Radio History: Nov 5

Dale Evans and Roy Rogers

➦In 1911...Roy Rogers was born Leonard Franklin Slye (Died of heart failure at age 86 - July 6, 1998). Known as the "King of the Cowboys", he appeared in over 100 films and numerous radio and television episodes of The Roy Rogers Show. In many of his films and television episodes, he appeared with his wife, Dale Evans; his golden palomino, Trigger; and his German shepherd, Bullet. His show was broadcast on radio for nine years and then on television from 1951 through 1957. His productions usually featured a sidekick, often Pat Brady, Andy Devine, George "Gabby" Hayes, or Smiley Burnette. In his later years, Rogers lent his name to the franchise chain of Roy Rogers Restaurants.

➦In 1946...This ad appeared in the NY Times...

➦In 1948...Jack Sterling started at WCBS 880 AM.

The "Jack Sterling Show," aired Monday to Friday from 1948 to 1966, was noted for its relaxed chatter, joking, storytelling, interviews, features on news and sports and tips on fishing sites.  For seven of those years Sterling hosted a TV Show in Philadelphia in a bid to launch a television career.

The show was one of the last radio programs to offer live music -- by a quintet occasionally joined by the host's drumming. Sterling succeeded Arthur Godfrey in the local show when that humorist joined the CBS network.

Sterling, a six-footer with a trim mustache and contagious laugh, described his style this way: "It isn't pleasant for most people to get up early in the morning, so we use the undersell, quiet approach."

Alec Cumming · Jack Sterling's Tenth Anniversary 11/6/58

At age 24, he turned to radio, working for stations in Peoria and Quincy, Ill.; St. Louis; Bridgeport, Conn., and Chicago. He worked for CBS and its affiliates for 25 years and retired in 1979.

Sterling died November 1, 1990 at his home in Stuart, Fla. He was 75 years old.

The Big Show with Tallulah Bankhead (far right)

➦In 1950...a 90-minute radio spectacular to battle the TV onslaught, 'The Big Show' was launched by NBC Radio. “The greatest stars of our time on one big program” was the introduction by hostess/actress Tallulah Bankhead.  It was a big show all right. The peacock saw red as losses exceeded a million dollars in the three years the program was on the air.

➦In 1988...The Beach Boys set two records with their #1 hit, "Kokomo." It  marked the group as having the longest gap between chart-toppers (21 years and ten months from 1966's "Good Vibrations") and the longest stretch of career #1s (dating back to their first, "I Get Around," 24 years and four months earlier).

➦In 1988...CBS flips KHTR St. Louis to oldies, continuing a year-long trend moving its FM stations from Top 40 to classic hits. By the winter book of 1989, the station improved to #2 in 12+.

➦In 2011…Longtime Pittsburgh radio personality Perry Marshall died at age 86. 

Born, Sheldon Roy Lewis, he worked as "Roy Silver" in Chicago before coming to Pittsburgh. In Chicago he began his career as a writer and editor of news at WBBM.

Perry Marshall

His first Pittsburgh radio job was at WPGH in 1951. From there, he became the morning deejay at WEDO in McKeesport using the name Roy Lewis.. He then became the first Top 40 Rock & Roll deejay in Pittsburgh at WEEP when it went top 40 in October, 1957.

He was given the name "Perry Marshall" when he went to work as a DJ at WEEP.  In 1961, it was back to Chicago and WIND. In March, 1963, Marshall reached 18% of the afternoon audience at WIND, while competing against WLS.

He returned to Pittsburgh and WTAE in the mid 1960's. He then became part of the talk format at WJAS in 1968. On November 6, 1972, Marshall joined KQV.

Perry remained at KQV until March, 1974 when he moved over to KDKA part time. That part time job led to long career at KDKA. Perry replaced Jack Wheeler in overnights at KQV and the rest is history. Perry retired from full time work at KDKA in May 1988.

(H/T:  to Jeff Roteman's KQV page)

Elke Sommer is 84

🎂HAPPY BIRTHDAYS:

• Actor Harris Yulin (“The Hurricane,” “Scarface”) is 87. 
• Actor Chris Robinson (“General Hospital”) is 86. 
• Actor Elke Sommer is 84. 
• Singer Art Garfunkel is 83. 
• Singer Peter Noone of Herman’s Hermits is 77. 
• TV personality Kris Jenner is 69. 
• Actor Nestor Serrano (“24″) is 69. 
• Comedian-actor Mo Gaffney is 66. 
• Actor Robert Patrick (“The X-Files”) is 66. 
• Singer Bryan Adams is 65. 
• Actor Tilda Swinton is 64. 
• Actor Michael Gaston (TV’s “Unforgettable,” “The Mentalist”) is 62. 
• Actor-singer Andrea McArdle is 61. 
• Actor Tatum O’Neal is 61. 
• Singer Angelo Moore of Fishbone is 59. 
• Actor Judy Reyes (“Scrubs”) is 57. 
• Actor Seth Gilliam (TV’s “Teen Wolf”) is 56. 
• Keyboardist Mark Hunter of James is 56. 
• Actor Sam Rockwell is 56. 
• Country singers Jennifer and Heather Kinley of The Kinleys are 54. 
• Guitarist-keyboardist Jonny Greenwood of Radiohead is 53. 
• Actor Corin Nemec (“Parker Lewis Can’t Lose”) is 53. 
• Singer-guitarist Ryan Adams is 50. 
• Actor Sebastian Arcelus (“Madam Secretary,” ″House of Cards,”) is 48. 
• Actor Luke Hemsworth (“Westworld”) is 44. 
• Actor Annet Mahendru (“The Americans”) is 39. 
• Guitarist Kevin Jonas of The Jonas Brothers is 37.

✞REMEMBRANCES

• In 1942..George M. Cohan, American father of musical comedy (Phantom President; Give My Regards to Broadway), dies of cancer at 64
• In 1986..(Ulysses) Bobby Nunn, American singer (The Robins; The Coasters - "Charlie Brown"; "Youngblood"), dies of a heart attack at 61
• In 1989..Barry Sadler, American singer ("Ballad Of The Green Berets"), dies from complications of being shot 14 months earlier at 49
• In 1990..Bobby Scott, American composer, arranger and jazz singer ("He Ain't Heavy, He's My Brother"), dies of cancer at 53
• In 1991..Fred MacMurray, American actor (Double Indemnity, The Apartment, My Three Sons), dies of pneumonia at 83
• In 2000..Jimmie Davis, American singer and songwriter ("You Are My Sunshine"), dies at 101
• In 2003..Bobby Hatfield, American singer (Righteous Brothers - "You've Lost That Lovin' Feelin'"), dies of acute cocaine toxicity at 63
• In 2005..(Fred Lincoln) "Link" Wray, Native American rock guitarist ("Rumble"), dies of heart failure at 76
• In 2022..Aaron Carter, American singer, rapper and songwriter, accidently drowns in his bathtub while under the influence of prescription sedatives and non-medicinal inhalants at 34,