In Memoriam Of Those Who Passed In 2014
Follow CBSDFW.COM: Facebook | Twitter
2014 was an unusual year in that we lost so many celebrities -- some way too early.
Below is a partial list of those who we remember and who I was blessed to have some sort of professional or personal connection to:
1. James Avery, 65: Actor who starred as patriarch Phillip Banks in the hit TV sitcom "Fresh Prince Of Bel-Air" on NBC. Although technically his date of death was December 31, 2013, I have included him in this list. KTXA had the rights to Fresh Prince in local syndication for nearly two decades starting in 1994 and four different syndicated cycles until it expired in 2011. He appeared in all 148 episodes of the show. He was actually trained as a classical actor. He also was a Vietnam Veteran serving in the U.S. Navy.
2. Phil Everly, 74: If you listen to KLUV-FM HD2, you are likely to hear songs from Phil and Dave Everly, one of the most popular duo groups of the late 1950's and early 1960's. I used to play their songs on the radio when I was in college and working at KIXL-AM 1040 during the summer of 1973.
3. Shirley Temple Black, 85: Child star at 20th Century FOX in the 1930's and a big box office rainmaker for Darryl Zanuck. Later appointed Ambassador to Czechoslovakia by President Nixon.
When I was working in Tampa/St. Petersburg FL in the early 1980's, WTSP-TV Programming Director Jayne Boyd bought "the Temples" for syndication for the station because, as she put it, "they always work".
4. Ann B. Davis, 88: Delightful TV character actor in The Brady Bunch (ABC) and Love That Bob (CBS). I had the rights to Love That Bob at KXTX in the 1980's: the original TV sex comedy (although mild by today's standards). I also owned the rights to The Brady Bunch at KXTX, which we aired each afternoon at 4:30 p.m. and did great ratings. Show only had 117 episodes and four and a half years on ABC but a huge hit in syndication for Paramount Television (now a division of CBS). Now you can see the show weekends on MeTV on KTXA 21.2.
5. Casey Kasem, 82: Legendary radio DJ who created the weekend countdown show "American Top 40" which still airs today hosted by Ryan Seacrest. A model for many a budding young disc jockeys, including me. Many weekend countdown show spinoffs due to AT 40.
6. James Garner, 86: Actor who starred in Maverick (ABC) and The Rockford Files (NBC). Did a few movies as well. I had the rights to the Rockford Files at KXTX, and at a time, program syndicators would sell shows that had "runs" available by city. When we used all of the Dallas "runs" I wasn't able to renew the show since KXTX was licensed by the FCC to Dallas. Show worked like a charm. You can also see it on MeTV as well at 11 a.m weekdays.
7. Robin Williams, 63: First time I had heard of him was in the hit ABC sitcom "Mork & Mindy", which technically was a spinoff of Happy Days.
We had the show at KXTX, and while it was a hit on ABC, it failed in syndication. We aired it in the 5-7 p.m. time slot, and it didn't work. Rescheduled it as a daytime show from 12-1 p.m. and was #1. Go figure. Brilliant comedian who we lost way too early.
8. Don Pardo, 96: The best radio/TV announcer ever. Had a lifetime contract with NBC. Was the announcer on countless game shows and most recently Saturday Night Live.
9. Paul Revere, 76: The leader of the 1960's rock band, Paul Revere & The Raiders, this band was formed in the late 1950's in Portland, OR and recorded on the Columbia Records label with Terry Melcher (Doris Day's son) as producer. Growing up in Dallas, these songs were the ones you just turned the volume WAY UP! Band was also the house band on Dick Clark's Where The Action Is that aired on ABC Daytime in the mid-60's. In later years, the band played in Branson, MO. Revere was also a very strong right to bear arms activist.
10. Jack Bruce, 71: Bass player for the British rock/blues band Cream (along with Eric Clapton and Ginger Baker). Sang most of their songs. If you lived during this time like me (60's and 70's), you never heard these songs on AM Top 40 radio, only FM on stations like KNUS-FM (now 98.7 KLUV-FM), KZEW-FM (now 97.9 The Beat), and KRLD-FM (now 92.5 KZPS-FM), with DJs with sultry, deep sounding voices! You would have thought they had been smoking something! I bought their albums too!
11. Joe Cocker, 70: One of the faces of Woodstock in 1969. Another one of those singers who had a unique voice and style. I can still see him singing "With A Little Help From My Friends" and "The Letter", remakes from songs done by The Beatles & The Box Tops. Songs I grew up with as a teenager.
12. Russell Johnson, 80: Best known as The Professor on CBS's Gilligan Island. He was the castaway always trying to find a way to get everyone back to civilization. You can also see this show on MeTV.
13. Gerry Goffen, 75: Prolific songwriter and former husband of singer/songwriter Carole King. Wrote "Will You Still Love Me Tomorrow? And "The Locomotion", the latter song performed by the babysitter for their daughter. Little Eva (Eva Narcissus Boyd) recorded this song in 1962 and it was a #1 hit. Locomotion was later done by Grand Funk Railroad.
14. Ralph Waite, 85: Best known as John Walton in the CBS series "The Waltons." I had this show in syndication at KXTX in the 1980's, but unfortunately it did not work well in repeats, although it was successful for CBS. Waite later made guest appearances as the father of NCIS Special Agent Jethro Gibbs (Mark Harmon) on the hit CBS series NCIS.
15. Sid Ceasar, 91: Known as a successful comic in the early days of television (NBC's Your Show Of Shows). I met Ceasar at the annual NATPE convention in the 1990's. Nicest man you would ever meet.
Thank you all for the great memories. God bless you. See you next time.
Latest News:
Top Trending:
