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Programming

Who Are Those Guys?

Hartford Times ad - April 26, 1970

Over the years there have been familiar voices on WDRC but not all of them belonged to station employees. For example, from 1969-70, meteorologists at the National Weather Service at Bradley International Airport provided weather updates on a regular basis. They included Mel Dunn, George Sheline, Frank Runella, Bob Pinuto, John Remkunas, Tony DiOrio, John Fogarty, Rowan Laro and Roger Franz.

When Brad Davis began at Big D in 1977, he briefly had daily weather updates from Stuart Soroka (left), who had been a TV meterologist in New Haven and Boston.

Stuart Soroka

For many winters, ski reports were regular features. From 1963-68 Gert Ellis did the honors.

From 1969-1980, Roxy Rothafel (right) reported from various New England resorts. He was aquainted with Richard Buckley from his days at WNEW New York; Roxy was a career broadcaster who started his ski service on WNEW in December, 1962.

During the 1980s, Bill Hoffman was the voice on Big D ski reports.

Roxy Rothafel

In 1969 Big D unveiled Little D, the dune buggy. The air staff made frequent appearances in it around Big D Country.

WDRC's Joe Hager in Little D drc

click for Joe Hager enlargement WDRRC click for Dick Robinson enlargement

To promote his new morning man in 1970, Bob DeCarlo, Charlie Parker took out newspaper ads taking aim at WTIC's morning institution, Bob Steele. The headlines read, "Both Bobs Steal The Show."

When Earth Day became popular in the early 1970s, DeCarlo hopped on the bandwagon. He encouraged listeners to report polluters, which resulted in the dubious distinction of being mentioned on-air and receiving WDRC's Black Cloud Award.

When Jim Scott arrived in 1972, it was to host the 10AM-3PM shift on Big D FM. At this time the FM didn't have an image distinct from WDRC AM, except at night when the music became album-oriented. Jim was given the green light to play nothing but Solid Gold.

When Jim left in August, 1973, the experiment ended and Ted Dalaku returned the shift to its normal format.

On May 2, 1971, the staff appeared in a full page newspaper ad wearing the newest fashion statement: Coca Cola bell bottoms. It was a far cry from the WDRC blazers worn by The Friendly Five a decade earlier. Rod Allen remembers Charlie Parker telling them they had to wear the pants outside the station as much as possible to help them catch on. They didn't.

(L-r:) Dick McDonough, Jack Miller, Bob Craig (kneeling), Jim Harrington, Rod Allen and lady friends.

For this promotion in May, 1972, Charlie posed the DJs in Schweppes T-shirts to kick off the "I Switched to Schweppes" contest

(L-r:) Gary DeGraide, Joe Hager, Dick McDonough, WDRC receptionist Lois Purple, Jim Harrington and Jack Miller.