July 26 Radio History

Burns & Allen

➦In 1895...George Burns’ longtime partner & wife Gracie Allen was born in San Francisco. She performed in vaudeville, radio, TV, and on stage as comedienne with her husband. The Burns & Allen Show debuted on radio in 1932, and ended on TV with Gracie’s retirement 25 years later.

She died after a heart attack Aug 27, 1964 at age 69.

➦In 1903...orchestra leader Donald Voorhees was born in Allentown Pa.  He is best remembered as the musical director of NBC radio’s Bell Telephone Hour, which began an 18 y]ar run in 1940, and continued for another 10 years on television.  Voorhees conducted for the entire 28 years.

He died of pneumonia Jan 10 1989 at age 85.

Jean Shepherd

➦In 1921...unique storyteller/radio/TV broadcaster Jean Shepherd was born in Chicago.

His noteworthy broadcasting started in 1955 when he began weaving detailed stories and anecdotes as well as poetry readings into his overnight shifts on New York’s WOR 710 AM.  He continued in various time slots on WOR until 1977, working largely without a script.   ‘Shep’ is best remembered today as the author and narrator of the classic 1983 film A Christmas Story, which is now telecast many times each holiday season.  Comedian Jerry Seinfeld credits Shepherd’s broadcasts with helping to form his comic style and presentation.

He died Oct. 16 1999 at age 78.  In 2005 he was posthumously inducted into the National Radio Hall of Fame.

➦In 1947...the Abe Burrows Show premiered on CBS radio, as the comedy writer got his own 15 minute program.  A year later it grew to 30 minutes.

➦In 19??...WCBS 101.1 FM PD Jim Ryan was born.

Jim Ryan

Ryan joined CBS RADIO in April 2010 as Program Director of WWFS-FM and Vice President, Adult Contemporary Programming. He was named Program Director of WCBS-FM since early 2014. 2014.

From September 1996 to April 2008, Ryan worked for iHeartMedia’s WLTW 106.7 Lite-FM. During his time at the station, Ryan programmed and served as Director of Adult Contemporary Programming, went on to become Vice President of AC Programming and was later elevated to Senior Vice President of AC Programming.

Prior to working in New York, Ryan played an instrumental role in establishing WBEB 101.1 FM in Philadelphia as a market leader. He began his broadcasting career, and later went on to work in Denver, Pittsburgh, Miami and Detroit, before his first group programming job in 1981 overseeing stations in Michigan, Wisconsin and Florida.

Pete Fornatale

➦In 1964...WCBS moved to 524 W. 57th St.

➦In 1969...One of the pioneers in FM Rock, Pete Fornatale started at WNEW 102.7 FM.  Fornatale hosted a weekly program, "Campus Caravan," on Fordham University's WFUV from 1964 to 1970. He began professionally in 1969 at WNEW-FM and also worked at WXRK. He returned to WFUV in 2001 and was heard weekly on his shows, "Mixed Bag" and "Mixed Bag Radio," which is also on XM satellite radio. He won the Armstrong Excellence in Broadcasting Award in 1983.

Fornatale died at Beth Israel Medical Center in New York City at age 66 on April 26, 2012 after suffering a brain hemorrhage.

➦In 2017...the first lady of voice acting, June Foray, the voice of “The Rocky and  Bullwinkle Show’s” Rocky the Flying Squirrel and his nemesis Natasha in the early 1960s and a key figure in the animation industry, died at age 99.  Besides hundreds of cartoon roles she was also frequently part of Stan Freberg audio productions. She was still working well into her mid-90’s.