From: Neil Johnson on  Saturday, June 9, 2001, 8:57 PM

In 1950 I mailed in my application (really just my name and address) and then listened every day. After a few weeks, through all the atmospheric

noise, all the way up in Bakersfield I heard my name on a real big LA radio station. I was, and will always be, a KMPC safety ranger. I took

a solemn pledge, and when the station changed format and call letters, the effect was profound. Change the letters, change the format, but I

will always be a KMPC safety ranger. Neil Johnson

From: Andy Park on  Saturday, June 9, 2001, 8:05 AM

There are not enough words to thank you for this site. KMPC did more to keep the southland 'going' than people would care to believe. On it's worst day, it had three times the listeners as a music station, than any other format the 'wannabes' tried to establish on 710. Gene must have been shaking his head in grief, at the utter waste of what followed om pc.

One of the things that made pc work, was the almost 'fm like' sound on the am dial. The technical sound of pc was clearly head and shoulder above anything else in the LA market. Maybe you could showcase how that came to be, and who did it. The guys behind the sceens need to be highlited. Seems, as I recall, there was one specific lady that had the 'ear' and talent to make the (at least early 60's) music format a winner. Who was that lady? How did pc program it's music?

How can I actively support this valuable tribute to what would prove to be southern california finest broadcast asset?

Again....THANK YOU

From: Jim Hilliker on  Wednesday, June 6, 2001, 7:17pm

So many memories!  Whoever is behind this has my thanks.  It was my first job in radio.  I've often told people I started at the "top" and went down from there.   Just seeing Capt. Max again is a trip.  Herb Green, Panther, Whit....ah, you made my day.

Thank you,
Andy Park

From: Jim Hilliker on  Wednesday, June 6, 2001, 7:17pm

Wow, you've done a remarkable job on a tribute to the old KMPC-710!!  It's truly wonderful. 

I can tell you that technically, KRLO was owned by Lang and A.B. Scott. Don't know why Scott lost interest. I got several pages of newspapers photocopied from the Beverly Hills library about KEJK, and in late 1927 when Krause contacted Freeman Lang about getting a radio station in Beverly Hills, the newspper said Lang was owner of the station... Lang had previously been chief engineer for Hollywood station KMTR (now KLAC). He also did some consulting work for KFWB on their remote broadcasting equipment.

It seems that Ernest J. Krause wanted the station to broadcast cultural events in Beverly Hills society, etc...On the opening broadcast from the Krause building on Camden in 1928 as KEJK, Lang was the announcer/MC, along with one of the Hollywood stars of the day. Don't know why Krause sold the station after only 2 months.

As for the transmitter being at 81st and Compton, I'm not aware of that...I believe it was always in Beverly Hills until the move to Hollywood, but I'll check on that for you.

The site in B.H. on Wilshire was also where KMPC became famous in 1930 for the Beverly Hill Billies singing group with Zeke Manners and others that later became famous such as Stuart Hamblen.

Well, thanks for putting together a nice tribute to KMPC; it's terrific!

Sincerely,

Jim Hilliker

Monterey (formerly from Anaheim, longtime KMPC listener too!)

From: Michael Nash on  Tuesday, June 5, 2001, 10:43 AM

What a fantastic history you have compiled here. Roger Carroll e-mailed me over the weekend to alert me to the site and I have thoroughly enjoyed it. 

My name is Michael Nash and my years at KMPC were 1966 to 1968 and 1972 to 1975. I started out hired by Steve Bailey on the switchboard at the "Old Spaghetti Factory" location. A few months later, I replaced the comedian Albert Brooks on the sportswire desk -- he went on to do stand-up comedy and movies. I stayed on in the newsroom, working under Val Clenard and Hugh Brundage. Jim Hicklin gave me my first on-air gig when he called on the two-way into the newsroom and asked me to get info from the CHP on a suspected accident. He had me report live from the newsroom during the middle of a traffic report and I was hooked. I went on to cover some news events as extracurricular activities for KMPC, such as the arrival of the Queen Mary into Long Beach and the Robert Kennedy assassination. 

In late '68, I went into the Navy and served with American Forces Radio and TV in Vietnam and Japan. Upon my return, in '72, Steve hired me again -- allowing me in the newsroom, then supervised by Tom Wayman, in the PR department and wherever I could be useful. So, I did a little bit of everything while I finished up college. I photographed the celebrity interviews conducted by Wink Martindale, played basketball in back of the big white building with Gary Owens, got to know and appreciate the talents of Roger Carroll, Geoff Edwards, Sonny Melendez, Jack Angel, Pete Smith -- et al. Like all behind-the scenes staffers, I did what I could to get on the air and was scolded everytime by the union reps. I attended the trial of Jim Hicklin's killer and prduced Roger's Sunday show before the Angel's game when they were at home. In all, it was the best five years of my life. 

From time to time, I get to see and visit with a lot of the old crowd -- most of the time during sad occasions such as Fred Hessler's and Dick Whittinghill's memorials. In '75, upon graduation, I took my Journalism degree and went into PR, which is where I've been ever since. I am currently Director of Communications at Southern California University of Health Sciences in Whittier and live in Fullerton. 

I miss radio to this day and, with everyone else, still feel there would be a place for KMPC in today's marketplace. Maybe someday, there could be a sportswire category with people like me, Bob Rowe, John Felz, Albert Brooks, Ron Fineman (now KNX-AM), Rod VanHook (at the new KMPC, ex-KFWB for years), Ken Levine, etc. Nonetheless, thank you for putting this site together -- the memories are treasured and the people still impact my life today. 

From: Gary Akers on  Tuesday, June 5, 2001, 9:14am

I just read about your new KMPC site on the LA Radio People site. I'm very happy you're doing this; I have very fond memories of KMPC in the late 70s, when I really got into radio listening as a teenager. I LOVED Wink's Friday top 20 countdown, the Geoff Edwards show (which I could only listen to when I was sick and stayed home from school, and on Saturdays), of course Gary Owens, which I turned on the SECOND I got home from high school; Sonny Melendez on the weekends (I couldn't listen overnight - I had to get SOME sleep); and my favorite, Dave Hull (and his love lines, when I occasionally stayed up after 11).

From: Michael Haggerty on  Monday, June 4, 2001, 1:24 PM

Thank you! Wonderful site! Glad someone finally got around to it. Sure could use first-hand stories from those who

were there, though.

From: Scott Shurian on  Sunday, June 3, 2001, 2:01 PM

A really nice job on this site. It is a classy as the old KMPC was. Congratulations.