E-MAIL MEMORIES, PAGE 11
Tell us your fun memories about radio and
growing up in New Orleans in the 50's, 60's and 70's!
When I was a child of about 6 to 10 years old, my mother and one or two of her sisters would ride the "Rebel" train on the old GM&O RR down from Mississippi, for a day of shopping in New Orleans. After a trip in which I was required to stay close to the grownups while they shopped downtown in Maison Blanche, Godchaux's, etc., they saw how bored I was and began "depositing" me in the "Peanut Gallery" at the WWL studios in the old Roosevelt Hotel, now the Fairmont. I really grew to enjoy Henry Dupre, Johnny Dieball, Margie O'Dare, etc, (apologies for this spelling), and remember Al Hirt before he was "discovered" and Vince Alletto, who had just been hired from New York as staff announcer---what a voice! Anyway, that will stick with me and resulted in a life-long interest in live radio shows from that era.
Now for my request! I have a fairly good collection of radio programs (I understand that my Fibber McGee and Molly series is the biggest in the USA) and a number of radios from the 30's and 40's and a RCA 44B and 77DX ribbon microphones with stands. Now...I really want a vintage microphone "flag" from WWL, or at least CBS for either of these mics. Can you help me locate either a flag (in any condition) or someone who might steer me in the right direction?
By the way, I managed to acquire the original wrought iron gate from
Harry Batt's old deco building at the entrance to Ponchartrain Beach Amusement
Park just before it was carted off by the demolition contractor when the
Park was torn down.
BOB:
How ironic! When my mother got tired of my whining as she shopped on Canal
Street she deposited me at the WTIX studios at 624 Canal St. so I could
watch the DJ's. Look where that got me! And, you know, I really think that
Pontchartrain Beach still exists in its entirety today...just in little
pieces. From the top of the first Zephyr hill on display by Kenner City
Hall, to Harry Batt's gate at your place, it's all still out there somewhere...just
waiting to all be reassembled one day. If anyone can help Vic with his request
for a WWL microphone flag, please email me.
The show was "The Weather with Jean" sponsored by National American Bank. She was on WWL-TV but had been hired by an agency, and was not an employee of WWL-TV. Louis Roussel finally cancelled the show to sponsor late-night movies, but didn't stick with it. WWL-TV wanted to hire her for 4 weekend shows, but at a VERY low fee. She turned them down, but kept doing commercials (some for Bank of New Orleans) for a few years. We met in a singing group. Bill Miller had heard me singing on WWOM from "The Living Room" on N. Rampart Street and hired me to sing in his choir at First Methodist Church. He had me (as understudy) learn the songs Norman Treigle was doing with Summer Pops. Jean was in the chorus. We were both married at that time, but when I returned from New York in 1966, she was doing a singing commerial at WDSU and I was being interviewed by Larry Johnson about my adventures on the road with 3 singing groups and roles in Summer Stock. Jean and I were both divorced by then and started dating. We were married the next spring.
Jean is an accomplished pianist, sings very well and before having eye problems was a professional harpist. Jean sang in a backup group behind Frankie Laine at Summer Pops. We also had a group of singers (The Kindred Spirit) who got together for many Christmas seasons to go caroling in retirement homes and hospitals.
Turning to radio, what about WWOM, the Wonderful World of Music? That was the WBYU-FM of the early 60's, playing "easy listening" which had a tremendous listenership of everyone who was not into R & R. WWOM was my first radio job in New Orleans in 1961. It was owned by the "trade-out king," Dave Wagenvoord. The other announcers were Jim Brown, Bud Jarvis, Sam Zack and Sam DePino. Ken Karlton (from WTIX) was Program Director. Sales Manager Harry Ladas moved to WSHO and took me with him. Nick Kreeger was an announcer there. I went to WDSU-AM as all-night man. I left WDSU to go to New York (Louis Read didn't like the fact that I had a beard ON RADIO from midnight to dawn!!!!) and worked at WNPS a few months before being hired at WWL as newsman. I went back to WNPS as News Director, afternoon host and doing a program of classical music (taped) in the evening.
At WBYU-FM, I replaced Mike Jackson. Mal Pelham was P.D. Al Braud
took over as P.D. when Mal moved to sales. Sam Ford (Bradley Kimbrough)
was an announcer for a while, as was Rod Wagener. Jay Richards worked at
WBYU-FM and then sister station, WSHO. Jimmy Steelewas the sports man on
'sho.
I thought of some other names at WWIW (I was there when it was in the Superdome):
Ron McArthur and Bob Castle(Hasselman).
FYI, some of the on-air guys at WEZB-FM (back when the music and programming were "EZ" there) were Steve Bellas, Bob Middleton and Layton Martens (the room-mate of David Ferrie of JFK probe fame).
BOB:
Our thanks to Jean for all the sunny days she brought us, and thanks to
Charlie Matkin for the pictures of Jean
that you can see HERE.