I don't recall Lee being news director at KABC: we has in the news department there, but I think only as a newscaster. I worked for him when he was news director at KCBQ and later at KHJ where he was news director and news guy during the Rick Dees show. I was always grateful that he took me along to KHJ when he got hired there: it was a real kick to work at KHJ: even though it was at the end of the Top 40 era I still got to work with Lee, Bobby Ocean, Mucho Morales and Banana Joe Montione. After that I did some on-air work at KRLA and KABC and without Lee I never would have had those opportunities. And, even before LA, he gave me the chance to work at the lengendary KCBQ, where I got to work with Perry Allen, Jerry G Bishop, Charlie and Harrigan, Dean Goss and others.
Lee was a dynamic personality who could spin big tales with that big voice.
I remember well the day he informed me that I was being let go because KHJ was doing a big round of budget cuts.
I was ripping copy from one of the teletypes at the start of my shift: I came into the studio, leaned on the adjacent teletype and intoned, rather loudly to be heard about the machines,
"Bob, the recession ax has fallen, and you've been cut."
I was ready to go back to San Diego by then so the big severance check was welcome and off I went. I saw Lee once more when I filled in at KABC, but I really never did make time to thank him for giving me the chance to be part of some radio legends.
Thanks Lee - it was Gr-r-reat!