Ed Walker in Hall of Fame

The votes are in, and Ed Walker is now in the Radio Hall of Fame!

Read the story HERE

The Golden Age is Featured

One of busiest singers and actors on the national radio stage in the 1930’s and 40’s was our guest on the latest Out of the Past series.

94 year old Virginia Vass Scot began singing with her brothers and sisters (“The Vass Family Singers”) on the Don McNeal Breakfast Club on NBC.

Virginia talks about working with such stars as Bing Crosby, Al Jolson, and Judy Garland.

The war broke up the Vass Family Singers but she continued as an actress in many of the leading dramas and soap operas that were the staple of network radio in the 40’s.

Virginia’s philosophy is:

I don’t have enough sense to know when to quit. I’m in the prime of my senility, and I feel good. I want to help older people realize that they don’t have to quit because they’re older. Most important, I keep laughing. That’s the key to keeping things moving.”

Don’t touch that dial……………soon, you can see Virginia right here!

Hooray for Hollywood!

Another one of WTOP’s famous graduates was in town recently and Chuck Langdon and I were fortunate enough to grab him long enough to tape an Out of the Past show.

Bill Diehl left the WTOP newsroom in the late 60’s for WNEW in the big apple. In 1971 he went network…with ABC news. In the early 80’s he began covering the Academy Awards for ABC and morphed into their Celebrity News Reporter.

Diehl recently retired from the network, but like another retiree, Sam Donaldson, is still seen on special occasions.

Chuck and I are a little backed up as far as post production is concerned, so it might be a couple of months before we will have the edited and ready for your enjoyment at this spot on your internet dial.

But, it will be worth the wait.

Into the Past

According to an independent radio website,” WNEW-AM played it’s last Frank Sinatra song and disappeared into the bogs and mists of radio history, mourned and admired still as the standard against which broadcasters striving for excellence were once judged.”

I believe a majority of old broadcasters agree that WNEW was perhaps the best radio station in America during the golden age of fine music on AM radio. It’s lineup of personalities included Martin Block (“Make Believe Ballroom”) Gene Rayburn, Gene Claven, Julius La Rosa and William B. Williams. Stars like Frank Sinatra and Tony Bennet…considered WNEW a major contributor to their success.

WNEW News was equally respected for it’s high quality journalism and tenacity.

Mike Eisgrau was a reporter, anchor and News Director of WNEW for 24 years.

He was our guest recently and recorded a “not to be missed” show with Chuck and me.

The show will be seen HERE soon. Stay tuned.(Bottom picture of WNEW newsroom.)

The Mayhughs

We just finished taping another winner of a show; this time with one of the all time kings of AM radio’s golden age of good music, Bill Mayhugh.

On this show, Bill is joined by the lady he’s been making beautiful music with for 51 years, his wife Shirli Mayhugh.

Bill’s career began in 1949 and is best known for his all night music and talk show on powerhouse WMAL for 30 years. Shirli was a featured singer in some of Washington’s top clubs and ballrooms, as well as a fashion model and dance instructor.

Stay tuned for this delightful program at this spot on your computer………soon.

Now Showing

President Reagan called him “The Ayatollah of the press corps.”
He’s also been called many things, such as “irrasible and impertinate.”
But there’s no doubt that Sam Donaldson has been the premier television reporter for the last two decades.

Sam is our guest on an upcoming episode of Out of the Past…….Watch the show right HERE!

Roger Mudd

The long awaited show we did with Roger Mudd is finally available

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Here is part ONE of the two part interview we did with Roger.

Click HERE to see the show

1500 feet over Vietnam

One of our latest programs focuses on an American Marine Helicopter pilot who earned 42 medals and a Silver Star for his heroism in Vietnam.

Yet, in many ways, returning home was as stressful to him as flying combat missions.

Bruce Lake’s book, 1500 Feet over Vietnam is based on letters to his wife describing his missions and what everyday life was like over and on the battlefield during those years of his life when most of his peers were away from home for the first time…..in college.

Riveting…..was the word that comes to mind when describing Lake’s conversation on this edition of Out of the Past.

See the show HERE

A REVIEW BY ROD CARLSON

“In discussing his book and and the experiences that earned 42 air medals and a Silver Star, Bruce Lake paints a vivid picture of his combat tour in Vietnam as a young Marine helicopter pilot. Arising from all that was the tragedy of Vietnam, there was another phenomenon, one that’s rarely discussed … intense job satisfaction.

With amazing perspective and insight, Lake candidly recounts the pain of losing close friends while at the same time experiencing the unforgettable personal rewards of combat flying, working in close partnership with the Grunts and frequently braving enemy fire to keep them alive.

Lake provides a profound insight into the heart and soul of a modern warrior. And, he helps us understand why memories of the Vietnam War don’t fade but grow more powerful and vivid with each passing year.

Vietnam will never be a “feel good” subject, but Lake at least shows us that there was a lot of good mixed in with the bad.”

(Carlson served in HMM-265 with Bruce Lake and flew several missions together and says that he’s always been an admirer of Lake’s talent and character. After the Marines and Vietnam, Carlson received an MBA from the University of Virginia and spent thirty plus years in advertising, marketing and consulting. He retired in 2002 and has spent the past few years writing, helping veterans, and serving on the White Plains, NY Conservation Board.)

Erine Baur

Now Showing:

Ernie Baur
Ernie is one of the top innovators in the nation when it comes to Television Sports. The Warner Wolf Show, Redskin’s Sidelines, Redskin’s Playbook…are just a few examples of shows he’s produced and directed over the years.

Ernie was the man Warner Wolf was speaking to when he first uttered his now famous signature trademark, “Let’s go to the videotape!” The 14 local Emmy award winner discusses his long career, which began as a “copy boy” at WTOP-TV. Ernie is now the Executive Producer for Comcast Sports Net.

See the show HERE.

About Upcoming Shows:

Count Gore De Vol

…doing his impression of Dick Dyszel, the last local TV kid show host in Washington. (See KAPTAIN KIDSHOW) The versatile Dyszel was Channel 20’s “Captain 20” as well as “BOZO” and later morphed into the horror field as host of WDCA’s “NIGHT OF TERROR show. After leaving TV, he transfered the horror theme to the internet and became Count Gore De Vol, the first host to stream horror films online.

CLICK HERE to see the show!

“The Dynamic Duet”

Two Vocalists: John and Donna Wilcox

CBS producer and announcer for Face the Nation and singer husband and wife are our guests on the latest Out of the Past show.

Two of the best voices in the country are spotlighted on our latest edition. John is heard weekly introducing CBS’s FACE THE NATION.

Those of us who were around in the early 60’s remember John fondly from his DJ days at WMAL.

Wife Donna’s voice once graced the national airwaves in the form of singing jingles.

John and Donna were married in 1955. Nowadays, her singing is directed mostly toward the younger generation……..mainly their beautiful grandaughter Sydney!

CLICK HERE to see the show!

See the show right HERE!

NOW SHOWING

Barry Levinson “Spirit of 66”

Here’s the long awaited OUT OF THE PAST Show that Lee Shephard and Chuck Langdon did with WTOP-TV’s most famous alumni, Barry Levinson. (Diner, The Natural, Good Morning Vietnam, Rain Man etc.)

It features interviews and comments by Jim Silman, who hired Barry in the training program, and Woody Robertson, who was the director of the Ranger Hal program where Barry said his creative juices first began to flow.

WTOP-TV was Barry’s first real job…..and the rest…….is history.

Don’t miss it!

CLICK HERE TO WATCH THE SHOW.

Direct (or) From Detroit


Woody Robertson, whom you met on the show we did with Barry Levinson, was a director at WTOP-TV for 15 years. For the past 20 years he’s been a top producer/director based in Detroit.
This is the first show that Chuck and I have done from the Fairfax, Virginia studio with our guest “live” from another location (in this case, Detroit, MI).
Watch the show HERE.

Lights, Camera, Action

Following our interview with Hollywood’s Barry Levinson is an interview with Fred Berney, who with his wife Ellen own SATELLITE MEDIA PRODUCTION one of the oldest and most successful audio and video production houses in the Washington area. Berney began his career in Miami as an independant film producer and moved his operation to Washington in the mid 80’s.

Our interview focuses on the rapid changes that have occurred in the film and audio industry in recent years…and how SATELLITE has been able to survive the many technical storms while so many other production houses were forced to shut down.

Watch the show HERE

“You AUTO be in Pictures”

A veteran reporter, John Harter has covered greater Washihngton for nearly 40 years. His ABC 7 News/WJLA TV assignments included the morning anchor position, regular reports, business reporting, Congressional reporting, etc. The weekly John Harter Road Test aired on WJLA and was syndicated nation wide . He’s been honored by both an Emmy and a Silver Circle Award.

See the show HERE

Nat Albright

Nat Albright is considered one of, if not THE best practitioners of the lost art of radio sports event RECREATIONS of his time (the 30’s, 40’s and 50’s.) As the voice of the Brooklyn Dodgers road games, his voice was heard by more people than Red Barber, Mel Allen and other well know sportscasters.The most famous of the broadcast “re-creators,” of course, was Ronald Reagan/

On this show Nat demonstrates just how did it….complete with sound effects
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Click HERE to watch the show.

BOB DUCKMAN

Continuing with our series on the Legends of the Washington area local broadcasters Out of the Past features an interview with Bob Duckman of WASH-FM and WWDC fame.

Duckman was a featured performer with WASH-FM in 1969 at almost the beginning of the nation’s first successful FM MOR (Middle of the Road music format) station. More recently he co-starred on the morning show with Eddie Gallagher on WWDC

Currently Bob is doing mid days at WNAV-AM in Annapolis, MD….a full service local station that’s increasingly rare in large metropolitan areas.
Watch the show HERE

Old Radio is NEW Again

Edgar Farr Russell the 3rd is one of the leading writers and producers of new “old time radio shows

Watch it HERE

The year was 1972 and the unknown 15 year old girl had just won 3 Olympic gold medals.

She was America’s new sweetheart!

Melissa Belote

The year was 1972 and an unknown 15 year old girl from Springfield Virginia had just won 3 olympic gold medals. She was America’s new sweetheart!

Watch the show HERE

Ellouise Scholetter

One of the area’s leading storytellers, Ellouise performs her true “gambling story.”

See the show HERE

Woody Robertson, whom you met on the show we did with Barry Levinson, was a director at WTOP-TV for 15 years. For the past 20 years he’s been a top producer/director based in Detroit.
This is the first show that Chuck and I have done from the Fairfax, Virginia studio with our guest “live” from another location (in this case, Detroit, MI).
Watch the show HERE.