R.I.P.: Giant Gene Rubin, Former Philly Radio Personality

Arnold Eugene 'Giant Gene' Rubin, 78, died Nov. 18 at his home in Northeast Philadelphia after a two-year bout with cancer.

Arnold Eugene Rubin

He was 78-years-of-age, according to The Philadlephia Inquirer.

Chances are good that Philadelphia area radio listeners in the 1960s and 1970s knew his voice. “Giant Gene” built a thriving DJ career at radio stations including WCAM, WIBG, and WCAU, and later became a fixture at rock concerts and dances he promoted and hosted.

He frequently danced on American Bandstand, where Dick Clark gave him the name “Rick Roman.”

Rubin went on to use that stage name at the beginning of his career, penning lyrics and producing songs for local rock-and-roll groups including the Tridels and the Good Guys. Music helped him meet his wife, Terryl, a vocalist for whom he wrote a few songs.

Rubin’s career as a radio personality started in 1966 in Chester at WEEZ, where he hosted a talk show. A year later, he switched to WIFI in Philadelphia and started playing music, with a heavy focus on oldies.

The format changed somewhat accidentally, according to a legend Mr. Rubin spread among his friends: After arriving at the studio one day, he realized he had forgotten his records at home. Out of options, he played vinyl that had been discarded by other DJs, and inadvertently introduced his station’s listeners to Jefferson Airplane, the Doors and Bob Dylan.

The overwhelmingly positive response inspired Mr. Rubin to create “Giant Gene’s Electric Scene,” a show that focused on progressive rock. At WCAM in Camden, he created “rap lines,” inviting teenagers to call in and discuss matters that were bothering them. The subject matter ran the gamut from bullying to depression and thoughts of suicide.

Later in his career, the Mr. Rubin emceed rock concerts at the former Electric Factory and other venues in the region, and found success in advertising, creating spots that ran on KYW Newsradio. He also became active in the Broadcast Pioneers of Philadelphia, a nonprofit that catalogs radio and television history and promotes people who work in the industry.