August 13 In Radio History

In 1919...Rex Humbard, pioneer radio and television evangelist, was born. His Radio and TV ministry was based out of Akron, Ohio and founded in 1958.

In 1966…The first of the "Beatles bonfires," where ex-Beatles fans could burn the band's records to protest John Lennon's "bigger than Jesus" comment, was organized by radio station KLUE in Longview, Texas.

The next morning, KLUE's broadcast tower was struck by lightning, damaging much of their equipment, throwing the station off the air and sending the news director to the hospital.


In 1993...Terry Steele "The Bear", long affiliated with CHUM-AM, Toronto, Canada, died from a fall in his bathtub.  He also worked at CKEY and CJEZ in Toronto. For CKEY aircheck: Click Here.

In 1959...Danny Bonaduce was born. Bonaduce began as a child actor on "The Partridge Family" an eventually became a very successful Radio/TV host. He's currently doing mornings on KZOK 102.5 FM in Seattle.


In 1986...KRE-AM in Berkeley CA changes call letters to KBLX (now KBFN)

Joe Bolton

In 1986...Joe Bolton - WOR TV, Giants baseball announcer, WPIX TV (Officer Joe) -died. He started his broadcast career in 1927 as a staff announcer for WOR in Newark, New Jersey. He was the announcer for DuMont Television Network's talent show Doorway to Fame in 1947, but he left DuMont for WPIX on May 15, 1948 to be a news announcer and weatherman.

On January 17, 1955, he appeared as "Officer Joe" and hosted The Clubhouse Gang, and showed the Little Rascals. WPIX lost the rights to The Little Rascals, and in September 1958, he switched to hosting The Three Stooges Funhouse. This program aired on weekdays at 5:30 pm. He showed Three Stooges shorts until May 7, 1970. At one time, he showed Dick Tracy cartoons as "Police Chief Joe".