All morning radio guys worth their salt are people collectors. I was especially fortunate in that some of the people I collected during my professional career turned out to be treasured friends, like Chuck Blore, Randy Michaels, Mike Stafford, Sam Hale, former CBS President Peter Lund, Mike Glickenhaus, Frank Sinatra, Lee Bartell, Al Heacock, Mel Hall, Page Jones, Specs Howard, Paul Weston, The don Sam Maceo, Tom and Nita Dawson. Regis Philbin.,and Roger Hedgecock. You will find them depicted  in the three years worth of material in this Radio Daily News series.…Then, there are more people I wish I had known, but those would fill up this page.

 

Edie Adams is one of them but not for reasons that you might think. When Bob Hope visited Specs Howard and me during a morning show on KYW in Cleveland, he was the Bob you might expect, charming, funny and  expansive on many topics I asked him about his USO tours during WW2, Korea and  Vietnam.  He described the excitement of entertaining the troops and their laughter at every gag he uttered, regardless of whether it was really funny. They hungered for a taste of home and he gave it to them in the form of Frances Langford,  Rhonda Fleming, Raquel Welch, and many others including….Edie Adams.

 

Before you question his judgment of Edie, she won a Tony for her rousing portrayal of Daisy Mae in the Broadway musical “L’il  Abner.” Many might recall her as  Muriel the sexy Cigar girl  A tribute to her character, when her husband Ernie Kovacs was killed in an untimely auto accident Frank Sinatra, Jack Lemmon, Milton Berle, Dean Martin and others jumped in, ready to send a half million dollars she unexpectedly owed the IRS after Kovac’s death. Edie turned them down, saying that was her and Ernie’s debt and that she would pay it by working it out. This, she did on her own, working successfully  in movies, night clubs and television.

 

Back to Bob Hope. His description of his adventures on the USO tours led me to blurt out that I would like to host a tour to Vietnam. Bob laughed and said, “Do you have a phone?”

 

I handed him our studio phone, and he soon had General Rosie O’Donnell the head of the tours on the line. “Hello, Rosie? This is Bob. Listen, I am here with Harry Martin, a popular morning radio guy in Cleveland I like him. Fix him up with the next tour, will you?”

 

That was it. Bob hung up and told me that I would host  Cleveland Browns All Pro Left Tackle Dick Shaffrath, Johnny Unitas, Forrest Gregg, Gary Collins, Nick Buonoconti, and the blonde classic beauty, Edie Adams on the Viet Nam tour.

 

“Edie Adams! What position does she play?”

“Any one she wants,” Bob said slyly.

 

The deal was: We would fly over the jungle in a chopper, drop down and put on a show which involved my telling a few gags, introduce the players for a sports Q and A with the troops, and bring on Edie for a few songs. Then up and away for another show.

 

What a set-up. I would get to spend time with Gary and Dick, already good friends, meet Unitas and Gregg, and Nick, and be with Edie, a woman whom I admired for her character. I am serious. The Kovac’s IRS debt deeply moved me. Don’t get me wrong Edie was a classic “10.” That was a bonus.

 

I mention her this week because we just lost her, a damned shame.

 

One more thing. The tour never came off. The Tet Offensive happened which cancelled all such frivolities.

 

All of the people above were chosen as friends because of their character. Even Sam Maceo. The don, who gave me a thousand 1948 dollars for expenses. when I left Galveston  for KLAC in Hollywood, a move he masterminded after watching me host his Balinese Room national big band remotes. He even arranged for me to meet Sinatra resulting in a long time relationship. Maceo did not ask me to do him any favors. He belongs on the list.

 

If you don’t buy a probable Mafia don and Edie Adams on my list, I can top those. I would  like to have known Nicola Tesla. Nicola Tesla?  Who? Am I kidding?  Hear….. or…. read  me out

 

The first remote controlled boat was demonstrated at Madison Square Garden in New York... in 1898. The inventor was young Nicola Tesla, who went on to invent the AC power system we all use today for everything from lights and refrigeration, to hair dryers and computers. He also invented the radio (not Marconi, as many mistakenly believe),

 

I am fascinated with another less heralded Tesla invention, the impeller-less pump, and something called the Tesla Magnifying Coil. Bear with me

 

The Tesla Magnifying Coil works on the principle of Resonance. One familiar example of resonance can be found in a playground swing. Pushing someone in a swing in time with the natural interval of the swing (its resonant frequency) will make the swing go higher and higher. This is because the energy of the person pushing the swing is additive when the pushes are at the resonant frequency.

 

In a Tesla Coil, electrical energy is continuously added to a resonant electrical circuit in a similar manner. This energy then builds up an electrical potential of thousands or even millions of volts. Finally this incredibly high voltage discharges, seeking out the nearest path to ground. The result is something as close to man-made lightning as exists. It is also very loud.

 

He used the latter at his Colorado Springs laboratory to create lighting bolts over 130 feet long.

Wait a flat minute. It creates Bolts? Bolts…..San Diego Chargers are nick named “The Bolts.” Is there something there?

 

I envision a touchdown celebration to top them all, not the small bore cannon that is wheeled out and issues a decent but not overwhelming blast when the” Bolts” score, but a truly jarring bolt of lightning that would rock that stadium. Frankly I believe the age old cannon has shot its wad.

 

The  San Diego Chargers is a football team that is in dire peril of  spiritual help. About the 160  foot bolt that the Tesla Coil issues forth::. Well, The idea  needs work

              

I invite the suggestions of the many techies whom I know inhabit this readership. Your challenge: We need a huge Bolt that would not imperil the fans, maybe a Tesla Coil that would create a 30 ft bolt. We need to harness this  primeval fire breathing monster.

 

 Of course, there is a danger that I have envisioned: a touchdown celebration that would result in a penalty for  excessive  celebration.

 

I leave you with what is, at most, a technical problem. Choreograph it and send me your suggestions. Let your imagination run wild.

 

                                             Happy Hareoween

 

Last week, out of nowhere erupted  my memory of the greatest Halloween promotion ever, Many of the you will remember “The Great Pumpkin.” shtick.

 

I asked Mel Hall to describe it. One of the all time great major market  PD’s,  here is his description of this fabulous promotion. He writes…….

 

I offer The Pumpkin as an example of the entertainment that was heard between the records on truly imaginative Top 40 stations.

             

There was a time when radio disc jockeys were entertainers. Several come to mind.  Don Bowman, Don MacKinnon, Chuck Blore, Gary Owens, Harry(Happy Hare)  Martin, Mike Reneiri.  There are others  but these will do.  During the halcyon days of Top 40 Radio, these guys did their  ‘entertaining’ between the records and became famous for it. 

 

Top 40 Radio ruled the broadcast band.  However all Top 40 Radio stations played the same Top 40 music.  My goodness, what’ll we do?  What would differentiate the ‘goodies’ from the ‘baddies’ and make one station more popular than the other? 

 

Entertainment.  The ‘on air’ things that plucked the strings inside the young one’s hearts that made them laugh,and giggle. You see, it was the young ones that gave a new Top 40 station it’s early listenership.  Such adoration provided the impetus that in short order gathered an audience that became gorgeously overwhelming.  Ah, the good old days. 

 

The aforementioned entertainers, and their likes, were the disc jockey and program director guys that thought up and created this fun stuff.  The contests, promos, features, even foolishness between the records that became the hallmark of that station’s personality.

 

I reference WJJD, Chicago, 1961.  Mike Reneiri was the morning man. He had a delightfully idiotic sense of humor including a wonderful sense of production.   Mike’s morning show was a potpourri of the damndest voices, sayings, quips, comments, noises and ‘stuff’’ Chicago had ever heard.  It was just plain fun to listen to.

 

One morning in early September ’61, Mike was having fun talking to himself in different voices, carrying on a provocative conversation, when he suddenly blurted out, “My name is The Great Pumpkin, what do you want Sonny Boy.”  He sounded a bit like Jose Jimenez, the character comedian Bill Dana created, only much louder and dumber.

 

The PD, listening in the car on the way to work, laughed his ass off. Just the ‘sound’ of it was really funny.  At the station, Mike’s engineer and some of the sales guys thought it was wildly stupid and, very, very funny.  It struck the PD that the phrase and voice could become sort of a signature, a station feature, something that could be heard throughout the day.   The question was, “How in the hell do we use it?

 

It was decided that the Great Pumpkin would become a satirical feature on WJJD, to give advice to the lovelorn.  An early Dr. Phil, if you will.  Promos were produced that asked listeners to write in with their questions or problems and hear personalized advice from The Great Pumpkin.  Letters and postcards flooded the station immediately. 

 

Soon, The Great Pumpkin was heard on all of the disc jockey’s shows and it certainly touched Chicago’s funny bone.  The feature was highly produced with a spooky music intro and sound effects. The announcer would proclaim, “From the world of the ninth dimension, comes the voice of… The Great Pumpkin !!!” Then, Mike, in his Great Pumpkin voice would say (Damn near yell), in big echo, the signature phrase.  “My name is The Great Pumpkin !!  What-a-ya want, Sonny Boy?”

 

Anncr:  “A lady in Skokie writes, etc.”  Then, “The Pump” offers really stupid advice and the announcer would close it out followed by the number one, two or number three record within The Top 40.

          

 Soon, kids were running around school mimicking The Great  Pumpkin’s voice.  Advertisers wanted to use The Pumpkin’s voice  for their commercials.  No less than three record companies rushed into production on songs about The Great Pumpkin and featuring a  similar voice.  One production actually had Mike’s voice. The three records and other Pumpkin voice tracks remain today in   fairly decent shape on quarter inch tape.  It was a sensational

promotional tool for WJJD.  Chicago loved it. The competitor giant WLS did not.

 

 I offer The Pumpkin as an example of the entertainment that was heard between the records on truly imaginative Top 40 stations.  Indeed, such programming and promotions did propel a station’s  popularity into significant ratings.  It’s a fact, folks.  Think 1958  through 1963.  KFWB, KDEO, WJJD, KQV, KCBQ are a few. 

 

  The great majority of the stations in the ‘60s simply didn’t have the  imagination, creative talent,    programming insight or administrative freedom to allow them to ‘pull off’ ’ such comedy and entertainment.

 

  Back in the ‘60s, the DJs, for the most part, would say “That was, I  am, This is,” between the   records.  Along with the time and  temperature.  Sort of like it is today on music stations.  Ho hum.

 

  The absence of talent is where today’s radio came from.  It’s like, when you don’t have enough talent to create a really fun sounding radio station, then dictate a mechanical format and call it wonderful.

         

 You know.  Read these liner notes, use these sweeps, this goes there and that comes right after.  Nary a giggle, never a smile, just mechanics.

          

Okay, I’m out of here before I start naming names.

 

Mel Hall contributed mightily to creative radio He now owns and operates a successful Television Production Company, Cinira. Some weeks ago I told you I welcome  valuable contributions tp this series. This is one.

 

          

'The taxpayer: That's someone who works for the federal government but doesn't have to take the civil service examination.' -Ronald Reagan… thanks Chuck Dunaway

 

 

Thanks to my son Marl for describing the Tesla Coil coherently.