Posts
1952 was the tenth anniversary of the Army Transportation Corps. Must have been a big deal. Both Mark Warnow and Lynn Murray were huge at the time. They recorded this song:
Thursday, December 29, 2016
Sunday, December 25, 2016
If Freedom Failed - 1951
If Freedom Failed is back with Program 11 of the series. This time starring Raymond Burr and Mala Powers. Years later Mala showed up on several Perry Mason shows.
Jim Ameche - 1961
Jim Ameche played the most beautiful music. The voice of the Longenes Symphonette was the first to successfully syndicate a DJ show. We had him for many years on AFRTS.
Tuesday, December 20, 2016
AFN - 1993 Schedule
AFN POWER NETWORK - MONDAY TO FRIDAY
------------------------------------
0005 Jim Pewter - Oldies
0030 Radio Theatre
0105 Mary Turner Rock
0205 LaRita Shelby - Urban
0305 Harry Newman - Country
0405 Gene Price - Country
0505 Local Program/AM Edition
0600 News Sports and
Word in The World
0610 Local Program / AM Edition
0700 News, Sports, Weather
0730 Local Programs / AM Edition
0905 AM Country (AFN)
1105 Charlie Tuna
1200 AFN News, Sports, Weather
1210 NPR Morning Edition
1305 Power Lite - Easy Listening
1505 Local Program / Don Tracy
1605 Local Programs / Country Roads
1800 AFN News, Sports, Weather
1905 Power Traxx - Urban
2105 Laurie Allen - Classic Rock
2200 AP News, Sports, Weather
2211 Armed Forces Digest
2217 Paul Harvey
2230 Jazz Beat
2305 NPR All Things Considered
2357 Sign On
AFN POWER NETWORK - SATURDAY
----------------------------
0005 American Dance Traxx
0305 The Countdown - Urban
0505 Dick Clark
0805 NPR Car Talk
0905 Sports Wrap-up
0910 Saturday Gold
1200 News, Sports, Weather
1210 Local Program / Paul Harvey
1230 Dvorak on Computers
1305 American Country Countdown
1705 NPR Weekend Edition
1905 The Countdown - Urban
2105 American Top 40 (thru 0100)
2357 Sign On
AFN POWER NETWORK - SUNDAY
-------------------------
0005 American Top 40 (cont'd.)
0105 American Country Countdown
0505 Cross Country - Religion
0530 Heralds of Christian Science
0605 Lift your Heart - Religion
0630 East of Eden - Religion
0705 Sounds of Sunday - Religion
0855 AFRTS Sports
0905 Amen Corner - Religion
1005 All That Jazz
1105 Doug Ordunio - Classical Music
1200 AFN News, Sports, Weather
1220 Paul Harvey
1230 Focus on the Family
1305 American Top 40
1705 The Comedy Show
1805 Dick Clark's Rock, Roll and Remember
2105 David Sanborn - Jazz
2305 Golden Days of Radio
2357 Sign On
Sunday, December 18, 2016
AFN On The Scene - Santa Claus interview
Richard Amaral was at AFN Frankfurt in 1960-62. He wrote "AFN-On the Scene--Santa Claus Interview". (produced either Dec '60 or '61) Interviewer played by the Late and Great Sp/4 Marshall Pengra. Santa played by Airman Chuck Lindsay. (Have lost contact with Chuck since I left AFN in '62) It's a spoof that caused some consternation and was banned from air. But on a late night comedy show, "The Cave" I believe I slipped parrts of it into the two hour mix.
Richard went on to do great things in Boston Television.
Saturday, December 17, 2016
Merry Christmas from the Record Library
Every year we'd get a shipment of these... Along with the Christmas DJ shows a bunch of library stuff for the DJ shows....
Golden Days of Radio - Christmas 1982 - part two
Frank Bresee is back with hour two of his 1982 Christmas show. Many classic stars performing live for Christmas.
Wednesday, December 14, 2016
Bing Crosby - Christmas 1973
Is it even allowed to be Christmas without Bing Crosby? Here's Bing in a 1973 show for the US Army.
Monday, December 12, 2016
William Wintersole, a Soldier's Story
William Wintersole, a soldiers story
Actor William Wintersole checked in and shared his memories of AFRTS:
I was assigned to the Fort Ord Army Hospital's Bedside Network immediately after 8 week basic training in Nov 1953 with PFC Marshall Garrett and PFC Ben DaMotto. The closed circuit system provided captured radio entertainment as well as one channel of AFRTS recordings with some programing of our own invention...such as in-the-field interviews with celebrities and pro golfers at the Bing Crosby Invitational at Pebble Beach, CA in Feb 1954. We used the first portable tape recorders I'd ever seen...the Ampex 15 inch reel unit...weighing about 30 lbs.
We got a ton of stuff including Bob Hope, Phil Harris, Gen Omar Bradley, etc., etc. I understand it was stored at AFRTS, Hollywood, CA. In July 1954 I was sent to South Korea and assigned to AFKN HQ at station KILROY in Taegu, Korea. In addition to doing the midnight to 2am trick, I was also the Producer-Director of network programs for the 10 station operation. A few months later HQs was shifted to VAGABOND on the hill in the
8th Army compound, Seoul and I was assigned network Program Director by Lt Col Stewart who told me when I suggested we look into adding TV facilities to AFKN...."Look, Private...the only thing I know about radio or TV is where to turn it on and where to turn it off....and I want to get full bird by the time I leave here do you understand?" Actually I was Specialist, as I recall. Some of my broadcast buddies were Earl Clayton, Dan Chamberlin, Alan Hirschfield, Edson Foster, Frank Fagan, Jerry Terhune, Rice Paddy Ranger Army Sgt Dick Curless, John Orloff and a bunch of others. I met Roger Carroll somewhere in there but can't recall where. He got a job at KMPC...I went to KPOL and then to KTLA in '57 but decided on a career as an actor/director and have had a wonderful career working all over the world rather than behind a mike and turntables.
Bill Wintersole
Sunday, December 11, 2016
RIP LTC Frank Tennant 1930-2016
LTC Tennant was the well respected commander of AFKN in 1968-69. Tony Booth believes he may have returned to the network in the 1970s.
He was born in Dallas, Texas to Frank Tennant Sr. and Marion Tennant on October 28, 1930, at the beginning of the great depression. He graduated from the University of Texas in Austin in 1951 with a BFA in radio and television production. Immediately upon graduation he enlisted in the army to avoid the Korean War draft. This allowed him to enter OCS and serve in the Signal Corps where he worked his way up to the rank Lt. Colonel. During his 20 years of service, he saw tours in Korea twice, France once, and the Pentagon in Washington D.C. twice. He earned a MFA in telecommunications from the University of Southern California in 1965 while he was in the service. Retiring from the service in 1971, he entered the private sector in Washington D.C. where he received a commendation for service from the President of the United Stated in 1979.
After retiring from the army, Frank worked in the private sector in Washington DC. After a second retirement, he moved Pensacola, FL where he lived until his death.
Col Tennant died of natural causes, in his home November 27, 2016.
If Freedom Failed - 1951
Our 1951 look at communism continues with show 10 of "If Freedom Failed". It's the "Monkey's Cage" with Walter Kingsford. These were very well done.
Thursday, December 8, 2016
Chris Noel - Christmas 1967
It's Christmas 1967 and Chris Noel brings the holiday sprit on a Date With Chris.
Tuesday, December 6, 2016
AFVN - Jim Huntley - 1970
From Saigon, Jumpin' Jim Huntley plays your favorites in a 1970 memory. Thanks again Doug!!
Monday, December 5, 2016
Golden Days Of Radio - Christmas 1982
There was always Christmas. It was a time of year that AFRTS really brought home to the world. In 1982 Frank Bresee did a special two hour Golden Days of Radio in front of an audience. He brings the holidays home.
Sunday, December 4, 2016
Hawaii Calls - 1961
There was one state that did a real outreach and was a perfect match for AFRTS. Hawaii tourism and businesses funded "Hawaii Calls" from the 1930s until well into the 1970s. Much of that time it was heard on AFRTS. Let's put the winter away for a while and listen to Hawaii Calls.
Wednesday, November 30, 2016
Continential Varieties 1961
In 1961 Dick Crawford and "Continental Varieties" took a look at English artists performing Latin songs and Latin artists performing English songs.
Tuesday, November 29, 2016
Command Performance - 1949
When the war wound down AFRS had a lot more of the new stars getting it out there for the troops. In 1949 Steve Allen was starting his career. Command Performance with Steve, Margaret Whiting and Jack Smith. It's a great listen.
Wednesday, November 16, 2016
Chris Noel - 1967
Chris Noel's life is a movie that really needs to be made. Model, movie star she found her muse with Date With Chris on AFRTS during the Vietnam war. It's an incredible example of how to speak directly to an audience. She still stays busy helping the troops with the Ceasefire Home for disadvantaged vets. It's a good cause.
Chris's website is over at chrisnoel.com and always worth a look.
Date With Chris - 1967
Sunday, November 13, 2016
GI Journal - 1945
Linda Darnell hosts a special anniversary show for GI Journal. GI Journal was one of the big variety shows where the stars came out for the troops.
AFVN Billy Williams 1972
Billy in Danang
Sept. 4, 1972 Saigon/Network Orient Express I recovered the aircheck from an old cassette.It was recorded off the air somewhere in SVN and sent to me by a listener. Mostly complete except for when the tape was turned over near the bottom of the hour. Not the best of quality but an idea of what we sounded like in the field. More information about the recording.
Monday, November 7, 2016
Dick Sinclair 1925-2016
The world has lost a wonderful person. Dick Sinclair passed away on October 14, 2016 at the age of 91. He lived polkas and for 6 decades kept the Polka Party on the air. In the 1950s and 60s Polka Party ran on AFRTS. Dick's real claim to fame for us would be he was in the first class off WWII broadcasters, training at Fox Studios for the brand new AFRS. Dick did his WWII time at the station on Guadalcanal. I really wish I had had a chance to speak with him, We've lost a piece of history and a great broadcaster,
Sunday, November 6, 2016
One Night Stand - 1955
One Night Stand had a 20 year run. Radio had broadcasts from the big bands from all over the country, sometimes aired locally, sometimes over one of the CONUS network. Starting in WWII they sent recordings of these shows to AFRS. I wish I had both parts of this but it's a 1955 visit with Les Elgart, from the roof of the Hotel Astor in NYC.
Tuesday, November 1, 2016
If Freedom Failed - 1951
If Freedom Failed was a 1951 project to explain to the troops what communism meant. The best of Hollywood's star did some informative radio. Today John McIntyre stars in "Suicide By Order"
Saturday, October 29, 2016
Music By Candlelight - 1966
It's been a busy day, time for relaxing music on "Music By Candlelight". This was an AFRTS in house production in a tradition that wend back to World War II. The show names changed but programs of symphonic music were there for a long long time.
Friday, October 28, 2016
Inner Sanctum - 1950
Halloween is coming... The best old time radio to program was the mysteries. AFRTS ran these shows well into the 1990s. A lot of the young troops had never heard such a thing, but with one TV channel it provided an alternative. There was an amazing collection at AFRTS-LA that kept being re-issued.
Inner Sanctum. "The Hitch-Hiking Corpse". A motorist driving west meets a strange and beautiful hitch-hiker. Interesting adaptation of the Lucille Fletcher story with subtle differences. Mercedes McCambridge, Everett Sloane.
Tuesday, October 18, 2016
Thursday, October 13, 2016
Chris Noel - 1969
A pretty girl, music and memories. It's a Date With Chris. During the Vietnam era Chris brought home to over 300 countries.
Sunday, October 9, 2016
Jim Ameche - 1965
Jim Ameche had some beautiful music. He did syndicated shows and bounced back and forth between NY and LA. By the late 1950s he was with AFRTS and still going strong in the 1960s.
Wednesday, October 5, 2016
The mailing list
Thanks for visiting!!!
You may have noticed it's been a while since you received an email update. Over the years the list got so big it wouldn't work. My suspicion is there may be a lot of people who are no longer with us or don't really care. I'd like to redo it and keep sending out updates. But I'm starting over again.
If you'd like to be included on the mailing list, just drop me a quick email Click here
It goes out every week or two. And the band plays on...
Tuesday, October 4, 2016
Date With Chris - 1969
In the late 1960s and early 1970s, Chris Noel was the voice of home. She made some special moments to our soldiers. Like in this show, it's a Friday on AFRTS.
Monday, October 3, 2016
Robert Q Lewis - 1958
Sometimes this is what we have to work with. A lot of people made this happen and I think you'll be pleasantly surprised. Thanks John and Doug! Robert Q was on the network in the late 50s from CBS radio.
Wednesday, September 28, 2016
Enchantment of Music - 1961
"Dinner Music" we ran that many different shows. In 1961 KCBH-FM was experimenting with what to do with FM. The matchless high fidelity was a draw. Bruce Wendell brought a nice mix of mostly uptempo orchestral music.
Tuesday, September 27, 2016
FEN - Wakkanai 1961 Jim Pritchard
Thom, as a graduate of AFRTS, I give thanks ever everyday that I was in a place where I could break in. I went on to spend 15 years behind the mic with stops in Los Angeles, Cleveland, Salt Lake City and some smaller locales, thanks to my year of experience with FEN-Wakkanai.
Wakkanai is as far north in Japan as you can get. The USAF facility there was part of the "Security Service". USAFSS had a string of "listening posts" surrounding the USSR, from Scotland to Japan. Sometime around 1959 or so, the guys at the base decided they needed a radio station to help pass the time in this "remote" location. Since it was a listening facility, it was loaded with electronic gear and troops that knew how to use it.
They built a small, low power AM station without bothering to tell the Far East Network (FEN-Japan). Things went along OK for several months and then one strange night, as AM stations will do the signal took off and skipped right into the middle of downtown Tokyo, blocking out a major AM station there.
Needless to say, this started a major international fuss. After much discussion, FEN offered to step in and set up one of their outlets in full cooperation with the Japan version of the FCC.
They shipped all the needed equipment along with the music library and one Army Spec-4 to supervise and got the whole thing going. It was a 24/7 operation, since the base was working every hour of every day. With no staff announcers, it was up to volunteers to do the on-air work. Shifts were 4 hours long and the troops usually had about 2 or so every week.
I showed up in January, 1961, part of a group of just-graduated accounting and finance clerks. I had enlisted right after I graduated high school since I had no grades to make college my future. I was a pretty serious follower of the pop music of the day and had even had a by-line column about the hits in my school newspaper.
It turned out that one of my roommates, Jerry, was working the 5-9 AM shift on a regular basis. When he found out that I was a real music fan, he invited me over to the studio to look through the AFRTS transcription library. I did so a few times and then one day, he told me to put on the earphones and see what I sounded like when I opened the mic. All I had to do was give the station ID between two radio dramas that were on the schedule. Finally the time came, I opened the mic and uttered the immortal words "Serving American forces overseas, this is the Far East Network".
Jerry walked in the control room and informed me that I needed to be on the volunteer staff . I was stunned. That afternoon, I found the Army guy and told him what had happened. He'd already heard from Jerry, so he said that I did have to follow the usual custom of my first shift being an all-night gig. That was fine with me and so my broadcast career got underway.
I got some great feedback from the guys that were listening in operations that night. Within about a month, I was among the upper echelon of the staff guys, working the "Saturday Bandstand" shift and lending my knowledge of pop music to the other guys. What a thrill it was.
In the Spring of 1962, I was on our base bowling team and traveled to Tachikawa AFB for the "All Air Force Japan" tournament. While I was there I took the opportunity to spend the afternoon at the FEN main studios. It turned out that Wakkanai was quite famous among the crew there because the FEN did a major weather program 3 times a day, with all the Japan stations checking in. They loved listening to us because our weather was always the worst of all the outlets, especially in the winter. I also found a little closed circuit station that was piped into all the barracks in Tachi, and they played only all the pop music of he day. The DJ there was a good guy to talk to and passed on a few tips.
Later that summer, I was transferred to Goodfellow AFB in San Angelo, TX. My dad had given me a car so after I'd been there about a month I drove into town and found the KTEO studios, the local Top 40 outlet. I walked in the door and asked if they needed weekend help. The manager asked if I had any experience, I told them about a year in AFRTS. He said to show up Sunday at 6 PM and they'd give me a listen.
I did a 6 hour gig, finding out how much different commercial radio was compared to AFRTS. They liked what they heard, so I did two weekends of all-night shifts and then asked me to do the 9-midnight every night. For a 20 year old kid, being a real live DJ on a real live Top 40 station was beyond my wildest dreams, and I loved it.
I found out later that FEN Wakkanai became a duty station about a year after I left with no more volunteers so I was blessed to be there when I was. To this day, I give thanks that I just happened to be there at the right time. Being a radio DJ back then was truly a gift from heaven.
Thanks for the AFRTS site, I hope this helped your info gathering
James Pritchard
(aka Jim Southern, DJ)
Gladstone, OR
Sunday, September 25, 2016
Hollywood Bowl Silver Celebration - 1946
In 1946 the Hollywood Bowl was celebrating it's Silver anniversary with a special series of concerts that were broadcast on AFRS. As part of this series was a special show to remember the tenth anniversary of the loss of George Gershwin.
Saturday, September 24, 2016
Early AFN part 3
A while back we receive a lot of unlabeled material from AFN, mostly from the early 1950s and Munich.
Question for our German friends, how has the way you use AFN changed over the years?
Thursday, September 22, 2016
AFVN RIP Jane Cook Lewis "Jane the Weathergirl:
“Janie the Weathergirl,” as she was known to the viewers of the American Forces Vietnam Network TV station in Saigon, was killed in an automobile crash September 12, on Interstate 5 just north of Oceanside, California.
She and her twin sister Joan were born May 6, 1942, in San Diego. Jane was a graduate of Hoover High School in San Diego and attended San Diego State University where she met her husband-to-be, George Lewis. They were married August 22, 1964.
As a young wife, Jane encouraged her husband to pursue his TV career and accompanied him to Vietnam when NBC News sent George to cover the war for the network in 1970. From late that year until early 1972, Jane became the “weather girl” on American Forces TV in Saigon. She also traveled in combat zones, helping entertain the troops at various firebases and visiting the U.S. Navy fleet patrolling the Gulf of Tonkin, dropping in on some of the vessels at the end of a helicopter hoist line.
One of her trademarked bits on AFVN was the way she wrapped up the weather report on the late news. She’d recline on a couch, whisper “goodnight fellas,” and turn off the light. It was decidedly un-p.c. by today’s standards, but a big hit with the troops.
During her time in Southeast Asia, Jane developed an interest in Asian art and was later co-founder of Vagabond House, a small business that imported Asian decorative accessories. She and her partner Susan Lord, the wife of NBC News producer Art Lord, were among the first American businesswomen to visit China on a buying trip a couple of years after President Richard Nixon’s historic opening of relations in 1972.
With the birth of her first daughter Sarah, in Houston in 1977, Jane’s focus shifted to motherhood. A second daughter, Katherine, was born in 1980 in Washington, D.C. Two years later, the Lewis family returned to California when George was assigned to the NBC Los Angeles bureau.
Jane and George went their separate ways in 1993 but remained connected through their children and grandchildren. They vowed to live out their lives as friends and welcomed grandsons Carter, Jack and Owen into the family in recent years.
Jane’s final decade was spent in San Diego and she lived at the home she inherited from her mother in 2005. The family asks that in lieu of flowers, contributions be sent to AIWF San Diego, 2683 Via de la Valle, Del Mar, CA 92014. Checks should be made out to AIWF and “Jane Cook Lewis Scholarship Fund” should be written on the memo line. AIWF is a 501(c)(3) charity and contributions are fully tax deductible.
Tuesday, September 20, 2016
Chris Noel - 1969
Chris Noel and Bob Crane.
Chris Noel made a lot of days a lot brighter. Her show A Date With Chris made a huge impact in the lives of Vietnam era troops. It's a Tuesday in 1969.
Link fixed
Small World - 1965
Small World was a catch all show hosted by the always affable George Chruch. On todays show the guest is singer Gogi Grant.
Monday, September 12, 2016
Monday, September 5, 2016
AFN Paris - Django Reinhardt 1945
Django Reinhardt was one incredible musician. His left hand was withered, some fingers unusable. Jack Platt led the AEF band, the one that had been led by Glenn Miller. They toured all over Europe. It swung. In 1945 Django was in the studio at AFN Paris.
Wednesday, August 31, 2016
Chris Noel - 1969
It's 1969 and Chris Noel made home much closer. Thank you for sharing these. Thanks for all you've done!
Tuesday, August 30, 2016
Spectrum USA - Time Capsule 1975
By 1975 Spectrum USA got hipper. Dick Stark seems to be having a lot of fun with these in his 13th year of doing the show. 41 years in radio. The USMC Reserve needs you...
Sunday, August 28, 2016
Early AFN Munich
Here are some memories of the early years of AFN in the 1950s. I wish I had more information but it's a fun listen. Starting with a 1954 visit with Larry Butcher.
Saturday, August 27, 2016
GI Jive - 1945
In WWII GI Jill was big. The show started in San Francisco as "Hi Neighbor", a request show with news tidbits about back home with Martha Wilkerson and her husband, Robert Warner. After 56 shows Warner was out but GI Jill kept the show going well into the 1950s.
AFN 1989
Here's what's coming up on AFN! Thank you Bernd for sharing these. It took a long time to get them posted.
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