The History of KLIF Radio

One of the biggest questions asked after reading this "History of KLIF" has been "what ever happened to...."

The following is an effort to try to answer some of those questions. Many of former KLIF people are still quite prominent in broadcasting today. Some are in related fields, still others dropped out of broadcasting altogether, and unfortunately, a few have passed away.

As for the master of it all, Gordon McLendon passed away in 1986. After selling KLIF in 1972, he and son Bart McLendon operated KNUS FM in Dallas and sold it in 1979. Gordon never returned to broadcasting. He concentrated his efforts on running the McLendon Corporation. He not only had invested heavily in gold and silver, but wrote a book about the enormous opportunity in precious metals investments in the 1980's.

McLendon's love for baseball never ended. At the time of his death, he was seriously attempting and considering a return to broadcasting baseball games. His health precluded him from doing so but it was his wish at the time to come back as a baseball announcer for a major league team. It is not known how close he actually came to making it happen.

Here's an interesting side-note about McLendon. Throughout his broadcasting career, he referred to himself on the air as "The Old Scotchman". In writing, he would refer to it as "The Old Scotsman".

MCLENDON, GORDON BARTON (1921-1986). Gordon McLendon (the Old Scotsman), radio programming innovator and sportscaster, was born at Paris, Texas, on June 8, 1921, the son of Barton Robert and Jeanette Marie (Eyster) McLendon. He grew up in Idabel, Oklahoma, and later graduated from Kemper Military Academy, Booneville, Missouri. He won a nationwide political-essay contest judged by journalists Arthur Brisbane, Henry Luce, and Walter Lippmann. He later attended Yale University, where he studied Far Eastern languages, worked for the campus radio station, and served as business manager for the Yale Literary Magazine. World War II^qv began just before he was to graduate from Yale. He accepted a commission in the United States Navy and worked as an interpreter, translator, and interrogator. Later he was reassigned to armed forces radio, where he earned a reputation as the "Bill Mauldin of the Pacific" for his colorful broadcasts, which reminded some listeners of the famous war cartoonist.

After the war he briefly attended law school at Harvard and then returned to Texas, where he bought an interest in radio station KNET, Palestine. He soon sold his interest in the Palestine station to establish radio station KLIF in the Oak Cliff region of Dallas. Since no other radio stations operating in Dallas then carried live baseball broadcasts, McLendon decided to do so. But without adequate funds to pay for the rights to live broadcasts, he paid people to sit in stadiums across the country and feed him play-by-play information games via Western Union. To prerecorded sound effects and the information received through Western Union, McLendon joined his ability to ad lib and made routine games seem exciting. As word of his baseball games spread, other stations sought to carry them. In 1947 McLendon and his father founded the Liberty Broadcasting System to carry the games. With 458 radio stations in 1952, LBS was the second largest radio network in the United States. McLendon became well known for his "Game of the Day" broadcasts. For a time his broadcast partner was Hall of Fame pitcher Jay Hanna (Dizzy) Dean. McLendon helped start such broadcasters as Lindsay Nelson, Jerry Doggett, and Don Wells. In 1951 he won a coveted award from Sporting News as America's Outstanding Sports Broadcaster. Meantime, baseball owners fumed. In a courtroom argument over dwindling attendance and rights to broadcast, McLendon settled out of court for $200,000 and discontinued his broadcasts.

The McLendon family built a communications empire that included radio stations across the United States. In addition to KLIF, McLendon owned KROW-FM, later re-named KLIF-FM and then KNUS-FM in Dallas; KADS, later named KOST in Los Angeles, WGES-AM in Chicago, later re-named WYNR and then WNUS. WWWW-FM in Detroit, WAKY in Louisville, KABL in Oakland, KABL-FM in San Francisco, KEEL in Shreveport; KLBS in Houston, later named KILT; WGLS in Atlanta, later named WTAM. WAKY in Louisville; WYSL in Buffalo; KTSA in San Antonio, and KELP in El Paso. He owned television station KCND in Pembina, North Dakota, which broadcast into Canada. For a time he owned Radio NORD, a converted fishing boat in the North Sea, which beamed into Sweden and other European countries. His broadcasting success was due to his vivid imagination and innovations. He is credited by most broadcast historians with having established the first mobile news units in American radio, the first traffic reports, the first jingles, the first all-news radio station, and the first "easy-listening" programming. He also was among the first broadcasters in the United States to editorialize. He introduced five-minute bit news broadcasts and pioneered in top-forty record presentations as a standard format for radio. McLendon especially attracted attention for his stern denunciations of French president Charles De Gaulle, whom he described as "an ungrateful four-flusher" who could "go straight to hell."

McLendon and his family also owned drive-in and conventional movie theaters. In 1959 he made three "B" movies-The Killer Shrews, The Giant Gila Monster, and My Dog Buddy; a New York film critic described The Killer Shrews as one of the worst movies ever made. McLendon wrote and produced more than 150 motion-picture campaigns. From 1963 to 1966 he worked under an exclusive contract to promote movies for United Artists. In 1964 McLendon, a conservative, entered politics, but lost to incumbent Ralph Yarborough, a liberal, in the Texas primary for the Democratic nomination to the United States Senate, receiving 419,883 votes to Yarborough's 520,591. In a spirited campaign, accompanied at times by such Hollywood luminaries as Chill Wills, John Wayne, and Robert Cummings, McLendon attacked foreign aid to Communist countries as well as federal aid to education. He also supported racial desegregation of public schools and equal voting rights for all races. McLendon entered the 1968 Texas Democratic gubernatorial primary but withdrew, possibly because of the large number of conservative candidates and the absence of Yarborough, who many believed would enter the race. McLendon said in his withdrawal statement that he could no longer support the Democratic party policies sponsored by President Lyndon B. Johnson. McLendon, who had traveled to Vietnam as a correspondent, criticized the Vietnam War and voiced fears that the conflict would lead to financial bankruptcy as well as involvement in other East Asian land wars.

The McLendon family sold radio station KLIF, Dallas, in 1971 to Fairchild Industries of Germantown, Maryland, for $10.5 million, then a record price for a radio station. By 1979 the family had sold all of its broadcasting properties, including fourteen radio and two television stations, worth approximately $100 million. McLendon became an authority on precious metals and wrote a book entitled Get Really Rich in the Coming Super Metals Boom, published in 1981. That year he also was executive producer of the feature film Victory, directed by John Huston and starring Sylvester Stallone and Michael Caine. He also authored a number of other books, including How to Succeed in Broadcasting (1961), Correct Spelling in Three Hours (1962), Understanding American Government (1964), and 100 Years of America in Sound (1965). By 1985 Forbes magazine estimated McLendon's net worth at $200 million.

He will, however, be best remembered as a celebrated innovator of radio programming during the 1950s, when many people thought television had killed radio. Asked in 1980 what he learned from radio, McLendon responded: "That it all begins with creativity and programming. You can have the greatest sales staff and signal in the world, and it doesn't mean a thing if you don't have something great to put on the air."

McLendon was married in 1943 to Gay Noe, daughter of James A. Noe, former governor of Louisiana; in 1973 he married Susan Stafford, a syndicated columnist, radio talk-show host, and actress. McLendon was a member of the board of stewards of Highland Park Methodist Church in Dallas and the board of directors of the Dallas Symphony Orchestra,^qv Texas chairman of the March of Dimes, and an honorary chairman of the Veterans of Foreign Wars Poppy Drive. From 1964 to 1965 he served as a communications advisor to the United States Peace Corps; in 1971 he conducted a month-long all-expense-paid broadcasting course for nine minority-group members, including blacks, Puerto Ricans, and Mexican Americans. He died of cancer on September 14, 1986, at his ranch home near Lake Dallas, Texas. He was survived by a son and three daughters. In 1994 he was inducted into the Radio Hall of Fame by the Museum of Broadcast Communications in Chicago.

DON KEYES, 74, of Garland has died after battling emphysema. He was hospitalized for a week and a half at Medical City Hospital, according to his family.

Don began as a disc-jockey in Wichita Falls in 1951, later moving to Dallas to work at the legendary KLIF 1190. He became the highest rated DJ in the history of Dallas radio according to Hooper Ratings Service in the Spring of 1956. He was Program Director of KLIF in Dallas and KILT in Houston. Don was a mover and shaker in the radio broadcasting industry, serving as National Program Director for Dallas' McLendon Corporation of radio stations throughout the 1950's and 60's, Don was also Vice President of Programming for McLendon overseeing stations KLIF Dallas; KILT Houston; KTSA San Antonio; KEEL Shreveport; WAKY Louisville KY; KABL San Francisco; WYNR/WNUS Chicago; WYSL Buffalo, KOST Los Angeles; and XTRA Tijuana Mexico. He also served as Assistant to Gordon McLendon.

Don purchased and operated radio stations WNYN in Canton, Ohio and WTAL Tallahassee, Florida.

Keyes wrote the lyrics for "The Ballad of the Thresher" recorded by the Kingston Trio, was host of nationally syndicated radio programs and author of several books, as well as voiceover talent for numerous programs and commercials. He appeared in the classic B movie produced by Gordon McLendon "My Dog Buddy".

Don graduated from high school in Dallas at Woodrow Wilson High School, attended Syracuse University in New York and graduated from Southern Methodist University in Dallas. He was an Eagle Scout and a Sergeant and Drill Instructor in the United States Air Force with duty in the Korean Conflict in the 1950's.

Don was widowed after 41 years of marriage to wife Sally, the father of two children, son Brian of Orlando Florida and daughter Kathleen Pool of Longview, Texas. He married Betty Eaton in 2002.

Don was inducted into the Texas Radio Hall of Fame in 2002 for his contributions to Texas radio programming.

In broadcasting, Don was a giant. His innovative style and grace were unmistakable. His talent on the air as a disc-jockey was amazing, surpassed perhaps only by his passion for how to help others be better. He had a unique ability to take an idea from the greatly imaginative mind of Gordon McLendon and find a way to not only make it reality, but make it work to the benefit of listeners and more importantly, the specific radio stations ratings. His knowledge and expertise in coaching talent drew upon his vast knowledge and experience, often resulting in making a known and popular personality perform beyond even their own expectations. He also had a knack for finding the undiscovered talent and shaping them into stars.

He is credited in Dallas for bringing Ron Chapman to KLIF in 1959. Don once described how he coached Chapman and his various partners from the "Charlie and Harrigan Show" at KLIF. "They'd do our morning program and grab the tape of the broadcast and join Gordon McLendon and me. We'd play the tape, break by break, analyzing and critiquing their every word and idea. It was pretty intense, but the results were incredible. It very quickly became the number one rated morning program in Dallas radio, where it remained for a long time."

Ron Chapman played the part of "Irving Harrigan" on KLIF. He came to KLIF in 1959 as a solo act. His real name is Ralph Chapman, so he tells the story of being surprised to be driving into Dallas for the first time and listening to KLIF, his new station. They were running promo's for a new voice coming to KLIF "Irving Harrigan". Chapman imagined they must have hired someone else in addition to him and wondered why he wasn't getting an announcement promoting HIS arrival to KLIF.

Chapman's anxiety was soon cooled when he introduced himself at the studios of KLIF and was told his airname would be "Irving Harrigan". The promo's were for him and the name came from the pages of MAD Magazine. Chapman didn't necessarily like the name, but did like the attention it was bringing him. He initially worked various daytime airshifts, finally ending up on the "allnight" shift. According to Ron, he felt the next step for him would be out the door. He set out to make sure that did not happen. He developed his schtick on that shift and went out in Dallas and actually sold spots for his show himself. It was the first and only time the allnight show on KLIF was sold out.

In his attempt to get noticed by management (and save his gig) he was successful. At the time, KLIF's morning jock was Ken Knox. Ken had a very straight smooth sound but did little more than the time and weather and into the tunes. Chapman was leading into his show with bits and comedy. At 6:00, it sounded like the station came to a halt, at just the time when it should be coming alive for morning drive.

It didn't take long for management to realize Chapman's schtick belonged on the morning show. This is when they teamed him originally with Tom Murphy as part of the "Murphy & Harrigan Show".

As reported earlier in the History of KLIF, Chapman left KLIF in 1965 joining Channel 8 WFAA television. He did a housewife's game show in the morning live from Northpark Mall in Dallas called "Away We Go". In the late afternoon he did a teen dance show, the "Sump 'N Else" show.

From there he had the opportunity to return to KLIF, go to WFAA's radio station, or try something else. Chapman chose to team up with a local group who just took over KVIL radio. At the time, KVIL had just ended its own run directly at KLIF. KVIL's lineup of jocks included all being named "Dave". They were formatted "rock". They claimed to be the "David's that will kill KLIF with a little rock". The effort was unsuccessful and a turnover was in the works.

Chapman joined KVIL with an interesting challenge of being able to not only host the morning show but create the radio station over in his own image of what it should be like.

He created a format which many knowledgeable broadcast types said would not work. It was his intention of blending the best of the up-tempo "middle of the road" tunes with the down-tempo rock tunes of the day. In between a mature, almost laid back approach versus the screaming jock sound. Content would be informative, entertaining, and interesting. Promotions would stretch the imagination and be enjoyable even if you weren't involved. What he did was basically take everything he learned from McLendon and slant it toward adults, the same adults who grew up on KLIF.

As history has shown, his effort was hugely successful. KVIL became number one in Dallas Fort Worth in the 70's and has remained a strong force in the market for years. Chapman is still a top player in the Dallas Fort Worth morning show ratings race today.

Chapman left KVIL in September, 2000 and moved to 98.7 KLUV, an oldies radio station in Dallas. Interestingly, KLUV once was KLIF FM, which in its simulcasting days of KLIF AM featured the voice of one Irving Harrigan, aka Ron Chapman. Within 90 days, Chapman has increased the ratings for KLUV tremendously with his legion of fans!

In the Spring of 2005, Chapman announced he was hanging up the headphones. His retirement was official in June 2005 and at last report was planning to travel and take some time to "smell the roses". Chapman created some of the most dynamic radio in the nation both as an air talent and in management, combining common sense targeting, marketing, promotion, and entertainment. If anyone deserves the break and chance at the good life, Ron does!

Charlie Van Dyke started at KIXL in Dallas as a teenager, then to KVIL (as Charlie says "before anybody listened"). After KVIL it was on to the big time at KLIF.

Charlie began at KLIF doing one weekend shift while still in Jesuit High School. He went full-time at KLIF when he was a Sophmore in College at age 18, first working Noon to 3pm, then Afternoon Drive. On his 21st birthday, Don Barrett made him Program Director!

His real name is Charlie Steinle. That didn't flow too well, so Van Dyke it was! Even at that time he had the voice of a 30 year old! Charlie stayed until Decmber, 1968.

One of my recollections (and there are hundreds) about working at Triangle
point was a Saturday afternoon when B.R. McLendon just walked in the studio.
I said howdy. He walked around without saying much...then got all pissed off
because we had a big rack of oldies in front of the back window. He went on
and on about how he hadn't spend the money to build this place just to have a
record rack cover one of the windows. He wanted it moved...at once! I told
him I couldn't do it alone...so would Monday be soon enough? He finally
agreed that was OK. We moved it Monday.

But here's the story I've never really told. I'd worked at two stations
through high school. When I graduated from Jesuit in '65, I was going to
enter the Catholic seminary and study to be a priest, which I did. In
December of '65, we had two weeks off for break and I filled in on vacation
relief at KLIF. I did a week of Noon-3PM and a week of 7 to midnight. So, on
the first day...I walked into the studio and asked Johnny Dark (then PD) what
I needed to know to go on the air in a couple of hours. He said, "Well, the
jingles are over here, the spots are over here, the records are over here.
This is the log. Get all the spots in within the hour assigned. And hold out
all the records you play for at least an hour." That was it! That means that
the entire KLIF magic was created all these years by individual people! It
still thrills me to know that i played a role in that station. It smelled
like radio to me in the building! It was always magic to be on KLIF.

From KLIF, he worked his way around the U.S. at some of the biggest RKO/Drake Top 40 stations of the day: CKLW in Detroit, KFRC San Francisco, KGB San Diego, KHJ Los Angeles; ABC's WLS Chicago; back to KHJ as Program Director, and then returned to KLIF in 1977 in one of their many resurrection plans. In 1979 he left KLIF again landing at WRKO Boston and in 1982 relocated to the Phoenix, Arizona. Charlie describes himself as a "Drake man, branded by McLendon".

By the time he moved to Arizona, Charlie had become one of the biggest stars in the "voiceover" business. His voice today is heard in virtually every market in the nation on radio or television, often both. He has a studio in Arizona with the capability to send his voice work anywhere in the world live or on tape.

Van Dyke retired from being on the air for a number of years with an occasional dabble back in it for several Phoenix area stations. In addition to his enormous workload in voiceovers, he most recently hosted a morning show for KRTH "K-EARTH" in Los Angeles. He has since retired from radio again and is continuing his massive voiceover work.

Ken Dowe came to KLIF in 1964. Ken tells of driving through Dallas and hearing KLIF for the first time and being so impressed! He said to himself "someday, I'm gonna work at that radio station!"

Ken & his self made sidekick "Granny Emma" were on KLIF first in afternoon drive, later mornings. Ken made the transition to KNUS FM after McLendon sold KLIF in 1972. Ken was in charge of Programming and also did the morning show until 1975 at KNUS.

Dowe invested in ownership of several stations after leaving McLendon in the mid 1970's. He returned to Dallas in the 1983 to do the morning show at KMGC FM. The station was an Adult Contemporary competitor to KVIL and felt if anyone could take on Chapman at KVIL it would be Dowe. Amid much initial fanfare, the overall attempt was not successful and Dowe quietly went back to running the stations he owned. He made another attempt at a comeback on KODZ "Oldies 94.9" radio in 1991. This time without his "Granny" character. KODZ was in competition with KLUV, the longtime Oldies station in the market. (KLUV was KNUS and KLIF FM in past lives!) Lasting only a year, KODZ went away and Dowe went back to management. Today he is General Manager of KKDA radio in Dallas. In recent months, Dowe has been successful in bringing Urban formatted KKDA back into the top spot in the ratings under his leadership.

Michael O'Shea came to KLIF as Mike Williams in 1967. KLIF management toyed with names such as "Rich Burton", but Michael being a short freckle faced red-head felt he looked anything but like Richard Burton! They settled on the "swingin' Irishman Michael O'Shea" and it is a name that has stuck. He hasn't been on the air in years but uses the name KLIF gave him to this day.

O'Shea for years was the Noon to 3pm jock. A high energy and friendly sounding guy on the air, O'Shea was unique in that he always seemed to have something to say besides the ordinary. In 1970 he moved to afternoons for a time and then settled into mornings and then became the Program Director. Mike says he left KLIF in the summer of 1973 making $18,000 as Morning man and PD. He once said, "none of us made any real money working there, but the education has paid off a hundred times over what we made there since then."

O'Shea remained with KLIF after McLendon sold it in 1972 and saw first-hand the devastating effects of poor ownership and management after McLendon. He left a year later in '73 and headed for Florida at WFTL. Later at WLW in Cincinnati and then settled in the Seattle area first at KVI in 1977. He managed KMPC in Los Angels in 1978 and returned to the Seattle area in 1981 as GM of KUBE. He now owns several stations in the upper northwest.

It is quite possible his McLendon education may be paying off "a thousand times" these days!

Rod Roddy was morning man at KLIF in 1970. He later hosted the talk show "Hotline" late night on KLIF. Rod became nationally famous in 1978 as narrator on the much talked about and controversial ABC television show "Soap" starring Billy Crystal, among others. He became one of Hollywood's leading voiceover talents and ended up replacing Johnny Olson as the announcer on "The Price Is Right" television show starring Bob Barker. Rod passed away after an extended illness in 2003.

Jimmy Rabbit came to KLIF in 1964 as a clean-cut kid, left and returned from California as a self-proclaimed "hippie".

Rabbit's real name was Eddie Payne. McLendon felt a more hip sounding name would be in order. The Playboy Club and Hugh Hefner were all the rage in the early 60's, so Jimmy was given the name "Rabbit" as some sort of allusion to the Playboy image they wished to create without being too blatant.

The now famous story of Rabbit's arrival to Dallas airwaves goes like this. McLendon purchased several junk cars from a wrecking yard and had them towed to busy intersections in Dallas. They were strategically positioned on their side as if they had flipped over in an accident. On the undercarriage of each car was the message "I flipped for Jimmy Rabbit!" His name was instantly inserted into the minds of Dallasites.

Rabbit did nights beginning in 1964 replacing Russ Knight. In 1966, he moved to afternoons. The west coast came calling and Rabbit left only to return. Rabbit was back on nights for a period of time in the late 60's before moving back to Los Angeles again.

Jimmy Rabbit has the dubious distinction for having worked at almost every radio station in Los Angeles at one time or another. Never staying long at any one, he made the rounds through the late 60's and 70's working at legendary stations like KRLA, KROQ, and KHJ. He worked in Colorado for some time in the 80's and was back in his hometown area of East Texas for a while in the 90's, and is back in Colorado at last report hosting a morning show.

Jack Woods was the original "Charlie Brown" of "Charlie & Harrigan". After leaving KLIF in 1964, he eventually teamed up with another "Irving Harrigan" played by Paul Menard and had a successful run doing "Charlie & Harrigan" in San Diego at KCBQ. In 1975, Jack and Paul returned to KLIF for about a year before going back to San Diego.

Dan McCurdy (Patrick) was a jock at KLIF in the early 60's as Dan Patrick. First working the overnight shift, then after Jack Woods left being promoted to the morning show with Chapman. He was the second "Charlie Brown" to work with Chapman (Harrigan). Dan auditioned for the part and much to his surprise, got it, and enjoyed a run of about a year on KLIF's morning show.

McCurdy left KLIF in 1965, going to WMEX in Boston, only to return to Texas shortly thereafter. KLIF had no opening, so he offered his services to Irene Runnels, GM at KBOX. Dan went back to "Dan Patrick" on the air and was at KBOX for a year, eventually beating KLIF in morning drive before ownership changed the format of KBOX to Country in January, 1967.

Dan left KBOX at that time and went to work for the Southland Corporation and headed up their in-house Ad Agency. Dan is the man credited with the innovative, entertaining 7-11 commercials featuring Frank Harding (Y.Y. Wicky). Remember "Kiss Me, You Fool!"? Today, Dan is running the in-house advertising for the "Town and Country" Stores located throughout West Texas and New Mexico. His voice is still heard on the "Town & Country" commercials and lives in San Angelo, Texas.

Johnny Dark was the 9am to noon jock on KLIF in the early to mid 1960's. Johnny's real name is John Borders. He was also the Program Director for several years at KLIF. Johnny was one of the smoothest, non-offensive, pleasant-sounding jocks ever on KLIF. His goal was to entertain housewives on his airshift and was a perfect transition from the zany morning shows to the more mature sounding midday part of the day. Johnny grew up in Waxahachie, just south of Dallas and worked for the local radio station KBEC. Later he joined KBOX under his real name of Johnny Borders before coming to KLIF in 1964. For years Johnny was the voice of the syndicated show "Powerline". After leaving KLIF, John went to KFJZ in Fort Worth as National Program Director and later became a station owner and still lives in the Dallas area.

Dick Kemp "the Wilde Childe" was on KLIF in the early 60's. A fast talking jock who certainly lived up to his name "wild"! Later he transferred to McLendon's Chicago station WYNR which was converted to Top 40 to take on perennial market leader WLS. WYNR only lasted a few years but Kemp moved on to places like Cleveland where he had a long run at WIXY. As of 2002, Kemp is living in Alaska and has been out of radio since the 70's. His three sons still live in Dallas.

Ken Knox was the morning man that Ron Chapman replaced at KLIF IN 1960. After leaving KLIF, he worked in San Francisco at KEWB before returning to Dallas and worked for years at KBOX radio when they were Country, then was on a Beautiful Music station in Dallas. Ken passed away in the 1980's.

Chuck Dunaway worked at KLIF in 1963. He was at KBOX one day when KLIF's GM Bill Morgan asked to see him. Morgan told him he had just done his last day on KBOX and from now on would be on KLIF! Dunaway did afternoons in 1963 and later worked for McLendon at KILT in Houston. By the way, Dunaway is the man who helped create the "Top 40 Survey". He and Kent Burkhart were working at KXOL in Fort Worth and came over to Dallas to show their new "Top 40 Survey" to Don Keyes, KLIF's Program Director. Within days, KLIF had their own survey out and the rest is history. It would be several years later that Dunaway would work for KLIF.

Dunaway until recently was into station ownership in Joplin, Missouri. He has made plans to retire to Houston in 1998.

Jim O'Brien, real name Jim Oldman, was at KLIF in the mid 1960's starting on the overnight shift and later in mid-days. Jim was a very personable guy with a smile on his voice. He once brought his young daughter to the radio station to sing Happy Birthday to. You might know her as "Roz" on the hit television show "Frasier". Peri Gilpin plays "Roz" and is O'Brien's daughter who grew up in Dallas.

Jim went on to much success at KHJ Los Angeles, CKLW in Detroit and then ended up in Philadelphia for many years and became a local star on WFIL radio. He then went into television doing weather and later local news. He died tragically in 1984 during a sky diving promotion when his parachute did not open.

Russ Knight was the "Weird Beard" on the air at KLIF in the early 60's. Real name: Russel Lee Moore. Russ had a degree from SMU in Drama and at one time had the highest ratings ever achieved in nighttime radio in Dallas, a 62 share! Russ was one of the first night jock showmen. He intertwined bits and schtick into his delivery and included requests and dedications from the phone. His was a SHOW! He called himself "the Savoir of Dallas radio".

Russ remained with McLendon after leaving KLIF in 1964 landing the night show on KILT in Houston. In the summer of 1966, Russ and KLIF's night jock Bob McCord traded shifts. Russ came up from KILT in Houston and McCord went to KILT. As it turned out McCord stayed in Houston and the "Weird Beard" was back at KLIF for a while in the summer of '66! Knight did stops in several northern major markets and was heard doing talk radio in the Washington D.C. area a few years ago, and is now living in Poplar Bluff, MO, dabbling occasionally in voice work for syndication. In the early 70's, he was featured on the popular "Cruisin'" Series albums which featured various DJ's and radio stations from across the U.S. "Cruisin' '62" featured KLIF and Russ Knight. Although a recreation of his glory days at KLIF, it was a true representation of a typical "Weird Beard" show.

Dave Ambrose worked at KLIF 1966 to 1975. For a long time, he was the 9am to noon jock and later worked mornings with Paxton Mills as half of the "Mills & Ambrose" show. Ambrose was Program Director of KLIF as well for a time. He also pioneered "Girl Talk" in 1972 on KLIF. A midday talk show targetted toward bored housewives, featuring provocative topics of the day and female phone calls. A smooth sounding, non-offending, personable guy, Ambrose was one of the few guys who worked at KLIF almost ten years! He moved over to KXOL in Fort Worth after KLIF before retiring from radio and for years was operating a construction business in the Hurst area of Dallas Fort Worth. He worked briefly at the Satellite Music Network in the late 1980's, but otherwise has remained out of the radio industry.

Mike Selden came to KLIF from KXOL in Fort Worth. Selden began in afternoon drive and moved to nights and then back to afternoons through the early 70's. At one point, he did nights (6-9pm) on KLIF as a hip, shuck and jive Top 40 jock and noon to 2 on KNUS, which at the time was a very laid back album rock presentation. Most of his time was best remembered doing afternoons on KLIF. He was one of the first slightly "off-color" jocks. Wading ever so slightly over the edge occasionally and always with a slant on double meaning, Selden cooked on KLIF! He was nominated for Major Market Jock of the Year in 1971 while at KLIF.

He left KLIF late in 1973 after the McLendon sale and joined former KLIF jock Ron Chapman at KVIL. Chapman and Selden at KVIL in mornings and afternoons, respectively were a dynamic duo of their time. They chided each other on the air and the listener always assumed it was in good fun. Truth is, it wasn't. Selden had much disdain for Chapman and many felt the feeling was mutual. It ended up in a heated ultimatum for Chapman and Selden left in 1978 after consistently ranking up number one ratings at KVIL. Selden moved back to work for McLendon, this time at KNUS which was by then Top 40, as afternoon man and Program Director. The attempt was not successful. Selden left and returned to Dallas several times over the following years. His career moves declined with each. In the mid 1980's he was working in very small markets such as Mexia, Texas. During his most successful years at KVIL, he was courted by some enormous radio stations in Los Angeles, San Francisco, Chicago, and New York. He turned them all down, opting to stay in Dallas.

Selden dealt with many personal issues. He finally ended up (to his own admission and words) in a hospital for the occasionally sane. He left the hospital after treatment for drug abuse and made a realization that he could only stay clean by helping others with similar problems. He became a counselor at a hospital in East Texas (his hometown area) and began to enjoy life without radio.

Mike Selden died in the Spring of 1997 in Palestine, Texas. According to a family member, he had an acute asthma attack during a severe bout of the flu. In a conversation a year before his death, he related that he still loved radio, but knew this was his calling now. He even wished he could do some radio on weekends for fun, but never did. Mike Selden's story is one of the saddest of a once glorified radio jock succumbing to the temptations of life,to the spiraling all the way to the bottom and then finding his place in the world only to leave before his time.

Here's another sample of Selden on KLIF in 1971, when he was nominated for DJ of the year at the Gavin Record Convention. Click here!

Harry Paxton Mills, 52, was found dead Monday, June 25, 2001 in an Aspen Hotel. He had been working as the morning DJ at KXKL radio in Denver.

Paxton Mills was once one of the "Dave's" on KVIL in 1968. Remember, the "Dave's of KVIL would kill KLIF with a little ROCK!". Mills worked at KLIF as a night jock for years and later in mornings. Paxton was one of the original KNUS jocks when KNUS and McLendon broke away from KLIF in 1972. He was hired by Charlie Van Dyke at KGB San Diego and eventually went back to KLIF. Mills went from KLIF to KXOL in Fort Worth in the mid 70's and then ended up in the Denver area where he has spent most of the rest of his career. He spent many years at KIMN and KOSI before landing at an oldies station, KOOL FM.

Chuck Murphy worked at KLIF in the early 1970's. He did Noon to 3pm for several years and later nights, 6pm-9pm. He became Operations Director in 1974, handling much of the stations production voice work. After KLIF, Chuck went to KVIL as Director of Production and several years later started his own free-lance voiceover business in Dallas which he continues today. Chuck is the voice of "Kroger" food stores, among many others.

Cuzzin' Linnie, real name Linwood Henderson, was the first black jock on KLIF. He did overnights and cooked all night long! Linnie arrived in 1969 and left in 1974 in a legal tangle, returning in 78. Linnie went to KKDA AM for many years after KLIF.

Hal Martin came to KLIF from East Texas and ended up doing the night show. Michael Spears is his real name. He was never a screamin' night jock on KLIF, but more of a mature sounding, hip, with-it young adult. Spears went to KNUS after KLIF and has made steps through some of America's premiere radio stations. He was Program Director at KFRC in San Francisco during what many would say were its finest hours. In the 1990's, he was Operations manager for CBS in Dallas, overseeing Programming of news/talk giant KRLD. Out of radio now, he is still located in the Dallas area.

Randy Robins is a native of East Texas (isn't everyone who worked at KLIF?). He was working at KFJZ in Fort Worth in 1968 when KLIF did a "big switch" promotion where all the jocks from the two stations traded places. Robins got to come over to Dallas and do the night show for KLIF. He must have enjoyed it because a few years later in 1973, the gig would be his.

Randy worked at some of the best Top 40 stations in the 60's and 70's, including KFJZ, KIMN, WQXI, WFIL, as well as KLIF and KNUS in Dallas.

He was a very high energy, shuck and jive kind of guy on the air. "The Big R", "Sweet Randy" had lots of verbiage, lots of fun. He went to KNUS in 1975 and then in 1977, during the last resurrection of KLIF, came back for afternoons while Van Dyke was in mornings.

Robins, one of KLIF's greatest night jocks ever, left radio and worked in the Denver area as the local record promotion person for Capitol Records. Most recently he was heard on the air again on an oldies station in Buford, Georgia. A recent listen proved he's still got it and still "the Big 'R', who ain't never harmed nobody on the radio!"

John London (real name Stan Lackey) came to KLIF from Lufkin Texas in 1973 and did 9 to midnight. Yes, they actually had three hour shifts even at that hour! He eventually moved to middays and mornings before leaving and in then 1979 came back as part of "London & Engleman" for the morning show. London & Engleman were a top rated show in Denver prior to that. KLIF's fortunes were a thing of the past by the time London came back in '79 and he eventually made of name for himself in San Francisco on KMEL. He did several years as morning host on KKBT in Los Angeles, and is still in the LA area.

Brant Miller joined KLIF in 1974 in middays, then afternoons. He stayed briefly and later had a long run of success at WLS in Chicago. He is now a television weatherman for the NBC affiliate in Chicago.

Art Roberts was one of the early Top 40 jocks on KLIF in the 1950's. Art was working in Tyler, Texas when he got the job at KLIF in 1956. Later a fixture on the night show throughout the 1960's at WLS in Chicago, Roberts says he learned the tricks of his trade from McLendon at KLIF.

Bob McCord did nights at KLIF in 1966. Promoted as a red-headed "wild child", one listen and you believed it. He had more bits and schtick going at one time, all provided by one voice - his!

McCord replaced Jimmy Rabbitt when Rabbitt went to afternoons. In fact, Rabbitt picked up McCord at the airport when he first arrived in town. "Rabbitt was wearing the shiniest Mohair jacket I'd ever seen", says McCord. McCord did a promotion where he switched places with Russ Knight, who had gone to KILT (KLIF's sister station). Bob would go to Houston, Russ would come up to Dallas for a week. Bob ended up enjoying it in Houston and stayed for a time.

McCord is now retired and lives in California and said to tell all of his KLIF friends hello!

Jim Taber did 9 to midnight in the late 60's and early 70's. Jim was music director for a time and left KLIF in 1973 to work at KROQ in Los Angeles with Jimmy Rabbitt. He later owned radio stations KINT AM and FM in El Paso and then began a career in the Jingle business back in Dallas. Jim passed away in the early 1990's of a brain tumor.

Barry Kaye did afternoons at KLIF in 1976-1977. The self proclaimed "Boooogie Man!" and "Bionic Jock", Kaye was a high-energy cooker on the air. He made a name for himself in Houston at KILT, worked at KHJ in Los Angeles, and after his stint at KLIF returned to Houston.

Bill Stewart was one of the original pioneers of Top 40 radio. McLendon hired him away from Todd Storz to help build KLIF. He was in charge of Programming for all McLendon stations and is credited with much of KLIF's success in the early days. Stewart came and went several times with the company, but McLendon always knew he was only a call away. Don Keyes relates that it was Stewart who really put the formatics together which helped make KLIF successful. Others were responsible for the promotional genius, but it was Stewart who figured out how to make it all fit together and work. Bill Stewart passed away in the mid 1980's.

Don Keyes was an early KLIF Program Director and jock. Don was the voice of many promo's and station elements for McLendon stations. Keyes was the first National Program Director for McLendon and is credited with many station launches after purchases by the McLendons. He remained with McLendon through the mid 70's. Don is retired from broadcasting and still lives in Dallas.

Dickie "Boom Boom" Heatherton was on KLIF in 1970 through 1972. He worked Noon to 3pm, afternoons, and nights. Often referring to his sister Joey Heatherton who was married at the time to Dallas Cowboy Lance Rentzel. (does anyone remember her hit "Gone"?) Heatherton was also a "shuck & jive" kind of DJ, often quick with funny one-liners and much energy. He left KLIF in '72 and spent over ten years on as an institution on legendary New York Oldies station WCBS FM. Dick is now doing afternoons on a station in upstate New York and says he's once again "lovin' every minute of it!"

Buddy McGregor was one of the most popular DJ's ever at KLIF. He worked during the late 50's and at one time commanded 60% of the listening audience, a record at the time. He is perhaps most remembered for his "flag pole sitting marathon" at the McLendon Drive-Inn on Central Expressway at Forest in Dallas. The promotion was repeated through the years, but it was Buddy who did it first.

Buddy today lives in Austin and owns several Spanish language radio stations.

George Michael worked at KLIF in 1971 as a jock. He later was famous on WABC in New York and today is a television anchor at WRC TV in Washington and hosts "The George Michael Sportsmachine" syndicated show.

Deano Day, real name Ordean Moen, was a morning man and afternoon drive man at KLIF in the 1969. Last check he was still in radio in the Detroit area.

Gary Mack was at KLIF briefly in 1963. Like many KLIF people, he had worked across town at KBOX first. Mack went on to much success at KHJ Los Angeles as one of the original "boss jocks" in 1965. He now is living in Atlanta.

Don Berns worked at KLIF in 1976. His shift was afternoon drive and his stay was short-lived. Don went to a successful tenure in Canada after leaving KLIF.

Ken Reed was on KLIF 1958 through 1959. He later joined former KLIF jock Chuck Blore on the west coast along with several other KLIF DJ's.

Rex Miller was a midday jock at KLIF in the late 50's and again in the early 60's. He also worked at KBOX in Dallas after KLIF.

Mike Scott was a KLIF DJ in the mid 60's. He did middays and nights for a time.

Lee Douglas did several different shifts on KLIF, middays, afternoons, and nights in the late 60's/early 70's.

Jay Lawrence was on afternoons in the early 60's. He called himself the "Jaybird"!

Bill Ennis was with KLIF in early 1963, later working moving to the west coast with several other KLIF DJ's at KEWB.

Don Robertson worked overnights on a couple of occassions, first in 1962 and then in 1967.

Bill Robbins was the overnight voice in 1966. His show was the "Robbins nest"!

Gary Hamilton was on overnights at KLIF in 1967, then back at weekender in 1971. Gary was in Denver for a long time at KIMN and returned to Dallas in the 1980's working at KNUS, KVIL AM, and KLUV.

Van Winkle was a night jock at KLIF in 1975. He now runs a production and marketing company in the Southeast.

Koyote, real name Lee Poole, was a "Wolfman Jack" sounding type of DJ and did overnights from 1968 to 1969.

Tony Booth worked weekends beginning in the early 70's and later did overnights and nights, leaving in late 1974.

Gary Owens was a KLIF DJ long before his ear holding days at the TV show "Laugh-In". Owens says KLIF and McLendon was a huge influence on his career which continues today. Gary is still active in broadcasting and voiceovers in Hollywood.

Rex Jones was a midday DJ at KLIF in the early 1960's. Jones was at KLIF just a few weeks when news of the JFK assasination broke on his show. Jones died in June, 1998 in Dallas.

Brice Armstrong was on the morning show on two occasions. First as part of the third generation of "Charlie & Harrigan" in 1966, and then as part of the "Armstrong & Roddy" morning show in 1970. Brice is still in the Dallas area and one the areas most successful voiceover talents.

Update me on YOUR whereabouts today if you are a former KLIF person, or if you know of one!

I'd love to include new and updated information on all former KLIF people, so email me. I am also always looking for more photo's, remembrances, and memoribilia from KLIF. If you have any let me know. (I keep nothing, only copy and return right away.) I am lacking photo's from the 1973-1980 era and would love to include any you may have!

CHECK BACK...I am receiving information and items almost daily that I am putting on the site as time permits....I hope you enjoy reading this as much as I have had putting it together, and thanks for the many kind responses!
Steve

Thanks to the following people for their help:

KEN DOWE, BUD BUSCHARDT, TOM GODELL, DARIN CIRELLO, and a host of others who've provided items or assistance in creating this history!

WHAT HAPPENED TO THE

KLIF PEOPLE?