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.”
What an All-Star team.
I did not arrive until early 1967 as a newscaster but working with an incredible staff of editors and writers.
And of course the great air talent,
Klavan and Finch, William B, Pete Myers, Shep on the overnight. A real ‘dream team’, unique for an independent radio station. As for women, only a few, Carolyn Tanton, editor, but I think Marlene Sanders had left. Bill Diehl
You beat me. I was 21 when I started at ‘NEW in 1959. That was an amazing staff. And later in ’64, I started my one- year stint as theater critic.