the Morning Show, Ron Ponder and Sam Borquin from that day..

http://www.whbc.com/pages/6894694.php?contentType=37&contentId=82292&isPreview=1&noCache=1

WHBC Celebrates 85 years:Yet another new Facebook Page

2010-04-15T12:39:00.003-04:00

WHBC Radio 1947-48 logo

Radio "DX" (distant listening)QSL confirmation card from Mike Brooker in Ontario..Judging from the time frame in 1976, he might well have been listening to the late Jim Roberts on "Viewpoint"

The WHBC Building..Completed in 1939, may well be one of the oldest buildings for a radio station still in use in the USA..550 Market Ave. S. Thanks to Scott Fybush for the picture

A couple of notes:

WHBC, The oldest Radio Station in Canton/Stark County has turned 85 years young, as of March 9..The station will be celebrating its history and heritage with a number of activities next Thursday, April 22, as announced in the following press release, courtesy Program Director Pam Cook and General Manager Larry Gawthrop, sent through Dale Lamm, Chief Engineer

WHBC CELEBRATES 85 YEARS SERVING THE STARK COUNTY COMMUNITY!
　
　
　
(Canton, OH) "For the past 85 years, 1480 WHBC has served the Stark County Community. On Thursday, April 22nd, 2010, WHBC will celebrate, with its listeners, the long-time tradition and service it has provided.
WHBC is proud to be a part of the Stark County Community. The day will be marked by Live Broadcasts of the Morning Show with Fred and Pam, The Ron Ponder Show and The Sam Bourquin Show.
During the Ron Ponder Show from 10am to Noon, employees of WHBC will bury a time capsule in the yard of the radio station at 550 Market Avenue, South.
All day long listeners will hear from former on-air personalities, newsmakers, and community members who will talk about their experience with WHBC and its legacy in the community. Audio clips of days gone by will pepper the airwaves. A special area of the radio station’s website http://whbc.com/ will be set aside with pictures and information about the radio station’s history.
"We take a lot of pride in providing a service to our community. It’s an honor to have served this area for 85 years and we plan to continue that tradition for many more to come" said Program Director Pam Cook.
Fred and Pam will also be celebrating 10 years as partners on the 1480 WHBC Morning Show, a feat that doesn’t happen very often in today’s age of radio.
It will be a day to share memories and take a walk down memory lane."

I plan on being there for the festivities, and will have a report afterwards..Personal note:I had wondered why Pam and Fred didnt appear to say anything on March 9th about the anniversary..As Ive said often about TV..heritage stations seem to care less and less about their history. Glad to see what HBC is doing here, and look forward to being a small part of it, as I've listened to the station probably over 40 years myself..

Also announcing another Facebook Page:This time for KYW Cleveland Memories-I've been thinking recently about the KYW Cleveland Years under Westinghouse ownership..How lively and unique the station was in its time..While the circumstances behind the swap with NBC didnt exactly make Westinghouse happy, I give them credit for creating unique local programming and giving Cleveland something kind of special as far as radio (1100, 105.7) and television (Ch. 3).. While also maintaining something of a independence from NBC..Lots of preemptions.. The idea here is to preserve the memories somewhat as in my other blogs and pages..I am heartened by the response already to the FB group..Over 60 members in about a day..Thanks very much..

http://www.facebook.com/home.php#!/group.php?v=info&ref=ts&gid=114987338527737

Captain Penny Part 3-"Maestro Millbrook" with Bob and Ray

2010-04-01T10:19:00.003-04:00

More of the WEWS 1963 audio-

First, Captain Penny Noon Show Part 3-May 24, 1963 (19:48)

Included:
Live Bactine Commercial
Conclusion of "Funny Manns" (Military Mann)
Live Keds Commercial
Pooch Parade (Pat Schiller)
Mr. Magoo-Safety Magoo
Live Hawaiian Punch Commercial-Fairly new product then
Closing
Ad-Union Commerce Bank (slide of current Huntington Bank Building-Former UCB Building-Bought by Huntington in 1982)

Next:Bob and Ray for Millbrook Bread-Just before Paige Palmer 5-24-63

I have enjoyed Bob and Ray's Humor for years-It was a nice treat for this to be included..

Recreation of Quick Draw McGraw Commercial spot

2010-03-29T15:28:00.002-04:00

This has been on YouTube for a few days..I combined a Quick Draw Mc Graw Photo slide with the vintage 1960's WEWS Station ID to create a promo-station ID, voiced by the late Ron Penfound-This would be just before 12 Noon Friday,May 24, 1963..The Quick Draw slide would probably have been in Black and White, as Channel 5 didnt have many programs in color till 1965..

More of Captain Penny-1963

2010-03-29T14:08:00.001-04:00

Here is the next 20 minutes of the Captain Penny Noon Show from May 24, 1963-Included in this segment:

Sealtest Commercial with "Mr. Cool"
Cartoon-Twinkles and The Rubber Raft-King And Odie
Ad-Frosty O's Cereal
Cartoon-The Hunter-King and Odie
Ad-Big G Goodness Pack
Comedy segment with Professor Yule Flunk (Jim Breslin)
Part of "Funny Manns" short with Cliff Norton

Tried to find slides appropriate to the content-About as close as you'll come to the "real" content without finding the actual video..Thanks to friend Dan O' Shannon for the audio clips..

More WEWS 1963-Captain Penny Noon Show

2010-03-26T11:38:00.004-04:00

Here is more audio from WEWS-May 24, 1963-Captain Penny Noon Show..The first 10 minutes or so of audio-Including The King and Odie Cartoon and a live commercial for Sealtest Ice Cream Products..Courtesy Dan O' Shannon

Cleveland Classic Media

Just when did Jack Benny first appear on the radio?

Year In Review-2011

Cleveland Broadcasting-New Years Eve 1949

Christmas 2011..

WEWS Video Vault-Holidays

December 1964:Plus Ozzie And Harriet "Busy Christmas"

Cleveland TV..December 1956

1951 "CBS Color" TV Experiment In Cleveland

Early FM Failure in Cleveland..

Hoolihan The Weatherman Premiere at WJW-TV 8 (1965)

George Condon, First Plain Dealer TV Columnist..dies at 94..

KYW-Westinghouse 3-day Strike-February 9-11, 1959

Thanksgiving 1968-November 28

Two popular personalities leave Channel 5-October 4, 1956

Joe Tait:It's been a Real Ball

Coming up in the next few weeks..

Ozzie and Harriet on DVD-The Complete Series a possibility..

Announcing:New Messageboard

Lawson Deming-50 years in Broadcasting

Big Chuck and Lil John-Back Where They Belong..

February 16, 1966:Johnny Cash Show in Canton:From WHOF 1060

All You Ever Wanted to know about early Hanna-Barbera Cartoons..By Yowp..

WOIO adds MeTV

And now, Heere's Cleveland!! A Tonight Show History..

Cleveland Television:August 21-27, 1954

"Six Inches Of Partly Cloudy"

Barnaby's first Success..

New Blog Info Source:Plain Dealer Archive

Jimmy Dudley-Seattle Pilots 1970

Some personal thoughts and updates..

Have a Good Life, Joe Tait!

Encore:Indians Broadcast History

Looking back:January 1958

"Dimension" Cleveland TV History Special-WVIZ--1988

More pictures-WEWS from 1967-Latest Video clips

Encore:The Bill Randle Show-WEWS-TV 5-Sunday, March 4, 1956.

WEWS-TV behind the scenes, 1966-67

Thanks to Jerry Immel...

KYW-TV Cleveland Eyewitness News-June 18, 1965

New Link:clevelandseniors.com Profiles

Ken Goodman Weather-KYW-TV 3-1962, 1964

Classic Media-2010 in Review

Merry Christmas To All:

1100 Cleveland....3WE....Smilin' Through..with Larry Morrow...

Encore:Christmas Eve 1959

Encore:Perry Como at The Hollywood Palace-1969

Encore:Hoppity Hooper Christmas Episode (Cartoon Fun)

Encore:Newscenter 8 December 24, 1977

Encore:Stark County Radio-Christmas 1948

Encore:"Christmas In Cleveland 1953

Father Knows Best:Home For Christmas..

Thanksgiving-1967

New Gadget:Shokus Internet Radio

Northeast Ohio Broadcast Archives

New On Facebook:WEWS 50th Anniversary

Encore Post-Hockey Night in Cleveland!

New Link:Northeast Ohio Airchecks

Does This Program go to Parma??-Ghoulardifest 2010

Andrea Carroll..Now Dr. Andrea Hill..

September 1954..Here She Is...

New Link:Tampa's "Big 13"

WXEL-9 Opening-November/December 1949

Neil Zurcher-Tales from The Road

Speculative Fun-Classic TV 8 channel

Paul Wilcox-1925-2010

New Widget..Also November 1961

Turn Blue-On Facebook

Celebration at WHBC-April 22, 2010

WHBC Celebrates 85 years:Yet another new Facebook Page

Captain Penny Part 3-"Maestro Millbrook" with Bob and Ray

Recreation of Quick Draw McGraw Commercial spot

More of Captain Penny-1963

More WEWS 1963-Captain Penny Noon Show