A Few Pictures from the Musicradio 77 Photo Album

Photo courtesy of Frank Kingston Smith

Former WABC air personality Frank Kingston Smith writes:

"Here is a pic I THINK was taken in summer of 71 or 72. I only had those glasses for about six months. L to R, Me (gawd! look at that hair), Rick Sklar, Chuck Leonard, Big Dan, Jim Perry and Cuz (Bruce Morrow). I don't recall the event. The sign behind Rick and Chuck reads "Jam..." Second Line is "Paul McCartney", on the third lines it looks like it sez"..amea.." . I just don't remember. This MAY have been the premier of either "Jesus Christ, Superstar" -OR- the National Ballet of Canada's "Tommy"."

WABC fans may recognize this picture from Rick Sklar's book "Rocking America". Rick's copy did not show either Frank or Rick. This is the "full" version!

Photo courtesy of Frank Kingston Smith

Frank Kingston Smith also contributed this picture and writes:

"This is taken from the PREVIEW night, not Opening night, of "A Little Night Music" which went on to win several Tony's that year. It is obviously winter of, I THINK, 1973. Right around Valentine's Day. L to R, Jay Reynolds, Harold Pinter [check this with someone who knows theater, but he was the director I think], Me (looking a lot more kempt), Rick Sklar, Johnny Donovan, Harry Harrison, and Bruce Morrow."

Photo courtesy of Roby Sherman

WABC air personality Roby Yonge in the mid 1960's in Florida. Roby created an entire persona for himself in South Florida during this time. He was known as "The Big Kahuna" both on the beach and on the radio. Before WABC, Roby worked at WQAM (Miami) along side of famous South Florida radio personality Rick Shaw.

This photo was contributed by Roby Sherman. Roby Sherman was Roby Yonge's God Son and his father is former WQAM Disc Jockey Bob Sherman.

Photo courtesy of Steve O'Brien

WABC air personality Steve O'Brien. Know as "your friendly SOB" Steve was heard on WABC in the mid seventies before becoming the afternoon drive personality on New York's WYNY. You may recognize Steve from his on camera television work both as an interviewer, game show host and anchor. He also continues in radio with periodic appearances WCBS-FM.

Photo courtesy of Steve Gilinsky

WABC air personality Bob Cruz around 1976. Unfortunately this is a black and white picture. I only saw him once and you couldn't forget that red hair!

Bob was at WABC from 1976 until 1981. As is noted elsewhere on this website, he got the job at WABC because he sounded so much like Dan Ingram (the rest of us should be so lucky!). After WABC he went on to a successful career doing voice overs and ABC Network news and sports promos.

In 1973 Wolfman Jack came to New York radio as the evening disc jockey for WNBC (AM). His competition was Cousin Bruce Morrow on WABC. As part of the media hype for his arrival, WNBC had this "tombstone" delivered to the front of ABC corporate headquarters. It read:

Cousin Brucie's Days Are Numbered
Wolfman Jack is on the Prowl
7 PM to Midnight
Monday Thru Saturday
WNBC 66 Radio
New York's Personality Station

Time Magazine covered this media event and interviewed both Wolfman Jack and Cousin Brucie. Bruce's picture appeared in the magazine article and below it Bruce was quoted as commenting "Wolfman who?".

Ed Johnson, who was a relief engineer at WABC during the summer of 1973 writes:

"I worked the board for Bruce the night Wolfman Jack delivered the 6 foot tombstone to "Broadcast House" on the sixth floor. I never got to see the tombstone because security would not let them bring it up to the studio floor. But I was six feet from Bruce when the security guard phoned him to tell him it was sitting in the lobby. Bruce's look was one of total dis-belief!"

So who won?

Wolfman only lasted about a year at WNBC. In one of the all time great New York radio ironies, he was replaced by Bruce Morrow! Wolfman wanted out of his contract and WNBC "persuaded" Cousin Brucie to switch stations.

Photo courtesy of John Meagher

Former WABC Newsman John Meagher, who did the morning news for Harry Harrison every morning for many years, writes:

This is a somewhat murky shot of me, Gus Engelman (outside newsman) and Kiki Hooper - STILL an engineer at WABC from 1981. We were jammed inside an old equipment rack in the newsroom. Yours truly is hidden in the shadows...but that's the breaks. Gus and Kiki are quite visible.

Photo courtesy of John Meagher

John Meager writes:

This is a photo of Dan Ingram - same roll - same time period in 1981.

photo courtesy of Richard Silverberg

This is a photo of a group of WABC engineers on board the "WABC Cruiser".

The boat was the idea of then WABC General Manager Wally Schwartz. In the mid sixties he decided to impress the advertising community by having a yacht cruise the New York City waters entertaining clients. In the early days of Top 40 music on WABC it was hard to convince Madison Avenue that advertising on a "pop music" radio station was worthwhile.

The boat seemed like a good idea. The problem was that no other division in ABC had a yacht. To convince the corporate hierarchy that WABC radio needed one, it was decided that WABC would carry "Marine Weather Reports" from the "new WABC Cruiser". In actuality, the reports came from the Coast Guard and had nothing to do with any boat that WABC had. But the corporate chiefs didn't know that. The idea of providing a public service was enough to get the purchase of the boat approved by the ABC corporate honchos.

Hence, WABC had a boat!

photo courtesy of Richard Silverberg

WABC engineer Richard Silverberg sits on the engineer's side of the WABC console in 1967. He is facing the disc jockey who sat across the console.

As you can see from this picture, WABC was no longer playing records in 1967. Instead, tape cartridges better known as "carts" were being used. As you can see, they look very much like the old 8 track cartridges. They are similar in that they are a continuous loop of tape that automatically recues back to the beginning. They are, however, MUCH different in that the players have fixed heads and the carts are locked in place inside the "cart machines" when being played. Commercials, music, promos and most all other recorded programming came from these carts.

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