Posts
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.
Sunday, December 25, 2016
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.
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.
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