Who’s What and What’s Where
The Pacific pioneer
broadcasters
newsletter
Edited by Sue Clark Chadwick
February 2003
Former Miss
America, Miss California and Miss San Francisco, LEE MERIWETHER was
guest of honor for the January luncheon. and LEE hasn’t missed much, but you did if you weren’t
present. Not just a pretty face, but a combination of beauty, brains and talent
best describes this versatile actress who has excelled in television, stage and
films. President GIL STRATTON introduced LEE’s
friends on the dais before clips from some of LEE’s
many works were shown. Entertainment Chair JEANNE DeVIVIER
BROWN read messages from the many friends who, regretfully, couldn’t make
the luncheon. Joining LEE to pay tribute and discuss their association,
were actor and animal rights activist Earl Holliman, Founding Theatre West
member Betty Garrett, who currently works with LEE and also appeared
with her on Broadway; JAMIE FARR, actress Bridget Hanley, dance
instructor and choreographer ZINA BETHUNE, actor Richard Erdman and our
own in-house humorist HAL KANTER. LEE’s
response when accepting her award from President GIL STRATTON, was filled with gratitude for
PPB and loving words for all of the participants.
Chairman of
the Board and Founding President ART GILMORE kept his audience in
suspense, but not for long, when he gave a short history of the Diamond Circle Awardee. Born on a ranch in Oklahoma, he and his family,
along with many other “Okies,” moved to California in
1935—it was the Great Depression—remember?
Knowing what he wanted to do at an early age, he took a radio course at L.A.
City College after graduating from Van Nuys High School, and that led him into
his chosen profession. Shortly after winning his first announcing job, he did
something very few can brag about—he
attended Marilyn Monroe’s first wedding. The war came and he joined the Navy—became a carrier pilot flying Wildcats and
Corsair fighters. Post war, he returned to radio in Oregon and Central
California—married Edna—and began a 22-year
tenure at KFI. About 1956, he started a Big Band record show called “Swingin’ Years,” and began national syndication of that program
in 1972, which also was broadcast for 16 years by Armed Forces Radio and
Television Service. After 46 years, the show is still in syndication. During
those 46 years, over 300 big bands and jazz musicians have been taped for the
show, including our own BEA WAIN and JACK SMITH. Three times the
L.A. Times named “Swingin’ Years” the best
popular music show in Los Angeles, while the music editor of Reader’s Digest
says “it is the best show on radio—period.”
“Swingin’ Years” is currently on KKJZ (88.1 mh) and KCSN (88.5 mh). We
welcome into the Diamond Circle—PPB Vice
President—CHUCK CECIL.
Nostalgia Night Co-Chairs RAY BRIEM and
LINA ROMAY are ahead of the game at this time with their great guests.
Les Brown, Jr. guested in February and regaled an
attentive audience about his illustrious father and the Hope years—and talked about his own notable career. He
started as a drummer with his father’s band at 15, then, after Duke University,
he rejoined the band as “boy singer.” In 1962, he became an actor and appeared
in over 200 segments of various comedies and dramas including “The Baileys of
Balboa,” “General Hospital,” and “Young Marrieds.”
The busy Les produced records, had his own production company, became a band leader and music booking agent.and it goes on and on. If you didn’t
attend, you missed a great evening. Les plans to take “The Band of Renown” into
the next millennium.
Mark your calendars for upcoming
Nostalgia Nights. Radio personality Wink Martindale guests March 6. Our own PPB
Historian, JANET WALDO (née Corlis Archer), guests Thursday, April 1, and the talented
former MGM star ANN RUTHERFORD closes our season, Thursday May 1. Now
that’s an impressive slate. Nostalgia Night is the first Thursday of each month
at our Clubroom on the lower level of Washington Mutual, Sunset and Vine. Doors
open at 7:00 p.m. and close promptly at 7:30 p.m. BE THERE!
WHAT HAPPENED? We didn’t get any holiday travel news—someone must have gone somewhere—but, we’ll give some after-holiday highlights.
Diamond Circle member VAN ALEXANDER and his high school sweetheart, Beth
Baremore, will celebrate their 65th wedding
anniversary, February 27, cruising the Mexican Riviera on the beautiful Crystal
Harmony, along with their daughters and sons-in-law, with the kids picking
up the tab. Well, that’s mighty sweet music, VAN. Cruising is in. ED
WILLIAMS and wife, Nancy, have returned from a Caribbean cruise on the
five-star Costa Victoria. ED says his grandfather crossed the
Isthmus of Panama on foot in 1850; ED and Nancy relived that crossing
via bus and small boat in 2002.
PPB member NICHOLAS ROYCE, a
legendary show business performer and dancer on such TV shows as “Milton Berle,” “Ed Sullivan” and “Kate Smith,” and an activist for
the Greek Orthodox faith in the U.S. Armed Forces during World War II, was
honored for his 50 years of achievement by California congresswoman Diane
Watson in ceremonies at her Los Angeles office open house, December 15. ROYCE,
son of Greek immigrants, started his dancing career in Baltimore at age 14. He
continued dancing while in the Army during World War II—entertaining the troops, and was known as “the Greek Fred Astaire.” Following the war, the Nicholas Royce Dancers
appeared on many shows and in supper clubs across the nation. In later years, ROYCE
worked for Family Theatre, and in retirement, continues to work to broaden
public understanding of the Greek Orthodox faith and volunteers for such causes
as the homeless, abused children and victims of AIDS.
Board member GERRY FRY writes
that he was struck by a bit of nostalgia recently while playing a congressman
in the upcoming movie Red, White and Blonde, starring Reese Witherspoon.
While waiting for his call to the congressional set at Don Carlos Stages in
downtown Los Angeles, he wandered onto a barroom set and spied a movie poster
on the wall for 1949’s Cheyenne Cowboy, starring Tex Williams and His
Caravan and PPB’s own nostalgia co-chair LINA
ROMAY. And speaking of nostalgia, MARTY HALPERIN received a letter
from a person currently employed in the old KHJ building on Melrose, wondering
if any PPB members had ever worked there—particularly
in the 1940s. If so, he’d love to talk to them. If interested, give a call to
Bill Stevens, (626) 798-5328.
Who says age slows you down, asks PPBer Mr. KAY KUTER. KAY did two more Hershey’s
Kisses voice-overs (KAY has been their spokesperson for 14 years), had a
guest role in Charmed, as a wizard, did a voice
for Disney’s Bears. Then on-camera for two national
commercials—a wizard for Nenyendo, ham actor for Tostitos, and the role of a Mojave
Desert undertaker for a feature, Grand Theft Parsons. With all of
this, he found time to spend a week at Christmas in Las Vegas with his sister
and 103-year-old mother.
PPB member, novelist ROBERT S.
LEVINSON has been elected for a second term as President of the Mystery
Writers of America, Southern California Chapter.LEVINSON
will continue serving on MWA’s national board of
directors.
Hope you didn't miss
the recent "Biography" on "Dragnet's" Jack Webb with PPBers
ART GILMORE, PEGGY WEBBER, HERMAN SAUNDERS, JEAN MILES
and TOM WILLIAMS. The five, all of whom worked with or for Webb, gave
great insight into Jack as a man, performer, friend and boss. The show
certainly must have created interest in the new Dragnet movie for TV.
Board member EWING “LUCKY” BROWN certainly
belied his name in recent months. Around Thanksgiving, LUCKY’s
car was hit and he escaped with cuts, bruises, sore muscles and a rear-ended
Volvo. Then he went in for surgery and was recovering nicely, when, while
driving on Cahuenga, a car barrelled
out in front of him and LUCKY hit it broadside, totaling his own car.
Intensive emergency treatment only disclosed more cuts and bruises and more
sore muscles. On the bright side, LUCKY
and wife JEANNE DeVIVIER BROWN celebrated
their 31st wedding anniversary, February 18. They didn’t drive
anywhere.
The Writers Guild of America West has
tapped comedy writer, PPB Board member AARON RUBEN to receive its
Valentine Davis Award for Public Service. Kudos will be presented at the Guild’s
55th Awards Ceremony, March 8. Award is given to writers who have contributed
to the entertainment industry as well as the community at large and who have
brought dignity and honor to the profession of writing everywhere. WGA prexy Victoria Riskin said “Aaron
Ruben’s lifetime of good work reflects well on writers everywhere. He has
dedicated his life to helping children. His selflessness is inspiring.” Hope
you didn’t miss the large story and picture in Daily Variety. The
article lists many of his impressive credits as well as defining more of his
good works. Past recipients include our own HAL KANTER.
And
speaking of pictures, there was a good one of PPB Press Chair FRANK LIBERMAN
and his daughters, Meg and Kay, in the Motion Picture and Television Fund
newsletter. FRANK recently moved into the Motion Picture Home, and the
accompanying story tells how thrilled he is to be there. The article chronicles
FRANK’s long and notable career. In addition
to his many other clients, LIBERMAN was a publicist for Bob Hope for 41
years.
Palm
Springs PPB member MARY DORR (Gordon) writes that the 26th annual
Excellence in Media Gold Angel Awards will be announced February 28. Too late
for this newsletter, but we’ll print them next time. As a non profit, non
political, non sectarian organization that cuts across all demographic strata,
their awards are considered the best in moral, ethical and/or socially impacted
productions. Someone said they stand for “nontoxic entertainment.”
Last-minute gatherings—Secretary
BARBARA FULLER is excited about the student film she is doing at Chapman
University—loves the part and predicts a
great future for the young people she’s working with, Zach Goode and Stacy Kattman. Librarian JANET WALDO is having mail
problems—first, her mail was being
stolen, so she bought a mail box with a lock—and
it was stolen too.so,
if you are expecting an answer to your letter to JANET—don’t wait—she
probably never got it.
President GIL STRATTON arrived
home from his semi-annual trip to London just in time for the February 10 Board
meeting. GIL and his eldest son, Gibby, were
in London for soccer and theatre. Due to new restrictions, because of “hooliganism,”
they were shut out from purchasing soccer tickets. However, GIL says,
they managed to see seven shows, including The Breath of Life, starring
the Dames Judi Dench and Maggie Smith. Also saw the
new production of My Fair Lady, and it was, as the British say, “brilliant.”
In mid-March GIL will be lecturing aboard the Seabourne
Pride from Fort Lauderdale to Lisbon, Portugal. V.P. CHUCK CECIL will
emcee the March PPB luncheon.
HHH
Membership Chairman MARGOT EWING reports:
New
Members
JON ANTHONY DOSA
MICHAEL J. HORN
Reinstatement
J. JAY SMITH
We
will remember with admiration
RICHARD CRENNA
CLIFF NORTON
HARRY SPITZER
DON STANLEY
JIMMIE BAKER
STACY KEACH, SR.
Please
send your news and that of your PPB friends to:
SUE CLARK CHADWICK
1841
Outpost Drive
Hollywood,
CA 90068-3721
Fax
(323) 851-2401
NOTE
THE
DEADLINE FOR THE NEXT NEWSLETTER IS
MARCH 26, 2003