Born in East Weymouth, Massachusetts, Larry became interested in radio while at the University of Texas at El Paso and Allan Hancock College in Santa Maria, CA. A graduate of WCBM Baltimore, and Providence stations WXTR and WGNG, Larry's combined Hartford experience lasted just six months. He was hired at WDRC in June, 1973 but only lasted three months. He segued to WPOP for weekends and fill-in work before moving to WHOO Orlando.

He later returned to Baltimore where he did time at WCAO, WXYV, WFBR, WBKZ and WMAR FM.

Lawrence E. Hall succumbed to amytrophic lateral sclerosis (Lou Gehrig's disease) at his Ruxton, Maryland home on November 11, 2001; he was 57.

WBIS Bristol, WMMW Meriden, WHNB TV West Hartford, WHCT TV Hartford, and WBMI Meriden (where he was station manager) were some of Raymond G. Hard's training grounds before he joined the WPOP news department where he anchored midday and afternoon newscasts. Ray was born in Peekskill, NY on April 16, 1926. He served in the U.S. Navy during World War II. Ray's radio/television career began in 1957. He worked on-air and on-camera and was the New England Regional Director of the National Association of FM Broadcasters and the executive secretary of the Connecticut Broadcasters Association for two years.

After leaving WPOP, Ray joined Carl Candels Advertising in Hartford. In early 1973 he was appointed public relations officer for the Connecticut Department of Children and Youth Services. During his retirement Ray worked as a bus driver and school crossing guard.

Ray passed away March 1, 2010 in Meriden; he was 83.

A Long Island native, the Judge spent time at WGLI in Babylon, NY on either side of a two-year stint in the Army at Fort Bragg, NC. During his free time he hosted shows at WFBS in Spring Lake, NC and WFLB in Fayetteville. He also worked at WAVZ New Haven and WAAB Worcester before Lou Morton hired him to do Saturday and Sunday middays at WPOP.

When Bill Love left morning drive in August, 1971, Scott St. James took his place. Uncle Judge went full-time by inheriting St. James' afternoon drive slot. He stayed there until Bill Coffey left, then took over 6:00-10:00AM in late 1972. Harrigan was replaced as host of morning drive by Greaseman, though he later worked as a WPOP ad salesman and was doing so when the switch to news occurred on June 30, 1975.

Judge Harrigan returned to WAVZ and later played oldies at WRCQ Farmington before joining Aetna Insurance Company as a computer guru. In 1989-90 he took another shot at radio, doing weekends at WDRC FM in Hartford.

Judge is a computer programmer at the Travelers in Hartford (e-mail); see his note. (10/31/16)

Born June 10, 1943, this native of Houlton, Maine, was a newsman through most of his career using his birth name, Fred Lowrey. His high school yearbook legend (Houlton High School Class of '61) said his ambition was "to be a radio advertising agent." He began his broadcast career while a student at UMAINE (Class of 1965), doing baseball and basketball play-by-play. He then moved to WGUY in Bangor. At WPOP he was a newsman who used the on-air name Bruce Hayes.

After Hartford he worked at WRC Washington, WMEX Boston, WFIL radio and television in Philadelphia, and NBC Monitor. In 1973 he joined the Mutual News network where he was known as the voice that introduced the syndicated Larry King Show. As a result of a merger in 1978, Fred did double duty anchoring overnight newscasts on Mutual and NBC.

Frederick Douglas Lowrey II died from a massive staph infection on July 26, 1998 at the age of 55 while vacationing near Norway, Maine. (2/10/22)

The son of big band leader Ray Heatherton, and brother of singer/actress Joey Heatherton, Happy Dick worked at stations on Long Island (including WBIC and WGLI) before heading to Hartford at the age of 23 to replace Lee Simms. His WPOP initiation consisted of a two weeks co-hosting Woody Roberts' morning show followed by a 40-hour 7-minute on-air marathon during which the other WPOP Good Guys were supposedly kidnapped. His initial shift was 7:00PM-midnight though he quickly moved to 9:00PM-1:00AM where he was "king of the Kielbasa country."

A talented show biz individual, Dick worked in summer stock, appeared on TV, and worked as cruise director on an ocean liner. While at WPOP he promoted an album he recorded. In March, 1968 he flew to the west coast to appear on a Dean Martin summer TV show with his sister. That September, Steve O'Brien left for Philadelphia so Dick inherited his 6:00-9:00PM shift. In July 1969 Dickie made his third appearance on the Mike Douglas TV show, appearing with his dad and sister. He also learned to skydive at an airport in Orange, MA during the summer of '69.

Heatherton left WPOP for WFIL Philadelphia, but returned for a month in the fall of 1970 where he debuted as Monticello the Magnificent. His later resume includes many stops including KLIF Dallas; WCBS FM New York; KLRS Santa Cruz; KFI/KMPC/KJOI/KOCM/ KXEZ/KCBS/KACD all in Los Angeles; Unistar Satellite Network; WWPA/WWWD Williamsport, PA; Westwood One; KPAS Los Angeles; WEZO/WBBF FM Rochester, NY; KRLA Pasadena.

Check out Dick's web site (e-mail); see his note (e-mail). (6/2/08)

Mike was a third generation resident of the Washington, DC area, where he graduated from the Landon School for Boys in Bethesda, MD. He used his real name during the week as a WPOP news reporter. On weekends he played music as Terry McKay starting in November, 1967. He had previously worked at Trinity College's station, WRTC FM (Class of 1964); WRYM New Britain; WEDH TV Hartford; WASH/WDON Washington; and WINF Manchester where he hosted Speak Up Greater Hartford, as did Lou Morton & Tracy Cole.

Mike left The Big 14 for a news position at WFIL Philadelphia and later worked at WOR FM New York; the Mutual Radio Network; WMAL and WTOP Washington; WWL New Orleans and WLOX TV in Biloxi and a TV station in Williamsburg, VA. Outside of radio, Mike was a volunteer at Washington National Cathedral for 45 years and served twice as head usher. In his later years Mike was an English professor at College of Southern Maryland and Prince George's Community College. He also did freelance voicework and taught classes at the Connecticut School of Broadcasting in Arlington, VA.

E. Michael Heid died on April 13, 2022 after a lengthy illness; he was 79. (10/7/22)

Jeff worked at WABK Gardiner and WLOB Portland, ME before coming to WPOP.

Known as Captain Afternoon, he was replaced by Lee Gordon when Bob Craig was hired for Lee's midday shift. It may have been a blessing in disguise, though, because a few months later WPOP let everyone go when the format was changed to all news in June, 1975. Jeff soon landed at WINZ in Miami.

Jeff later returned to Maine where his last known address was WBLM in Lewiston/Portland.

Timothy Chip Hobart's radio resume is long and impressive. Prior to Hartford the Vermont native worked at WDOT Burlington, VT; WDEV Waterbury, VT; WJOY & WVMT Burlington, VT; WKBR Manchester, NH; WKOX FM Framingham, MA; WAAB Worcester, MA; WTRY Troy, NY; WTOR Torrington, CT; and WTBY Waterbury. At The Big 14 he was the weekend regular and weekday sub.

After a brief stint at WDRC FM, Hobart moved around America gracing the airwaves of WNHC New Haven; CKLW Detroit; WRKO Boston; WOKY Milwaukee; WIXY Cleveland; WKRQ Cincinnati; WEZE Boston, WYSP Philadelphia; KROY Sacramento; KSFM ?; WVBF Framingham; WDAI FM and WJEZ Chicago; KDWB FM Minneapolis; WAPP New York; WHTT Boston; WQFM Milwaukee; WVMX Stowe, VT and WCLX Burlington, VT/Westport, NY..

Chip passed away in Vermont on St. Patrick's Day 2021 after a long battle with cancer. (3/17/21).

Born Pat Manfro, this young man cut his teeth at WBAZ and WKNY in his hometown of Kingston, NY. He was hired away from WPTR Albany, NY by Danny Clayton to fill a temporary 7:00PM-midnight vacancy when Ray Dunaway left but before Frank Holler's Navy service ended. At WPOP he used the nome de plume Doctor Jim Holiday.

After WPOP he settled in for a long stay at Detroit's CKLW using the name Pat Holiday (interrupted by a brief stint at WOR FM as China Blue). In 1980 he became program director of CKLW and CFXX Detroit. In 1984 he was named vice president of programming for Russwood Broadcasting Limited's CKJY FM. Pat also worked at WNIC and WLTI FM Detroit, MI; WRRM Cincinnati, OH; CKFM Toronto, Ontario; and was vice president and general manager of CJAY/CKMX Calgary.

Pat is vice president and general manager of CFRB Toronto (e-mail); see his note. (7/21/16)

A Hartford native, Frank graduated from Weaver High School and the first class of the Connecticut School of Broadcasting. He was initially hired at WPOP in December 1967 as assistant to music director Bob Paiva. Part of his job involved distributing "GO" magazine (edited by Robin Leach). Frank began hosting Saturday and Sunday airshifts on July 18, 1968. He left the Boss Jocks to join the Navy in June 1969, though he continued doing weekend fill-ins through September. Frank was replaced by 18-year-old Mark Driscoll.

He worked at AFVN in Danang, Vietnam. While it was supposed to be a two-year activation, Frank's military obligation ended early so he returned to WPOP on August 8, 1970, hosting weekends. He moved into the fulltime 7:00 p.m. to midnight slot nine days later replacing Doctor Jim Holiday. During his latter days at The Big 14 Frank turned the last hour of the program into an album hour, playing the longer versions of many pop singles thus reflecting the popularity of "heavier" sounds. When Frank got married in 1971 his ushers included Ed Clancy, Gary Girard and John Scott.

Frank followed his former WPOP program director, Dan Clayton, to WLW Cincinnati (as evening personality and music director). His broadcast career took him to WYSP in Philadelphia (PM drive); Chicago's WDAI FM (middays as Justin Paige); WKLS Atlanta (program director); WWWW Detroit (program director); WCMF Rochester, NY (program director); WCOZ Boston (program director); WDRC A/F Hartford (weekends, program director); KLOU St. Louis (program director); WIOQ Philadelphia (program manager); back to WDRC FM (PM drive, operations manager) where he instituted a Saturday night oldies show, Jukebox Saturday Night (named for a show he listened to in 1956 at WPOP's predecessor, WGTH); and was last heard hosting a Saturday night oldies show on WHYN FM in Springfield.

Frank died in his Newington home on October 15, 2015, a day shy of his 67th birthday. (12/13/15)

Sam replaced Art Wander as WPOP's program director. Holman was one of the pioneers in Top 40 radio, programming legendary stations like WLS Chicago, KQV Pittsburgh and WABC New York. In Hartford he hosted a 10:00PM talk show, Hotline. Station promotional material described the phone-in show as "controversial, exciting, sensitive and offensive ...designed to allow Central Connecticut listeners to speak out on the problems of the day without censorship." Upon his departure Bob Marshall took over the show.

He later became national program director of the ABC owned and operated radio stations ...served as general manager of WOHO Toledo, OH...and held airshifts at KNEW Oakland, CA and KISN Portland, OR. He also served as the western U.S. regional manager for Bridal Fair and sold radio jingles for PAMS of Dallas. In the early 1980s Sam worked for a Los Angeles advertising agency and was vice president for station relations for the California Radio Network.

Holman died in Las Vegas in January, 1987 at the age of 52.

Linc was born on July 30, 1929 in Worcester County, MA and was active in the Boy Scouts and Sea Scouts. He graduated from Boston's Emerson College (Class of 1958) and spent five years in the Marines before working at WINF in Manchester in the late 1950s. In 1960 he accepted a position with the YMCA of Pittsfield, MA before returning to broadcasting a few years later. His radio credentials include stints at stations in Boston, Phoenix and Denver, as well as WRCH New Britain and WELI New Haven. Linc was on the TV news team of WHNB/30 in West Hartford immediately before he joined the news team at WPOP, where he spent three years. Most of that time was during morning drive where he partnered with Bill Love and Lou Morton, Scott St. James and Lou Morton, Bill Coffey and Judge Harrigan.

Linc left WPOP to join the public information division of the Connecticut Welfare Department and later worked at WHNB TV in West Hartford.

Lincoln K. Holmes passed away in St. Petersburg, FL on January 29, 2006; he was 76.

Born on the fifth day of 1944, he was nicknamed Cannonball Jim Horne. because of his size. He worked at KFTV in his hometown of Paris, Texas, as well as stations in Austin and Fort Worth. He came to Hartford from WUBE Cincinnati. During his brief stay at WPOP Jim hosted the noon to 3:00PM shift replacing Lou Terri. When Jim left he was replaced by Bill Winters.

After Hartford his radio journey took him to WNOX Knoxville, TN; KDKA Pittsburgh, PA; and WPIX FM New York, NY.

Later known professionally as J.R. Horne, Jim had a successful acting career based in New York where he was president of the local branch of AFTRA. His most prominent feature film and television credits include Turk 182, Die Hard With A Vengeance and Woody Allen's Radio Days, as well as the Hallmark of Fame presentation What the Deaf Man Heard. He also appeared in the CBS miniseries Stephen King's The Golden Years, as well as the movies-of-the-week Don't Look Back and The Gentleman Bandit.

Although his voice was frequently heard in character sketches on Late Night with David Letterman, his appearances on Mister Rogers' Neighborhood and Sesame Street highlighted a different side to his character.

In New York, where he lived from 1972 until his death, Horne appeared on Broadway opposite George C. Scott in the critically acclaimed revival of Inherit the Wind, and with Sam Waterston in Abe Lincoln in Illinois. His appeared in the New York Shakespeare Festival with John Goodman in Skin of Our Teeth in Central Park. He first paired with Tim Blake Nelson in Nelson's off-Broadway play Anadarko.

Horne crisscrossed the country appearing in a wide range of theater productions including musicals such as Guys and Dolls, The Fantasticks and Great Expectations, as well as the classics The Front Page, Cyrano de Bergerac, School for Wives, The Chimes, Greater Tuna, and Our Town. He also starred in the world premiere of Tony Kushner's Hydriotaphia in Berkeley, California.

Jim passed away on January 14, 2016 from an infection after surgery; he was 72. See his note (12-06-02) or read his obituary from the Pittsburgh Post-Gazette.

During WPOP's earliest days as a pop music station, George Hound Dog Lorenz was a fixture on WKBW in Buffalo, NY. He was reputedly one of the first deejays in America to spin rhythm & blues and rock & roll records. For about a year he syndicated his show and WPOP aired it from 8:30-10:30PM. Lorenz penned a column in the Sunday Herald newspaper in early 1958 but this excerpt may explain why it only ran for six weeks:

"Welcome, Madtown cats and you out there in West and East Madtown as well. Its a pleasure to communicate with you cuddle bunnies and tomcats. Would like to hear more about what's shakin' in the box shop, so communicate!"

The year 1958 meant lots of change for Lorenz; he quit at WKBW on July 4th when it went exclusively Top 40. Lorenz was quoted in Billboard as saying the repetitiveness of Top 40 "is hurting the record industry, is lowering radio listening, and is decreasing a new artist's chance to make it." By October 19, Hound Dog's show was being aired on WHAY in Farmington rather than WPOP.

He was later heard on WINE in Kenmore, NY and Buffalo stations WUFO, WWPC and WBLK FM.

Hound Dog died on May 28, 1972 at the age of 52.

Bouncin' Bill Hughes collected his first on-air experience at WOHP Bellfountain, OH and WTOD Toledo, OH. He came to WPOP to host 10:00PM-1:00AM, when Joey Reynolds' hours were changed from 7:00PM-midnight to 6:00-10:00PM.

After Hartford, Bill returned to Toledo, but this time to WOHO. He also logged time at WMBR Jacksonville before making his third pilgrimage to Toledo back at WTOD AM/FM.

Bill was last known to be living in Maumee, OH in July 2021.

Ron Jackson was the news alter-ego of swing shift DJ Rusty Potz at WPOP. He did news during the week plus weekend music shifts. His previous experience was at the former WSOR Windsor, CT.

After leaving WPOP he worked at WAVZ New Haven and later ran the show at WCCC Hartford during its "All Request" format using the name Randy Potz.

Ron/Rusty was an institution for years at WLNG on Long Island before his retirement on May 29, 2015. (5/29/15)

He was billed as The Real Tom Jones but his real name was Ron Fraiser. Hailing from Yazoo City, MS he graduated from the Yazoo City class of 1957 and attended Hinds Junior College in Raymond, MS and Southern Illinois University in Carbondale, IL. He played baseball from Little League through the minor leagues and pitched in the Twilight League during his time in Hartford. Later, while working in Minneapolis, he regularly threw batting practive, in uniform, for the Minnesota Twins. Ron was also a talented musician, writing and recording a number of regional hit songs. His first radio job was at home station WAZF in Yazoo City. His next stop was WJXN in Jackson, MS.

Tom joined the WPOP Boss Jocks (just as they were returning to the Good Guys fold) from WNOR in Norfolk, VA to host WPOP's 10:00AM-1:00PM shift. He had previously worked at KRYS Corpus Christi, TX; KMAC San Antonio, TX; WNOE New Orleans, LA; WRNC Raleigh, NC; WLEE Richmond, VA; WROD Daytona Beach and WONN in Lakeland, FL; and was music director at WHOO Orlando.

When he left WPOP, Tom turned up across town at WCCC for a while before heading to WNDR in Syracuse, NY. After a short time it was on to WKKE Asheville, NC as program director. Then on to WMIL/WZUU Milwaukee, WI; WYOO Minneapolis, MN; WABB Mobile, AL; WRBC Jackson, MS; WIFE Indianapolis, IN; WKTK FM Baltimore, MD; WWWE Cleveland, OH; WQYK-FM Tampa, FL; WBYP FM Yazoo City, MS, and three tours of duty at WABB in Mobile, AL. His resume also includes WMOB in Mobile, WMAC Macon, and WCOA in Pensacola. He appeared in several movies, including the iconic Close Encounters of the Third Kind.

Ronald Douglas Fraiser lived for several years in Sarasota, FL; after nearly five years of ill health he died on June 20, 2019 (9/1/19).

Dale Kelly (aka Kemery) got his radio start at the local station, WKOK in Sunbury, PA, where he attended high school. After attending California State University at Sacramento, his radio stops included WING Dayton, OH; WARK Hagerstown, MD; WRNY Rome, NY; WPTR Albany, NY; WRAW Reading, PA; and WATS in Sayre, PA. He was hired by Phil Zoppi at The New WPOP as a deejay primarily from 3:00-7:00PM, though he also hosted other shifts.

He left Hartford for WOLF Syracuse, NY. From there it was into the U.S. Army and two tours of Vietnam. After the service Dale jocked at KMBY in Monterey, CA before switching to news at KNEW Oakland, KYA, KGO and KNBR San Francisco. After leaving radio Dale spent ten years in public relations in the dairy industry. In the 1980s Dale opened a public relations firm in Chicago (for which the website is still active) before relocating to Washington, D.C. Dale put in nine years as the public relations voice of the Environmental Protection Agency in Washington, retiring in December 2013.

In retirement, Dale hosted closed circuit TV programs for residents of Riderwood, a retirement community in Silver Spring, MD. (10-18-18)

Jack Kelly (real name Szczepanik) was born in Buffalo on October 7, 1937. He came to Hartford from WBNY in Buffalo to host the 9:00-11:00AM music shift and serve as production director. He began his career in the late 1950s at WUSJ in Lockport, NY. Before coming to Connecticut he also worked at WWOL and WKBW in Buffalo, and WVET Rochester. In July 1964 WPOP had him attempt to crack the world roller coaster record which he set in 1962. He went to Riverside Park in Agawam, MA with a goal of riding the loops 286 times. The result has been lost to history. Jack also put in some time at WHYN Springfield, MA, as Bob Allen.

Jack returned to Buffalo at WMMJ and, later, WYSL. In 1970 he relocated to Norfolk, VA where he graced the airwaves of WGH and WNOR. His last stop was Milwaukee, where he was heard on WRYT. He also did a stint as public address announcer for the Brewers baseball team.

John Carl Szczepanik died in Milwaukee on January 8, 1980 at the age of 42.

After Roy Cooper left WPOP, utility man Dick Stephens briefly took over morning drive until WPOP program director Art Wander brought Kilroy in from Milwaukee to host 5:30-10:00AM.

Also known by his real name, Lou Morton, Kilroy spent 20 years in radio before coming to Hartford. As a kid his ambition was to play professional baseball; toward that end he tried out as a catcher with the Cincinnati Reds. However the Marines called and that was his team for the next three years. After World War II he attended Miami University in Oxford, OH (where he had intentions of pursuing journalism). His radio odyssey began in 1947 at WMOH in Hamilton, OH and his resume included stops at WBMB in Miami, WJNO Palm Beach, FL, WSAZ Huntington, WV, WLW Cincinnati, WTMJ AM/TV Milwaukee, WSAI Cincinnati, WQXI Atlanta and WWOQ Charlotte. At WKNR Detroit, WPLO Atlanta and WGST Atlanta, he was program director. His sports assignments included play-by-play for Georgia Tech football and Waite Hoyt's color man on Cincinnati Reds baseball. Listen to an audition disc that Lou cut while in Miami in 1949.

Kilroy died on Veteran's Day 2014 at the age of 88 (click to read more); also see Lou Morton.

When Bill Winters answered Uncle Sam's call in May, 1968, he was replaced in morning drive by Allen King who came from a station in Oklahoma City. Allen was a native of Sulphur, OK (born October 2, 1938) and previously worked at WPLO and WAKE in Atlanta and WHK Cleveland (where he was known as Keely Kincaid). A car and motorcycle collector, Allen organized a dune buggy club during his stay in the Insurance City. He also was a water ski enthusiast.

King left WPOP to join WOR FM in New York as morning drive host using the name Jimmy King. He stayed after the calls were changed to WXLO, but later moved to WWDJ in Hackensack, NJ. He worked at WLEE in Richmond where he was reunited with WPOP music director Bob Paiva and later worked in Alexandria, LA.

Allen Wayne Abbott died in Oklahoma City on November 7, 1986 at the age of 48.

Bill was one of WPOP's anchors during its Twenty First Century News phase. The department used the slogan "award winning news...live at 55...24 hours a day...7 days a week...WPOP News five minutes sooner."

His current whereabouts are unknown.

Cal's early radio experience included a stint at WMAS in Springfield, then an announcer's job at WMMW in Meriden, followed by the program director's post and station manager's job at WBIS in Bristol. From 1953 to early 1960 Colonel Cal Kolby was a staple in the WDRC stable, playing music at first and later concentrating on news. Originally living in Bristol, Cal B. Kolby later moved to West Hartford. On January 18, 1960 The Hartford Times reported Cal had joined "the rapidly expanding WDRC alumni ranks," having been named news editor at WPOP. His stay there was about a year. In November 1960 he became a deejay and regional sales rep, and later sales manager, at WINF in Manchester. By 1963 Cal was sales manager at WNBH in New Bedford, MA, living in Rhode Island.

Cal B. Kolby died in Dayton, OH on July 26, 1976.