Now we're getting into rare territory...WOWO video!
This 8-minute segment of Fort Wayne's version of PM Magazine was broadcast in 1981, spotlighting Mr. WOWO, Bob Sievers. This segment contains very rare footage of Bob on the air at WOWO, and at home with his wife, Harriet.
Thanks to Rich Borowy of Linear Cycle Productions in Los Angeles, who volunteered his time to transfer this spot to a digital format from the original U-Matic videotape master. Special thanks to WOWO alum Jason Blosser, who rescued a cache of WOWO tapes from the ravages of time.
This is an August 26, 1976 news report from WPTA-TV on Bob Sievers' 40th anniversary at WOWO! The occasion was celebrated with a public reception and live broadcast from Bob's alma mater, South Side High School in Fort Wayne.
Thanks to Rich Borowy of Linear Cycle Productions in Los Angeles, who volunteered his time to transfer this spot to a digital format from the original U-Matic videotape master. Special thanks to WOWO alum Jason Blosser.
This is another August 26, 1976 news report about Bob Sievers' 40th anniversary at WOWO--this one is from WANE-TV
Thanks to Rich Borowy of Linear Cycle Productions in Los Angeles, who volunteered his time to transfer this spot to a digital format from the original U-Matic videotape master. Special thanks to WOWO alum Jason Blosser.
Estel Bodenhorn was the actual janitor at WOWO Radio for nearly 40 years, but he's best remembered for his on-air appearcances as "Bodie the Janitor." Bodie made frequent appearances on The Ron Gregory Show in the mid 1970s. This 1976 news report from WPTA-TV, featured "Bodie the Janitor" on his final night with Ron.
Thanks to Rich Borowy of Linear Cycle Productions in Los Angeles, who volunteered his time to transfer this spot to a digital format from the original U-Matic videotape master. Special thanks to WOWO alum Jason Blosser.
This August, 1977 news report from WPTA-TV, featured "The Real Rick Marr" and the Hollyweird Report on WOWO's Ron Gregory Show. Rather than reporting from his palatial pad in Hollywood, Rick was making a rare in-studio appearance with Ron!
Thanks to Rich Borowy of Linear Cycle Productions in Los Angeles, who volunteered his time to transfer this spot to a digital format from the original U-Matic videotape master. Special thanks to WOWO alum Jason Blosser.
This September 1983 news report from WKJG-TV focused on "The Beaver" Jerry Mathers' visit to WOWO to fill in for the vacationing Bob Sievers.
Thanks to Rich Borowy of Linear Cycle Productions in Los Angeles, who volunteered his time to transfer this spot to a digital format from the original U-Matic videotape master. Special thanks to WOWO alum Jason Blosser.
Here's a :30 WOWO TV spot, produced in January of 1977, titled "Bob Sievers Talks About WOWO-Land." It spotlighted WOWO's legendary morning man, Mr. WOWO, Bob Sievers.
Thanks to Rich Borowy of Linear Cycle Productions in Los Angeles, who volunteered his time to transfer this spot to a digital format from the original U-Matic videotape master. Special thanks to WOWO alum Jason Blosser.
This is a :30 WOWO TV spot, produced in January of 1977, titled "Chris Roberts Talks About WOWO-Land." It spotlighted WOWO afternoon personality Chris Roberts.
Here is Chris' recollection of the spot: "That was (WOWO Executive Producer) Neil McGinley's
garage and Neil's 1965 fuel-injected Corvette. We had just adopted
the "Great Place To Be" campaign and that was part of the
television support for it. I think all of us did a similar spot
to promote the community and our place in it. The City of Fort
Wayne even jumped on board, using the logo on their postage
meter and placing a billboard on the old city light building. I think the idea came from
KDKA's "Someplace Special".
The Richard Carpenter look must have been "in" then!"
Thanks to Rich Borowy of Linear Cycle Productions in Los Angeles, who volunteered his time to transfer this spot to a digital format from the original U-Matic videotape master. Special thanks to WOWO alum Jason Blosser.
This is one of three :30 WOWO TV spots, produced in March 1979. This one is titled "I'm A WOWO People-Bob Sievers." The spot spotlighted Mr. WOWO Bob Sievers, along with Farm Director Dugan Fry and midday man, Jack Underwood. This series of spots coincided with WOWO's new jingle package, produced by Tuesday Productions.
Thanks to Larry Odham
of QuadTapeXfer.com, who volunteered his time to transfer this spot to a digital format from the original 2-inch quadruplex videotape master. Special thanks to WOWO alum Jason Blosser.
This is a :30 WOWO TV spot, produced in March 1979, titled "I'm A WOWO People-Ron Gregory." The spot spotlighted evening personality Ron Gregory, along with overnight personality Terry Morgan. One interesting note: the policeman in this spot is portrayed by WOWO personality Robb Westaby. This series of spots coincided with WOWO's new jingle package, produced by Tuesday Productions.
Thanks to Larry Odham
of QuadTapeXfer.com, who volunteered his time to transfer this spot to a digital format from the original 2-inch quadruplex videotape master. Special thanks to WOWO alum Jason Blosser.
This is a :30 WOWO TV spot, produced in March 1979, titled "I'm A WOWO People-Earl Finckle." The spot spotlighted WOWO weatherman Earl Finckle, along with midday personality Jack Underwood and afternoon personality Chris Roberts. This series of spots coincided with WOWO's new jingle package, produced by Tuesday Productions.
Thanks to Larry Odham
of QuadTapeXfer.com, who volunteered his time to transfer this spot to a digital format from the original 2-inch quadruplex videotape master. Special thanks to WOWO alum Jason Blosser.
This is a :30 WOWO TV spot, produced in January 1981, titled "Storm Center." The spot was narrated by WOWO News Director Art Art Saltsberg.
Thanks to Larry Odham
of QuadTapeXfer.com, who volunteered his time to transfer this spot to a digital format from the original 2-inch quadruplex videotape master. Special thanks to WOWO alum Jason Blosser.
This is a :60 WOWO TV spot, produced in March 1985, titled "WOWO's Easiest Contest." The spot features WOWO Morning Man Dugan Fry.
Thanks to Larry Odham
of QuadTapeXfer.com, who volunteered his time to transfer this spot to a digital format from the original 2-inch quadruplex videotape master. Special thanks to WOWO alum Jason Blosser.
This is a :30 WOWO TV spot, produced in October of 1978, titled "All Day & All Night." It spotlighted the entire WOWO airstaff.
Thanks to Larry Odham
of QuadTapeXfer.com, who volunteered his time to transfer this spot to a digital format from the original 2-inch quadruplex videotape master. Special thanks to WOWO alum Jason Blosser.
Through the years, Bob Sievers spoke to literally thousands of local groups across WOWOland. This is his "My Fifty Years in Radio" speech delivered to a group of senior citizens in Bluffton, Indiana on Sept. 23, 1999. Special thanks to Bluffton native Stevan Speheger for providing this high-quality recording of Bob's entire presentation.
This is a video produced to promote WOWO to national advertising agencies in 1983. Chris Witting was WOWO's Program Manager at that time. He remembers, "I'm almost certain I wrote the script for this, and produced the audio track. Had forgotten all about it. It was done to pump up national sales. I believe Caldwell Van Riper handled the video shoot and editing.
One thing I do remember well, after seeing this just now. When the
finished tape was shown to the sales staff, they all loved the very end
when Ron pounds on the air chair! Got a huge laugh. It wasn't planned, but
the scripted copy just happened to work perfectly with that shot.
Had also forgotten that blue station van...a Bill Latz trade out special!
Loved driving that thing."
A couple of memorable television spots were created to promote WOWO in the early 1980s.
The above WOWO commercial, titled "Crowing Man," includes an appearance by Indianapolis native and future soap opera starlet Kristina Malandro Wagner. She's the young woman pictured above, bopping around in the convertible. She was just 18 and it was her first time on camera. She went on to appear in 110 episodes of General Hospital between 1983 and 2008, and in real life, she married her General Hospital co-star, Jack Wagner.
This 30-second WOWO spot is titled "Make Your Day."
The two WOWO TV spots won Best-of-Show Addy Awards in Fort Wayne two years in a row.
Special thanks to writer/producer Dennis Neary for generously providing both of the spots.
This is a 2009 video featuring Bob Chase sharing stories of his life, including how he ended up at WOWO in 1953.
WOWO.com video recorded on the day Bob Chase retired from his position as WOWO Sports Director in 2009.
These barely qualify as video, but they ARE WOWO gems we dug up YouTube. This is an excellent scoped aircheck of WOWO nighttime personality Bob Bolton on a WOWO Golden Weekend from St. Patrick's Day, March 17, 1972.
Here's a great scoped aircheck of WOWO's Jim Reed on a Saturday morning, December 10, 1994.
A pair of great-sounding skywave AM stereo airchecks of Chris Underwood (yes, he is Jack's son) on WOWO from 1992!
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