Many might remember seeing Santa Claus' shows on local TV channels in years past; reading letters from children, etc. I wonder how many might recall hearing Santa on local radio stations?
I do so let me start by providing some details from my memory from this area. Interestingly, some of these took place even well after television had been with us.
In the early 1950's, WCPO Radio at 1230-AM had personality and D.J. Bill Dawes portraying Santa on a late-afternoon show. I recall once how he actaully read a letter from me, giving my name and that of my sister although he gave her middle-name incorrectly.
Moving ahead to 1959, WCPO had a top forty format, but that didn't prevent disc-jockey Miles Foland from being Santa Claus in an early-evening program. There is an incident from that I remember well. In the opening of the show, Santa was flying in through the weather and then apparently went inside. Miles must have been sitting at the board with a sound effects record of wind playing that he talked over. However, as Santa went "inside", he forgot to turn down the control for the record and the howling wind sound continued. Miles finally realized it and while turning it down, he said over the air, "Let Santa Claus turn down that microphone".
WPFB-FM in Middletown, Ohio used Stan "Rusty" Reed to play Santa in 1972 and he took telephone calls from children and talked to them with both sides of the conversation going over the air. One night, a teenager called in. After a few bits of conversation, it became apparent that the young man "didn't believe" and the call was terminated.
I do so let me start by providing some details from my memory from this area. Interestingly, some of these took place even well after television had been with us.
In the early 1950's, WCPO Radio at 1230-AM had personality and D.J. Bill Dawes portraying Santa on a late-afternoon show. I recall once how he actaully read a letter from me, giving my name and that of my sister although he gave her middle-name incorrectly.
Moving ahead to 1959, WCPO had a top forty format, but that didn't prevent disc-jockey Miles Foland from being Santa Claus in an early-evening program. There is an incident from that I remember well. In the opening of the show, Santa was flying in through the weather and then apparently went inside. Miles must have been sitting at the board with a sound effects record of wind playing that he talked over. However, as Santa went "inside", he forgot to turn down the control for the record and the howling wind sound continued. Miles finally realized it and while turning it down, he said over the air, "Let Santa Claus turn down that microphone".
WPFB-FM in Middletown, Ohio used Stan "Rusty" Reed to play Santa in 1972 and he took telephone calls from children and talked to them with both sides of the conversation going over the air. One night, a teenager called in. After a few bits of conversation, it became apparent that the young man "didn't believe" and the call was terminated.