The following is a letter that Jerry recently sent to a gentleman named Jack in answer to Jack's 'looking back' survey. "Hi Jack, I surely enjoyed talking to you and reviewing old memories, some of the few I have left. After I got out of the Navy I spent a couple of years bumming around the world. I ended up in Chicago where my aunt was a stage actress, who got me interested in the theater and eventually became an actor in a small stock company in South Carolina.. This led to perusing the Broadcast magazines that eventually led to my job in Shelbyville. I forgot to mention that I actually met my wife to be at the open house of WSRK in 1948. The public was invited, and since we had met on the telephone we hit it off right away. In December of 1948 we came to California, married, and I got a job as combo announcer/disk-jockey/engineer at a small station in San Jose. After a couple of years we had a daughter, and four years later a son. She is a PhD psychologist and he is a hospital administrator with three wonderful kids now 16, 18 and 21. I went to work at CBS in L.A. in 1951 just about the time my daughter was born. I auditioned as an announcer, but wasn't good enough. However, at that time they did need engineers so since I had a 1st class license I became one, and stayed there for 37 years. I belonged to the IBEW Union, and ended up as Master Control supervisor. I had by that time been trained in camera, audio, video, editing, Technical Director, etc., and for the most part it was a totally enjoyable experience. For several years I was an audio mixer and did some of the big shows. As TD I had a great crew of about 15 who did most of the remotes, including the races, night clubs, stage shows, etc. Reminds me of another memory from WSRK. I was sent to Indianapolis, supposedly to interview a famous Maestro at the symphony hall. I had one microphone, one spare and a small mixer. As it turns out about an hour or so before airtime they called me from WSRK to tell me it was going to be an hour show and I was to broadcast the orchestra live. I got their sound man to help me string together some cable, we made some adaptors, and he crawled up and managed to hang my mike above the orchestra leaders head and we went on the air. Everyone thought I did a great mixing job and the orchestra sounded great so we were all happy."
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Jerry and Rose's names appear in this news article. Believe me.
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Submitted by Jerry, a couple years ago. |
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One memorable occasion was a dull old morning about 4:30 a.m. when a bright young AD failed to show up for sign-on in CC. As the story was related to me, the TD phoned the AD, whose excuse was that he overslept (can you imagine that?) and cordially invited him to join the morning fun and festivities. As I heard tell everything got signed on and worked beautifully and no one was the wiser. Now who would have made up a story like that? Jeezus-, Lawson. It aint MY fault you moved out to nowhere in Westlake Village. Its not MY fault that the damn traffic is so bad on the Ventura Freeway. I gotta get outta here by 12:30. Christ, Dean lets me out by 12:l5 p.m. In fact he gets pissed if I stay around and try to tell him what has gone on during my shift. Dam it Hal! (Barker) I don't care HOW hungry you are. Those sardines stink up the place (here in c.c.). Sorry Freddie (Mueller). I don't care what your scope says in 22. Here in c.c. you are 20% low. NO DALE!! (Gentry). I DON't want you to pull down all the patch cords. We are on the air in fifteen seconds! Sorry John. (Milland) I just want you to raise the VCR video level a little...NOT rebuild VT6.
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The following is Jerry's response when I (Bob) ask him to give us an insight as to his activities since leaving Channel 2.
"After I left CBS and retired nothing much was going on. I was teaching classes in Human sexuality, including a couple of stints as guest speaker at both USC and UCLA in their departments of sexuality. My book got published, I became pretty run down and really didn't do much until we moved here to Leisure World, which most people would find about as exciting as watching the grass grow.
There was an item in the morning paper about the FCC no longer requiring Morse code for a ham license. I received mine in the late 1950's and was active on 2 meters until cell phones came along and then dropped out of ham radio. They have an amateur radio club here, but only a few active members left and a bunch of old farts that sit around remembering the good old days. Actually, some of my best days are here and now in this place".
Remembrances from Jerry DeHaan