RABBETT
late 1977 - late 1978

Rabbett (real name Robert Abbett) did overnights on AM and FM from late 1977 till 1978.

PRIOR: WXCI Danbury, CT; WHCN Hartford, CT

AFTER: KPIG/KIKI & KDEO, Honolulu, HI; WOMN New Haven, CT; KQMQ, KGU, KPOI-FM & KCCN-FM, all Honolulu, HI

TODAY: Today Rabbett runs Internet Radio Hawaii, a weekly RealAudio Hawaiian Music program with local news, calendar events and gags -- from Honolulu; see his note (1-14-00) (e-mail).

ROB RAY
1980-85 | 1986-88 | 1994-97 | April 2000 - September 28, 2021

Rockin' Rob The Music Professor is a Hartford-area native, graduating from Bloomfield High School and the University of Hartford. Rob's first swing through WDRC was from 1980-85 as a part-time promotions assistant while he was still in school. He returned in a production capacity from 1986-88. In 1994 he returned for a third time, producing Jerry Kristafer's morning show for three years. Since 2000 he has been WDRC's production director. Rob has been heard on the air since 2004. He fills various weekend shifts at DRC FM, and originated the Friday Night Flashback program from 11PM till midnight. When Connoisseur Media bought WDRC from Buckley Broadcasting on July 7, 2014, Rob took over the 7PM-midnight shift formerly held by Ron Sedaille. He was replaced September second by Suzi Klonk, but remained as the station's production man. Rob began hosting a music show on WDRC AM on Saturday and Sunday mornings beginning on January 9, 2016. Effective March 18, 2019 Rob became the host of the 6 PM-midnight show on WDRC FM; see his note.

PRIOR: WNAQ Naugatuck, CT; ESPN Radio, Bristol, CT

AFTER: Connoisseur Media, Milford, CT

TODAY: Rob concluded a total of 36 years on WDRC A/F in 2021. His final weekend oldies show on AM aired September 26 and his final weeknight show on FM aired September 28 (9/28/21)

JIM RAYNOR
December, 1959 - March, 1964

A native of Bellport, Long Island, Jim was drafted into the US Army and did his duty with the 578th Combat Engineers in South Korea. He finished his military service as a Sergeant First Class. A charter member of The Friendly Five, James Walter Benjamin Raynor III actually started at WDRC before the switch to local music programming in August, 1960. Originally interested in becoming a lawyer, Jim instead became a sportscaster. His first on-air job was in Canton, Ohio, where he was the sole staff announcer on a sunrise-to-sunset station. Co-owner John Jaeger heard Jim while traveling through Albany and invited him to submit a tape! Jim and his sidekick, Lance the Raynorbird, were heard from 8PM-1AM (though for a while in 1963 the shift was 10PM-1AM). Only a true collector would have a Raynorbird "D" shirt which used to be sold at Topps' department stores in 1963! Jim's entire stay at Big D was at the original studio/transmitter building at 869 Blue Hills Avenue, so he was right at home when he returned for the 30th anniversary reunion in August, 1995. Jim retired from Aetna Insurance and lived in Enfield for many years before moving to East Longmeadow.

PRIOR: WAND Canton, OH; WJOC Jamestown, NY; WLSV Wellsville, NY; WRUN Utica, NY; WPRO Providence, RI; WOKO Albany, NY

AFTER: WSPR Springfield, MA; WCCC Hartford, CT

TODAY: James Walter Raynor III was the last surviving member of WDRC's Friendly Five, having outlived Ron Landry, Jerry Bishop, Art Johnson and Gene Anthony. He died at the age of 90 on November 23, 2021. (11-25-21)

JANE REDDING
prior to February 15, 1947 - after June 26, 1948

Jane was a 22-year-old graduate of Wellesley College when she landed a gig at WDRC. Her first assignment was as the station receptionist. Then she was chosen to replace Jean Chesley, who moved to California, as co-host of the daily Market Basket program (7:00-9:00AM), along with Russ Naughton. Each morning they would climb into the WDRC mobile unit and stop at an unsuspecting housewive's home between 7:00 and 8:00AM. They'd do it again the next hour, leaving gifts along the way. Jane helped interview the lucky ladies. She also worked in WDRC's program department before leaving radio in 1949 to become an advertising clerk, and later editor, for various Connecticut insurance companies. Read more about Jane here. In 1959 Jane married Robert L. Winters and moved to Pittsburgh, PA.

TODAY: Jane (Redding) Winter died near Pittsburgh on December 4, 2015 at the age of 90. (11-19-21)

KENNY REETH
prior to January 9, 1960 - prior to April 26, 1960

During the months prior to WDRC's switch from CBS programming to pop music, Kenny was half of the Reeth & King morning show; they replaced Bacon & Fay. He was born in the Bronx but moved to Allentown, PA as a teenager where he met Eddie King. In the school drama club they appeared in live, weekly dramas on the local NBC affiliate, WSAN. Reeth & King formed The Martini Brothers, a tumbling act that evolved into a comedy song and dance act. They began working clubs all over the country and continued after the Korean War. In between club dates they hosted a morning show at WHOL in Allentown. Responding to a blind ad in Broadcasting magazine, they applied for an opening at WDRC. After a few months in Hartford, Reeth & King moved to a new station in Pittsburgh. Eddie King left the act to work at a station in Maryland, but they remained close friends until King's death in 1988. Later, Ken served as vice president of programming for Dynamic Broadcasting's chain of stations. He also owned a station in Pomona, California and served for two years on the Board of Directors of the Academy of Country Music. Ken is a published author whose last novel was about radio. See Eddie King.

PRIOR: WSAN Allentown, PA; WHOL Allentown, PA; nightclub circuit

AFTER: WZUM/WAMO Pittsburgh, PA; WILD Boston, MA; WUFO Buffalo, NY and WOAH Miami, FL; KKAR Pomona, CA; KYXK San Diego, CA

TODAY: Kenny passed away from leukemia on May 9, 2005 in Las Vegas.

DALE REEVES
August 2 - November 5, 1971

This native of Louisville had a vast background standup comedy, voice work and live theater. Dale's first shift was 6-10AM, Monday through Saturday, on WDRC FM. The hours were later changed to 9AM-3PM. His stay in Hartford was short but Dale worked on-air in many major markets before moving into a voiceover career. He has appeared on, or done voice work for, television shows as diverse as American Journal, The Capt. Kangaroo Show, Saturday Night Live, Late Night with Conan O'Brien, Beavis and Butt-head, the Doug cartoon show and the Wall Street Journal Report.

PRIOR: WLRS, WINN, WKLO & WAKY, all Louisville, KY; WNHC New Haven, CT; KSTT Davenport, IA; WIRL Peoria, IL

AFTER: WIFE Indiananpolis, IN; WOWO Ft. Wayne, IN; WCDQ Hamden, CT; WGBS Miami, FL; WJW Cleveland, OH; WGCI Chicago, IL; WDEE Detroit, MI; WKTU, WKHK, and WRKS all New York, NY; WRKI Brookfield, CT; American Comedy Network, Bridgeport, CT; WELI New Haven, CT; WKCI New Haven, CT; WDRE Long Island, NY; WSIX, WWTN, WAMB, WNPL, WSM-FM, all Nashville, TN; Sirius Satellite Radio; WKGC Panama City Beach, FL

TODAY: Dale owns REVOmedia Productions, in Yalesville, CT (3-8-17) (e-mail).

TOM RENARD
June 10, 1973

Studying at Avon High School, the University of Hartford and the Hartford Conservatory of Music, this young man was christened "Tom" during his radio career. He only worked at WDRC news for one day.

PRIOR: WCCC A/F Hartford, CT; WINE A/F Brookfield, CT

AFTER: Connecticut Radio Network; WPBH (Trinity College), Hartford, CT; Connecticut Public Television; general manager at KDRV TV & KDKF TV, Medford, OR

TODAY: Renard N. Maiuri is GM at KPIC TV in Roseburg, OR & KCBY TV in Coos Bay, OR, see his note (5-3-00) (e-mail).

JOEY REYNOLDS
December 26, 1966 - prior to May 5, 1968
September 15-27, 1969
February, 2002 - April 3, 2010

The original shock jock, Buffalo-born Joey gave Rand-McNally a new meaning. His resume includes many big stations (some for a very short time). He introduced Hartford to his Royal Order of the Night People at WPOP in 1962-63, so he was a familiar name and voice when he started at WDRC the night after Christmas, 1966. He was sandwiched between Dick Robinson and Ken Griffin from 6-9PM. His wild reputation was legendary...he left WKBW by nailing his shoes to the program director's door with a note that said, "fill these." At WDRC he once let "In The Midnight Hour" play for an hour when the needle got stuck in the groove; that one brought Hartford police to the studios at 750 Main Street. The last straw was when he referred to Hartford's lady mayor as "a dumb broad." He returned to WDRC in September 1969, filling in during Ken Griffin's two-week vacation. Buckley Broadcasting had recently purchased WIBG in Philadelphia, so Joey moved to the evening show but stayed less than a year. He later spent 14 additional years with Buckley, hosting an all-night show based in New York. He also worked extensively in the music industry, serving as an executive for Twentieth Century Records at one point, and producing numerous records.

PRIOR: WWOL Buffalo, NY; WNCO Ashland, OH; WKWK Wheeling, WV; WAME Miami, FL; WBNY Buffalo, NY; WNDR Syracuse; WPOP Hartford, CT; WTRX Flint, MI; WKBW Buffalo, NY; WIXY Cleveland; WXYZ Detroit, MI

AFTER: WINF Manchester, CT; WIBG Philadelphia, PA; WHLW Lakewood, NJ; KQV Pittsburgh, PA; KMPC and KRTH Los Angeles, CA; WFIL Philadelphia, PA; WNBC New York, NY; WSHE, WLPG TV, WIOD, all Miami, FL; WAXY Ft. Lauderdale, FL; WQAM Miami, FL; CITY FM Satellite Network; WIOD Miami, FL; Cutler Productions, Tarzana, CA; WOR New York, NY

TODAY: Joey published his autobiography in 2000. In April 2010, Joey's nationally syndicated all-night show was cancelled by Buckley Broadcasting's WOR. In October 2016 Joey began a Sunday night talk show on WABC in New York. (12/11/16).

DEAN RICHARDS
1983 - 1992

Dean did many shifts during his nine years at Big D. He did all shifts as fill in on DRC-FM and while full- time, did afternoon drive following Chris Rivers first departure.

PRIOR: WILI Willimantic, CT; WTXL West Springfield, MA; WRCQ New Britain-Hartford, CT; WHCN Hartford, CT

AFTER: WRCH Farmington

TODAY: Dean has hosted Pillow Talk at WRCH Farmington, CT since 1994 (3-28-05).

CHRIS RIVERS
April - November, 1990

A native of Kansas City, Chris attended the University of Missouri. As a U.S. Marine, he did his time at Parris Island. While attending the University of Missouri he worked part-time at a station in Kansas City. His radio journey brought him to Hartford twice on WDRC FM, first in 1990, then a brief return in March, 1999.

PRIOR: KJLA Kansas City, MO; WAQX Syracuse, NY; WCCC Hartford, CT; WRCH FM Farmington, CT

AFTER: WGRX Baltimore, MD; WMZQ Washington, DC; WSHE/WEBG Orlando, FL; WWQX Huntsville, AL; WXLY Charleston, SC

TODAY: Chris runs a Dallas production company, CHRIS RIVERS PRODUCTIONS; see his note (2-18-07) (e-mail).

PAUL ROBBINS
December 6-16, 1971

Paul did some moonlighting for WDRC FM for ten days, 6PM-midnight, between the departure of Paul Jackson and the arrival of Pete Ross.

PRIOR: WNHC New Haven, CT

AFTER: WNHC New Haven, CT; WCDQ Hamden, CT; WAVZ New Haven, CT

TODAY: ?

CURT ROBERTS
June-November, 1990

Curt Roberts' (real name Curt Krafft) graduated from Long Island University's Brooklyn campus and began his radio career in 1978. His stay in Hartford was less than a year. He did the night shift on FM during its solid gold days.

PRIOR: WEVD AM/FM New York, NY; WARE Ware, MA; WKIP Poughkeepsie, NY; WKNY Kingston, NY

AFTER: WAFY Frederick, MD; WXTR FM Washington, DC; WINX Washington, DC; WHVW Poughkeepsie, NY.

TODAY: Curt was last known to be in the Martinsburg, WV area; see his LinkedIn profile (e-mail)(5/2/15).

JACK ROBERTS
before September 1991 - 1997?

Jack graduated from Malden (MA) High School in 1967, attending Northeastern University from 1968-70 before switching to Emerson College in Boston, Class of 1971. He started at WDRC as producer for the Brad Davis morning show, later becoming operations manager for WDRC FM. He also did periodic shifts on AM. Jack also worked in record promotion.

PRIOR: WBET Brockton, MA; WXKS FM Boston, MA; WRKO & WITS/WMEX, all in Boston, MA; WGUY FM Bangor, ME; WMAS FM Springfield, MA

AFTER: WWRC-AM Washington, DC; he became Executive Producer of CRN Digital Networks in 1998 and was senior producer on the nationally syndicated Dick Cavett, Doug Stephan and Colonel Oliver North radio programs. His relocation to the Los Angeles area allowed him to work with dozens of celebrities arranging national interviews and formulating promotions and events. Jack created the the radio-related Hollywood Hills Group blog.

TODAY: Jack passed away on March 7, 2014 at the age of 62 after a long battle with liver disease (3-20-14).

LEE ROBERTS
February 25-October 2, 1970 and July, 1972

While Hartford listeners knew him as Lee Roberts, he has used many names in his career. Bob Cohen is his real name and he worked in the WDRC Earwitness news department twice. He got his foot in the Big D door because he and previously worked with Dick McDonough in New Hampshire. For several years in the late 1970s/early 80s, the FCC approved Bob and a partner to be the interim licensees of a radio station in New Hampshire whose owners lost the license. He has a keen knowledge of broadcasting history and tells wonderful war stories about the people of the radio industry.

PRIOR: WREI Sarasota, FL; WMLO Beverly, MA; WVOR Rochester, NY; WKXR Exeter, NH; WTSN Dover, NH; WKBR Manchester, NH; WCOP Boston, MA

AFTER: WRKO Boston, MA; WSAR Fall River, MA; WFYR Chicago, IL; WEIM Fitchburg, MA; WHEB Portsmouth, NH; WEEI FM Boston, MA; WOTW Nashua, NH; WHDH Boston, MA; WERZ Exeter, NH; WPGC Washington, DC; KHOW Denver, CO; WPGC Washington, DC; WMAL Washington, DC; WLAN FM Lancaster, PA; Voice of America, Washington, DC

TODAY: Bob retired as an engineer at VOA on 2004; he lives in Maryand (1-17-22) (e-mail).

PAUL ROBERTS
June 2, 1979 - June 9, 1984

As a 15 year-old in Norwich, the radio bug bit Paul Ciliano. He got his first job doing afternoons at WSUB. He used to call Charlie Parker asking if WDRC had any openings, and eventually it did. Eventually Paul Roberts became Big D's utility man, hosting various shifts on AM and FM at the age of 18. Paul spent many years in Hawaii.

PRIOR: WSUB Groton, CT; WNLC New London, CT

AFTER: WMJY Long Branch, NJ; WMJX Boston, MA; WEZK Knoxville, TN; KEZY Anaheim, CA; WSRS Worcester, MA; WLNH Laconia, NH; KLTR Houston, TX; WWRM Tampa, FL; WSB FM & WSRV FM Atlanta; KTWV, Los Angeles, CA

TODAY: These days Paul lives in Las Vegas where he works in real estate; see his note (2-27-05)(e-mail).

DICK ROBINSON
March, 1964 - November 9, 1969 and January 9, 2000 - March 28, 2004

If Charlie Parker was the heart of WDRC, Dick Robinson was the soul. Born in Malden, MA (Malden High School Class of 1956) he had an interest in live theater while attending Leland Powers School of Radio, Television & Theater in Boston. He transferred from Buckley's Providence station to host 8PM-midnight on WDRC, later moving to afternoons. President of the Dick Robinson Company, "DRC on DRC" was the confidante of his teenage listeners at a time when radio personalities were major celebrities. In 1964 he recorded a record which became his theme, "Beatnik Deejay." He was in frequent demands at record hops which he started (and assistants finished) so he could get to work on time. His 1966 interview with Mike Love and Al Jardine about the Beach Boys "Pet Sounds" album is available on a bootleg CD (Silver Rarities, SIRA 150). He stayed on the air Saturday afternoons and Sunday nights until moving full-time into the sales department. He was later named sales manager, and promoted to vice president and station manager. His WDRC career ended in February, 1976 when Dick got into ownership, buying WRCH/WRCQ. He is responsible for hundreds--maybe thousands--of broadcast careers as founder of the Connecticut School of Broadcasting in 1964. On January 9, 2000, he launched a new show, "Dickie Robinson's American Standards by the Sea," live from his yacht at various Atlantic ports; it aired on WDRC AM, WSNG Torrington, WWCO Waterbury, and WMMW Meriden Sundays at 6PM. Dick Robinson trivia - he is the nephew of Henry Morton Robinson, author of a 1950 book called The Cardinal.

PRIOR: WARE Ware, MA; WPRO Providence, RI; WREB Holyoke, MA; WSPR Springfield, MA; WHIM Providence, RI

AFTER: WRCH/WRCQ Farmington, CT

TODAY: Dick splits his time between Palm Beach and Connecticut; American Standards can be heard Saturday night at 6:00 on WJMJ, the Diocesan station in Prospect (6-12-10)(e-mail).

GEORGE H. ROBINSON
November 1929 - after March 1931

Dick was the most famous Robinson at WDRC but he wasn't the first. George Hudson Robinson was born in New Haven on September 18, 1910. He was just 20-years-old when Walter B. Haase hired him in late 1929 to be a substitute announcer. He was no stranger to performing. Robinson studied music as a child and was hired to play the organ in movie theaters in Wallingford and New Haven. At the time, WDRC was still located in New Haven and George was retained to perform organ recitals on the air. After WDRC relocated to Hartford in November 1930, George continued performing on the air as a pianist. When Haase needed someone to host his early morning program, he asked George if he'd like to take a crack at it. He also alternated with Haase as host of the Musical Alarm Clock program weekday mornings from 7-8 o'clock.

TODAY: On February 5, 1940 George was married in Washington, VA. The marriage license listed his profession as "professional musician." Little else is known of George's subsequent life. He died in San Jose, CA on November 27, 1995.

BILL ROCK
January-June, 1968 and fill-in during 1969

William Booth Rock was born in Stratford, CT in 1948, but grew up in Bloomfield and, later, Paramus, NJ (ask him about his famous Shakespearean acting relatives). Bill started his radio career in 1965 while a student at Seton Hall University, where he majored in communications. He was hired to do weekends and fill-in work, mostly on Big D FM, while he was still in college. He had a booming voice which has been heard on many national commercials. At WNBC, he was known as "Radio City Bill." For several years during the late 2000s Bill was WDRC's imaging voice.

PRIOR: WSOU Newark, NJ; WERA Plainfield, NJ; WOR New York, NY; WDHA Morristown, NJ

AFTER: WKCI Hamden, CT; WAVZ New Haven, CT; WFBG Altoona, PA; WIXZ McKeesport, PA; WIXY Cleveland, OH; WTRY Troy, NY; WMEX Boston, MA; WAVZ New Haven, CT; WNBC New York, NY; WELI New Haven, CT; national program director of Insilco Broadcasting; WYNY New York, NY; United Stations, Unistar, Pro-Media, SJS, SFX, Winstar Radio Networks, all New York, NY

TODAY: Bill is the production voice on numerous NBC/CNBC/MS-NBC productions including Weekend Nightly News and Meet The Press. You can visit his web site and see his latest note (11-12-09) (e-mail).

JOHN RODE
December 30, 1967 - February, 1969

John was born in Chippewa Falls, WI and started in radio at the age of 12! As soon as you hear his voice, you'd understand why. A licensed pilot and ham radio operator, he hosted the 10AM-3PM shift at WDRC AM and was frequently the voice of station promotions; he is especially remembered for a poignant narration of a Charlie Parker composition which is played every December: "Christmas Through the Years." He left Hartford for a brief stay at Buckley's Philadelphia station.

PRIOR: San Juan, PR; WALT Tampa, FL; WKLO and WINN, both Louisville, KY; WSAI Cincinnati, OH; WRKO Boston, MA

AFTER: WIBG Philadelphia, PA; CHUM Toronto, ONT; CFUN Vancouver, BC; CKFH, CKEY, CHUM, all Toronto, ONT

TODAY: John is Senior vice-president and Chief Information Officer of Mediastats Inc., and Sociostats Inc. in Aurora, ONT. He and his wife also run Harwood Estate Vineyards in Hillier, ONT (7-3-19).

ROSCOE
January, 1979 - January, 1980

Born in Rhode Island on January 9, 1945, Roscoe (Paul J. Gilmore) was playing in a rock band by the age of 14. After serving in the Marines from 1962-65 he worked for the phone company for a while. After cutting his radio teeth in his native state, Roscoe P. Goodtyme came to Hartford and started as WDRC's midnight-6AM man during the height of the station's album rock format when station IDs were given as "D103 and WDRC." On May 29, 1979 he took over 5-10AM on WDRC FM after Mike Taylor moved to KYA FM in San Francisco. He did some weekends at WNBC in New York while at WDRC.

PRIOR: WBRU Providence, RI; WGNG Pawtucket, RI; WCCC Hartford, CT

AFTER: WQPD Lakeland, FL

TODAY: Roscoe took his own life on November 28, 1980 in Polk County, Florida he was 35.

DON JOHN ROSS
prior to November 24, 1947 - prior to October 15, 1949

Born Donald Osbern Ross on May 6, 1923 in LaCrosse, WI, he graduated from Aquinas High School in 1941. He earned degrees from the University of Wisconsin and Washington and Lee University in Lexington, VA. Don began his radio career at the age of 13 as an actor! He spent three-and-a-half years in the Army during World War II, working as a news commentator for the Office of War Information. A Broadcasting magazine article on November 24, 1947 reported that Don John Ross had joined WDRC's announcing staff. He was assigned as master of ceremonies for the early morning Market Basket program. By August 1948, Billboard Magazine reported listeners had responded well to his "light touch at breakfast time" after the introduction of a daily gag. By December he was hosting WDRC's daily Music Box, weekday mornings from 7:30-8:00 AM. In early 1949 Ross was one of a group of WDRC employees who formed a Little Theater Group for the purpose of producing original plays with a local angle, including an emphasis on Hartford-area public service organizations. Ross vacationed in the Middle West in the summer of 1949; the October 15th edition of Billboard noted that Ross had left WDRC.

PRIOR: WOWO Fort Wayne, IN; WQQW & WMAL Washington, DC; WPIK Alexandria, VA

AFTER: WJTN Jamestown, NY; WSPD AM/TV Toledo, OH; WMT TV Cedar Rapids, IA; California; WKAT Miami Beach, FL; WIOD Miami, FL; NBC Radio New York, NY; WMEX Boston, MA

TODAY: Don died on October 7, 1994 in LaCrosse, WI; he was 71.

MAGGIE ROSS
prior to July 8, 1989 - August, 1989 ?

An Oakland native, Maggie graduated from UCLA and did the rounds of several major California radio stations. Maggie was one of the weekend hosts of Transtar's Oldies Channel format which WDRC AM aired. Though she didn't work for WDRC she was heard there.

PRIOR: KFI, KIQQ, KMPC, KHTZ, KLAC, all Los Angeles, CA

AFTER: KZLA, KCBS FM, all Los Angeles, CA

TODAY: In 1989 she reportedly moved to New York when her husband (Roger Rose) became a VH1 veejay.

PETE ROSS
December 18, 1971 - October 21, 1972, July-fall 1974, and October, 1975 - December, 1976

A Waterbury native, this graduate of Thomaston High School, C.W. Post College, and Connecticut School of Broadcasting did his first show on WDRC FM as "Pete Moss," the name he used in New Haven. He then settled into the 6PM-midnight shift at WDRC FM as "Pete Ross", later shifting to 7PM-midnight. He returned to WDRC twice, working various shifts.

PRIOR: WWCO Waterbury, CT; WAVZ and WNHC, both New Haven, CT

AFTER: WPTR Albany, NY; WTRY Troy, NY; WLYK & WNLK Norwalk-Stamford, CT; WQCD New York, NY; WICC and WEZN, both Bridgeport, CT

TODAY: Gary E. Almeida died on January 3, 2013 in Bridgeport Hospital while awaiting a double lung transplant; he was 64.

ALICE H. ROTHWELL
February 23, 1951 - after November 26, 1951

In the late 1940s Alice worked at WONS Hartford (later WPOP) as women's commentator Claire Gibson. In the spring of 1949 she was named program director of a station in Portland, Maine; she was known on the air there as Martha Standish. Later Alice returned to Hartford. At WDRC Alice was the receptionist and hosted a weekly half hour program, You and Your Home, that aired every Friday afternoon at 3:15PM. She was a frequent speaker at women's groups and often appeared as emcee at fashion shows. In 1954 she married Edward Mankittuck and moved to Phoenix, AZ. They later moved to New Jersey where her husband died in 1960. After that she returned to Hartford.

PRIOR: WONS Hartford, CT; WPOR Portland, ME

AFTER: KTAR Phoenix, AZ

TODAY: Mrs. Edward B. Munkittrick died on March 18, 1982 and was buried in Bolton, CT; she was 69.

GLENN ROWELL
November 30, 1947 - before June 11, 1949

Glenn was truly a broadcast pioneer, starting in 1924. He was studio director and head of the music department at WLS. A singers, Glenn and Ford Rush released dozens of 78 rpm recordings. In 1929 he and Gene Carroll formed the team of Gene and Glenn, who were nationally-known radio personalities. For a time they performed on the NBC Radio network six nights a week, then moved to WTIC in 1940. They performed together for 14 years, until 1943, when Carroll settled at WTAM Cleveland and Glenn stayed at WTIC. By day Glenn was personnel director of Veeder-Root; he also chaired the Greater Hartford Friendship Train Committee in 1947. At WDRC he hosted Glenn's Good Evening on Monday, Wednesday and Friday evenings at 6:30. The show consisted of songs and stories about personalities. In the 1950s Glenn hosted a children's television program in Cleveland. Still later he hosted Captain Glenn's Bandwagon on a South Dakota TV station.

PRIOR: WLS Chicago, IL; WTIC Hartford, CT

AFTER: WHAY New Britain, CT; WLW AM/TV Cincinnati, OH; WNBK-TV Cleveland, OH; KOTA AM-TV, Rapid City, SD

TODAY: Glenn died on October 9, 1965 in Rapid City; he was 65.

KURT RUSSELL
April 9, 1962 - January, 1963

The name on his birth certificate was Joseph Aloysius Smythe. When he went into show business, he changed his name to Kurt Russell. From Pittsburgh originally, and a Korean War Army veteran, Kurt tried his hand at several careers before settling on radio. After two years in the Army he spent six months as a Woolworth trainee, four months as a tower operator on the Long Island Railroad, and nearly a year as a tree surgeon's helper. Then a friend suggested he had a radio announcer's voice, and the rest was history. "Kurt Russell--the voice with muscle" came to WDRC as one of The Friendly Five. He replaced Art Johnson as midday host from 10AM-3PM, and was later heard on a split shift between noon-3PM and 6-10PM. He was a master at character voices and frequently had drop-in "guests" on his show like Arthur Godfrey and Tony Marvin. Russell was a fine vocalist and had worked the nightclub circuit as a singer before going into radio.

PRIOR: WALK Patchogue, NY; WELI New Haven, CT

AFTER: KDKA Pittsburgh, PA; WIND Chicago, IL; WMAQ Chicago, IL; WRIV Riverhead, NY; WALK A/F Patchogue, NY

TODAY: Kurt died April 18, 1979 at the age of 49, after nearly a year in a coma; read a note from his daughter (10-15-01).

CHRIS RYAN
1994 - October, 2003 & February 9, 2008 - June 2009

A New Britain native, Chris got hooked on radio while a student at Berlin High School, then continued in it while attending Mount Saint Mary College in Newburgh, NY. He started working at WDRC in 1994 but didn't join the announcing staff until 1998. Chris was the utility guy at Big D FM, hosting Saturday and Sunday afternoons and filling in for the other personalities. Chris left WDRC in October 2003 and moved to Hawaii. He returned in February 2008, doing various FM weekend and fill shifts and voicetracking the overnight show. He also produced Dan Lovallo's talk show on AM and frequently filled in for him.

PRIOR: WERB FM Berlin, CT; WGNY Poughkeepsie, NY; WPKX Springfield, MA; WCZX Poughkeepsie, NY; WVVE Stonington, CT

TODAY: Chris left WDRC for the second time at the end of June 2009, though he continued filling in on AM talk shows. (12-30-09)