South and Central Jersey Radio of the 70's

[HarrytheK1]

Standards/AC hybrid.

Does the station use live and local jocks?

 

[qtpieislit]

Ask Kevin. I'm sure he is planning on upgrading and making changes.

 

[radioguynj]

Sorry... I wasn't here til the mid 80s. I was raised listening to WHOT-AM in Youngstown, OH. Boots Bell was the morning drive jock... and we were urged to "wake up with 'Boots' on..."

 

[radioguynj]

Sorry... I wasn't here til the mid 80s. I was raised listening to WHOT-AM in Youngstown, OH. Boots Bell was the morning drive jock... and we were urged to "wake up with 'Boots' on..."

Not to mention "Smokin' Bill" Cannon...

 

[tverb]

He's BAAACK. "Tom Valentine" here.
Though nobody has posted here for a while I'll see what happens.
First: Hello Harry the K! I was just telling the story of how we got wooped by Pinky Kravitz in a charity tennis event back in the 70's.
After thirty years as a Radio Broadcast Technician with the Voice of America in Washington DC I retired in 2007 and moved back to South Jersey. I'm in touch with Timmy Haskell, Walt Murphy, Sam Huston, Jim Quinn just to name a few folks from my days at WRIO, WMVB,and WOND. At VOA I worked with Ray Freeman who was at WOND about ten years before I was.
I'm dabbling in Voice-Over and Movie Extra work. Would love to here from radio old timers.

 

[JerryTheK]

Harry - Thank you for the kind words. It's great to read you guys all reminiscing about the old days back home in South Jersey. Unfortunately, due to consuming large amounts of cold refreshing adult beverages, I have very few clear recollections. There was something about a Time-Telling Pig, maybe her name was Peggy? I started @ WJIC in Salem in 1968, with Bob Cooper, Ira Mellman, later with Mike Crossan. I grew up on a farm in next door Pennsville. After H.S. & a year @ Glassboro State (Rowan U.) ,I moved to Atlantic City & did evenings @ WMID (5-9 p.m...Gary Lane, the PD was management & got to leave @ 5!). A year later I left & wound up doing mornings on a "Soul" station, WTLC-FM in Indianapolis (quoting them,"they needed a white guy"!). 8 months later, the Great Adventure began---
Kevin Fennesey called me to come up to WHLW/11-7. My 1st question was...what the hell is Joey Reynolds doing there?!?!?!? Needless to say everyone who has read this boards knows of the many talented entertainers who worked there, and received employee discounts at Seymour's liquor store & Burger Chef! Remember how we'd all race to the bank on payday. Usually the last few to arrive received no dinero~
Went to Pgh with Joey...set a world's record for continuous (no sleep/no naps) live broadcasting...102 hrs., 19 mins. and 9 secs...That's Monday afternoon thru late Friday night!!! try it sometime, and let me know how that goes for ya--- returned to 11-7 as PD...2 years was hired to do mornigs at 1220-WCDQ in New Haven, CT...2 years later > 13/WAVZ-New Haven>KC101-FM, New Haven..Chuck Brinkman brought me back to do mornings in Pgh @ WFFM-FM97...lasted less than a year. Was offered mornings @ WCCC-FM in hartford to replace some guy who had left for Detroit...think his name was Harold Sterns (?)...anyway exactly 1 year later signed to do mornings @ WDRC-FM in Hartford, and stayed there for almost 16 years until I "left"...and as one door closes, another one with Clear Channel on it opens..I was offered mornings @ News/Talk960WELI in New Haven. I was only the 5th morning show host in the stations entire history! I loved it! Was there for more than 9 years, when Rick Buckley's nephew, now the VP/GM of DRC-FM asked to consider returning to "the Big D Morning Show"...so a year and a half later...here I am...more than 40 yrs on-the-air; 32 in CT; 18 in Hartford---Not bad for a farm boy from Salem County, South Jersey. To those of you I worked with who I may have treated poorly at times...okay---let's cut the crap---to all of you who I mistreated all the time---my deepest & sincerest apologies. I hope you are happy & in good health...and if you're like me, blessed to still be working in the industry that we all love so much, despite how much it has changed since we first marveled at the talents of Joey & John Records Landecker on Wibbage! If you're still on-the-air...remember you're an entertainer---so shut up & get out there & entertain, already!

Would love to hear from you. Check out oour website @ www.drcfm.com; e-mail: [email protected]. ~Have a "Sparkling Day" ~

 

[Bob A]

Hi Uncle Tommy,

The last time I saw you, you were moving out of the house on Main Rd. and Ed Fennessy and Dan O'Toole were moving in. I still have an old reel to reel tape of your last show at WMVB. Harry the K followed by saying "scratch one Tom Valentine closing theme"(Linda and the Lollipops). I've been out of Vineland for 25 years, now in Toms River, and have no regrets! The next time you chat with Hizzoner, Mayor Quinn, tell him I send my regards. I spoke with him 4 or 5 years ago. Ah, the good old days of The Fun One -WMVB. Picture it-Millville-1974.... Chuck Kramer, Tom Valentine, Harry Kalish, Lovable Mike Harvey, Russell Gates, Bill Bang, Mike Bowe, Bobby Brooks(who?), Kenny "Flash" Dichter, Sue Fox, Joe Satta, Vic Davis, John L. Sullivan from The All Night Fight to Daylight fame, Bearded Lady from Ask Bearded Lady fame, Joe McAully from On the Line fame("Yes it's Gentellini Ford just a short drive through the fall decorated countryside,to Woodbine, New Jersey"), Joe Coccaro, Tony Bracall from Call Bracall fame, Harriet Leach, Dee Fasion, Joe Fitz, Rick Arsenaut, Jerry Caine, and Sportscope with Jim Quinn. "I shop there, you should too." Did I forget anybody from that time? Maybe you or Harry could help.

Take care.

 

[HarrytheK1]

"Tom Valentine" here.
First: Hello Harry the K! I was just telling the story of how we got wooped by Pinky Kravitz in a charity tennis event back in the 70's.
After thirty years as a Radio Broadcast Technician with the Voice of America in Washington DC I retired in 2007 and moved back to South Jersey.
I'm dabbling in Voice-Over and Movie Extra work.

Well, hello to you too Tom! My goodness, it's been a while, hasn't it? I'm figuring about 35 years! Wow! That is a hell of a long time. 35 years ago, I thought someone 35 years old was an old fart. Now, I think someone 35 years old is a young punk!

It's great hearing from you Tom. It's hard to believe you're retired. Considering the state of the economy, I didn't think anybody was even allowed to retire these days. Have you been doing voiceovers for any spots we might have heard here in the Philly area? Also, what movies have you been in? Now that you mention it, I think I remember hearing something about you possibly being nominated for an Oscar. Oh wait! I think I have you confused with Jack Nicholson...or maybe I'm thinking of Leonardo DiCaprio. I bet you get mistaken for those guys all the time

BTW, where in South Jersey do you live? Are you living anywhere near the old stomping grounds? I wonder if McDonalds is still the only restaurant in town, although back then it may have been Gino's.

Anyway, you have to remind me about that tennis match against Pinky Kravitz. I don't know why I don't remember that. Then again, I don't remember Pinky Kravitz either. For that matter, I don't remember what I had for breakfast. But do you remember when Chris Evert came to town for a tennis tournament? She held a press conference and everybody was asking her questions about tennis. Of course, being the smart aleck I was, my question was "What are you doing for dinner tonight?" Her response? "You'll never know." But, boy, did I show her. I never asked her out again. So, I ask you, who had the last laugh?

Keep in touch Tom.

 

[HarrytheK1]

Harry - Thank you for the kind words. I started @ WJIC in Salem in 1968, with Bob Cooper, Ira Mellman, later with Mike Crossan. I grew up on a farm in next door Pennsville. After H.S. & a year @ Glassboro State (Rowan U.) ,I moved to Atlantic City & did evenings @ WMID (5-9 p.m...Gary Lane, the PD was management & got to leave @ 5!). A year later I left & wound up doing mornings on a "Soul" station, WTLC-FM in Indianapolis (quoting them,"they needed a white guy"!). 8 months later, the Great Adventure began---
Kevin Fennesey called me to come up to WHLW/11-7. My 1st question was...what the hell is Joey Reynolds doing there?!?!?!? Needless to say everyone who has read this boards knows of the many talented entertainers who worked there, and received employee discounts at Seymour's liquor store.
Went to Pgh with Joey...set a world's record for continuous (no sleep/no naps) live broadcasting...102 hrs., 19 mins. and 9 secs...That's Monday afternoon thru late Friday night!!! returned to 11-7 as PD...2 years was hired to do mornigs at 1220-WCDQ in New Haven, CT...2 years later > 13/WAVZ-New Haven>KC101-FM, New Haven..Chuck Brinkman brought me back to do mornings in Pgh @ WFFM-FM97...lasted less than a year. Was offered mornings @ WCCC-FM in hartford to replace some guy who had left for Detroit...think his name was Harold Sterns (?)...anyway exactly 1 year later signed to do mornings @ WDRC-FM in Hartford, and stayed there for almost 16 years until I "left"...and as one door closes, another one with Clear Channel on it opens..I was offered mornings @ News/Talk960WELI in New Haven. I was only the 5th morning show host in the stations entire history! I loved it! Was there for more than 9 years, when Rick Buckley's nephew, now the VP/GM of DRC-FM asked to consider returning to "the Big D Morning Show"...so a year and a half later...here I am...more than 40 yrs on-the-air; 32 in CT; 18 in Hartford---

Jerry - It's great hearing from you and finding out what's you're up to. E-mail me privately and I'll fill you in on boards that are better places than this one to post your resume BTW, do you know if that liquor store is still giving discounts to former employees of Seymour? If so, considering this economy, it may be worth the ride down Route 9.

 

[Big Jay]

So Harry...why does World Famous write YOU back, but ignored MY email to him recently? Does HE not remember who went to the Sly & The Family Stone concert with him and we got stuck in a ditch near Raceway Park? Does Peggy The Talking Time-Telling Pig realize that I am NOW the KING of RECORD PIGS? These are questions that only Jerald Jeffery Krisafter, Jr. can answer. I'm easily reached at [email protected]
Thank you Harry for exposing the fraud that this so-called World Famous is. How DARE he not contact ME. I'm insensed. I'm peppermints too. I don't think it's really THE World Famous. I tried to get the sign from the Petersen's Sunset Cabin demolition sight, but they wouldn't let me take the sign that said "WORLD FAMOUS". Oafs. BE BIG, The ORIGINAL Jay the Jock.

 

[Big Jay]

Oops. I forgot, I don't do this board anymore. I just hit myself in the head. What was I thinking? BE BIG! Lenerd Stoopnagle

 

[tverb]

Hey Harry the K, and Bobby D!

Let me just ramble a bit. Yes, I'm living in Vineland, several miles from the little house on Main road. It was torn down and replaced with a house that looks almost exactly the same. Jim Quinn was the Mayor of Millville until election day this past Tuesday; he's still a City Commissioner. He owns WMVB-AM (sold the FM) and WSNJ-AM, which sounds frightening like it did it the '70's which sounded like the '50's. But, hey, it makes money. Quinn also has the Millville Comcast franchise.

Movies I've been in that have been released: "National Treasure:Book of Secrets" & M. Night Shaymalan's "The Happening". Plus, "The Nail", "Standing Ovation" and an unnamed Bollywood film not yet released. I was in a TV commercial for an Indiana casino. This past week I did background in an Erickson Retirement commercial. Done a couple of radio spots for the AC market thanks to Walt Murphy. Sometimes people mistake me for Al Pacino;
I tell them that he's my Sicilian cousin.

Presently taking a telephone seminar with Harlan Hogan "How to Start Your Voiceover Business".

Retirement: I got a buyout from my "gummint" job two years ago and sold my Pennsylvania Ave condo in DC just before real estate went in the dumper. Just lucky I guess.

There's quite an array of restaurants in Vineland and Millville now and of course Atlantic City is a hop and a skip away if you have big bucks to spend on dinner.

What are you guys up to? I hear Bobby still does some radio. How about you Harry?

 

[Bob A]

Uncle Tommy,

I'm completing year 28 in education. I taught English for 13 years and have been a guidance counselor for 15. I do work Sat. at the Breeze and Sun. at Thunder 98.5. But, the scary thing is that my son turned 17 in April and my daughter turned 20,YES 20, last week! YIKES!!!!! Since both of my parents have passed, I don't get to Vineland as much. I still have relatives there and try to see them at least during the holidays. If you speak to JFQ, ask him if he still has my phone number. I would definitely make the trip down to see you guys.

 

[HarrytheK1]

I still have an old reel to reel tape of your last show at WMVB. Harry the K followed by saying "scratch one Tom Valentine closing theme"(Linda and the Lollipops).

First of all, who are you, Bob A? I do remember a Bobby B, who, if memory serves me correctly, was, in reality, Bob D...or was it Bobby Dip? If you're the same guy, congratulations on finally working your way up to the beginning of the alphabet. As far as that old reel-to-reel tape you have, how old is it? I figure it goes back about 35 years. You should send it to the south Jersey radio hall of fame. There isn't a south Jersey radio hall of fame? In that case, you should clean out your basement.

Ah, the good old days of The Fun One -WMVB. Picture it-Millville-1974.... Chuck Kramer, Tom Valentine, Harry Kalish, Lovable Mike Harvey, Russell Gates, Bill Bang, Mike Bowe, Bobby Brooks(who?), Kenny "Flash" Dichter, Sue Fox, Joe Satta, Vic Davis, John L. Sullivan from The All Night Fight to Daylight fame, Bearded Lady from Ask Bearded Lady fame, Joe McAully from On the Line fame("Yes it's Gentellini Ford just a short drive through the fall decorated countryside,to Woodbine, New Jersey"), Joe Coccaro, Tony Bracall from Call Bracall fame, Harriet Leach, Dee Fasion, Joe Fitz, Rick Arsenaut, Jerry Caine, and Sportscope with Jim Quinn. "I shop there, you should too." Did I forget anybody from that time? Maybe you or Harry could help.

Your memory of everyone inovolved in those good old days is truly excellent. I'm surprised you didn't mention the cleaning lady. After all, she was a good friend to all the guys at the station...if you know what I mean. Other names that come to mind are George (Struckell) Anthony, Steve Gaddie (a remarkable character), and Tom (Cooney) Collins. One of the all time greats who also worked at the station was Glenn Brenner, who went on to fame in Philadelphia and then became a truly beloved TV sportscaster in Washington, before his untimely passing

 

[HarrytheK1]

So Harry...why does World Famous write YOU back, but ignored MY email to him recently?

I don't know. Were you e-mailing him about money he borrowed from you?

 

[HarrytheK1]

Jim Quinn was the Mayor of Millville until election day this past Tuesday

Gee! Now that he's out of office, maybe he'll follow in the path of another former elected official, Vice President Cheney, and just spend his time criticizing the new administration

WSNJ-AM...sounds frightening like it did it the '70's which sounded like the '50's.

Are the guys who work there now the same guys who worked there in the 70's? If so, there's at least one guy from the 70's...60's...50's...and, yes, the 40's, who doesn't work there any more...http://query.nytimes.com/gst/fullpage.html?res=9E07E2DA1431F930A25756C0A9619C8B63
WSNJ is, without a doubt, the only station in the history of south Jersey that's been written about in the NY Times. The Times even did an article about the FM when it signed off for good (or for bad, depending on your point of view).

Quinn also has the Millville Comcast franchise.

Really? I didn't know Comcast franchised to individuals. I thought corporate owned and operated all their franchises.

Movies I've been in that have been released: "National Treasure:Book of Secrets" & M. Night Shaymalan's "The Happening". Plus, "The Nail", "Standing Ovation"

I saw you in all those movies. You were great in all of them. But I wasn't sure if you were the guy walking down the street...or the guy drinking a glass of water while sitting at that table in the back of the restaurant...or were you the guy waiting for the bus? Whatever...you were great.

I hear Bobby still does some radio. How about you Harry?

The last radio I did was the weekend public affairs shows and the occasional fill-in on WPHT 1210 in Philly. That was about ten or so years ago. Since then, it seems that radio has gone steadily downhill. Hmmm! I wonder if there's a connection.



[/quote]

 

[Bob A]

Yep, Harry. I went from Bobby D to Bobby B, to Bob A. I guess the final average should be Bobby C. Anyway, I do remember the cleaning lady, but we need not go down that road.(The wife might read this) The tape is in pretty good condition considering that it is 35 years old! The basement, however, is a total disaster. remember the "Streaking" incident at BZ? I never knew Ray Stevens came to Vineland.

 

[HarrytheK1]

Yep, Harry. I went from Bobby D to Bobby B, to Bob A. I guess the final average should be Bobby C.

Give yourself a break. Make it Bobby C+

...remember the "Streaking" incident at BZ? I never knew Ray Stevens came to Vineland.

Actually, I hadn't thought of that incident in probably more than 30 years, but thanks for reminding me of it. Now that I think about it, it was probably one of the most fun things I ever did. But, in case the statute of limitations isn't up yet...then I have no idea what you're talking about...

Of course, if something like that actually had happened, I'm sure the details of that night (particularly what happened at WDVL) would be amazingly hilarious. I also wonder if a certain unnamed person who later became Mayor of a certain unnamed south Jersey city would actually have been elected to public office if his role in this dubious venture was revealed. Boy! It's a good thing it never actually happened.

 

[tverb]

Well,Harry, I see you still have your same wittiness. That's a compliment!
Bobby and Harry, there are PM's for both of you. "Let's do lunch" is what they boil down to and contain personal contact info.
Re: Quinn Perhaps I misstated. He owns Quinn Broadcasting Company that supplies local programming to Comcast Cable.

I don't remember any streaking incident, but then again it was the 70's and there are lots of things I don't remember. (proving I was there).

I didn't open the NYT link, but suffice it to say, yes many of the same folks are still on the air at SNJ. BTW, their programming now eminates from the Millville Cable TV studio due to a structural problem at the Bridgeton studio.

You may actually be seeing me in an Erickson Retirement commercial soon.

 

[acradiofan]

Thanks for the memories!