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WHK Xmtr Virtual Tour
Holliday, if possible, went even faster than B. Mitchell Reed (CRUISIN' 1963), probably thanks to his experience announcing sports in Cleveland, and every word was perfectly enunciated, thanks, perhaps, to his two seasons of Cleveland summer stock. Plus: he savored the rhymed cliche unlike any other ("let's click the turnstiles in our wax files," "headed for the tipety-top of the ol' pop crop") and went absolutely bananas over alliteration ( he broadcast not from a studio, but from a "platter patrol"). In the vales of verbal virtuosity, Johnny Holliday was the Master Mouth, a Tour de Force de Tongue. (Holliday, who had been with WHK since 1959, wasn't just known for his speed and sleight. Over the years he'd won dozens of public service awards and while with WHK organized station basketball and softball teams which raised over $100,000 for local charities.)
The Johnny Holliday in CRUISIN' 1964 was the "original" Johnny Holliday - lots of disc jockeys were "assigned" that name in later years - and in this, the year the Beatles invaded the U.S., he was No. 1 in the ratings from 3 to 7 p.m. on WHK, Cleveland.
The WHK facility USED to be state of the art. The transmitter site in Seven Hills, OH was art deco to the max, manned 24/7 featuring both studios, DJ booth, and offices...not to mention "sleeping quarters" for the engineer.
Now the building looks like a bomb shelter.
Windows are all plastered over.
But recently, WE got a V.I.P. tour of the inside of that building, and much of the once upon a time glory could STILL be seen, but eerily seeing windows that only looked out to PLASTER & CONCRETE was sad, whereas those windows used to look out to lush green lawns (in summer and spring, of course.)
Enjoy our virtual tour of the INSIDE of the WHK transmitter site in Seven Hills, OH, a southwest suburb of Cleveland.
KRLA Morning Man Woes In 1969
After William F. Williams did poorly in KRLA morning-drive in early 1969 and ousted, Russ O'Hara was miscast in the 6-9am shift, known most memorably for asking listeners "How's your head?", and "Drive carefully."Early 1969 KFRC jock Jay Stevens told us recently that KFRC's TOM MAULE might have been looked upon as a replacement for O'Hara, (We know for a fact that Maule was indeed "talked to" in 1969 about joining KRLA but Maule told us that he "didn't like the music mix"..i.e. combination of LP tracks and Top 40 hits, and shot himself down) but instead the nod was given to KFRC's Jay Stevens HIMSELF, who thought he might be up for an "afternoon shift" when first approached by KRLA in Spring 1969.
WE felt that the strongest man to do morning-drive in 1969 on KRLA was veteran longtimer BOB DAYTON, who had been jocking the 3-7pm (later 3-6pm) shift, with risque, but efective humor (i.e. "Dayton Players", etc)
Here is "alternative artwork" HAD Dayton been moved into the morning chair.
KYA's RUSS SYRACUSE (1968)
Russ "The Moose" Syracuse (real name: Siragusa, i.e. Italian descent) passed away a few years ago.
KIQQ 100.3 FM, Beverly Hills CA
The original KIQQ 100.3 FM transmitter site, 1973, on the top of a Beverly Hills peak.
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