Northeast Ohio Broadcast Archives

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:
Northeast Ohio Broadcast Archives
Report on the Archive from WVIZ-25

New On Facebook:WEWS 50th Anniversary

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!

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

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

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..

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...

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