Category Archives: Archive

Writing Debut

In May 1964, after my final spring-semester exams at Columbia, the Writers Guild agreed to allow me to work for a week as a writer for WNEW Radio News. I don’t know if, at the age of 20, I was the youngest writer WNEW ever employed, but it was a thrill, and I got to work with some of the greatest people the business was ever privileged to employ.

Here is the schedule for that unforgettable week.

Others on the schedule are:

Jack Pluntze, later to become assistant news director, then news director;

John (Jack) Laurence, later a correspondent for CBS News in Vietnam, creator of the award-winning “World of Charlie Company;”

Mike Stein, later assistant news director and news director;

Ike Pappas, later CBS News correspondent;

Rudy Ruderman, later assistant news director and news director;

Al Wasser, later senior producer at ABC News and CBS News;

Christopher Glenn, later producer and host of CBS’ “In the News;”

Ed Scott, who had been one of Murrow’s writers at CBS; and,

Loren (Larry) Craft, transfer from the Daily News.

Contributed by Andy Fisher

Postedit: Thank you, Marianne, for formatting and posting the story of my wonderful week as a rookie writer at WNEW. The following week I turned back into a pumpkin and resumed the copy boy duties I had been doing since 1962.
Among the credits for that astounding staff of colleagues, I should have mentioned that Mike Stein went on to be Peter Jennings’ writer at ABC’s “World News Tonight.”

 

The Ballroom, The Matinee, and the Modernaires

A  feature, “The Milkman’s Modernaires” was published on this site in December, 2012.  Now, with new text, photos and audio added about the group and the “Make Believe Ballroom,”  the time seemed right for a rehearing.

 

Charlie Barnet Orch. with the Modern-Aires

Tommy Dorsey Clambake Seven

Charley Barnet Orch. – Stay Up Stan, The All-Night Record Man

Les Brown, The Modernaires  – Milkman’s Matinee

Glenn Miller, The Modernaires -Make Believe Ballroom Time

 

 

Miller and Block

Miller and Block 1 revised

Miller and Block 2 revised

 

Miller and Block conclusion revised

ECB

Read about and hear Martin Block

Glenn Miller role in Wartime Entertainment

Glenn Miller Orchestra –Moonlight Serenade 

 

 

credits-sources

 

 

 

Happy Birthday Jooolie! It’s #84

Happy Birthday, Julius LaRosa.

julie with bill diehl (2)

Bill Diehl, seen above with Julie in a late 90’s conversation, sent word today(1/2/14) by phone that Julie, on his 84th birthday, is recovering from a fractured ankle. “Otherwise,” says Julie, “I’m in OK health.” Says Bill, “I reminded him that my wife, Lorry, met his wife, Rory, back in the 1950’s when Rory was Perry Como’s secretary, and Lorry was president of the Perry Como fan club in New York.(and Julie was Perry’s summer TV replacement.) Julie recalled that when he told Como that he was engaged to Rory and gave her a ring and they’d soon be married, Julie quoted Perry as saying, ‘you (bleep), now you’ve taken my wonderful secretary.’ Julie and Rory have been married 57 years”

Rosemary Meyer Feeding Wedding Cake to Her Husband

Visit Julie’s Page

LaRosa at piano

Mimi Sings Our Song

Bill Diehl (a WNEW alum) writes:
A couple of months ago I interviewed Mimi Hines for a feature I was doing for ABC News Radio. She had recently turned 80 and on July 19 did a special 80th birthday show at “54 Below,” the Broadway nightclub. Mimi, who used to perform with Phil Ford, who’s gone now,(they made their debut in 1958 on the Tonight Show with Jack Paar) had fond memories of WNEW and those wonderful station breaks. So with a little help from her pianist Russ Kassoff, she performed one of the jingles for me.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=kuwZE_jxkcY&feature=youtu.be

Mimi Hines_Russ Kassoff

Phil_Ford_and_Mimi_Hines
from PLAYBILL — Hines made her Broadway debut when she replaced Barbra Streisand in Funny Girl, performing the lead role for 18 months. Since that time she has starred in several national tours, recorded numerous albums, and returned to Broadway as Miss Lynch in the Tommy Tune production of Grease!. Hines was also seen in the York Theatre Company’s production of 70, Girls, 70, part of its “Musicals in Mufti” series, as well as the City Center Encores! production of Follies.
mimihines.com
playbill.com