Whenever I can, I try to locate the AFRTS-LA jocks that made the worldwide network happen. Every one of them has been positive toward this project. A half dozen years ago I was listening to one of Charlie's shows and his very young son Bryan did the intro on a record. I stripped that out and introduced myself to Charlie and we exchanged some very nice email. He still had some bad feelings about the way they were all let go, but since we're the jocks and the listeners, he was excited about those years and reaching out worldwide. When the 70th anniversary of the network came up, he was there for us.
Charlie meant a lot to us. It took me a few days to find words.
Thank you audio files, I will stay Tuna'd.
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
Los Angeles, Calif., February
29, 2016 –It is with a heavy heart that we share the sad news that American
disc jockey and radio personality, Charlie Tuna, passed away peacefully in his
sleep February 19th, 2016. His was a life well-lived, and he will always be
remembered for the joy, laughter, and love of music he brought to many
throughout the world with his presence on the radio. All who knew him will sadly miss him.
Memorial donations can be made to Children's Hospital Los Angeles. We ask that
you respect his family's privacy during their time of grief.
Charlie Tuna worked as
morning drive radio personality for more stations and formats than anyone in
Los Angeles radio history: Top 40, AC, Hot AC, Oldies, Talk, Sports Talk and
Country.
In 1990, the Hollywood
Chamber of Commerce honored Charlie by presenting him with a Star on the Walk
of Fame.
In 1999, he was inducted into
his home state Nebraska Broadcasters Association Hall of Fame.
In1997, Los Angeles Radio
People readers voted Charlie one of the Top
10 L.A. Radio Personalities of All Time.
In 2007 & again in 2013,
Charlie was elected by his LARadio.com broadcast peers as one of the Top 10 Los Angeles Radio Personalities.
Among his L.A. Radio credits:
· Was part of the legendary KHJ Boss Jock line-up;
starting KROQ radio; starting KIIS and serving as both Program Director and
Morning Man for KIIS AM & FM.
· Tuna was heard around the world daily on the Armed
Forces Radio Network for a 25 year 6000 show run from 1971 to 1996, as well as
on numerous nationally syndicated radio shows, since the early 1970s.
· He can be heard across the U.S., Canada and
internationally on his syndicated 5 hour daily and weekend shows, plus a daily
Hollywood Minute entertainment feature.
· Tuna was the announcer for the television game show
Scrabble which ran for seven years on NBC, and a dozen other TV shows ranging
from the Mike Douglas Show to America’s Top 10 with Casey Kasem. He hosted
Cinema, Cinema, Cinema for 30
years, an internationally syndicated TV show featuring the
top movies in the US each week, with clips from the films. He also
hosted the international TV show Inside
Hollywood for three years.
· Appearances in two movies, hundreds of TV and radio
commercials, VH1’s use of Charlie’s Celebrity Interview Archives, dozens of
radio station voice imaging clients, narration of the U.S. Air Force’s 50th
Anniversary CD, and serving as a musical network TV consultant round out the
media side of Charlie Tuna.
· Charlie also raised nearly 2.5 million dollars for
Children’ s Hospital in L.A. with his annual “Tunathon” in past years, hosted
the red carpet and emceed the Revlon Run/Walk for 5 years, and emceed the
annual 4th of July Warner Park in Woodland Hills celebration which attracts
annual crowds of over 50,000 spectators.
· Charlie called Tarzana home in California and served
as the city’s Honorary Mayor since 1977.
Charlie Tuna Retrospective
Footage
Charlie’s inspiration for
radio, Jack Lewis:
Charlie’s journey from
Kearney, NE to Los Angeles, CA: