Wednesday, June 16, 2010

Spooked Again


Spook Beckman left WTVN radio at the end of 1965 to begin a daily television show on WLW-C. Spook had worked for the station in the early 1950's prior to joining 610 radio.

Spook's show was called the Coffee Club. It began in January, 1966. Yet by the end of March, 1968, the show was ending. According to "Citizen-Journal" radio-tv columnist Jo Bradley Reed, Spook was leaving to explore other options including a return to radio.

Maybe he saw the April 14th notice in "Billboard Magazine" that WRFD radio was looking for an afternoon personality and to contract David Drew.

Whether it was that clip or his own reputation, by April 22 of 1968, fans of "The Spook" as one listener described him knew his intentions. Spook was joining WRFD radio to once again host Bumper to Bumper time in afternoon drive between the hours of 2 and 7 pm. But instead of being at 610 on the dial where he reigned the airwaves during most of the late 50's and early 60's, Spook would move the 880 on the dial.

Spook promised to return his popular "Spookisms" like the Ambassadors of the Asphalt and his Champagne and Beans club.

The "Ambassadors of the Asphalt" were the traveling sales resp who listened to his show prior to the move to television. According to Reed, the group became so large that meetings began to be held and it became a popular networking organization.

Networking was popular in the late 60's?

1 comment:

Unknown said...

Here's a video clip of Spook Beckman hosting the Coffee Club show. Very rare.

http://youtu.be/Eaqqf-6h22E