Longtime Houston radio and television personality Paul Berlin has passed at the age of 86. He was a legend almost as soon as the first time he cracked a mic.
A Chronicle report.
Mike McGuff's tribute.
There will undoubtedly be many, many listeners and radio personalities weighing in with comments on both those sites.
Here's an article from Houston History Magazine. The Jive Hive was before my time but anyone who was around in the 60s through the 90s will remember The Record Rack on Shepherd at Alabama.
The article includes lots of quotes from Paul Berlin, who had a record store of his own, on the relation between record shops and radio.
For those interested in more recent history, here's an article from the Press in 2002 about the end of the Record Rack.
...and the origin of the term rock and roll, from Wired For Sound, an excellent blog (link on the sidebar) with pictures, names and history.
Would I ever love to hear some air checks.
There are scattered pictures and history of Houston radio of years past throughout the blog. For instance, way down at the bottom of this post is a picture of Dickie Jones and the Skyliners in the KATL studio in 1947. As the legend notes, the man at the microphone is Johnny Edwards, morning man on KATL.
From the Valley Morning Star.
The Phil Harlow mentioned was the first program director of KCOH and also worked at KXYZ.
I always assume that many of the readers of this site are interested in the history of Houston beyond just the history of radio and television, hence the section on the sidebar devoted to History Links. Here's another site I just learned about, a personal reminiscence of growing up in Houston, primarily in the 50s and 60s. It's a great collection of photos and facts drawn from many different sources and tied together with a narrative. I particularly appreciate the fact that the sources are always documented; too many people assume anything they find on the web they can use as though it was their own without crediting or asking permission. (Yes, there is some material from this site on there).
For those just interested in broadcast history, there's material related to radio on the page entitled The End of the Journey. Material concerning Houston TV in that era is on the page entitled More Life in Houston. And some of Marving Zindler's career is detailed on the page entitled More Memories.
Celebrating 45 years at KTRK-TV on Wednesday, November 9, 2011, and now a Houston institution. A tribute from the Chronicle, a bit of history and some old pictures in a slide show.
Quite a record - congratulations Dave.
James V. Roy is a researcher who has put together a website devoted to Scotty Moore, the legendary guitarist and first personal manager of Elvis Presley. His very comprehensive article on Elvis' early appearances in Houston, before he became a national star, is a very fascinating account of the venues Elvis played at as well as mentioning many of the DJs and radio stations that were very involved in live music back then and makes very good reading related to this blog.
EDITED 4/13/2014
In addition to the articles sometimes published in the Bayou City Houston blog in the Chronicle relating to broadcasting, there have been many discussions on HAIF, the Houston Architectural Information Forum, about radio, TV, and personalities. There's a link to the Historic Houston forum on the sidebar but some of the discussions have also taken place in the Houston and the Media Forum. Here are some of the threads. In some cases relatives of the personalities or participants in the shows discussed have contributed information but mostly it's memories (and sometimes, a few facts).
Radio related threads
KIKK
Tim and Bob, KPRC morning team
Alvin Van Black, KPRC and KTRH talk show host and KTRK-TV reporter
Paul Berlin, other KNUZ jocks, and the Larry Kane show on Channel 13
A KRBE Promo Stunt from the 1970s
Houston Radio, 1986, from an Astros Media Guide
TV Related Threads
A Thread on Houston TV Talk Shows over the Years
Larry Kane and Other TV Dance Shows
A Larry Kane Show clip
Don Mahoney and Jenna Clare, children's show hosts
More on Jenna Clare
Walter Cronkite
Kitirik
A Kitirik clip
Past TV Anchors
Ray Miller's Passing
TV Reporters
More on Past TV Personalities
KVVV-TV, Channel 16
Vintage Houston TV Commercials
A thread about Houston TV station sign-offs
Texas - the NBC soap, 1980s
Houston College Bowl TV show
In addition to these threads which have a historical connection, there are many threads on HAIF on the Houston and the Media board about broadcasting today, format changes, personality comings and goings, and other matters.
Some Threads on Music, Artists, Venues and Concerts
Liberty Hall
Bands and Orchestras from years gone by
Don Robey's Peacock Records
Rock Concerts of the 60s, 70s, 80s
Utah Carl
The Catacombs
P. J. Proby's early career in Houston
Famous Locations that no longer exist (mostly country nite clubs)
Magnolia Gardens, on the San Jacinto River
...of a Houston radio listener. From the Houston Post, Wednesday, February 18, 1948, the first day of broadcast of KNUZ, 1230.
Published in November, 1922. Bering-Cortes was one of the forerunners of today's Bering Hardware.
Once upon a time, everything in radio was battery-powered, not just receivers but studio and transmitting equipment, too. And we're not talking a couple of AAs, either. Batteries had to be charged up, of course. Automobiles did not have generators or alternators so garages were set up to service, i.e., charge, batteries and they serviced home batteries, too. One such business in Houston was the Hurlburtt Still Electric Co. who also obtained the first broadcasting license in Houston, for WEV, and whose garage on McKinney at San Jacinto served as the station's studios.
These ads were published in the Scripps-Howard Houston Press in the fall of 1950 when the newspaper and radio station were sharing news coverage and reporting. Gordon McLendon's Liberty Broadcasting System was heard over several radio stations over the years. KATL was the first Houston affiliate.
Published July 23, 1960.
The ads for KFMK, KHUL, KODA, KRBE and KTLW all appeared in the Houston Now section of the Houston Post for August 4, 1961, which was shortly after KODA first signed on. I have misplaced my original for the Lone Ranger on KODA ad and do not know the date.
An ad from Broadcasting Yearbook, 1964.
Less than 3 weeks after KLEE signed on KNUZ came on the air on 1230 kc at 6am on February 18, 1948. The station had first been applied for in December, 1946, and approved in April, 1947, pending the move of KTHT off of 1230.
A story in the Post the previous day outlined the staff and that KNUZ was to be a local station and had no plans to try to affiliate with any network. The story referred to KNUZ as Houston’s seventh radio station and Dave Morris, who was general manager of Veterans Broadcasting Co. and one of the four partners who owned the new station, told the Houston Chronicle in an interview at the time of his retirement in 1994 that there were eight, but both were wrong. The Radio Guide printed in the Post February 18, 1948, included KLEE, KTRH, KTHT, KPRC, KNUZ, KXYZ, and KATL, plus KPRC-FM, KTRH-FM, KOPY-FM and KXYZ-FM. It might also have included KREL and KRCT, Baytown, for a total of thirteen.
Station personnel were detailed in the story; Biff Collie, who came to KNUZ from San Antonio to serve as sports reporter, later did mornings on KATL, KLEE and KPRC and hosted a certain up and coming singer from Memphis by the name of Presley at the Grand Prize Jamboree a few years later. The station was never a news station; Morris told the Chronicle the call letters were chosen because two of the owners had been newsmen. Morris had been Assistant General Manager of KTBS, Shreveport, before coming to Houston and had also worked at KTBC, Austin. Max Jacobs had been the Washington correspondent for the Post, Douglas Hicks had been with the Press. The other partner was Tom Harling. All were veterans.
Chuck Dunaway, a disc jockey who worked at several Houston area radio stations in his 40 plus year career, wrote in his The Way I Remember It the KNUZ studios were originally located in the Scanlon Building at 405 Main Street, taking up most of the 9th floor, then moved to 4701 Caroline, the former home of the Jewish Community Center.
According to Dunaway, Al McKinley and Webb Hunt crossed the street from KATL (literally) to work at KNUZ when KATL became KYOK. Hunt, with his trademark dark glasses, was to spend several decades at KNUZ and its sister station KQUE-FM. Dunaway also remembered the all night DJ in the early 50s, “Tiny Ted Jones, the Terror of the Turntables.” In 1950, Houston radio legend Paul Berlin arrived from Memphis to work at KNUZ.
KNUZ took over the 1230 frequency from KTHT, which moved to 790 kc as of 5:30pm on the 17th and increased power to 5000 watts. The station was authorized to operate 24 hours a day but only planned on an 18 hour day (KTHT had been a 24 hour operation since August, 1946). The Post ran stories on the move and KTHT ran ads advising listeners of the move, also. KTHT had moved into new studios at Jefferson and Brazos where the Crowne Plaza now sits after operating for several months in temporary quarters in the old South End Christian Church on Main in late 1947. Half a million dollars was spent on the new studios plant and 4 new towers on Miller road near the San Jacinto Monument and KNUZ took over the old KTHT transmitter site on Ennis St., on the near East side. There was a glass wall in the new KTHT studios so motorists on Jefferson could see programs in progress.
Before applying to move KTHT to 790 kc and increase it’s power, Roy Hofheinz had told some friends of his plan and suggested they apply for his old frequency. Hofheinz didn’t want his competitors to get their hands on the frequency when he vacated it. According to his biographer Hofheinz convinced the FCC and the owners of the new station to let him simulcast KTHT on both stations for 24 hours before the move but according to the papers the overlap was just over 12 hours. Every time they cracked the mike the KTHT announcers advised listeners on 1230 kc to move down the dial to 790 to continue listening to their favorites on KTHT. The new owners of KNUZ were not pleased; they were afraid they weren’t going to have any listeners left by the time they launched.
The story of Hofheinz’ lengthy struggle to win approval to move KTHT to a new frequency and boost power will be told in another post. The article in the Chronicle mentioned above was entered into the Congressional Record by former Representative Jack Fields.
On the same day KNUZ hit the airwaves the Post also carried a notice that the KLEE program director, Winthrop Sherman, formerly of the Mutual Broadcasting System, who had been on the job since October, had resigned. The station had been on the air only since January 31.
Original Call Letters: KNUZ
Original air date: February 18, 1948
Occupied 1230 KiloHertz, replacing KTHT which moved to 790.
Current Call letters: KQUE
Current Format: Spanish
The original call letters referred to the fact two of the original partners had been newsmen; the company was named Veterans Broadcasting because all four partners were WWII veterans.
Pictures in the Bob Bailey Collection at the Center for American History at the University of Texas at Austin labeled KNUZ.
Pictures in the Bob Bailey Collection at the Center for American History at the University of Texas at Austin labeled Paul Berlin, one of the station’s most famous personalities.
There are additional pictures in the Bailey collection of personality Arch Yancey and of a big promotion at Sharpstown Center involving the station which do not appear to be online yet.
All Posts on this blog labeled KNUZ (in reverse order as published).
A Facebook page for former employees of KNUZ and KQUE-FM.
To find additional mentions of the call letters, use the Blog Search feature.
