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Houston: Do we have a problem?

F

FilioScotia

I just came across a website put up by a guy named Harry Martin, who claims HE was the original Irv Harrigan. He says he created the character in Dallas at KLIF, and brought it to Houston to be half of the original Hudson and Harrigan.

Here's a link to his website: http://www.happyhareonline.com/

I knew Paul Menard when he was in Houston doing Hudson and Harrigan with Mac Hudson, and he told me he created the character at KLIF in Dallas. He said it was Gordon McClendon who gave him the name "Irving" to go with the name "Harrigan."

I've never heard of Harry Martin, or the "Paul Miller" air name he says he used. Is "Harry Martin" Paul Menard's real name? Is he for real? Am I slipping into senility? Or all of the above?
 
And we thought we knew everything about the people in our business that worked across town or even at the same station.

Many of us have used several names in our careers for several reason.
 
Harry Martin's website is a little, uh, opaque. He's quoting stories from other DJs, among them Irv Harrigan, but doesn't identify Irv as Paul Menard. He's also got a story from the old KILT newsman Chuck Dunaway. I don't think Harry's claiming to have been Harrigan. Martin's pages aren't dated, so who knows when he wrote them except for a 2005-2007 copyright date.
 
Chuck Dunaway was not a newsman on KILT, one of his many successful stops Gordon McLendon's stations which, of course, includes the Mighty 11-90 KLIF in Dallas. Chuck was a DJ and a program director at other stations
 
rbrucecarter5 said:
Irving Harrigan was the air name of Dallas radio legend Ron Chapman:

http://www.klifhistory.com/pgthree.html

(scroll down about a third of the way)
Click to expand...

That's what I've been told as well. When Ron left KLIF, I was told he wanted to take the name with him, but McLendon said that Chapman could leave, but the name "Irving Harrigan" would remain at KLIF. So, Chapman decided to go with his real name when he went to WFAA Radio and TV, and then on to KVIL, where he became possibly the most popular radio personality in DFW history. I was puzzled when I read the Happy Hare article myself. ???
 
A thousand thanks to rbrucecarter5 for the link to KLIF's history website. It tells the true stories of some of the greatest jocks who ever lived, with lots of old photos, and it includes the complete history of the Hudson and Harrigan franchise. Man those really were the great old days of radio.

I was also amazed at how many of those guys made it to the recent Houston radio reunion.
 
Harry Martin and Carol are still around and living in San Diego. Harry is 81 years old.
Harry is originally from Galveston.

He recently wrote in JIM ROSE REMEMBERS RADIO
http://news.jimroseremembersradio.com/2008/08/28/jim-rose-remembers-radio-issue-549.aspx

HARRY MARTIN [Happy Hare] (San Diego, CA) Jim I read you every issue and enjoy reading about my roots. I am a born and bred Texan and always carry it in my heart and soul. My career soared, but I credit my first two years in radio at my home town of Galveston at KGBC with training that carried me far and wide. I did it all there, music shows, news sports, man on the street, in-studio hosting of terrific bands, including Hubert Sutter a blind clarinetist who sounded a great deal like Benny Goodman. The cowboy bands were top flight. So there was nothing that daunted me when I was confronted with it later in my career. I did netwok band remotes from Galveston that took me to KLAC in Hollywood from Galveston. But the big time radio was KGBC.. KLAC was a huge station in a major market but nothing compared to KGBC. Happy Hare
 
snoman said:
So, Chapman decided to go with his real name when he went to WFAA Radio and TV, and then on to KVIL, where he became possibly the most popular radio personality in DFW history.
Click to expand...


"Ron Chapman" is not his real name.
 
Re: Ron Chapman's real name

FilioScotia said:
can be found in that comprehensive history of KLIF on the website KLIFHISTORY dot com.
Click to expand...

I am not the admin of that site. If it were my site, I would leave real names off unless I verified with the individuals concerned - in advance - that it was OK to use their real name. Perhaps the admin of the site got the OK to use his name.
 
AndyWaldrop said:
snoman said:
So, Chapman decided to go with his real name when he went to WFAA Radio and TV, and then on to KVIL, where he became possibly the most popular radio personality in DFW history.
Click to expand...


"Ron Chapman" is not his real name.
Click to expand...

Sorry, my friend in DFW mis-informed me. I asked him if he was sure "Chapman" was his real name quite a few years ago, and he said yes. See what happens when you assume and don't do your own research. :mad: Thanks for correcting me.
 
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