Which Rock & Roll Disk Jockeys Would Have Made Good Hosts?

[calliaume]

I know some of them made the jump -- Jim Lange, Bob Eubanks, Geoff Edwards, and Wink Martindale spring to mind -- but how about some others you think would have worked (or not) that worked in major markets?

My thoughts:

• "Cousin" Bruce Morrow (WABC/WNBC/WCBS) -- Did host a pilot in the 1970s, Wheeler Dealers. He's one of my all-time favorites, but I think he would have been too much like Bert Parks on the air for peoples' tastes.
• Dan Ingram (WABC/WCBS) -- He might have made a good Richard Dawson-type snarky host, but I don't know that he would have had the patience. He also made a huge amount of money doing commercials, so he may not have been interested.
• Dan Daniels (WMCA/WHN/WCBS) -- Just a guess, but he might have been interested in the early 1970s; perhaps the announcing gig for The Big Showdown was a consolation prize.
• Ron Lundy (WABC/WCBS) -- Didn't have the look for it (short and stocky), but certainly had the personality.
• Herb Oscar Anderson (WMCA/WABC) -- Another who didn't have the look but did have the personality. His abrupt departure from WABC may have worked against him.
• Robert W. Morgan (KHJ/KMPC) -- Another guy with an odd career track (he left Los Angeles for two years to try out WIND in Chicago; that didn't work at all), but if Lohman and Barkley could host, why not him?).

Others?

[PYLclark86]

I can't help but roll the dice by saying that The Real Don Steele would've been a perfect fit on one of Chuck Barris' games.

I feel like a legit answer would be one of the radio guys that got hired as an announcer that would make a crossover ala Bob Hilton. Charlie Tuna, Larry Van Nuys, etc.

[Winkfan]

I can't help but roll the dice by saying that The Real Don Steele would've been a perfect fit on one of Chuck Barris' games.

Uh-Uh; he probably had nightmares about game show hosting.

On the other hand, Jimmy (Shindig) O'Neill could have made the GS cut as well. I mentioned in an early post that he should have gotten the Tic Tac Dough gig back in 1990.

Some of the Winkster's KFWB colleagues, like Gene Weed, Bill Ballance, Roger Christian, etc, are among others that the game show producers let get away.

Cordially,
Tammy

[Adam Nedeff]

In hindsight, it kind of surprises me that Rick Dees NEVER did one.

[mystery7]

I'm imagining that HOA would be awfully much like Bert Parks. Too old-fashioned or song-n-dancey for a fast-paced '70s game show given his predilection for singing Hello Again on WABC every morning. I'd pick a jock like Bobaloo from the 77 stable instead.

Big Wilson or Ted Brown from WNBC might have been good choices were more shows still taping in NYC. They both hosted Monitor from time to time, after all.

[DoorNumberFour]

In hindsight, it kind of surprises me that Rick Dees NEVER did one.

I'm reminded of this thing:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=m_WXNaKH3Nw&pp=ygUSbW9ub3BvbHkgcmljayBkZWVz

With a better format, I think he would have shined as a host

[RMF]

Big Wilson or Ted Brown from WNBC might have been good choices were more shows still taping in NYC. They both hosted Monitor from time to time, after all.

Ted Brown hosted Across The Board, which had a four-month run in 1959- I don't believe anything has surfaced from this series, but this unsold pilot from the following year may give a sense of how he fared as a host:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=igtN8hBWOh4

[BillCullen1]

I know some of them made the jump -- Jim Lange, Bob Eubanks, Geoff Edwards, and Wink Martindale spring to mind -- but how about some others you think would have worked (or not) that worked in major markets?

My thoughts:

• "Cousin" Bruce Morrow (WABC/WNBC/WCBS) -- Did host a pilot in the 1970s, Wheeler Dealers. He's one of my all-time favorites, but I think he would have been too much like Bert Parks on the air for peoples' tastes.
• Dan Ingram (WABC/WCBS) -- He might have made a good Richard Dawson-type snarky host, but I don't know that he would have had the patience. He also made a huge amount of money doing commercials, so he may not have been interested.
• Dan Daniels (WMCA/WHN/WCBS) -- Just a guess, but he might have been interested in the early 1970s; perhaps the announcing gig for The Big Showdown was a consolation prize.
• Ron Lundy (WABC/WCBS) -- Didn't have the look for it (short and stocky), but certainly had the personality.
• Herb Oscar Anderson (WMCA/WABC) -- Another who didn't have the look but did have the personality. His abrupt departure from WABC may have worked against him.
• Robert W. Morgan (KHJ/KMPC) -- Another guy with an odd career track (he left Los Angeles for two years to try out WIND in Chicago; that didn't work at all), but if Lohman and Barkley could host, why not him?).

Others?

Having grown up in NYC, I listened to the top four regularly. HOA was a little before my time but I've heard tapes and I think I heard Robert Morgan when I was out in L.A. in 1995. Guys from the days when radio personalities had a personality. Good memories. I believe Cousin Brucie is the only one still with us.

[mystery7]

Having grown up in NYC, I listened to the top four regularly. HOA was a little before my time but I've heard tapes and I think I heard Robert Morgan when I was out in L.A. in 1995. Guys from the days when radio personalities had a personality. Good memories. I believe Cousin Brucie is the only one still with us.

I think you're right. And amazingly, Brucie is back on WABC every Saturday night. Perhaps just as amazingly, Tony Orlando is on right after him.

[calliaume]

I will say the WABC DJs had the height to host. This is a picture from around 1972 -- the short guy is Rick Sklar, the program director. Jim Perry (who did weekends and fill-in work for the station at that time) is second from the right, and he's not even the tallest guy there.

[BillCullen1]

I know some of them made the jump -- Jim Lange, Bob Eubanks, Geoff Edwards, and Wink Martindale spring to mind -- but how about some others you think would have worked (or not) that worked in major markets?

Others?

I thought of a couple

Harry Harrison - the "Morning Mayor" on NYC radio for many years. Worked at WMCA, WABC and CBS FM. Always sounded upbeat and came across as sincere and friendly. He might have worked out.

Casey Kasem - nationally known for American Top 40. Familiar voice on commercials and cartoons (Shaggy on "Scooby Doo"). Someone posted a pilot he did. You only heard him but I thought he could be a good emcee if given a chance.