(MUSIC) ANNOUNCER: THE PRESENTATION OF TOLEDO STORIES IS MADE POSSIBLE IN PART BY KEY BANK.

CELEBRATING THE STRENGTH OF OUR REGION'S HISTORY AND SUPPORTING THE PROMISE OF ITS FUTURE.

KEY BANK.

ACHIEVE ANYTHING.

PRESENTATION OF "TOLEDO ON THE AIR" IS MADE POSSIBLE BY A GRANT FROM PARAMOUNT ELITE, THE PARAMOUNT PLAN FOR MEDICARE BENEFICIARIES ON BEHALF OF THE 1000S OF TOLEDO AREA RESIDENTS WHO HAVE MADE PARAMOUNT ELITE THEIR MEDICARE CHOICE.

NARRATOR: REMEMBER WHEN ART BARRIE INTERVIEWED YOUR NEIGHBORS ON THE STREET FOR WSPD?

HOW ABOUT WAITING IN YOUR PAJAMAS EVERY MORNING HOPING THAT MISS CONNIE WOULD SEE YOU THROUGH HER MAGIC MIRROR?

OR WATCHING FRANK VENNER DO THE WEATHER IN THE WEATHER?

THOSE WERE THE DAYS.

NO SATELLITES, NO CABLE BOXES, JUST A COUPLE OF CHANNELS AND A FEW PERSONALITIES WHO WERE MORE LIKE FAMILY THAN STARS.

WE'RE GOING TO TAKE YOU BACK TO TOLEDO'S GOLDEN AGE OF BROADCASTING WITH SOME OF THE PEOPLE WHO MADE IT HAPPEN.

IT'S GOING TO BE A GREAT SHOW.

SO SIT BACK AND RELAX.

WE'LL GET STARTED AFTER THIS WORD FROM OUR SPONSOR.

AD ANNOUNCER: HERE'S A FELLOW WHO'S THINKING ABOUT FOOD, AND HE KNOWS WHERE TO FIND GOOD FOOD.

HE GOES TO MILLER'S CAFETERIA WHERE THE SPECIAL CHANGES DAILY.

TOMORROW'S SPECIAL COMPLETE MEAL FEATURES MEATLOAF, CHOICE OF POTATOES AND VEGETABLE, ROLL, CHOICE OF CAKE AND HOT BEVERAGE AT JUST 69 CENTS.

STOP IN TOMORROW AND ENJOY THE DAILY SPECIAL AT MILLER'S.

OPEN 11 TILL 9.

(MUSIC) WSPD ANNOUNCER: GOOD EVENING LADIES AND GENTLEMEN, AND WELCOME ONCE AGAIN TO WSPD SATURDAY NIGHT DANCING PARTY, A PROGRAM OF SUPPER DANCE MELODIES.

FEATURING THE PIANO ARTISTS, WE HAVE GARDNER BENEDICT, HIS SONGS AND HIS ORCHESTRA PLAYING TO YOU FROM THE BEAUTIFULLY APPOINTED SHALIMAR ROOM AT THE COMMODORE PERRY HOTEL IN DOWNTOWN TOLEDO.

NARRATOR: THE FIRST BROADCAST IN TOLEDO CAME WITHOUT PICTURES.

THAT DIDN'T BOTHER FOLKS MUCH.

LOOKING BACK MOST OF US WHO CAN REMEMBER KINDA LIKED IT THAT WAY.

RADIO VOICES: ARMSTRONG, JACK ARMSTRONG, THE ALL-AMERICAN BOY ORRIS TABNER: WHEN I WAS A KID, I'D LISTEN TO RADIO ALL THE TIME.

RIGHT HOME FROM SCHOOL, INTO THE HOUSE.

GET A GLASS OF SOMETHING, IF THERE WAS ANYTHING THERE AND TURN THE RADIO ON.

BECAUSE ON WERE COMING SUPERMAN AND JACK ARMSTRONG, THE ALL AMERICAN BOY.

RADIO VOICES: BUT MAYBE HE'S ALREADY BEEN ON BOARD UNCLE JIM.

MAYBE HE'S FOUND THE CHART IN THE RING.

HE MAY HAVE BEEN ABOARD THE LEAD.

BUT I DON'T BELIEVE HE COULD HAVE FOUND THE CHART IN THE RING.

NOT UNLESS HE'S DEVELOPED A MAGIC EYE OF SOME KIND.

I'LL BET HE THINKS HE HAS ALL NIGHT TO HUNT FOR THE CHART AND RING UNCLE JIM.

ORRIS TABNER: I TELL YOU.

I CAN REMEMBER BEING MORE ENTERTAINED BY RADIO THAN I HAVE BY TELEVISION EVER, I THINK.

JIM RUDES: GREAT, ABSOLUTELY GREAT ENTERTAINMENT.

AND IT LEFT SOMETHING TO THE IMAGINATION.

YOU THOUGHT ABOUT IT IN YOUR MIND.

AND WITH TELEVISION, IT'S ALL THERE AND SOMETIMES THERE'S TOO MUCH OF IT THERE.

BUT WITH RADIO, IT WAS SUCH A WONDERFUL WAY TO JUST LOSE YOURSELF AND SEE WHAT WAS HAPPENING AND SEE IT ALL IN YOUR MIND.

WSPD ANNOUNCER: THERE'S AN EXCITING TIME AHEAD.

SO BE SURE TO LISTEN AND AT THE SAME TIME TOMORROW FOR ANOTHER THRILLING EPISODE OF THE CHART AND RING WITH JACK ARMSTRONG, THE ALL AMERICAN BOY.

NARRATOR: SETTING THERE IN THE GLOW OF THE RADIO TUBES WE CAN SEE THE WHOLE WORLD.

AND THE STATION THAT BROUGHT IT TO US WAS 1370AM WSPD 1370AM AD VOICE: THIS IS THE VOICE OF TOLEDO, WSPD.

THE SHOWS ARE THE FINEST WHEN YOU SET YOUR DIAL AT 1370.

NARRATOR: WHEN THE STATION AT 1370 SIGNED ON FROM THE NAVARRE HOTEL IN APRIL 1921, IT WAS CALLED WTAL.

THEN, GEORGE STORER AND J HAROLD RYAN BOUGHT IT, MOVED IT TO THE COMMODORE PERRY HOTEL AND RENAMED IT WSPD, SPEEDY FOR SHORT, TO HELP SELL THE SPEEDENE GAS THEY SOLD AT THEIR FILLING STATIONS.

SPEEDY WAS THE FIRST STATION IN OHIO.

AND FOR A LOT OF US FOR A LONG TIME, IT WAS RADIO IN TOLEDO.

ART BARRIE: THERE WASN'T ANYTHING ELSE.

EVERY RADIO SET IN THE AREA HERE WAS WELDED TO WSPD 1370 AND THERE WASN'T ANYTHING ELSE.

WSPD WAS THE STATION.

(AD JINGLE) LES DANA: LISTEN FOR THE NEWS TONE BRINGING YOU THE LATEST NEWS FIRST FROM THE VOICE OF TOLEDO WSPD WITH STUDIOS IN THE BROADCAST BUILDING.

RADIO SINGERS: (SINGING) HARLEY WEST: DR. KINETICA 623 ADAMS STREET NEAR ERIE IS OFFERING GENUINE PRIPDOC INVISIBLE BIFOCAL GLASSES FOR READING AND DISTANCE VISION FOR ONLY $3.50.

EXAMINATION FREE WHETHER YOU BUY GLASSES OR NOT.

FRED WARING ANNOUNCER: WELCOME TO THE FRED WARING SHOW.

FRED WARING AND HIS PENNSYLVANIANS.

TODAY WE'RE BROADCASTING FROM THE PARAMOUNT THEATER IN TOLEDO OHIO, THROUGH THE FACILITIES OF WSPD.

AND HERE TO GREET YOU IS YOUR HOST, FRED WARING.

NARRATOR: WSPD WAS THERE IN GOOD TIMES AND BAD.

WHEN WORLD WAR TWO CAME, THE VOICES OF SPEEDY KEPT US INFORMED AND REASSURED WSPD NEWSCASTER: THE JAPANESE MUST WRITE OFF THE PHILIPPINES CAMPAIGN AS A COSTLY FAILURE.

GENERAL DOUGLAS MACARTHUR HAS ANNOUNCED IN MANILA, THAT THE PHILIPPINES CAMPAIGN...

THIS PROGRAM IS RESPECTFULLY DEDICATED TO ALL THE BOYS AND GIRLS SERVING WITH UNCLE SAM'S ARMED FORCES AND ALL THE FOLKS HERE AT HOME ALL BANDED TOGETHER TO BRING AN EARLIER VICTORY AND PEACE.

NARRATOR: BEFORE HE BECAME A PRIEST JIM TRAUTWEIN WAS ONE OF THOSE VOICES THAT HELPED US THROUGH THE WAR YEARS.

FR JIM TRAUTWEIN: WHAT THEY WANTED WAS ANYONE WHO HAD A USABLE VOICE AND A DECENT PULSE RATE AND WAS 4F.

THEY WERE LOSING PEOPLE TO THE ARMY, OF COURSE ALL THE TIME DURING THE WAR.

WELL I CAME IN UNDER THOSE CONDITIONS.

DURING THE WAR PEOPLE LISTENING TO NEWS CONTINUALLY.

RADIO WAS WAS A VERY STRONG PART OF EVERYBODY'S LIFE THEN, I THINK.

NARRATOR: BUT PERHAPS THE MOST FAMILIAR AND AUTHORITATIVE VOICE ON WSPD WAS JIM UEBELHART.

HE WAS THE MAN WITH THE NEWS.

NOW TO THE NEWS AND JIM UEBELHART.

JIM UEBELHART: GOOD AFTERNOON, EVERYBODY.

AT THIS MORNING'S MEETING OF THE CITY COUNCIL SITTING AS A COMMITTEE OF THE WHOLE MAYOR LLOYD ROULET MADE A MOTION TO... ORRIS TABNER: JIM UEBELHART DID THE NEWS DURING WORLD WAR TWO, YOU KNOW THAT'S THE FIRST THING YOU WANTED WHEN YOU GOT UP IN THE MORNING WAS THE WAR NEWS AND I CAN STILL HEAR HIM SAYING THIS IS JIM UEBELHART FILING GUEST COMPANY NEWS CAST NUMBER 1327 OR WHATEVER IT WAS HE USED TO COUNT EM OFF.

JIM UEBELHART WAS THE NEWSCASTER.

NOBODY EVEN CLOSE TO HIM.

NARRATOR: YES, WE ALL THOUGHT THE WORLD OF JIM.

EVEN IF WE HAD A LITTLE TROUBLE WITH THAT LAST NAME.

BOB COWLEY: THEY CALL HIM ALL KINDS OF NAMES.

JIM UEGLEBEUGLE.

I CAN'T EVEN THINK OF ALL OF THEM.

BUT HIS NAME WAS RATHER HARD TO PRONOUNCE FOR SOME PEOPLE.

PEOPLE NEVER THOUGHT THEY'D REALLY HEARD THE NEWS UNTIL THEY HEARD IT FROM JIM.

JIM UEBELHART: HOLD UP MEN IN MIDWESTERN CITIES ARE BEING BAFFLED BY A NEW MICROPHONE DOORBELL INSTALLATION.

A RADIO MANUFACTURER STARTED SELLING THE DEVICE... NARRATOR: JIM UEBELHART GAVE US THE NEWS.

BUT ART BARRIE, HE GAVE US A CHANCE TO BE ON THE RADIO.

ART WAS WSPD'S ROVING AMBASSADOR.

HE WOULD TAKE HIS MICROPHONE OUT OF THE STUDIO AT THE DROP OF A HAT.

AND BOY COULD HE DRAW A CROWD.

BOB COWLEY: WELL, THERE'S ALWAYS A BIG CROWD AROUND, ART WAS THE MAIN ATTRACTION IN TOWN.

HE WAS KNOWN AS GRANDPA BARRIE, REALLY.

THAT WAS BECAUSE HE HAD BACK TROUBLE.

HE DID SOME LIMPING OCCASIONALLY.

SO HE CALLED IN THIS IS OLD GRANDPA BARRIE.

AND IT JUST STUCK.

AND HE DID THAT FOR YEARS AND YEARS.

ART BARRIE (ARCHIVAL): HELLO, THIS IS OLD GRANDPA BARRIE AGAIN, DOWN AT THE LOBBY OF THE PARAMOUNT THEATER WITH ANOTHER SIDEWALK INTERVIEW FOR KAY'S JEWELRY AT 344 SUMMIT STREET... ART BARRIE: WE WENT TO ONE SMALL TOWN EVERY WEEK.

AND THEY WOULD HOLD ART BARRIE DAY AND THEY WOULD LET THE KIDS OUT OF SCHOOL AND THEY WOULD HAVE A BIG ASSEMBLY OF PEOPLE DOWNTOWN.

AND THEY BLOCKED THE TRAFFIC OF COURSE.

AND WE'D SET UP OUR PA SYSTEM IN THE MIDDLE OF THE STREET AND INTERVIEW OUR PEOPLE AND MAKE OUR RECORDING RIGHT IN OUR TRUCK RIGHT THERE AND BRING IT BACK AND PLAY IT BACK.

BUT THEY WERE GREAT.

THEY WERE WONDERFUL DAYS ALL THESE WONDERFUL PEOPLE JUST GREAT.

ALL OVER ALL OVER NORTHWESTERN OHIO.

WSPD TV JINGLE: IT'S THE CHANNEL WITH THE QUALITY SHOWS, THE ONE WHERE YOU CAN HEAR AND SEE THE BEST TV AROUND.

IN TOLEDO KEEP YOUR TV SCREEN ON CHANNEL 13 WSPD TV.

NARRATOR: WSPD CALLED ITSELF TOLEDO'S PIONEER RADIO STATION.

SO IT WASN'T MUCH OF A SURPRISE THAT WHEN TELEVISION CAME TO THE CITY, IT CAME FROM WSPD.

IN THE BROADCAST BUILDING AT 136 HURON STREET.

HARRY PRUE: IN 1947, I GOT MY FIRST TELEVISION SET.

IT WAS A SEVEN INCH HALLICRAFTER, IN A METAL CABINET.

NARRATOR: HARRY PRUE HAD BEEN AN ENGINEER AT WSPD FOR FIVE YEARS.

HE KNEW ALL ABOUT THE NEW TECHNOLOGY THAT PROMISED MOVING PICTURES IN EVERY HOME.

STILL, WHEN IT HAPPENED, HE WAS AWESTRUCK.

HARRY PRUE: WE WERE STILL SETTING THINGS UP.

AND I WORKED LATE THAT NIGHT, AND GOT HOME AND I JUST HAPPENED TO SWITCH CHANNEL 13 ON THIS THING AND A PICTURE CAME UP "CHANNEL 13."

THE FIRST TIME I'D SEEN IT ON THE AIR OUTSIDE OF THE BUILDING.

AND I WAS AMAZED, I COULDN'T BELIEVE HOW BEAUTIFUL AND SHARP IT WAS.

IT WAS, IT WAS REALLY SOMETHING TO SEE.

AND I KNEW THEN THAT THINGS WOULD NEVER BE THE SAME.

NARRATOR: IT TURNS OUT HARRY WAS A LITTLE AHEAD OF HIS TIME, IT TOOK THE REST OF US A BIT LONGER TO WARM UP TO TELEVISION.

JOHN SAUNDERS: WHEN CHANNEL 13 WENT ON THE AIR.

THERE WERE TWO STATIONS IN DETROIT.

AND TO GIVE YOU AN IDEA OF HOW TOLEDOANS FELT ABOUT CHANNEL 13, THE FIRST FEW RATING BOOKS THAT CAME OUT WE WERE NUMBER THREE IN A ONE-STATION MARKET.

SO, IT DIDN'T SPEAK TOO WELL FOR US.

NARRATOR: TV KIND OF SNUCK UP ON US.

A LOT OF FOLKS SAID IT WOULD NEVER AMOUNT TO MUCH.

AND IT CERTAINLY COULDN'T REPLACE RADIO.

STILL, IT WAS LIKE MAGIC TO SEE THAT PICTURE APPEAR ON THE SCREEN.

ALMOST HYPNOTIC.

JOHN SAUNDERS: WELL, PEOPLE USED TO LISTEN TO THEIR RADIO, THEY WEREN'T ALL WATCHING TV.

AND THEY WOULD WATCH PRACTICALLY ANYTHING.

I MEAN, THEY'D SIT THERE AND WATCH ANY KIND OF DUMB THING.

JUST IN THE HOPES THAT WHAT CAME NEXT WOULD BE BETTER, YOU KNOW?

HARRY PRUE: WE HAD A REMOTE TRUCK AND WE HAD A REMOTE CREW.

AND THE REMOTE CREW'S JOB WAS STRICTLY TO GO OUT ALMOST DAILY TO DO A REMOTE AND WE DID EVERY IMAGINABLE REMOTE THAT YOU CAN IMAGINE.

WE OPENED TOY STORES.

WE OPENED AUTOMOBILE DEALERSHIPS.

I MEAN, THIS WAS SUPPOSED TO BE ENTERTAINMENT.

ART BARRIE: WE DID THE FIRST LIVE PROGRAMS ON TELEVISION, BY TAKING OUR CAMERA OUT THE BACK DOOR UP THE ALLEY, AND I WOULD INTERVIEW PEOPLE GETTING OFF THE BUS.

THAT WAS THE FIRST.

NARRATOR: THOSE EARLY SHOWS DIDN'T AMOUNT TO MUCH, BUT THEY DID DRAW US TOGETHER.

YOU SEE, TV SETS WERE PRETTY DARN EXPENSIVE AT THAT TIME.

DON LEA: WE HAD A 10 INCH MOTOROLA, IT WAS IN ABOUT A 48 INCH CABINET.

AND THEN WE'D SIT AND PUT UP FOLDING CHAIRS AND HAVE PEOPLE COME INTO OUR LIVING ROOM.

AND WE'D HAVE 8 TO 10 PEOPLE OVER A NIGHT WATCHING ROLLER DERBY AND YOU KNOW THAT TYPE OF PROGRAMMING.

WRESTLING AND ROLLER DERBY WERE THE TWO BIG HITTERS.

NARRATOR: IF YOU COULDN'T AFFORD A TV AT FIRST, THERE WERE PLENTY OF STORES IN TOLEDO THAT WOULD RENT YOU ONE.

THEY KNEW THAT ONCE YOU HAD A SET IN YOUR LIVING ROOM, YOU'D FIND IT PRETTY HARD TO GIVE IT UP AGAIN.

BRUCE MCLAUGHLIN: MY GRANDMOTHER, WHO WAS IN HER MID 70S AT THE TIME, HAD BECOME A GREAT FAN OF WRESTLING.

AND SHE JUST NEEDED TO HAVE WRESTLING EVERY SATURDAY NIGHT OR A WEEK WASN'T COMPLETE.

AND ALTHOUGH SHE HATED TO ADMIT THAT, AND IF YOU'D ASK HER, "WELL YOU KNOW YOU'RE A BIG FAN OF WRESTLING, IT'S REALLY IMPORTANT," SHE'D "OH NO, I CAN DO WITHOUT IT" BUT SHE WAS ALWAYS IN THERE AND ALWAYS WATCHING.

AND THE STORY GOES WHEN MOTHER DECIDED TO RETURN THE TELEVISION IT WAS GRANDMOTHER WHO SAID THAT THE TELEVISION WAS GOING TO STAY.

NARRATOR: IT DIDN'T TAKE LONG ONCE GRANDMA WAS WON OVER.

WSPD LET US SEE THE COUNTRY'S BRIGHTEST STARS RIGHT IN OUR OWN LIVING ROOMS.

AND PRETTY SOON WE WERE HOOKED, JUST ASK WSPD'S SWITCHBOARD OPERATOR.

JANE ELEY: WE WENT OFF THE AIR WITH MILTON BERLE ONE NIGHT, RIGHT IN THE MIDDLE OF THINGS.

AND WE'RE OFF.

WE DIDN'T GET TO SEE THE SHOW.

AND WE WERE THE ONLY ONE SHOWING IT.

THEY COULDN'T TURN TO A DETROIT STATION.

SO THE CALLS CAME INTO THE STATION.

AND I PEGGED SOME 1100 CALLS FOR THAT.

FR JIM TRAUTWEIN: I'M NOT SURE WHEN WE REALIZED HOW MUCH IT WOULD DOMINATE THINGS.

I THINK WE ALL FELT THAT THE NETWORKS WOULD CONTINUE TO BE AS POWERFUL IN RADIO AS THEY HAD BEEN.

I THINK THAT AFTER A YEAR OR SO WE BEGAN TO REALIZE THE RADIO AS WE HAD KNOWN IT WAS SIMPLY NOT GOING TO SURVIVE.

THE TELEVISION WOULD TAKE OVER.

TV NEWSCASTER: ...RADIO OFFICERS ARE STILL VOTING, ARE EXPECTED TO RATIFY THE AGREEMENT AND IMMEDIATELY FREE 100 TRADERS... NARRATOR: WHEN TELEVISION TOOK OFF IN TOLEDO, MANY OF THE CITY'S BEST KNOWN RADIO PERSONALITIES HOPPED ON FOR THE RIDE.

AND SUDDENLY WE HAD FACES TO GO ALONG WITH ALL THOSE FAMILIAR VOICES.

JIM RUDES, JOHN SAUNDERS, FRANK VENNER, FRANK GILHOOLEY.

THEY ALL MADE THE SWITCH TO TV AND BECAME ICONS.

JIM RUDES: WHEN I FIRST STARTED THERE, THEY WERE NOT BROADCASTING THAT MANY HOURS A DAY.

AND RADIO WAS KING AND TELEVISION WAS THE LITTLE UPSTART DOWN THE STREET.

AT THE TIME, I THINK IT THE OPPORTUNITY CAME UP AND THEY SAID, WE WOULD LIKE YOU TO MOVE TO TELEVISION.

AND I SAID, WELL, I THINK THAT'S WHERE MY FUTURE IS.

NARRATOR: THEY GOT IN ON THE GROUND FLOOR AND MADE IT UP AS THEY WENT ALONG IN THE EARLY DAYS AT WSPD.

TV WASN'T ALWAYS COMFORTABLE FOR THESE RADIO MEN, BUT SOMEHOW THEY MADE IT LOOK EASY.

JOHN SAUNDERS: NEWSMEN WERE ANNOUNCERS BECOMING IN THE PROCESS OF BECOMING NEWSMEN.

SO YOU MIGHT SEE HIM DOING THE NEWS AT SIX O'CLOCK.

AND AT 10:30 THAT NIGHT SELLING A VACUUM CLEANER OR SOMETHING LIKE THAT.

FRANK GILHOOLEY: I ENJOYED DOING PLAY BY PLAY, BUT I NEVER REALLY LIKED SITTING AND DOING, ANCHORING THE 6 AND 11 O'CLOCK NEWS ALL THOSE YEARS.

THAT KIND OF BOTHERED ME.

I JUST NEVER WAS COMFORTABLE WITH IT, NEVER REALLY WAS COMFORTABLE.

I USED TO KID THAT I WORE TRAINING PANTS WHEN I WAS ON THE AIR.

NARRATOR: WSPD'S TV PIONEERS HAD TOLEDO'S AIRWAVES PRETTY MUCH TO THEMSELVES UNTIL 1958.

THAT'S WHEN WTOL SIGNED ON FROM ATOP THE HILLCREST HOTEL, AND THINGS STARTED TO GET SERIOUS.

FRANK VENNER: CHANNEL 13 FOR 10 YEARS HAD NO COMPETITION.

SO OBVIOUSLY, WE WON THE RATINGS.

BUT IN 1958, WHEN OUR SECOND CHANNEL HIT, HIT THE TOWN, WTOL, THEN OF COURSE, IT WAS DOG EAT DOG.

AND THEN THE RATINGS BECAME EXTREMELY IMPORTANT.

GORDON WARD: WE WOULD MONITOR FOR EXAMPLE, THE TWO-WAY RADIOS OF THE OTHER STATIONS.

AND IF THEY WERE SENDING A CREW SOMEWHERE THAT WE DIDN'T KNOW ANYTHING ABOUT, WE WOULD JUMP IN THE CAR AND GO FIND OUT WHAT WAS GOING ON.

AND THERE WAS ALWAYS RIVALRY.

SOMETIMES THEY WOULD PLANT A, WE AND THEY, WOULD PLANT A FAKE CALL TO DECOY THEM AWAY FROM WHEREVER WE WERE ACTUALLY GOING TO BE.

NARRATOR: AS THE STATIONS FOUGHT FOR OUR ATTENTION, WE GOT TO KNOW SOME NEW CELEBRITIES.

GORDON WARD, DON EDWARDS AND DOUG AND ORRIS TABNER BROUGHT US LOCAL NEWS AND SPORTS.

SOON, JOHN SAUNDERS LEFT WSPD TO JOIN THEM AT THE ANCHOR DESK.

AND EVERY NIGHT BEHIND THE SCENES, ART EDGERTON PULLED DOUBLE DUTY READING THE NEWS ON WTOL RADIO, AND MAKING SURE THE STATION'S TV CAMERAS WERE ON THE SCENE WHENEVER A STORY BROKE, EVEN THOUGH HE'D NEVER SEE THE PICTURES THEY MADE.

DON EDWARDS: I WOULD READ TO ART.

SOME OF THE STORIES THAT WE HAD CARRIED ON THE 11 O'CLOCK.

HE WOULD TAKE THEM DOWN IN BRAILLE.

AND THEN HE WOULD REBROADCAST THOSE ON RADIO NEWS THROUGHOUT THE NIGHT.

AND ART WAS OUR EARS DURING THE NIGHT THERE.

IF SOMETHING HAPPENED, HE'D MONITOR THE RADIOS, GET ON THE PHONE.

SEE THAT SOMEBODY WAS NOTIFIED SO THAT WE HAD 24 HOUR COVERAGE.

ART EDGERTON: THE JOB THAT I HAD, OF COURSE, WAS A WAS A NEW EXPLORATION IN THIS TOWN FOR BROADCAST, AND PEOPLE THOUGHT THAT I COULDN'T DO IT BECAUSE OF THE LACK OF ONE FACILITY.

BUT IT WORKED OUT.

FORTUNATELY FOR ME, IT WORKED OUT THAT I WAS ABLE TO PERFORM.

BILL HARRIS: WHEN YOU WALKED IN THE ROOM, AND HE HEARD YOUR VOICE, HE KNEW YOU AND RIGHT AWAY COULD BEGIN TO CONDUCT A CONVERSATION WITH YOU ABOUT THINGS THAT MAY THAT YOU MAY HAVE DISCUSSED IN THE PAST.

HE HAD THAT KIND OF A GREAT MEMORY, WHICH SAID TO ME EARLY ON, ART EDGERTON WAS A MAN OF JOURNALISM, BECAUSE HE HAD A GREAT SENSITIVITY TOWARD PEOPLE.

NARRATOR: THROUGHOUT THE 60S EVERY NIGHT WSPD, AND WTOL BROUGHT US ALL THE TOLEDO NEWS AND SPORTS.

AND FOR THE MOST PART, IT ALL LOOKED ABOUT THE SAME.

BUT WHEN IT CAME TO THE WEATHER, THERE WAS NO COMPETITION.

THEY DIDN'T HAVE COMPUTERS BACK THEN ONLY MAPS AND SOME MAGIC MARKERS.

BUT THE WAY THEY USE THOSE SIMPLE TOOLS MADE ALL THE DIFFERENCE IN THE WORLD, WTOL DID WEATHER IN THE STUDIO, BUT WSPD DID "WEATHER IN THE WEATHER."

FRANK VENNER: "WEATHER IN THE WEATHER" WAS ON FOR 10 YEARS FROM 1959 TO 1969.

AND WAS PROBABLY THE PROGRAM THAT I BECAME MOST IDENTIFIED WITH DURING MY CAREER.

BUT THE INTERESTING ASPECT IS THAT I WASN'T THE ONE WHO STARTED THAT PROGRAM.

IT WAS JIM RUDES.

JIM RUDES: WE ACTUALLY TOOK AND THESE WERE NOT PORTABLE CAMERAS.

THESE WERE REGULAR STUDIO CAMERAS.

AND WE JUST TOOK IT OUT AND ROLLED IT DOWN THE ALLEY BETWEEN THE TWO BUILDINGS.

YOU KNOW, THE COMMODORE IS ON THE OTHER SIDE OF THE ALLEY FROM US AND TAKE IT OUT THE BACK DOOR AND ROLL IT UP THE ALLEY AND TAKE IT OUT IN FRONT AND WE HAD CABLES RUNNING ALL THE WAY BACK TO THE STUDIO.

I DON'T KNOW HOW FAR THAT WOULD BE.

BUT IT'S CERTAINLY ALMOST A CITY BLOCK.

FRANK VENNER: THEY WOULD HAND ME A MICROPHONE.

I WOULD WALK BEHIND THE BOARD, WHICH HAD THE MAP OF THE UNITED STATES ON IT.

AND THEN ONE OF THE FASCINATIONS IS THAT I WOULD WRITE BACKWARD BECAUSE I HAD TO SO THAT PEOPLE COULD, YOU KNOW PEOPLE AT HOME COULD SEE WHAT I WAS DOING.

SO I LEARNED TO WRITE BACKWARDS.

JIM RUDES: I NEVER REALLY DID MASTER IT.

TO TELL YOU THE TRUTH.

FRANK, HE GOT TO THE POINT WHERE HE COULD WRITE BACKWARD BETTER THAN HE COULD WRITE FORWARD.

BUT I WAS I WAS ALWAYS A LITTLE HESITANT ABOUT IT.

NARRATOR: AND IF THE BACKWARD WRITING WASN'T ENTERTAINMENT ENOUGH, THE PUBLIC SOMETIMES GOT IN ON THE ACT.

FRANK VENNER: I REMEMBER ONE NIGHT IT WAS IT WAS ABOUT 15 BELOW ZERO AT 11 O'CLOCK AT NIGHT.

CAR PULLED UP WITH A BUNCH OF COLLEGE KIDS.

AND THEY HAD NO SHIRTS ON.

AND THEY HAD TO BE ABSOLUTELY HOSPITAL CASES BECAUSE IT WAS SO SO COLD.

AND TO TO ADD TO THE GLAMOUR, IF YOU WANT TO CALL IT THAT.

THEY WERE ALL EATING ICE CREAM CONES.

NARRATOR: LOOKING BACK, TOLEDO'S FIRST NEWSCASTS WEREN'T THE MOST SOPHISTICATED THINGS ON TV.

BUT THEN AGAIN, WE WEREN'T THE MOST SOPHISTICATED AUDIENCE.

WE'VE CHANGED SINCE THEN.

AND THE NEWS HAS TO BUT IT'S NICE TO REMEMBER SIMPLER TIMES WHEN TV WAS YOUNG IN TOLEDO AND SO WERE THE PEOPLE WHO BUILT IT.

JERRY ANDERSON: I'M VERY MUCH AWARE THAT THESE GUYS BUILT THE FOUNDATION.

THEY WERE THERE WHEN TELEVISION FIRST WENT ON THE AIR.

WE'RE JUST CARRIERS OF THE TORCH.

THEY BUILT THE FOUNDATION, THEY PUT CHANNEL 13 AND CHANNEL 11 ON THE MAP IN THIS TOWN.

AND WE'RE JUST HERE IN MY OPINION TO TRY TO TO UPHOLD THE STANDARDS.

LION STORE ANNOUNCER: SHOP ANY TIME ANY DAY THE NEW LION STORE WAY, JUST TELL IT TO "TELL IT TO," THE MECHANICAL MAN IN THE LIONS STORE'S ST. CLAIR STREET WINDOW.

NOW YOU CAN MAKE YOUR LION STORE PURCHASES ON THE SPOT WHILE YOU'RE WINDOW SHOPPING.

IT'S THE EASY WAY TO SHOP.

YOU GIVE YOUR NAME, YOUR ADDRESS, YOUR TELEPHONE NUMBER, SIZE AND COLOR PREFERENCE.

ANYTIME DAY OR NIGHT HOLIDAYS SUNDAYS EVERY DAY.

WHILE YOU'RE WINDOW SHOPPING OR JUST PASSING BY THE LION STORE, "TELL IT TO," THE MECHANICAL MAN IS READY TO TAKE YOUR ORDER.

THE 25 CENTS YOU DEPOSIT WHEN YOU TALK TO "TELL IT TO" IS CREDITED AGAINST YOUR PURCHASE.

"TELL IT TO" TAKES YOUR ORDER ON THE SPOT.

THE ORDER IS THEN FILLED AND DELIVERED PROMPTLY.

THERE'S NO RED TAPE.

IT'S QUICK AND EASY.

JUST TELL IT TO "TELL IT TO," THE MECHANICAL MAN IN THE LION STORE'S ST. CLAIR STREET WINDOW.

NARRATOR: PICTURES OF YOUR PRODUCTS RIGHT IN THE HOMES OF YOUR CUSTOMERS.

IT WAS A DREAM COME TRUE FOR TOLEDO MERCHANTS.

AND THEY BOMBARDED US WITH ADS FOR EVERYTHING FROM NYLONS TO MOBILE HOMES.

IN THE EARLY DAYS, IT WASN'T UNUSUAL FOR THE MAN READING THE NEWS TO STOP AND SELL YOU SOAP OR EVEN A BEER.

AND IT WAS USUALLY DONE LIVE.

JOHN SAUNDERS: I DID COMMERCIALS FOR WAYNE DRUG.

THEY WERE SELLING AN INEXPENSIVE, I WON'T USE THE WORD CHEAP, AN INEXPENSIVE, WATERPROOF WRISTWATCH.

AND THE IDEA WAS IN THE OPENING COMMERCIAL OF THE PROGRAM, I WOULD SING THE PRAISES OF THIS WRISTWATCH.

AND THEN RIGHT AT THE END OF THAT COMMERCIAL, I WOULD PUT IT DOWN IN A FISHBOWL FULL OF WATER.

AND WHEN THEY CAME OUT TO THE CLOSING COMMERCIAL, I WOULD TAKE THE WATCH OUT OF THE FISHBOWL AND IT WOULD STILL BE RUNNING.

ONE NIGHT I'M DOING THIS AND THE WE'RE ABOUT TO COME UP ON THE LAST COMMERCIAL AND I LOOKED DOWN AND I COULDN'T QUITE SEE WHAT IT WAS RUNNING OR NOT.

AND GEORGE FORD WAS THE CAMERA MAN.

AND HE WAS IN REAL CLOSE RACKING HIS LENS IN TO GET A TIGHT CLOSE-UP OF IT.

AND I SAID "GEORGE, DON'T GET TOO CLOSE.

I THINK THE DAMN THING STOPPED."

AND JUST THEN I REALIZED THERE WAS TOTAL SILENCE IN THE STUDIO, WHICH MEANT THAT THE FILM WAS OVER AND THE MICROPHONE WAS ON.

AND I JUST WENT, "WELL, WHAT DO YOU KNOW, IT HASN'T."

WHAT ELSE ARE YOU GONNA SAY?

NARRATOR: YES, THE SPONSOR'S PRODUCT WAS ALWAYS TIP-TOP, AND THESE MEN HAD TO MAKE US BELIEVE THAT, EVEN WHEN THEY COULD BARELY STOMACH WHAT THEY WERE SELLING.

JIM RUDES: FOR A LONG TIME I DID A SHOW FOR A CRACKER COMPANY.

AND I WAS NOT AWFULLY FOND OF THOSE CRACKERS.

BUT I CERTAINLY HAD TO LET THE PEOPLE KNOW THAT THEY WERE ABSOLUTELY WONDERFUL.

AND I THOUGHT THEY WERE DELICIOUS.

JOHN SAUNDERS: I MEAN, YOU WERE SUPPOSED TO SAY "I DO THIS, I DO THAT, I USE THIS, I USE THAT."

WHEN IN A FACT, IT WAS A BALD FACED LIE.

YOU DIDN'T USE IT.

I MEAN, YOU'D BE SELLING SOME FOOD PRODUCT AND YOU'D YOU'D SAY IN OUR KITCHEN IT'S ALWAYS SO AND SO WHEN YOUR WIFE WOULDN'T TOUCH WHATEVER THAT WAS WITH A 10 FOOT STICK.

NARRATOR: BELIEVE IT OR NOT, EVEN SELLING COOL, REFRESHING BEER ON LIVE TV COULD BE AWFULLY HARD WORK.

FR JIM TRAUTWEIN: THE BEER WAS VERY WARM.

AND THE SPONSOR WANTED IT THAT WAY BECAUSE IT MADE IT SHOW A GOOD HEAD ON THE BEAR WHEN IT WAS POURED.

WELL YOU HAD TO TAKE THIS LUKEWARM GLASS OF SUDS AND IN SOME WAY MAKE IT LOOK REFRESHING AND AGREEABLE TO THE AUDIENCE.

WE KEPT RESTORATIVES ON HAND IN AN ICE BOX FOR WHEN WE GOT OFF THE AIR.

KOERBER'S ANNOUNCER: BY THE CASE, OR BY THE BOTTLE AT YOUR FAVORITE TAVERN, YOU'RE IN FOR A NEW TASTE TREAT: REAL NATURAL FLAVOR.

WHEN YOU ASK FOR KOERBER'S PILSNER BEER.

KOERBER'S PILSNER BREWED BY MASTER BREWERS IS YOUR BEER, THE BEER OF GOOD TASTE.

NARRATOR: IT DIDN'T TAKE LONG FOR ADVERTISERS TO FILL TOLEDO'S AIRWAVES, IT GOT TO THE POINT WHERE YOU REALLY HAD TO STICK OUT TO BE NOTICED.

AND THAT'S JUST WHAT THE BRONDES BROTHERS MANAGED TO DO.

PHIL BRONDES: I'D READ A BOOK I GOT AT COLLEGE ON HOW FIVE MEN BECAME MILLIONAIRES.

AND THEY ALL DID IT BY BEING DIFFERENT.

THEY WENT INTO A STANDARD BUSINESS, A STANDARD INDUSTRY AND DID THINGS IN A DIFFERENT WAY.

SOMETHING VERY, VERY DIFFERENT THAT PEOPLE WOULD REMEMBER.

SO I THOUGHT IF WE GO ON TELEVISION, AND WE DO SOMETHING REALLY CRAZY AND REALLY HOKEY AND KIND OF BURLESQUE AND FUN, THAT MAYBE PEOPLE WOULD REMEMBER US.

PHIL AND DON BRONDES: YOU DON'T ALWAYS RUN ACROSS DEALERS LIKE THE BRONDES BOYS, RIGHT BROTHER DON?

RIGHT BROTHER PHIL WE'RE USING OUR HEADS TO SAVE YOU MONEY.

PHIL BRONDES: AND I REMEMBER WE HAD TWO TELEPHONE LINES AT THE DEALERSHIP.

THEY WERE SELDOM EVER USED BECAUSE WE DIDN'T DO A LOT OF BUSINESS.

IN A MATTER OF ONE WEEK, WE HAD 30 LINES THAT WE HAD TO INTRODUCE INTO THE DEALERSHIP BECAUSE WE HAD SO MANY PEOPLE CALLING AND COMPLAINING ABOUT OUR ADVERTISING.

AND THEN OTHER PEOPLE WERE CALLING BECAUSE THEY WANTED TO BUY CARS AND BEFORE THAT NOBODY WAS CALLING HARDLY AT ALL SO WE REALIZED IT WAS SUCCESSFUL.

PHIL BRONDES (ARCHIVAL): I'M PHIL BRONDES, I'LL SELL THIS NEW FAIRLANE HARDTOP FOR ONLY $2295.

OH, YEAH, MY OWN BROTHER CAN'T BEAT $2295.

NARRATOR: PHIL BRONDES' ADS WERE PRETTY GOOD AT GETTING THE BROTHERS NOTICED.

BUT ONE DAY DON HAD AN IDEA THAT TURNED OUT TO BE THE BRONDES' BIGGEST BREAK.

PHIL BRONDES: MY BROTHER DON BRONDES IS THE ONE THAT THOUGHT OF THE IDEA OF BUSTING THE WINDSHIELDS AND FINALLY CONVINCED ME THAT WE SHOULD TRY IT AND SO WE TRIED IT, WAS VERY SUCCESSFUL AND AND IT'S LIVED WITH US ALL THESE YEARS AND PROBABLY EVERYWHERE I GO, THEY THINK THERE'S THAT CRAZY GUY THAT USED TO BUST WINDSHIELDS.

AND I STILL TO THIS DAY, HAVE PEOPLE COME UP AND SAY, HOW COULD YOU WASTE THAT MONEY?

WHEN THERE'S SO MANY POOR PEOPLE IN THE WORLD?

HOW COULD YOU TAKE THAT MONEY AND WASTE IT BUSTING THAT PERFECTLY GOOD WINDSHIELD?

WELL, THEY WERE ALL UNDER WARRANTY, FORD WOULD PRODUCE THEM IN THOSE DAYS, THEY HAD PROBLEMS WITH GLASS, AND THERE'D BE A LITTLE DISTORTION AND FORD WOULD WARRANTY THEM AND WE PUT A NEW WINDSHIELD IN THEM.

SO WE BUST THAT ONE THAT WAS OUT OF WARRANTY.

AND THAT GOT PEOPLE'S ATTENTION, AND IT DID PRODUCE AN IMAGE THAT I'VE NEVER BEEN ABLE TO LIVE DOWN .

NARRATOR: BY THE END OF THE 60S TOLEDO HAD FOUR TV STATIONS.

THREE OF THEM SOLD COMMERCIALS TO STAY IN BUSINESS.

BUT ONE STATION, WGTE, WAS A COMPLETELY DIFFERENT ANIMAL.

IT WAS A PUBLIC TELEVISION STATION, PART OF AN EXPERIMENT TO RESERVE A SEGMENT OF THE AIRWAVES FOR CULTURE AND EDUCATION.

IT STARTED OUT AT THE UNIVERSITY OF TOLEDO, MOVED TO THE BOARD OF EDUCATION AT MANHATTAN AND ELM AND EVENTUALLY TOOK ITS PLACE IN THE HISTORIC BROADCAST BUILDING ON HURON STREET, THE PLACE WHERE WSPD TV HAD BEEN BORN.

WGTE BROUGHT NEW CHILDREN'S PROGRAMS TO TOLEDO AND JOINED THE OTHER STATIONS IN ENTERTAINING AND EDUCATING OUR KIDS.

IN THE EARLY DAYS, EVERY STATION HAD SOMETHING FOR ITS YOUNGEST VIEWERS.

AT WSPD, IT WAS "FUN FARM."

KATHY SMITH: I REMEMBER GOING ON "FUN FARM" WHEN I WAS A THIRD GRADE GIRL SCOUT.

THE WORD CAME FROM THE GIRL SCOUT LEADER THAT OUR TROOP WAS GOING TO BE ON "FUN FARM," IT WAS INSTANT EXCITEMENT THROUGHOUT THE GROUP.

AND THE BIG DAY CAME AND I WAS SICK THAT DAY.

I WASN'T IN SCHOOL.

AND I WAS NEARLY DEVASTATED AND ACTUALLY BEGGED MY PARENTS TO TAKE ME DOWN TO THE STATION SO THAT I COULD BE ON "FUN FARM."

FUN FARM STAFFER: OKAY, THEN DID YOU EAT A GREAT BIG BREAKFAST THIS MORNING?

KATHY SMITH: AND WHEN I WALKED IN THE DOOR, IT WAS A BUNCH OF KIDS ALL EXCITED, ALL DRESSED AS NICELY AS THEY COULD AND AND WE WERE WE WENT INTO THE STUDIO AND I REMEMBER CLAPPING SPOONS AT THE BEGINNING.

AND THERE WAS SOME KIND OF SONG THAT WE ALL CLAP SPOONS WITH.

AND THERE WAS LIKE A BARNYARD SET.

FUN FARM STAFFER: WELL, WE'VE GOT A LOT OF BIRTHDAYS TODAY... KATHY SMITH: BUT IT WAS A REAL FUN EXPERIENCE.

JUST SOMETHING THAT I WAS REALLY EXCITED TO DO.

AND I REMEMBER THE NEXT DAY WHEN I WENT TO SCHOOL.

THE TEACHER THAT I HAD, SISTER, I CAN'T REMEMBER HER NAME SAID TO ME WELL, I SEE THAT YOU WERE WELL ENOUGH TO BE ON "FUN FARM" AND THAT WAS REALLY KIND OF A HARD THING FOR ME TO TAKE.

I ALWAYS THOUGHT IT WAS WELL WORTH IT BECAUSE IT WAS SUCH A NEAT EXPERIENCE.

NARRATOR; OVER AT WTOL MR. T ENTERTAINED THE KIDDIES WITH CARTOONS.

ACTUALLY, THERE WERE TWO MR. T'S.

BROOKS MORTON WAS THE FIRST.

HE WAS A VENTRILOQUIST, WITH AN ALTER EGO NAMED ETHELBERT.

AND THEN THERE WAS JACK KESSLING AND HE'D COME ON EVERY NIGHT AT FIVE AND WING IT UNTIL THE NEWS CAME ON.

JACK KESSLING: WE DIDN'T HAVE A SCRIPT MORE OR LESS, I WOULD JUST TELL MY AUDIO MAN, AND THEY WOULD SHOOT SOUND EFFECTS TO ME WHEN THEY FOUND OUT I WAS GETTING STUCK DOWNSTAIRS AND I DIDN'T KNOW WHAT TO SAY OR WHAT TO DO.

OR I WAS KIND OF SLOWING THE SHOW DOWN A LITTLE BIT OR THE PACE WOULD SLOW DOWN.

SO THEY WOULD SHOOT A TELEPHONE RING TO ME OR SOMETHING.

GIVE ME THE OPPORTUNITY THEN TO PICK UP THE PHONE AND JUST TALK TO SOMEBODY AND I WOULD SAY THINGS LIKE OH, HELLO, YES.

OH, THAT'S TOO BAD.

BROKEN BACK.

HMM.

THAT'S TOO BAD.

I'D HANG UP AND DAN DANNER WOULD SAY BROKEN BACK WHO BROKE THEIR BACK?

AND I'D SAY, OH NOTHING WE GAVE $35 TO TONY RIVOLI AND HE WENT OVER TO FORT WAYNE AND HE LOST ALL HIS MONEY NOW HE'S BROKE AND BACK.

JACK KESSLING (ARCHIVAL): WELL, I WILL HAVE TO FIX IT.

SEE HOW THE MOTOR GOES ON IT GOES OFF YOU NEVER KNOW WHEN THE MOTOR WHERE ARE WE GOING?

OH THAT I FORGOT.

WE DON'T HAVE BRAKES ON THIS THING.

SO I GOTTA PUT MY HANDS AGAINST THE WALL, AND THAT'LL STOP IT.

NARRATOR: WHEN MR. T WENT OFF THE AIR IN 1971 PATCHES AND POCKETS TOOK HIS PLACE.

THEY WERE A COUPLE OF RAG DOLLS WITH SOME PECULIAR HABITS.

PATCHES AND POCKETS (ARCHIVAL): OH GOODY.

OH, I'M SO EXCITED ABOUT TONIGHT POCKETS.

WHAT TIME IS IT ANYWAYS?

THAT'S RIGHT, HERE HOLD THIS.

I'VE GOTTA MOVE OVER AND GIVE TEDDY SOME ROOM.

HAVE I GOT A SURPRISE FOR YOU.

PATCHES.

WHAT?

IT'S FOUR INCHES OH, WELL, WE GOT TIME SUE DONNER: POCKETS, TOLD TIME WITH A RULER AND THE KIDS LOVED IT.

WHEN WE'D GO TO A PERSONAL APPEARANCE, THEY WOULD SAY, YOU DON'T TELL TIME WITH A RULER AND INCHES.

THEY JUST LIKE THEY WANTED ME TO UNDERSTAND THAT I THINK YOU DON'T.

OH, AND I NEVER DID QUITE UNDERSTAND IT.

AND IT WOULD JUST FRUSTRATE THEM A LITTLE BIT.

BEV SCHWIND: OR ON PARADES THAT THEY'D SAY, "HEY, POCKETS, WHAT TIME IS IT?"

AND THEN SHE'D WHIP OUT THAT RULER AND THEY'D LAUGH.

SUE DONNER: YEAH.

AND, AND THEN POCKETS ALSO THOUGHT WITH HIS SHOE WHEN HE COULDN'T THINK OF ANYTHING.

HE WOULD JUST PUT HIS SHOE ON HIS HEAD AND THINK, AND THINK AND THINK AND THEN SAY, OH, GOT IT.

PATCHES AND POCKETS (ARCHIVAL): DO YOU KNOW WHEN THE WAR OF 1812 WAS FOUGHT?

THE WAR OF 1812?

WELL, YEAH, I'M GOING TO THINK ABOUT IT.

WHAT KIND OF A WAR WAS IT?

BEV SCHWIND: AND THEN WHEN WE WHEN WE WOULD DO SHOWS FOR KIDS, AND THEY HAD THEY BEEN SITTING THERE, THEY WOULD PUT THEIR SHOES ON THEIR HEADS.

THAT'S HOW THEY WOULD GREET US WHEN WE CAME IN.

THEY'D ALL HAVE THE SHOES ON THEIR HEADS.

NARRATOR: BY THE TIME PATCHES AND POCKETS HUNG UP THEIR SHOES, SOME OF THEIR ORIGINAL FANS WERE ALL GROWN UP.

BUT THOSE TWO DOLLS NEVER SEEMED TO CHANGE.

BEV SCHWIND: AS THE YEARS ROLLED ON, YOU KNOW, WITH US BEING ON TELEVISION GOING ON 10, 12 YEARS, AND WE START AGING AS BEV AND SUE WE WERE REALLY TICKLED.

SUE DONNER: ARE YOU AGING?

BEV SCHWIND: WELL, JUST A LITTLE BIT.

WE WERE LUCKY, WE WERE GLAD THAT WE HAD GONE WITH A PAINTED FACE CHARACTER, YOU KNOW, THAT REALLY DIDN'T SHOW THE AGE LIKE WE WENT UP.

SO WE DIDN'T REALIZE WE DIDN'T REALIZE WE'D MOVE ON IN 18 YEARS WHEN WE STARTED.

NARRATOR: IF YOU GREW UP WATCHING CARTOONS ON WSPD, YOU MIGHT ALSO REMEMBER BILL SPENCER, ALTHOUGH YOU PROBABLY KNEW HIM AS UNCLE BEN.

HE WAS THERE EVERY WEEK FOR 25 YEARS.

UNCLE BEN (ARCHIVAL): YOU KNOW, THERE'S A LOT OF THINGS YOU CAN DO ON RAINY DAYS.

DID YOU KNOW THAT?

AND I GOT A WHOLE BOOK OF THINGS HERE, EVEN THINGS TO DO ON RAINY DAYS.

SO LOOK AT ALL THE THINGS.

BOY, THAT BOOK IS JUST LOADED WITH ALL KINDS OF THINGS TO DO.

AND I TURN TO THIS PAGE RIGHT HERE.

AND IT TELLS US HOW TO MAKE A PAPER TREE.

WOULD YOU LIKE TO TRY THAT WITH ME?

YEAH.

NARRATOR: AND THEN THERE WAS ROMPER ROOM.

LONG BEFORE MR. ROGERS AND BIG BIRD, WE HAD MISS NANCY AND DO BEE.

EVERY MORNING FOR MORE THAN 25 YEARS, AMERICA'S KIDS WENT TO KINDERGARTEN ON TV.

ROMPER ROOM ANNOUNCER: HAPPY JACK SAYS IT'S TIME FOR ROMPER ROOM SCHOOL.

SUE COCHRELL: IT WAS A CHILDREN'S KINDERGARTEN PROGRAM.

AND IT WAS STARTED BY THE CLASTERS.

NANCY AND BERT CLASTER IN BALTIMORE, MARYLAND.

I CAME ON BOARD WHEN IT WAS 25 YEARS OLD, I BELIEVE.

AND HER DAUGHTER HAD BEEN THE ORIGINAL.

MISS NANCY WAS HER NAME.

AND GOSH, IT WAS ALL OVER THE UNITED STATES.

EACH MARKET HAD THEIR OWN ROMPER ROOM PERSON.

AND THE CHILDREN JUST REALLY HAD A GOOD TIME, THE PARENTS WOULD HAVE TO PUT THEM ON A WAITING LIST THE MINUTE THEY WERE BORN, IN ORDER TO GET THEM ON THE PROGRAM.

NARRATOR: TOLEDO HAD FIVE ROMPER ROOM TEACHERS WHO TAUGHT FOR A TOTAL OF 20 YEARS.

JUDY TURNER WAS THE FIRST AND CONNIE HARLAN CAME NEXT.

CONNIE WARD: THE VERY FIRST DAY I WAS TO BE ON THE AIR, MY CAR WOULDN'T START.

IT WAS JANUARY.

AND I REMEMBER I WAS LIVING ON COLLINGWOOD AND I REMEMBER RACING DOWN COLLINGWOOD HOPING TO CATCH A BUS.

THE STUDIO AT THE TIME WAS IN THE TOP FLOOR OF THE HILLCREST HOTEL AT THE PENTHOUSE.

SO I DIDN'T HAVE FAR TO GO.

BUT I STILL THOUGHT I'D CATCH A BUS AND RACING DOWN THE STREET.

AND A GENTLEMAN STOPPED AND HE SAID, DO YOU NEED A RIDE?

AND OF COURSE, ALL OF THE YOU KNOW ALL OF YOUR TRAINING SAYS NEVER GET IN THE CAR WITH A STRANGER.

BUT I WAS DESPERATE.

AND HE LOOKED LIKE A NICE GUY.

AND SO I JUMPED IN THE CAR AND HE TOOK ME TO THE HILLCREST HOTEL AND I JUMPED OUT AND WAS THERE ON TIME.

ALMOST MISSED THE FIRST SHOW.

NARRATOR: BUT THE SHOW WENT ON THAT DAY JUST LIKE IT DID EVERY DAY.

AND 1000S OF KIDS HELD THEIR BREATH WAITING FOR MISS CONNIE OR MISS JUDY OR MISS SUE TO SEE THEM THROUGH HER MAGIC MIRROR.

WHEN SHE DID, WHAT A THRILL.

CONNIE WARD: A LITTLE BOY WAS WATCHING THE SHOW.

AND HE WAS HE JUST I SUPPOSE HE'D JUST GOTTEN UP AND HE HAD HE JUST HAD HIS UNDERWEAR ON.

AND I HAPPEN TO SAY THE NAME JAMIE.

AS I WAS LOOKING THROUGH THE MAGIC MIRROR AND THAT WAS HIS NAME.

AND HE RAN BECAUSE HE SAID MOM, SHE'S SEEING ME IN MY UNDERWEAR.

NARRATOR: THAT MAGIC MIRROR MADE A LIFETIME OF MEMORIES FOR 1000S OF LITTLE "DO BEES" IN TOLEDO.

SUE COCHRELL: IF I GO SOMEPLACE AND SOMEBODY HAPPENS TO KNOW THAT I WAS ON ROMPER ROOM, OR IT GETS MENTIONED, THEY STILL SAY WELL YOU NEVER SAID MY NAME.

THAT SEEMS TO BE A BIGGIE.

THEY DIDN'T GET THEIR NAME SAID.

MISS SUE (ARCHIVAL): I'M GOING TO GET MY MAGIC MIRRORS.

BECAUSE ROMPER ROOM IS OVER FOR THE DAY, LET'S SEE IF I CAN FIND YOU.

ROMPER BOMPERS, DUNKEROO, TELL ME TELL ME, TELL ME DO MAGIC MIRROR, TELL ME TODAY.

DID ALL MY FRIENDS HAVE FUN AT PLAY?

SUE COCHRELL: AND I SEE CARRIE AND ANNE AND JAMIE AND DOUG, AND I SEE CORY, AND I SEE KEVIN AND HALINA.

AND THERE'S JOANNA AND RON, AND I'LL BE SEEING YOU TOMORROW MORNING AT NINE O'CLOCK ON CHANNEL 24 IN THE ROMPER ROOM SCHOOL.

NARRATOR: ON JUNE 23 1962, A DAY THAT NO DOUBT LIVES ON IN THE MEMORIES OF MANY A FORMER DO BEE, MISS CONNIE HARLAN MARRIED WTOL'S GORDON WARD.

IT WAS A MADE FOR TELEVISION EVENT, IF EVER THERE WAS ONE.

GORDON WARD: THE PROMOTION DIRECTOR THOUGHT THIS WAS JUST GREAT, AND WANTED TO TELEVISE THE WEDDING.

AND WE BOTH FLIP FLOPPED BACK AND FORTH.

FIRST, ONE WOULD BE IN FAVOR AND THE OTHER AGAINST AND THEN WE WOULD REVERSE OUR THINKING.

AND ULTIMATELY, HE SETTLED IN ON IT AT A MOMENT WHEN WE BOTH SAID WE WOULD BE IN FAVOR OF IT.

AND SO THEY TELEVISED THE WEDDING.

NARRATOR: THIS WEDDING WAS THE BIGGEST THING TO HIT TOLEDO IN A LONG, LONG TIME.

AND ALMOST EVERYONE INVOLVED HAD A LITTLE BIT OF STAGE FRIGHT.

GORDON WARD: THE TV CAMERAS DID NOT BOTHER US IN THE LEAST, WE DIDN'T EVEN KNOW THEY WERE THERE.

BUT EVERYBODY ELSE WAS NERVOUS.

WE WERE NERVOUS BECAUSE WE WERE HAD NEVER BEEN MARRIED BEFORE.

THE MINISTERS WERE NERVOUS.

THEY HAD DONE LOTS OF WEDDINGS, BUT NEVER ON TELEVISION.

EVERYBODY WAS NERVOUS, INCLUDING THE CHURCH SEXTON.

CONNIE WARD: THE SEXTON WHO WAS SUPPOSED TO COORDINATE THE TWO PARTIES AND GET THEM AT THE ALTAR ON TIME.

HAD BEEN VERY NERVOUS ABOUT THIS WHOLE AFFAIR, AND HAD STOPPED BY HIS APARTMENT.

EVERY TIME HE WALKED THROUGH AND HAD A LITTLE NIP.

AND FINALLY THE LAST TIME HE WENT BY HIS APARTMENT, HE JUST PASSED OUT.

GORDON WARD: NO ONE KNEW THIS.

AND THE WEDDING WAS DELAYED BECAUSE WE'RE WE'RE WAITING FOR THIS MAN TO GIVE US THE CUE TO GO.

EACH OF US THOUGHT THE OTHER ONE HAD STOOD HER UP.

I THOUGHT CONNIE HAD STOOD ME UP.

SHE THOUGHT I'D WALKED OUT ON HER, LEFT HER AT THE ALTAR, AS IT WERE.

NARRATOR: ONCE IT GOT STARTED, THE WEDDING WENT OFF WITHOUT A HITCH.

BUT WHEN MR. AND MRS. WARD PREPARED TO ENTER THE RECEPTION HALL, THEY FOUND THAT NO PARTY COULD EVER COMPETE WITH WHAT WAS ON TV THAT NIGHT.

CONNIE WARD: WE WENT OVER TO THE RECEPTION HALL AND WE NOTICED THAT THERE WERE VERY FEW PEOPLE LEFT AND WONDERED WHAT HAD HAPPENED.

AND EVERYBODY SAID THAT THEY HAD GONE TO RESTAURANTS AND BARS WHEREVER THERE WERE TV SETS SO THEY COULD SEE THE WEDDING ON TELEVISION.

THE ONLY PEOPLE LEFT TO EVEN HELP US GET TO THE CAR.

WERE THE BEST MAN AND HIS WIFE.

SO THERE WAS NO RICE THERE WAS NO ANYTHING.

PHIL BRONDES: IT'S ALMOST LIKE YOU'RE PART OF THEIR YOU'RE PART OF THEIR LIFE BECAUSE THEY SEE YOU.

I'D WALK INTO A RESTAURANT PEOPLE SAY HI PHIL HI, I NEVER SAW BEFORE IN MY LIFE AND I GET EMBARRASSED.

TO THIS DAY I GET EMBARRASSED BECAUSE THEY REMEMBER MY NAME.

AND I CAN'T REMEMBER THOSE.

I THINK GEE, MAYBE I WENT TO SCHOOL THAT GUY OR I SHOULD KNOW HIM FROM THIS OR THAT HE'S A CUSTOMER.

NEVER SAW HIM BEFORE.

BUT HE ACTS LIKE HE'S YOUR FRIEND BECAUSE YOU'RE ON TV.

YOU BECOME PART OF THAT PERSON'S LIFE AND YOU NEVER SAW HIM BEFORE.

THAT'S THE POWER OF TV.

NARRATOR: THESE AREN'T STARS, THEY'RE FRIENDS WE'VE INVITED INTO OUR LIVING ROOMS FOR MORE THAN A HALF CENTURY NOW.

THEY GREW UP ON THE AIR AND WE GREW UP WITH THEM.

THEY MADE US LAUGH, GAVE US THE NEWS, TAUGHT OUR CHILDREN, EVEN SOLD US A LITTLE SNAKE OIL NOW AND THEN.

AND IN RETURN WE GAVE THEM LOYALTY AND AFFECTION.

ALL IN ALL, A PRETTY GOOD BARGAIN.

JIM RUDES: I NEVER THOUGHT ONCE OF DOING ANYTHING ELSE.

BECAUSE I THOUGHT THAT WHAT I WAS DOING, I DID PRETTY WELL.

AND I ENJOYED EVERY MINUTE OF IT.

ART BARRIE: I MADE A LOT OF FRIENDS, A LOT OF FRIENDS EVEN EVEN TODAY EVEN THESE DAYS.

PEOPLE SAY OH THERE'S ART BARRIE OH MY GOD LOOK HERE I AM ALL OF THESE AGES OLD.

ANNOUNCER 2: MAYBE THIS IS A PLACE TO GIVE US PAUSE TO THINK THAT THINGS ABOVE PRICE ARE OFTEN THINGS REMEMBERED.

THESE WE CAN NEVER BUY, NOR SELL NOR LOSE.

DEAREST OF ALL TO OUR HEARTS ARE OUR MEMORIES, RICHER THAN LAMBS AND CARAVANS AND SHIPS.

ANNOUNCER: PRESENTATION OF "TOLEDO ON THE AIR" WAS MADE POSSIBLE BY A GRANT FROM PARAMOUNT ELITE, THE PARAMOUNT PLAN FOR MEDICARE BENEFICIARIES ON BEHALF OF THE 1000S OF TOLEDO AREA RESIDENTS WHO HAVE MADE PARAMOUNT ELITE THEIR MEDICARE CHOICE.

THE PRESENTATION OF TOLEDO STORIES IS MADE POSSIBLE IN PART BY KEY BANK.

CELEBRATING THE STRENGTH OF OUR REGION'S HISTORY AND SUPPORTING THE PROMISE OF ITS FUTURE.

KEY BANK, ACHIEVE ANYTHING.

(MUSIC)