Your Man Fritz

Before his wild popularity as Fritz the Nite Owl, Frederick Peerenboom was known to radio fans as Your Man Fritz. And Uncle Fritz before that.

Fritz joined WBNS radio in 1963 as a production and continuity director after a brief stint doing some part-time announcing at crosstown WMNI.

Fritz hosted shows on WELD, now WBNS FM and later moved to be evening host on the AM station. As shown in the advertisement, he for a while was afternoon drive host, replacing Bill Hamilton who had moved to mornings after the retirement of Irwin Johnson.

I first heard Fritz about 1973 when he was again hosting a late evening show from 10 pm to 2 am on WBNS AM.

The girl I was dating at the time and I attended the same high school and our high school band director's nick name was Fritz. I had her convinced that the band director was moonlighting on the radio as Your Man Fritz.

In 1974, Fritz moved to WBNS television to take a staff announcer positon. Actually, he had worked at the television station in the mid 50's doing some part-time work until the Army sent a notice that he was needed to serve his country. Upon discharge, Fritz returned to Channel 10 and took additional jobs with an advertising agency and WMNI.

The duties included doing some voice work for the late night movie, called "Nite Owl Theater". After making some witty comments and getting support from an appreciative audience, the nameless host became Fritz the Nite Owl, a position he would hold until 1991.

Fritz throughout dabbled in radio. For several years, he hosted a jazz program on WOSU, then later on CD101 and more recently on WJZA.

A man of many talents and many hats. Your Man Fritz on Radio 146.