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Man From Mars Productions
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This Virtual Guest Book was created in conjunction with the annual Connecticut Radio Reunion, Sunday, August 21, 2022, 1-5 p.m., at Farrell's Restaurant in Portland, during which the 100th Anniversary of Hartford station WDRC was celebrated. Big D Alumni were welcome to submit RSVP's, greetings, updates, recollections and memories. Reunion Committee: Steve Parker, Ron Pell, Dave Overson, Wayne Mulligan, Bob Craig, Bob Marx, John Doolittle and Ed Brouder. |
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A belated but happy RSVP from the Big D newsroom of 1969/70, some of the strangest years in our careers. Politics was a mess. The Black Panther trials drew huge crowds to the New Haven Green, the first Earth Day marched through Hartford, the death of the Beatles, a dramatic Apollo recovery mission, and four dead at Kent State. The aborted Powder Ridge festival left thousands stranded, but Charlie kept pumping out great Bushnell shows that rocked our world. Thanks for keeping us all connected over the years. Look forward to seeing you all in Portland, and best wishes to those who can't attend but still keep the Big D spirit alive! Pat Sheehan (e-mail) |
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Hey Ed, looks like I'm coming to the radio reunion (and DRC 100th anniversary) tomorrow in Portland! Looking forward to re-connecting with so many people I've worked with along the way… just to say hi! See you and the gang tomorrow, Ed! Tom Zarecki, MBA (e-mail) |
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Hey Ed, Gonna try to make it! Joe (Sherwood) Stofko (e-mail) |
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I will be attending the Big D 100th Anniversary. Can't wait to see all my old…..uhhh….former radio friends! Mary (Luciano) Lyons - WDRC Traffic - 1981-1985 (e-mail) |
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My wife and I are planning on being there. Looking forward to seeing everybody. Uncle Dave Nagel (e-mail) |
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RSVPing Would love to get together with some of the people I haven't seen in years. I just hope Jerry doesn't dock my paycheck if I'm fashionably late. PJ Ratcliffe WDRC 91-94 (e-mail) |
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Hi Ed: The missus and I expect to be there, unless something major comes up. Looking forward to seeing many people I haven't seen in ages! Thomas R. Ray, III (e-mail) |
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This sounds like it'll be an amazing Big D Big Show!! Regrettably, I won't be able to attend. We're heading back to Hawaii the following morning and the only flights that get me back to Vegas in time depart Hartford well before the party even starts. Thanks as always to Big D Brothers Steve Parker and Ron Pell for organizing these events and special thanks this year for the extra "Big Demand in Big D Land" promotion from Ed "The Man From Mars" Brouder for helping to spread the word. Have a wonderful time!! Friends with you since '22, |
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I'm really excited about DRC's 100th. It actually was the genesis of what would become a 57 year and counting broadcast career. As I lived in Bloomfield growing up I could see the towers and from age 6 I listened to WDRC on my crystal set, with the ceramic headset, I even recorded a weather forecast on tape at age 9 at the stations studio that had a grand piano in it. At 19 Charlie hired me to do weekends and fill in. From about 2004 to 2010 I became the station's imaging voice. Rick Buckley hired me for that and as WOR's imaging voice till 2013 and John Gambling's announcer. Recently I put together a "virtual scrap book" of some of the highlights of my career in radio and television, Audio and Video Products | Bill Rock Productions, Inc. I thought you might be interested in some of the New York and national stuff I've done. I even mention WDRC. There's an audio page entitled "The Voice" and a page of television shows I've produced. In the case of Airshow I hosted on camera. I wrote, produced and narrated all. I even put Walt and Pam in an infomercial LOL. One of my favorite TV shows is Big City Country where I do a cameo on camera at WYNY. :) You might get a kick out of the radio tidbits audio clip section of the voice page. Thanks for your interest and let me know what you think, Bill Rock (e-mail) |
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Hi Ed! As former PD of WAVZ, founding PD of KC101, and PD of WDRC's arch nemesis WPOP (2006-2009) during its ESPN Sports years, I feel I should come to the reunion this year. I live in Virginia Beach since 2016, having left radio a dozen years ago as PD of WWYZ. I went back to school and became a Licensed Clinical Social Worker, a psychotherapist here in Virginia. I'll likely be making the 8 hour drive up for 8/20-8/22 since there are no longer nonstop flights from Norfolk. I've told old friends Floyd Wright, Jerry Kristafer, Danny Lyons and Peter Bush I'm coming, and I understand Joe Cipriano is coming since he also has his high school reunion that week. I've also looked up and emailed some very well known WDRC alumni you wouldn't ordinarily guess might attend, I have my fingers crossed. Can you please shoot me any and all information I need to know about the event? And let the organizers know I'm coming if they need a head count. Thanks, Ed! Pete Salant (e-mail) |
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Ed, Thanks for the invitation to the Big D's 100 year anniversary. Probably won't make the party but would like to say hello to all who are in attendance August 21. Nice job on all the work you and Steve Parker have done to put this event together. Many of the people I worked with have passed on to the big Fun Tower Studio in Heaven. It was an excellent learning experience for me early in my radio journey. I do share some notes with Dick Robinson from time to time. Occasionally I get something via Facebook from Wayne Mulligan.I'm now retired from the Broadcasting world after doing it all in radio. DJ. Sports. Sales. Sales Management. Station Manager. Did some TV sports also. Best to you all from Burlington, Vermont. George Goldring (Chip Thompson) (e-mail) |
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Hi Ed, Good to hear from you. Hope all is well in the north country! The radio reunion would be great, and I'm hoping I can make it. My wife and I have been dealing with some health stuff lately, but the outlook is good and I'm doing well. It'd be great to get the details and fun to see everyone again, especially since I'm back on the radio! "The Record Room" airs Mondays 4pm Eastern, repeated Thursdays 10pm Eastern, on WOVV in Ocracoke, NC. I'm doing just what I did when I started on WBRU a bunch of years ago: freeform "everything," for love, not for money! The station is online or 90.1 FM on Ocracoke, NC; we have a vacation house next island over. I produce it in my home studio and send it down, but when I'm down on Cape Hatteras I try to get over to the station for a live hour or more. Hit "listen live" in the upper left, and you're off and running. No archiving, though; too small an operation. Still, it's real radio and real fun. Hope you think so, too! Looking forward to the reunion info; thanks!!! Best always, Country Paul (but this time Paul Payton on the air)(e-mail) |
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Wow, my 50th High School reunion in Watertown, CT AND the 100th Anniversary of Big D, in the SAME week. Amazing! Looking forward to celebrating all things, DRC! Thanks so much for including me. All the best, Joe Cipriano "Dave Donovan - WDRC 1973 to 1975" (e-mail) |
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Good Morning Ed… Looking forward to the Big D anniversary. Our last get together was a lot of fun. This one should be better, what with more coming. Hope to have the room needed and a great weather day. Look forward to seeing you. Best Always, Glenn Colligan (e-mail) |
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Dan Siemasko (audio production studio tech 1968-1973, now in Pittsburgh) Looking back at this distance I'm struck by how wonderfully creative, how always smiling, how deeply enjoyable, how innately nurturing The Big D was during my mere five years. We were truly a blessed bunch and surely we were all nudged into greater career happiness by just being there with each other. I'm so grateful for the boost I got. Charlie Parker comes top to mind; a dozen more faces quickly appear … twenty … okay, now slowing down a bit at thirty. Love you all. Ed, thanks for all you do to remind us of all the fun, all the good we shared during those years. Dan Siemasko (e-mail) |
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Hey Ed, Thanks for remembering the DeCarlo days at the Big D. I'm a long time retiree and was flattered to be considered to attend the 100th Anniversary of WDRC. While I'm still in pretty good mental and physical health for an 81 year old guy, I probably will not be coming up for the celebration. Most of my contemporaries are gone, and, in reality, so are those folks who were listeners. I don't even attend the yearly Tampa Bay Radio reunion any more, and I spent 14 years there. I left Tampa in 1996. I left Hartford in 1971, over 50 years ago. Time flies when you're loving what you're doing. When you have the party, if anyone should ask about Bob DeCarlo, just tell them thanks for remembering me and that I'm living the good life in West Palm Beach, enjoying my wine and sunshine, and trying to get to the big 90, God Willing! You've always impressed me Ed, by doing a wonderful job keeping the spirit of Big D 1360 alive and fresh as a daisy. That's devotion to the highest order. Thanks for everything you've done, and continue to do. Sincerely, Bob DeCarlo Zamboni (e-mail) |
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Although I'm nearing 88 years in age, I still am limber enough to drive to Portland (CT!) for the planned Radio Get-Together on August 21. I can probably even stay awake 'til 5PM. I have no hand-held memorabilia to bring with me, but my mere presence might suffice to prove that I DO remember/resemble Hartford's radio history. With enough prodding, I may be able to actually relate some stories that pertain to those days. Count me "in" for next month. see ya there. Bill Hennessey (e-mail) |
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Thanks for the email Ed. I actually saw Steve's posting over the weekend on Facebook. My dad was VP/GM from 1960-68, and I spent several summers working in the newsroom (probably driving them crazy). If I knew anyone from that era was going to attend I might shoot down for the day. The only person I have kept in touch with is Dick Robinson. I don't think you and I have ever met, which surprising as I spent 43 years at various Boston stations in sales and management positions. Keep in touch. Best wishes, Peter Crawford (e-mail) |
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Hello all: Yes, I shall be there, if I can remember who Bryant Thomas really is! Creeping senility is fun, isn't it? Best, Bryant Thomas (e-mail) |