Rock Radio Scrapbook
The CHUM Archives, Part 1 (The 1950s
and '60s)
In
October, 2003, legendary CHUM deejay Bob Laine retired after 45 years with CHUM
Ltd. But he didn't have to go far for his next project. Laine - with the help of
long-time producer Doug Thompson - soon began the lengthy but fascinating task of
sifting through CHUM's enormous archives, dating back to the station's beginning
as a Top 40 station in 1957. It has been a labour of love, and very fruitful.
What Laine and Thompson have found is a treasure trove of airchecks, jingles, photos and other material from CHUM's Top 40 era. And they have been very generous in donating these new finds here in The CHUM Archives on Rock Radio Scrapbook, Canada's Aircheck Archive.
So sit back and enjoy - The CHUM Archives, Part 1, the '50s and '60s...
And after you're finished here, please
visit...
The CHUM Archives Part 2:
the 1970s and beyond...
Subject:
AL BOLISKA PROMO MONTAGE
Station:
CHUM Toronto
Date:
Various
Time:
6:42
(Logo courtesy Bill Dulmage)
He was, arguably, Toronto's first Top 40 radio star.
Blazing a trail that many others would follow, Al Boliska ruled morning radio on CHUM starting in 1957 and CKEY beginning in 1963.
Boliska was a success practically from the first moment he took over from Pete Ladd on CHUM's morning show in November, 1957. His zany humour (who can forget 'The World's Worst Jokes') and off-beat approach earned him a loyal following that helped boost CHUM's profile during its early days as a Top 40 station. Such was his popularity that Boliska actually did two daily shows on CHUM - the 6-9 a.m. breakfast show and the noon-1 p.m. lunchtime shift.
It was a major coup for rival CKEY late in 1963 when they lured Boliska away from CHUM for their morning show. Boliska's tenure at CKEY was short - he left in 1965 when 'EY switched to a MOR format. He later moved on to CHIN-AM after that station signed on in 1966 and also had a stint at CFCF Montreal.
Boliska died on his 40th birthday, taken way too soon.
Enjoy a montage of Al Boliska promos on CHUM here.
(The CHUM Archives/Doug Thompson and Bob Laine)
Produced by Doug Thompson
|
Click
here for technical help |
Subject:
JOHN SPRAGGE PROMO MONTAGE
Station:
CHUM Toronto
Date: Various
Time: 10:52
(Graphic courtesy Bill Dulmage)
(L-r: Bob Laine, John Spragge, Bob McAdorey, Dave Johnson, Mike Darow, Larry Solway, Gary Ferrier, Al Boliska)
(Description by Doug Thompson)
Remember “The Housewives Hit Parade”? As politically un-correct as this feature might be on radio today, that was the daily focus of John Spragge’s mid-morning program on CHUM back in the 1960’s. John often referred to his legion of female listeners as ‘my gals’. This wasn’t an act on Spragge’s part, he was genuine in his affection for his listeners. CHUM held movie premieres and all sorts of other promotions for John’s ‘gals’.
Another regular feature on John’s show was his sometimes inspirational, sometimes whimsical, sometimes thought provoking “Something To Think About”. It became a very successful part of CHUM programming. Of course, someone had to parody it eventually. That day came one day when Bob McAdorey was filling in for John. He started the regular theme music for the feature, then simply said, “Gina Lollobrigida.” There was a long pause until Mac said “Something To Think About”.
Near the end of his years at CHUM, John Spragge was made Public Service Director. After he left 1331 Yonge Street, John became a successful Program Director and General Manager, both in Toronto and in Kitchener. He also worked tirelessly for many years for the Radio Sales Bureau (now known as the Radio Marketing Bureau).
Enjoy this nostalgic look back at CHUM in a simpler era. John Spragge. The housewives friend.
Enjoy a montage of John Spragge promos here.
(The CHUM Archives/Bob Laine and Doug Thompson)
Produced by Doug Thompson
Subject: MIKE DAROW PROMO MONTAGE
Station: CHUM Toronto
Date: Various
Time: 10:50
(Courtesy: Bill Dulmage)
(Description by Doug Thompson)
As a disc jockey, Mike Darow stood head and shoulders above most of the others. Of course that was easy since Mike was 6' 4". In fact, Mike was the tallest disc jockey on CHUM until Tom Rivers came along.
Mike arrived at CHUM in March of 1959 from western Canada. He replaced original disc jockey Phil Stone, who moved into CHUM management. For the first few years, Darow was on from 4 to 7 p.m. Then, when Bob McAdorey arrived at CHUM in 1961, Mike moved to the 1-to-4 shift.
Mike's two most famous expressions were "smile drivers" (meaning motorists) and "from the two mikes and two turntables" (meaning himself plus the microphone and CHUM's two turntables back when we still played vinyl records. Remember them?)
Mike Darow wasn't only a disc jockey on CHUM, but a darn good singer. In fact, he made it to the CHUM Chart twice - once on his own with "The Battle of Queenston Heights", a parody of Johnny Horton's "Battle of New Orleans". In 1964, he charted again as one-quarter of the CHUMmingbirds with "The Brotherhood of Man".
Mike left CHUM in the fall of 1965 for New York and an ABC-TV game show called "Dream House" (ed-the original show hosted by Darow aired from April, 1968 to January, 1970 - it was revived briefly in the 1980s with Bob Eubanks as host).
Sadly, Mike passed away in 1996, but is still remembered in this ten minute and fifty second audio montage of his promos on CHUM.
Hear it here.
(The CHUM Archives/Bob Laine and Doug Thompson)
Produced by Doug Thompson
Subject:
BOB McADOREY PROMO MONTAGE
Station: CHUM Toronto
Date: Various
Time: 10:52
(Description and photo courtesy Doug Thompson)
Bob McAdorey first hit the CHUM airwaves in the late spring of 1961 after an exhaustive search by CHUM management for a new announcer to replace departing DJ Pete Nordheimer. Bob came to us from CJOY in Guelph, where he was well loved. He also kept busy participating in local politics.
If wit was money, then Mac was a multi-millionaire. His way with words and irreverent humour endeared him to CHUM's listeners for almost 10 years. At various times, his on-air nicknames included "McAdorey the Magnificent" and "the body beautiful."
Mac also doubled as CHUM's music director for many of his years there. After he left CHUM in 1968, Bob worked at then country station CFGM and Top 40 CFTR and then, in the mid-1970s, began an illustrious career at the Global Television Network.
Bob McAdorey passed away February 5, 2005 at the age of 69.
We have a montage of promos Mac did when he was having fun on CHUM.
Hear the McAdorey montage here.
(The CHUM Archives/Bob Laine and Doug Thompson)
Produced by Doug Thompson
Subject:
THE CHUM JINGLE MONTAGE (1957-2004)
Station: CHUM Toronto
Date: Various
Time:
13:31
When CHUM introduced its Top 40 format in 1957, it was not at the familiar 1331 Yonge St. address, but much further south at 250 Adelaide St. W. The station was originally at the Hermant Building at 21 Dundas Square when it went on the air October 28, 1945. In 1947, CHUM moved to the Fulpart Building at 225 Mutual St. It later moved to 250 Adelaide. On April 24, 1959, CHUM took residence what was then known as the Ginn Building at 1331 Yonge where it stayed for a half century. In 2009, the CHUM studios were transferred to 250 Richmond St. W., not far from the old Adelaide address.
They have been called "the songs between the songs". And for many, they were as much a part of the Top 40 listening experience as the music and the deejays. We're talking about ... the jingles.
Some of Top 40 radio's most memorable jingles were heard on CHUM Toronto. Whether they were from CRC, Futursonic, PAMS, TM, Johnny Mann or Otis Conner, they all held a place in our hearts and memories.
The CHUM Jingle Montage begins with CHUM's early days as a Top 40 station in 1957, continues through the '60s, '70s, '80s, '90s and right up to 2004. This is one of the most incredible audio experiences I have ever enjoyed. I hope you will enjoy it as well.
Enjoy the CHUM Jingle Montage here.
Read the story behind the CHUM jingle montage here.
(The CHUM Archives/Doug Thompson and Bob Laine)
Produced by Doug Thompson
Subject:
CHUM PROMO MONTAGE
Station: CHUM Toronto
Date: 1958 to 1962
Time: 10:50
CHUM "billboarded its talent - literally (Photo montage courtesy Bill Dulmage)
(Description by Doug Thompson)
Some were serious. Many were zany. But they all had a great sense of fun. That's what CHUM promos have been since the "Nifty 1050" became a Top 40 station in May of 1957.
In this montage from the early years of the station, you'll hear a CHUM promo announcing the search for a replacement for deejay Pete Nordheimer, who was leaving the station (Bob McAdorey was eventually hired); a silly deejay promo with Hollywood actress Joan Crawford; a Radio Race promo (a very popular CHUM contest in the 1960's) and the "Magnificent Seven Singers" contest promo featuring all of the seven deejays of the day ... ahem ... how can we put this delicately ... singing?
In case you are wondering, the singing deejays are (in order): Dave Johnson, Pete Nordheimer, John Spragge, Mike Darow, Bob Laine, Al Boliska and J.J. Richards (fill-in host and full-time CHUM newsman.)
Enjoy the CHUMemories. Oh, by the way, this CHUM promo montage rounds off at 10 minutes and 50 seconds. 10 - 50. Get it? Nifty.
Hear the CHUM promo montage here.
(The CHUM Archives/Doug Thompson and Bob Laine)
Produced by Doug Thompson
Talent: DAVE JOHNSON
Station: CHUM Toronto
Date: May 2, 1959
Time: 12:12
(Courtesy: Doug Thompson/The CHUM Archives)
One of the most cheerful and upbeat personalities you'll ever hear on the air, Dave Johnson was a friend to Toronto radio listeners for more than two decades.
Johnson joined CHUM in January, 1958, taking over the 7 p.m.-midnight shift at the fledgling Top 40 station. Earlier in his career, he had been an operator at CKEY Toronto, followed by a stint as an on-air personality at CKOY Ottawa. At CHUM, Johnson joined a staff that included Al Boliska (6-9 a.m. and noon-1 p.m.), Harvey Dobbs (9 a.m.-noon), Pete Nordheimer (1-4 p.m.), Phil Stone (4-7 p.m.) and Jay Jackson (midnight-6 a.m.)
One of the highlights of Johnson's early years at CHUM was a program segment called the "Hi-Fi Club". This led to a popular teen dance party called the "Hi-Fi Club Dance", a few blocks up from CHUM. Johnson personally hosted the dance introducing live acts and playing '45s. Union problems eventually led to the end of the event but it remains an integral part of CHUM's early history.
(Dave Johnson with Donna Loren - courtesy Bob Laine and Doug Thompson/The CHUM Archives)
By the time he left the station in late October 1965, Johnson was the only deejay remaining on CHUM from that 1958 lineup. In between, he had hosted the demanding and high-profile nighttime shift continuously for nearly eight years - almost a CHUM record* - even sharing the mike with the legendary Dick Clark (on tape) for a while in 1963.
After his CHUM days, Johnson moved to country-formatted CFGM Richmond Hill (just north of Toronto) where he entertained throughout the latter half of the '60s and the 1970s (turns out he was a big fan of country music, as well as being an opera buff and gourmet chef!) He was still holding down his familiar afternoon drive slot at CFGM when he died suddenly of a heart attack October 20, 1980.
Hear Dave Johnson with the Hi-Fi Club on CHUM here.
(The CHUM Archives/Bob Laine and Doug Thompson)
*Russ McCloud was a nighttime jock at CHUM for nine years - August 1984 to August 1993, when he moved to afternoons. That would make him the holder of the record for the longest uninterrupted stint on nights at CHUM. Thanks to Russ for confirming the time he spent on nights. All told, McCloud was at CHUM for 16 1-2 years (he also worked mornings for a time before returning to afternoon drive.)
Subject:
THE
MAPLE LEAFS FOREVER RADIO CARTOONS
Station:
CHUM Toronto
Dates: 1959, 1960 and
1962
Times:
Various
CHUM carried Leaf hockey in the 1964-65 season.
Remember when the Toronto Maple Leafs won Stanley Cups?
It's been so long, the memories of that time have almost completely faded. After all, they haven't won a Cup since 1967. But these radio gems that appeared on CHUM back in the '50s and '60s should bring that era flowing back.
The Maple Leafs Forever Radio Cartoons were the brainchild of Allen Farrell, CHUM's Promotion Director and creative guru. They were modeled after the "cut-in" records made popular in the 1950s by Buchanan and Goodman of "The Flying Saucer, Parts 1 & 2" fame.
The Radio Cartoons featured a mock hockey game punctuated by short record clips. They first appeared in 1959 (with Allen Farrell appearing solo as Foster Know-it). He was joined by Garry Ferrier in 1960 and in subsequent versions. The role of Bill Hewitt (Faster Foster) is played by Farrell while Ferrier plays Foster Hewitt (Faster Foster's father). They are true gems of Top 40 radio comedy and creativity and you can hear the results below:
The Maple Leafs Forever Radio Cartoon, 1959 (with Allen Farrell) (3:24)
The Maple Leafs Forever Radio Cartoon, 1960 (with Farrell and Garry Ferrier) (3:42)
The Maple Leafs Forever Radio Cartoon, 1962 (with Farrell and Ferrier) (3:37)
(The CHUM Archives/Bob Laine and Doug Thompson)
Talent: AL BOLISKA with "THE
WORLD'S WORST JOKES"
Station: CHUM Toronto
Date: 1960
Times: Various
Al Boliska was the centre of attention at CHUM - and in this picture. (Courtesy: Bill Dulmage)
"Do you realize if it weren't for Edison we'd be watching TV by candlelight?" - Al Boliska
He was so funny it hurt - Al Boliska either made your sides split, or you'd groan with agony.
The king of the corny joke, Boliska starred as CHUM's morning man for six years before heading the wake-up show at rival CKEY.
Boliska worked off-air at CBC news in his hometown of Montreal before taking on hosting duties at CKLC in Kingston, Ont., in 1953. It was there he began to develop his zany style. According to Allen Farrell's book "The CHUM Story", he often surprised his CKLC listeners by doing his show from the Kingston pen or the local community centre. In 1956, Boliska took over the morning show at CKSL London, Ont. Then it was on to Toronto as Boliska and his long-time operator George Nicholson were hired for CHUM's morning show in the fall of 1957.
Front and back cover of "The World's Worst Jokes" pocketbook edition. (Courtesy: Doug Thompson)
At CHUM, Boliska became a morning legend, with features like "The World's Worst Jokes", and a cast of characters like Just Plain George (Nicholson), Officer Tie Clip (CHUM janitor and handyman Al Deveraux) and Lou the Butcher (yes, a local meat-store operator). Boliska was Toronto's first Top 40 morning funnyman, and he paved the way for the many that would follow.
Front and back cover of "More of the World's Worst Jokes" pocketbook edition. (Courtesy: Doug Thompson)
Long-time CHUM producer Doug Thompson talks about the World's Worst Jokes:
"The World's Worst Jokes was the daily corny joke comedy bit that Boliska did at CHUM at 6:45, 7:45 and 8:45 AM, with George Nicholson ("Just Plain George"), his op, who he'd worked with at CKLC Kingston prior to coming to CHUM. I have several original WWJ segments from CHUM airchecks that Charlie (Ritenburg) and I re-built. What CHUM did in the early days (58-60) was repeat The World's Worst Jokes in the Dave Johnson Show at night. Dave usually talked over the end music, so you could never get a clean copy.
I also happen to have in my personal archives, the original albums that Boliska used for both his theme song "What D'Ye Mean You Lost Your Dog" (listen to it here) and the WWJ. They're two separate albums by Albert White and the Gaslite Orchestra out of San Francisco. So, Charlie and I married the ending music from my album to the WWJ airchecks and viola...clean versions. Of course it took a lot of work to get them to match up, the airchecks were in really bad shape. I used them on the air as part of the 1050 CHUM Hall of Fame segments."
Front cover of "The World's Worst Jokes" pocketbook edition, Volume 3. (Courtesy: Doug Thompson)
Boliska enjoyed a memorable run at CHUM before CKEY hired him away for mornings in late 1963. After his CKEY stay ended, he moved to Johnny Lombardi's CHIN in mornings for the launch of that station in 1966. Boliska arrived at the morning show at Montreal's CFCF in 1967. He died on his 40th birthday. His producer George Nicholson later produced John Gilbert's talk show at CHUM. Nicholson passed away a few years ago.
Boliska kept busy outside of radio. His novelty-song "The Ballad of The Dying Cowboy" (listen to it here) reached #18 on the CHUM Chart in 1960. He also did a weekly travelling TV show on Toronto's CBLT-TV called "On the Scene", and wrote a column for the Toronto Telegram.
(Courtesy Doug Thompson/The CHUM Archives)
The "World's Worst Jokes" was made into record album in 1966. There was also a "World's Worst Jokes" book - the first edition by McClelland and Stewart was published in 1966 and the Simon and Shuster pocketbook edition (pictured above) came out in 1968 (a followup, "More of the World's Worst Jokes", was also published by Simon and Shuster). Boliska also did three other books "It Is Written: A Collection of Graffiti from the washrooms, fences, alleys, walls, billboards and subways of North America" (1968), "The Mahareeshi Says" (A 1969 Pocket Books publication)", and "Wipe-Outs" (a 1969 book of insults, put-downs and caustic quips from Pocket Book).
Enjoy some Al Boliska humour below:
Segment One (with sidekick Just Plain George) can be heard here. (0:46)
Segment Two (with sidekick Peter Dickens) can be heard here. (1:04)
(The CHUM Archives/Bob Laine and Doug Thompson)
Talent:
JANE MORGAN
Station: CHUM Toronto
Date: June 14, 1961
Time: 32:02
The stars came out at CHUM in 1961 when the station had several well-known personalities host music shows in place of the regular DJs. Mitzi Gaynor, Jose Jiminez, Bill Dana, Pat Boone, Jim Backus, Conway Twitty, Tennessee Ernie Ford and others all took turns at the CHUM mike in this rather interesting programming move. Pierre Berton even did a three-hour music show and - at his insistence - played classical music!
Jane Morgan, best known for her 1950s hits Fascination and The Day the Rains Came, also took a turn at the CHUM mike and we have it for you!
Enjoy Jane Morgan as she fills in for John Spragge in the 9-10 a.m. hour on CHUM here.
(The CHUM Archives/Bob Laine and Doug Thompson)
Talent:
MITZI GAYNOR
Station:
CHUM Toronto
Date: June 14, 1961
Time: 29:25
(Courtesy: Doug Thompson/The CHUM Archives)
Mitzi Gaynor, perhaps best remembered for her appearance in 1958's "South Pacific", fills in for Mike Darow in the 5-6 p.m. hour here.
(The CHUM Archives/Bob Laine and Doug Thompson)
Talent: THE VOICE
Station: CHUM Toronto
Date: May 25-26, 1962
Time: 32:08
There was a time when the arrival of a new deejay at a Top 40 radio station was big news - really big news. But few stations made as big a splash about it as CHUM did when "The Voice" arrived.
It was May, 1962 and CHUM had just hired a new all-night deejay, but he wasn't on the air yet. Nowadays the all-night show is not something most stations spend a lot of effort - if any - promoting, but back then every day part was considered important. So when CHUM hired its new all-night jock in '62, his arrival was treated like that of royalty.
Friday, May 25, 1962 (technically 12:00 a.m. Saturday, May 26) was the night the new deejay was scheduled to start. For weeks before, CHUM promoted it as the greatest thing since sliced bread (which back then was still delivered by a bread man, but I digress). On the fateful night at midnight, the entire CHUM deejay staff - even morning man Al Boliska who had a show to do at 6 a.m. - turned out to welcome the new hire.
What happened next? And just who was "The Voice"? Listen here.
|
CHUM did an intense job of promoting "The Voice". Some of the on-air promos (we have 13 in all) that ran in the days prior to his arrival can he heard here. (5:58) CHUM also ran a promo on the same day the identity of "The Voice" was revealed. You can hear that here. (0:52) The famous Music 'Till Dawn opener can be heard here. (0:25) Just for the record, "The Voice" - who in
actuality was Bob Laine - had left CHUM in March, 1962 for a very brief
stint as CFGM's morning man. When he returned to the all-night show in
May, 1962, he stayed at CHUM - on-the-air or in management - for 41 1-2
more years! |
(The CHUM Archives/Bob Laine and Doug Thompson)
hTalent:
JOHN SPRAGGE
Station: CHUM Toronto
Date: June 17, 1963
Time: 16:20
(Courtesy Doug Thompson/The CHUM Archives)
He only had one on-air gig, but it was one of the best. For 10 years - 1958 to 1968 - John Spragge was the midday announcer at Toronto's CHUM, his calm, friendly voice entertaining millions of southern Ontarians and western New Yorkers during CHUM's first decade as a Top 40 station.
Spragge started at CHUM in the late '50s in news while taking Radio and Television Arts at Ryerson Polytechnical Institute. Eventually he dropped out to work full-time in the news department, a decision he would never regret. In 1958, he took over from Harvey Dobbs in the 9 a.m.-noon shift, beginning a decade-long run in middays at CHUM. During that time, listeners heard the "Housewives Hit Parade" (women voting for their favourite tunes each week) and also got the details of Spragge's next movie preview. These events, hosted by Spragge himself, were held at a local theatre and gave listeners a chance to meet John, and vice-versa. Such was the personal nature of radio at the time.
(Courtesy Doug Thompson/The CHUM Archives)
In December, 1963, with the arrival of morning man Jay Nelson, Spragge's hours changed to 10 a.m.-1 p.m. In the spring of 1968, he moved briefly to noon-4 p.m., then noon-3 p.m. by the summer. But by August, with CHUM's switch to the Drake format, the man known as "The Hawk" was gone.
Spragge would never do a jock shift again. After CHUM, he spent a few years with the Radio Sales Bureau and Standard Broadcast Sales. He was program director at CFRB Toronto from 1972 to 1985, and also programmed Talk 640 in Toronto in the '90s. Spragge additionally worked in Kitchener, Ont., at CFCA, CKKW and CKCO-TV, and was also a public speaker and consultant.
Deeply involved in charities, Spragge walked in the first March of Dimes, built homes for Habitat for Humanity, and helped restore summer camps for children with special needs, along with many other charitable projects. In 2008, he became only the second person to twice win the Rotary Club's highest honour, a Paul Harris Fellowship.
Spragge died December 16, 2008 in Toronto after a two-year battle with cancer. He was 71.
Enjoy Spragge - with a wonderful introduction by Bob Laine - on CHUM here.
Original
full-length aircheck restored by Doug Thompson and Charlie Ritenburg
Custom scope for
Rock Radio Scrapbook by Doug Thompson
(The CHUM Archives/Bob Laine and Doug Thompson)
Subject: DAVE JOHNSON PROMO for
HELLO TORONTO
Station: CHUM Toronto
Date: 1964
Times: 00:41
(Courtesy: Doug Thompson)
They were at opposite ends of the clock, but here Jay Nelson and Dave Johnson come together.
In 1964, Nelson did the 6-10 a.m. shift on CHUM, while Johnson was on from 7-10 p.m. On this promo, Johnson urges listeners to tune into Nelson's "Hello Toronto" morning drive comedy segments.
Hear Dave Johnson's promo for "Hello Toronto" here.
(The CHUM Archives/Bob Laine and Doug Thompson)
Hear some "Hello Toronto" segments from 1967 here.
Talent:
BOB LAINE
Station: CHUM Toronto
Date: September 3, 1964
Time: 15:16
"Good morning world, this is Bob-O. Good morning Bob-O, this is world."
For nearly a decade, those words greeted CHUM listeners six nights a week at the stroke of midnight. It was the opener of the Bob Laine show, one of the most memorable all-night programs in rock radio history. For six hours, listeners were treated to the top songs from CHUM Chart and the best hits of yesteryear, with one of friendliest-sounding deejays in the business.
Laine talks about his CHUM years...
"I began my career in May of 1958 as the all-night jock and retired 45 and a-half years later as a radio vice-president. I did everything one can do in radio ... on-air ... station manager ... general manager ... black hat (with white trim) ... duopoly putter-together (Windsor) ... pay equity ... employment equity ... radio station designer. I had the best time for all those years. I was taught and trained by the greats - Allan Waters, Fred Sherratt and Al Slaight. I was given opportunities one can only dream about by Jim Waters and I was on the air with the greats of '60s radio ... Boliska, Johnson, Spragge, MacAdorey, Darrow, Nelson, Weaver, Roman and the pioneers the CHUM 1950s, guys like Pete Nordheimer, Phil Stone. Harvey Dobbs. When you read Al Farrell's book "The CHUM Story" know that the good times we related are true ... if not incomplete!!! There are some stories that will just have to go untold! I hope you enjoy the great music I played on this aircheck."
Laine arrived at CHUM following a stint at CHNS in Simcoe, Ont. At CHUM, he joined a station that just the year before switched to a full-time Top 40 format. At the time, there were many who thought rock 'n' roll was just a fad, and devoting a station to the "devil's music" was sheer folly. History would prove them wrong.
Laine spent 10 years on the all-night show, playing the hits of the day and - at 3 o'clock in the morning - oldies on the Golden Galaxy. Back then the oldies weren't very old and the idea of playing them was quite new. But before long, there would be countless stations playing oldies and numerous shows specializing in oldies. Laine was one of the pioneers of the concept.
Laine moved to middays in August, 1968 - he did his final regular CHUM show on Christmas Eve 1969, returning for some weekend appearances in 1970. Later, he was program director at CHUM-FM, part of the 30-plus years he spent in CHUM management. But for many who remember CHUM in the '50s and '60s, he'll always be the voice in the night.
Hear Bob Laine here.
(The CHUM Archives/Bob Laine and Doug Thompson)
Talent: DAVE
JOHNSON
Station:
CHUM Toronto
Date: September 11,
1964
Time:
20:38
(Courtesy Bob Laine and Doug Thompson/The CHUM Archives)
The Canadian Flag Debate was raging. "Shindig" and "Bewitched" premiered on ABC. The Warren Commission Report on the JFK assassination was released. Harpo Marx died. Keenu Reeves was born.
It was September, 1964 and in Toronto, in the midst of Beatlemania, you could learn the Fox Trot at Arthur Murray's. A five-bedroom bungalow in the Danforth-Warden area could be had for $12,900. You could buy shoes at Agnew-Surpass, food at Bassins, find bargains at Sayvette "The Discount Department Store", purchase building supplies at Beaver Lumber, fill up at Supertest.
Men's all-weather coats could be purchased for at Simpson's for $24.95. Red Arrow Distributors was selling an AM car radio for $29.95 with a FM tuner for $59.95 ("limited quantity"). At the theatres, in a movie newspaper ads described as "Sintillating", Marlon Brando, David Niven and Shirley Jones were starring in "Bedtime Story".
(Courtesy Bob Laine and Doug Thompson/The CHUM Archives)
The Beatles were in town, briefly, having arrived at Toronto's Malton Airport early in the morning of September 7. They played two shows at Maple Leaf Gardens, with a matinee at 2:30 p.m. and an evening show at 8:30 p.m. The next day they played the Montreal Forum. On the CHUM Chart, "House of the Rising Sun" by the Animals and "Pretty Woman" by Roy Orbison each spent two weeks at Number One in September, 1964.
The Toronto Maple Leafs of the National Hockey League entered training camp in September, 1964, basking in the glow of their third straight Stanley Cup. Their baseball counterparts, the Toronto Maple Leafs of the minor International League, were finishing a middle-of-the-pack season. The Toronto Argonauts of the Canadian Football League were in the middle of a 4-10 campaign that would place them last in the Eastern Division.
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"Back in the late 1950’s and early ‘60’s, when I was a teenager growing up in Oakville, Ontario, I first became addicted to C-H-U-M 1050 Toronto. I enjoyed listening to all the jocks – Al Boliska, John Spragge, Mike Darow, Pete Nordheimer (later Bob McAdorey) as well as Bob Laine, but at the time, Dave Johnson was my all time fav CHUM DJ. I listened to him every night while I was doing my homework (and even when I wasn’t). Dave had a real feel for the music, although I found out a few years later when I started working with him, that he really didn’t care for rock’n’roll. Dave liked opera and country music (and not necessarily in that order). Flash forward to Monday February 1st, 1965 – my first day as a CHUM board op. I sat in the CHUM AM control room to watch and learn the board for most of the day, then flew solo from 6 o’clock until midnight. I worked the last hour of Bob McAdorey’s show, then all 3 hours with Dave. He couldn’t have been nicer to me. The commercials, station jingles and promos were all on cart, but we still played 45’s from the turntables positioned on the left side of the console. Dave wore his suit and tie for the entire shift. He and I worked together 5 nights a week until October ’65 when he left for country station CFGM in Richmond Hill. He remained there until his death on October 20, 1980. Most people didn’t know this, but Dave was extremely shy in public, which is why he always felt uncomfortable sitting in that fishbowl of the CHUM Satellite Station at the CNE or Sportsman Show. This aircheck is from September 11, 1964, that’s 4½ months
before I got to CHUM, and on this night, Davo is sounding great….just like
he always did." |
Morning man Wally Crouter was in his 18th year at CFRB, while Jay Nelson and Al Boliska were in their first years in mornings at CHUM and CKEY respectively. Phil MacKellar woke listeners up at CKFH and Gerry Herbert did mornings at CHFI-AM. You could hear classical music on CHUM-FM, beautiful music on CHFI-FM and English-language programming at CJBC until October 1, when it went all-French.
In September, 1964, evening jock Dave Johnson was nearing the end of a very successful run at CHUM. He started there in January, 1958, and would be gone by the fall of 1965.
Enjoy Dave Johnson on CHUM here.
(The CHUM Archives/Bob Laine and Doug Thompson)
(Dave Johnson with Annette Funacello - courtesy Bob Laine and Doug Thompson/The CHUM Archives)
Talent: BOB LAINE
Station: CHUM Toronto
Date: January 2, 1965
Time: 26:09
Bob Laine is CHUM's best-remembered all-night man. But a few other folks, some well-known and some not-so well-known, also did the midnight-to-dawn shift over the years.
When CHUM debuted as a Top 40 station on May 27, 1957, the midnight-to-6 a.m. shift was held by Hank Noble, but not for long. About eight months later - in January of 1958 - Noble was replaced by Jay Jackson. Jackson didn't last much longer than Noble, leaving in mid-year to make way for Laine. Except for a departure of a few months in 1962 while he did mornings at CFGM, Laine owned the all-night slot for a decade. He finally moved to middays in August of 1968. Laine's replacement: "The Prez" Brian Skinner, who had been the station's zany evening personality from 1965 to 1968.
In August, 1969, Skinner was gone only to be replaced by a future morning man - Roger Ashby. By March, 1972. Ashby was in middays and replaced by another future morning man - Mark Edwards a.k.a. Bob Magee.
A succession of all-night hosts continued throughout the '70s, with jocks like Pat St. John, Mike Cooper, Steve Elliot, Chuck Morgan and Dan Foreman working the graveyard shift. In the '80s, personalities like Steve Bolton, Gregg Lee, Jack Dennis, Melanie Deveau, Jeremy Smith and Kori Skinner (the son of Brian!) entertained on the all-night show.
CHUM all-night hosts in the '90s included Kori Skinner, Andy K., Roger Kelly, Jack Dennis and Doug Kirkwood. By 2000, Bruce Marshall was voicetracking the overnight show. CHUM switched to a sports-talk format as "The Team" in May, 2001, and ran syndicated talk overnight. When CHUM returned to music in August, 2002, the all-night shift was unfilled, they just played music - no jock.
Enjoy Bob Laine on CHUM here.
(The CHUM Archives/Bob Laine and Doug Thompson)
Talent: JOHN SPRAGGE
Station: CHUM Toronto
Date: April 7, 1965
Time: 5:50
One of the hallmarks of CHUM's early years was the stability of its on-air staff. Bob Laine served for 10 years on the all-night show (1958-1968), while during the same period there were only two morning men (Al Boliska and Jay Nelson). Dave Johnson and Brian Skinner covered that 10-year period in the highly coveted evening slot while middays were the preserve of John Spragge.
Spragge replaced Harvey Dobbs in the 9 p.m.-noon slot in 1958 and entertained on middays until he left with the changeover to the Drake format in 1968. As you will quickly tell on this aircheck, CHUM's weekday daytime programming in those days was unabashedly aimed at "housewives", as homemakers were called then. The music featured much lighter fare than one might expect from a Top 40 station. The real Top 40 music came after school, at night, in the mornings and on weekends, when the kids would be listening.
Hear John Spragge here.
(The CHUM Archives/Bob Laine and Doug Thompson)
Talent: DUFF ROMAN
Station: CHUM Toronto
Date: January 7, 1966
Time: (Part One) - 26:11
(Part Two) - 25:04
(Photo courtesy Doug Thompson/The CHUM Archives)
Forget the history books. The Roman Empire didn't end in the fifth century. It was alive and well in Toronto radio beginning in the late 1950s and its leader was Duff Roman. But his story begins on the Canadian prairies.
It was the fall of 1955 - Bill Haley's "Rock Around the Clock" was all the rage - and Dave Mostoway started his radio career at CHAT Medicine Hat, Alta. He didn't stay there long - in the fall of 1956 he moved to CKRC Winnipeg, where he stayed until the autumn of 1957. Then it was on to a year-long gig at CHAT-TV (he was the first announcer when the station signed on). From the fall of 1958 to the spring of 1959, Roman jocked at CKSW in his hometown of Swift Current, Sask.
In the spring of 1959, Mostoway went to CHED Edmonton, then began his long Toronto radio career in the fall of that year when he arrived at CKEY. But station owner Jack Kent Cooke didn't like Dave Mostoway as an on-air name, so he and Mostoway pasted together a new name from Duff (his childhood nickname) and Roman (his youngest brother's first name). That would become his legal name. He moved to CHUM in 1965 as weekend/swing host, moving to weekday afternoons from the fall of 1967 to the summer of 1968. Roman returned to Winnipeg at CFRW from the summer of 1968 to the fall of 1969, then came back to Toronto at CKFH where he served as morning host and program director until the summer of 1973. That proved to be his last on-air gig.
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In August, 1974, Roman returned to 1331 Yonge as program director at CHUM-FM where he served until March, 1977. He entered CHUM Radio senior corporate management in the fall of 1978. He was appointed CHUM-FM's operations manager in the fall of 1984, becoming station manager in the course of repositioning CHUM-FM as Adult Rock (the forerunner of today's Hot AC format) and hiring Roger, Rick and Marilyn who as of 2009 are Toronto's longest-running top-rated morning team.
In the fall of 1988, Roman was appointed Vice-President CHUM Limited, the first new VP at the corporate level in over 20 years. In December, 2007, Roman was named acting head of the CHUM Radio Division, CTV Ltd, and has since returned to his duties as CHUM Radio VP.
Roman's numerous awards have included being chosen Major Market Radio Executive of the Year at the Annual Industry Conference sponsored by the Record in 1986, and Ontario Association of Broadcasters "Broadcaster of the Year" in 1996. He was inducted to the CAB Hall of Fame in 2001. A strong supporter of Canadian music, Roman owned his own record label - Roman Records - where he recorded and managed The Paupers and David Clayton Thomas in his early years. He was honoured for his music work in 2006 when became one of the few broadcasters named to the Canadian Music Industry Hall of Fame.
Hear Duff Roman for Brian Skinner on CHUM from January 7, 1966, Part One, here.
Hear Duff Roman for Brian Skinner on CHUM from January 7, 1966, Part Two, here.
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(The Duff Roman Collection)
Talent:
DONNY BURNS
Station: CHUM Toronto
Date: January 1, 1968
Time: 6:10
Who would have imagined the changes ahead for CHUM in 1968?
The year started with Jay Nelson in morning drive, John Spragge midmornings, Duff Roman early afternoons, Bob MacAdorey afternoon drive, Brian Skinner early evenings, Larry Solway in late evening talk and Bob Laine all-night.
By year's end, the only deejay still on the same shift was Nelson. Spragge, Roman and McAdorey were gone, Skinner was on his way out and Solway and Laine had moved to daytime.
New personalities, including Jackson Armstrong and J. Michael Wilson, graced the CHUM airwaves as the station moved from a personality to a music focus.
Fittingly, CHUM started the
New Year with a new personality - Donny Burns.
To hear Donny Burns, click
here.
(The CHUM Archives/Bob Laine and Doug Thompson)
Talent:
GARY DUKE
Station: CHUM Toronto
Date:
August 4, 1969
Time: 19:39
Nineteen-sixty-nine. For 1050 CHUM, it was a very good year.
Roger Ashby, Dick Smyth and Gary Duke all started at CHUM that year and Chuck McCoy took over the coveted 7-11 p.m. shift.
For Ashby - who started at CHUM September 2, 1969 - it was the beginning of a four-decade stay at 1331 Yonge. His CHUM career has included the legendary "Sunday Morning Oldies Show" on both CHUM and CHUM-FM, and the successful "Roger, Rick (later Darren) and Marilyn" morning show on CHUM-FM.
Smyth did news and commentary for nearly 18 years at CHUM after starting there July 7, 1969. He moved to CFTR in 1987 where he helped launch 680 News in 1993.
Duke left CHUM for CKLW in 1970, returned to CHUM in 1972 as Duke Roberts before leaving for Toronto rival CFTR in 1973. He was later involved in radio ownership and voice work.
McCoy began the 7-11 p.m. shift at CHUM in February, 1969. He departed CHUM in 1973 then began a long and successful career in radio management. The man known as "The Chucker" was named to the CMW Hall of Fame in 2009.
On the downside, Jack Armstrong left CHUM in February after a memorable eight-month stay, one of about two dozen radio homes for "Supermouth". Brian "The Prez" Skinner departed in the summer of 1969 after six years at CHUM, three of them (1965-68) in the important evening shift. Bob Laine did his last regular CHUM on-air shift in December but did a few fill-ins in 1970. He started at CHUM in 1958 and was the station's last on-air link to the 1950s.
Hear Gary Duke on the CHUM all-night show from August 4, 1969 here.
(The CHUM Archives/Bob Laine and Doug Thompson)
