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A Treat for DR DON ROSE fans - His 1956 audition

J

JAYDIO

Guest
But first, a question: Who replaced DDR in mornings on WFIL when he left for San Francisco in 1973?
Thanks.


For fans of Dr. Don Rose, here is a priceless addition to your collection: A 23 year old DDR with is audition tape, circa 1956! Thanks to former KDWB/St. Paul Minneapolis PD Deane Johnson for putting this on his site. Dean describes how he crossed paths with Don:

From this early audition tape it's easy to hear that Don Rose was a creative and talented individual at the age of 23. He demonstrates originality, maturity, and clarity of thought most 23 year olds have not yet acquired. Dr. Don somehow made his way to applying for a job at KWMT (Ft. Dodge, Iowa). He was hired by Burns Nugent as Program Director. Don implemented the Top 40 format on KWMT, which at the time was only 1KW, but covered a huge area with it's 540 kHz dial position and the rich Iowa soil. He put together a good sounding station, far better than its market size would dictate.

Don longed for bigger things and left to program KTUL in Tulsa. I was hired from KOOO as his replacement. Somehow, the KTUL thing didn't work out and Don came back as a member of the talent staff, until he moved to sister station WEBC in Duluth as Program Director.

By his own writings, Don had indicated he spent more time losing jobs in those early years than he did enjoying longevity. Then, Don struck gold at WQXI and WFIL for Paul Drew. He became a major and dominate success at these stations, and later moved to KFRC in San Francisco. At KFRC he was even more successful, and became one of the most famous and highly rated morning personalities in San Francisco history. During his KFRC days many felt he was the finest disc jockey in America. It would be hard to disagree with that opinion.

Listen and view photo here: http://www.deanejohnson.net/audio/dr_don_rose.shtml
Download here: http://www.savefile.com/files/1472281

Click here for a Rob Sherwood aircheck from KDWB in 1971, and photo. Be sure to note WHO is in the photo with him - a very hairy True Don Bleu, then KDWB afternoon guy, now at Star 101.3 in San Francisco: http://www.deanejohnson.net/audio/KDWB_Rob_Sherwood_Air_Check_9-30-71.shtml
 
Thanks for this! I was wasn't born until right after Rose left for San Fran, but I do remember him as the announcer for cartoons on WKBS Channel 48 (as he was for all the Field Communications stations at that time, if I'm not mistaken).

As for your question, Jim O'Brien, who had been on WFIL in middays, replaced Rose.
 
Ah, the good doctor...a fine gentleman by all accounts, and a true inspiration (God knows he had to overcome a lot to get to where he got). R.I.P...
 
Not historically correct!

Joe Niagara replaced DDR at WFIL for about six months - and he was damn good! Joe shared the story with me many times when we worked together at WPEN. Although I don't remember all the particulars, Joe was given the slot on a temporary basis but management promised it would be permanent. Niagara claimed he actually pulled higher ratings than DDR. That I can't validate. Jim O'brien was much more visible with his TV work so I think WFIL wanted to capitalize on that. Joe had some bitterness about it but he did much better anyway, considering WFIL at that point was beginning it's downward slide.
 
Forgot to mention - DDR came back after Niagara for a very short time - you may recall that - and Niagara was booted after being told that Rose was NOT coming back - but DDR stayed just a short time because he was also promised a lot by management - but they didn't deliver - and he went to KFRC. That's when O'brien took over. But no matter what, nobody could ever replace Doctor Don, one of the nicest people in radio.
 
WOW three posts in one night - more than I've posted in a year - but something just struck me - Don Cannon was somewhere in the WFIL picture after Don Rose. Do you guys remember if it was before or after O'Brien? I think it was after O'brien, but it's been so many years ago!!
 
I had a chance to meet with Jay Cook back in 78' and I asked him the question why FIL' diidn't keep Dr. Don. He stated to me we made a mistake by not retaining him by giving him a better offer. But it was better to let him go to a market with better climate, due to the complications of his health, knee and amputation. He wouldn't have to deal with the ice and snow. DDR did return after his long stay of 8 months in the hospital and finished out the rest of his contract before heading to San Fran.
After that , I believe FIL' was going after a more adult audience in the mornings and had plans to move in Jim O'Brien.
Jim O' Brien left FIL' in winter of 77' replaced by Don Cannon, due to wearing too many hats as News, Weather, Dialing for Dollars, local public affairs etc....you name it, he can do it. Especially weather.
 
Starbucks, as I mentioned before on R-I, I met Jimbo once on a field trip to 'FIL and met him when he was coming out of "DfD" ('FIL still shared the City Av. building with 'PVI at the time). Great guy, I thought. Hope he was the real deal. IIRC another hat Jim wore on City Av. was a Saturday night magazine show called, generically enough, "Prime Time". ;D What public affairs show(s) did Jim host?

Back to DDR... that picture on Deane Johnson's site shows him bespectacled. It's the first picture I've ever seen of the Doctor BION. I didn't know he wore glasses (no offense intended to anyone).

Where did DDR do his VO's for the Field stations from? SF, I assume.

RIP, Don and Jim.

ixnay
(who does remember hearing DDR on both Famous 56 and 'KBS)
 
IIRC another hat Jim wore on City Av. was a Saturday night magazine show called, generically enough, "Prime Time". What public affairs show(s) did Jim host?

It was Prime Time. I forgot the name of the show.....but I referred the locally produced evening show to public affairs.
 
I have a really neat air check of Niagara on WFIL during his substitution for Dr. Donald D. Joe sounds real good. Very listenable. Very Philly. When listening to Joe on WFIL then, and even now, it would be like listening to an old friend. He sounded very formidable at WFIL. He would have fit in better than others during WFIL’s decent into MOR. But ‘FIL was loosing their compass anyway, (remember the 60 second YOU and WFIL jingles?) And I really don’t think Joe would have fit into Country 56. And some of you hipsters and flipsters may remember, that after Jay Cook, Dean Tyler was the PD of WFIL before and during Country 56, before going to WPEN as PD and joining Joe. 
 
Charlie Mills: I had forgotten that Joe Niagara subbed for DDR during his illness, though I likely wouldn't have mentioned it anyway as it was temporary. I thought it was only for three months, but as I said before, I wasn't born yet, so what do I know? ;D

I am surprised that Joe would have wanted the job permanently, even if it was promised him by station management, as Joe spoke well of DDR on the radio and seemed to wish him back. Seems strange that a guy like Joe would wish him well on the air and then hope he would get Don's job. Correct me if I'm misinterpreting Joe's intentions.

There is an aircheck of Joe on WFIL on the Famous 56 Web site (www.famous56.com) and he sounds great!
 
phillyradiogeek -

Joe was very fond of Dr Don. Joe and Glenn Barton often talked about Don on Joe's show on WPEN, and it was all good and positive stuff. I don't think a bad word could ever be spoken about Don. Joe was thrilled about working at WFIL. He loved it. As I mentioned in a prior post I don't recall the whole story. But what I do remember is Don was not expected to come back to WFIL. In fact, there was a point during his hospital stay when he was not expected to leave the hospital alive. He was very sick and had major complications with certain medical procedures that had taken place. I know promises were made to Joe by WFIL management which I can't mention here, out of respect to all involved. Don's return to WFIL was a major surprise, particularly Joe's. Interestingly, Don found the climate at WFIL not as warm as it had been before his illness. Nuff said about that. I think if Joe had any bitterness at all, it was toward WFIL's management and not Don. But at the end of the day, what may have been a bad situation for both Joe and Don at the time turned into very lucrative and financially rewarding situations - Joe's time at WPEN was legendary and of course the heritage Don left here in Philly and in San Francisco is the stuff only mere former radio management geeks like me can hope for LOL!!
 
Thanks for the clarification Charlie. I'm glad to hear how much they respected each other.

I've heard that one reason Don left for San Fran was that FIL management was not happy with Don for taking such a long recovery, which could explain the falling out with each other. I'm sure it also helped that KFRC gave DDR such a huge chunk of change. Glad to hear Jay Cook later admitted letting DDR go was a mistake.

Unfortunately, DDR airchecks from FIL are not nearly as plentiful as from KFRC. There are probably about five or so from FIL floating around and that's it.
 
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