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Man From Mars Productions

50th Anniversary
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50th Anniversary Supplement

January 1, 1972 marked the beginning of a yearlong celebration of WDRC's Golden Anniversary. Charlie Parker and company pulled out all the stops with a series of promotions, newspaper advertisements, and dozens of on-air promos. The theme was "Friends with you since '22."

audio - July 13, 1972 Throughout 1972 the stations ran a special top of the hour station identification (voiced by Dick McDonough) built around the 50th anniversary. On November 5th, The Hartford Courant included a 16 page supplement on the station (left).

audio: December 31, 1972 - long version of "1972 - Big D - 50 Years of Broadcasting History" Click to listen to the 7:35 50th anniversary montage written by Charlie Parker and produced by Dan Siemasko, or click on the icons below to hear some of the many special anniversary promos.

audio - Secret Sentence contest montage The campaign included The Secret Sentence, a variation of the 1960s Secret Sound contest. Lon Landis was the voice of the secret sentences. Key syllables of his historic statements were edited and listeners had to guess the correct wording to win a cash jackpot. This montage features Jim Harrington, Barry Grant, Dick Robinson, Dick McDonough and Tom Hopkins.

 
 

SERIES #1 - Production Director Dan Siemasko churned out a nassive number of promos...the first group ended with WDRC's pretty "has got a lot to share" jingle from TM's "Friends" package. In some of these examples the jingle is faded at the end to avoid repetitiveness.

audio - August 18, 1960 - Fun Day. Funday - August 18, 1960 - the day WDRC dropped CBS and went with local, rock & roll programming.

audio - Doug Weedwell on the Ron Landry SHow. Doug Weedwell - WDRC's agricultural expert with the Leather Seat Degree Report on the Ron Landry Show.

audio - Long John Wade. Long John Wade's kiss - but Harry always gets there first.

audio - Murray the K appearing on the Dick Robinson Show. Murray the K - appearing on the Dick Robinson Show.

audio - instrumentals from WDRC's 1962 Ross jingle package. Ross jingles - instrumentals from WDRC's 1962 package.

audio - more Ross instrumentals  from the 1962 package. More Ross jingles - from the 1962 jingle package.

audio - examples of OBGs on the Dick Robinson Show. Jingles - examples of OBGs on the Dick Robinson Show.

audio - Ron Landry in the WDRC Barbershop. Ron Landry - a recurring bit from Ron's morning show was when he visited the WDRC Barbershop.

audio - a music feature and newsman Al Fletcher with a 1962 Earwitness News Extra. Spotlight Song/Earwitness News Extra - a music feature and newsman Al Fletcher with a 1962 Earwitness News Extra.

audio - September 12, 1961 Mayor DeLucco - it's September 21, 1961 and Jerry Bishop is rolling peanuts down Main Street with the Mayor of Hartford.

audio - Arthur Godfrey & Tony Marvin as voiced by WDRC's Kurt Russell. Arthur Godfrey - a mainstay of CBS, this Arthur was the voice of midday host Kurt Russell in 1962-63.

audio - WDRC's Ross jingles and ARthur Godfrey. Ross jingles - here Kurt Russell has Arthur Godfrey admiring WDRC's jingles.

audio - 1963 Wayne Hickox with Earwitness News. Earwitness News - it's 1963 and time for Wayne Hickox with Earwitness News.

audio - WDRC's Sandy Beach with "Music To Watch Girls By." Sandy Beach - from 1965-1968 he and his laugh were WDRC stars!

audio - Big D loves thee and proves it with a discaway. Big D Loves Thee - and Ron Landry proves it with a discaway.

audio - Dick Robinson. Dick Robinson - it's November 17, 1964 and Dickie plays the hits.

audio - WDRC Mailcall. WDRC Mailcall - Informing you as a community service!

audio - WDRC Goodbye to 1961 promo Goodbye to 1961 - The voice in this clip was Jerry Bishop.

audio - WDRC Goodbye to 1963 promo Goodbye to 1963 - The voice in this 1963 clip was Jim Nettleton.

audio - The voices in this clip are Jim Nettleton and Long John Wade. Goodbye to 1965 - The voices in this clip are Jim Nettleton and Long John Wade.

The voice in this clip is Lee Vogel. Goodbye to 1966 - The voice in this clip is Lee Vogel.

audio - Ken Griffin and Fats Fontoon. Ken Griffin & Fats Fontoon.

audio - Ron Landry mimics the Old Philosopher. Hi there, Buster - Ron Landry mimics the Old Philosopher.

audio - two songs fill the gap in WDRC's music format. Music contrast - two songs fill the gap in WDRC's music format.

audio - Ron Landry notifies a WDRC Secret Sound winner Secret Sound contest winner - Ron Landry notifies Mrs. A. Campbells that she had solved the Secret Sound!

audio - Joey Reynolds. Joey Reynolds - it's 1967 and we're listening to the Voice of America.

audio - Apollo 11 as man walks on the moon Apollo 11 - On July 21, 1969 Big D witnesses "one giant leap for mankind" as man walks on the moon.

audio - Woodstock. Woodstock - the music festival.

audio - WDRC Don't Say Hello promo Don't Say Hello - Charlie Parker even invented contests so listeners could win prizes for WDRC's birthday.

audio - Bachman's Big D is 50 LP Spree. Bachman's Big D is 50 LP Spree - Dick McDonough cleans out the Big D music library.

audio - a montage of music from the Fab Four. The Beatles - a montage of music from the Fab Four.

Beatles jingle #1 Beatles Jingle #1 and audio - Beatles jingle #2 Beatles Jingle #2.

audio - Charlie Parker takes to the air from somewhere... 1965 Northeast Blackout - Charlie Parker takes to the air from somewhere...

audio - PAMS jingles #1 PAMS jingles #1 and audio - PAMS jingles #2. PAMS Jingles #2.

audio - Long John WAde gives away another Honda. Honda Winner - Long John Wade gives away another Honda.

audio - an excerpt from WDRC's 1969 special. Is McCartney Dead? - an excerpt from WDRC's 1969 special.

audio - The Carpenters "We've Only Just Begun" The Carpenters - We've Only Just Begun.

audio - Boston Blackie Boston Blackie - This series of promos featured clips from the heyday of WDRC's CBS affiliation.

audio - montage of CBS soap operas. Soap Operas - a montage of CBS soaps.

audio - FBI/Lum 'n Abner FBI/Lum 'n Abner - two popular shows from the CBS Network era.

audio - Tom Mix - one of the great cowboy series from the days of network radio. Tom Mix - one of the great cowboy series from the days of network radio.

audio - Henry Aldrich Henry Aldrich - the famous cry of "Coming Mother" from this CBS series.

audio - It Pays To Be Ignorant It Pays to Be Ignorant - there were numerous additional cuts featuring CBS programs.

SERIES #2 - The second series ended with the "you've got a friend here in Hartford" jingle. Like all of the series, the voiceovers were by Dick McDonough.

audio - Long John Wade promotes a boss weekend Boss Weekend - Long John Wade promotes a Big D boss weekend.

audio - Ron Landry tells us the popular ABC-TV show is coming May 10. Shindig - Ron Landry tells us the popular ABC-TV show is coming May 10.

audio - CBS Network drama show, Escape Escape - an exciting dramatic show from the heyday of CBS.

audio - Gary the content winner Contest Winner - Long John Wade calls Gary to tell him he's a winner.

SERIES #3 - The third series were used coming out of newscasts and primarily featured the music WDRC helped make famous.

audio - DOn't Sit Under the Apple Tree Don't Sit Under the Apple Tree

audio - Blue Skies Blue Skies

audio - Dance Ballerina Dance Dance Ballerina Dance

audio - How's ABout A Kiss? How's About A Kiss?

audio - Just A Dream Just A Dream

audio - Object of My Affection Object Of My Affection

Perez Prado's Cherry Pink and Apple Blossom White Perez Prado's Cherry Pink and Apple Blossom White

audio - Prisoner of Love Prisoner of Love

audio - Roll Over Beethoven Roll Over Beethoven

audio - She's the One She's The One

audio - There's No Tomorrow There's No Tomorrow

audio - Venus in Blue Jeans Venus in Blue Jeans

audio - You're Sixteen You're Sixteen

audio - Remember When promo Remember When? - This series featured the voiceover talent of Pete Ross and Gary DeGraide, plus the musical tag from a hit song which was from a brand new, controversial television show.

 
  1972 - Don't Say Hello ad

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Friday August 18, 2000 marked the 40th
anniversary of WDRC dropping CBS and
instituting local pop music programming.

WDRC FM held a week-long celebration, bringing
back many voices from the past.
Click for more.

 
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