Woody Robertson Passes

Woody Robertson at Thurmont last October

I just learned that our friend and long time Ranger Hal director, Woody Robertson died yesterday in Indianapolis of a heart attack.

He was staying with one of his daughters in Indianapolis while filming features for the Super Bowl.

I have no other details at the moment.

Rest in Peace, Woody.

-Lee

Super Bowl

Woody Robertson is in Indianapolis this week directing Super Bowl events. He'll be directing the interviews with the celebrities and some of the "goof-ball " crowds on the streets, as he puts it, for ESPN and NBC..



   He sent this picture of a race car that had been painted honoring the Redskins.  He said they did that for all the NFL teams.



He reports that the weather was pretty cold Sunday night, but promises to be better for Sunday's game.  -Lee

We've Moved !!

We've moved down the block to WTOPTV.NET

Our name is the same, EXCEPT the dot COM has changed to dot NET



Join us there won't you!

Thanks,

Lee Shephard

We Get Letters

 In case you were wondering...........

Dear all --
If you were listening to the tail-end of "Gunsmoke" on Ed Walker's March 13
show, you might have heard a teaser that would have rung a responsive chord
to people living around DC. Staff announcer Roy Rowan invited listeners to
stay tuned for "Eddie Gallaher and the Main Street Music Hall".
Do any of you know anything about this show/series?


Hank Ickes



Reply from our in house historian and all around good guy,

Bob Bell:

CBS hoped that Eddie Gallaher was another Arthur Godfrey with a nationwide star potential, so they gave him a trial run on the entire network originating from New York during the summer of 1952. "Main Street Music Hall" was just one of the CBS network shows that Eddie hosted during his network shift.

So, I looked-up the radio listings in the Washington Post for July 12th, 1952.

Eddie is shown as the host of his usual Moondial program starting at 11:30pm, but there is no sign of "Main Street Music Hall" in Saturday July 12th's listings.

However, I looked at the following day's listings; Sunday July 13th, 1952 and found Eddie as host of "Main Street Music" on that day.


CBS even tried Eddie as a substitute host for a prime time TV quiz show:

Click on pic to enlarge

Regardless, as we all know, Eddie stayed "local" to DC (and occasionally Baltimore) for his entire career.


Best,
Bob

QSL Card

Bob Bell found this old QSL card from WJSV!

WE"RE MOVING

WTOPTV.COM is moving.

However, it's just around the block.

Our new address is

WTOPTV.NET

The only thing that has changed is the COM has become NET.

Check out our new address;

WTOPTV.NET

WJSV

Thanks to Bob Bell......here are a couple of photos of the WJSV days (BEFORE it became WTOP)

More Jimmy Dean at Broadcast House

Jamie Bragg's Wife Anne Dies

This is from the Washington Post


ANNE H. APP (Age 78)

Died in Hickory, NC on December 14, 2010. Originally from Bluefield, WV, she lived in Bethesda, MD for 40 years and was preceded in death by her husband, Jimmy App, who was known professionally as Jamie Bragg. A memorial service will be held at St. Luke's Episcopal Church, Bethesda, on Tuesday, December 21 at 11 a.m.

Anne graduated from Beaver (Bluefield) High and attended Randolph-Macon College in Lynchburg, VA. She was an active member of St. Luke's for 35 years, serving on the vestry and in adult education. Anne earned a Certificate in Theology from Sewannee College of The South in 1981. She also worked as a consultant/writer for the Federal Department of Education. She retired to Atlantic Beach, FL in 1997.

Anne's extensive literary knowledge inspired many people. She was an amateur musicologist, with an encyclopedic knowledge of American jazz and popular song. She was also an avid gardener, amateur ornithologist and wildflower collector, and devoted cat lover.


Published in The Washington Post on December 18, 2010
Share this obituary via e-mailEmail
Share this obituary on FacebookFacebook
Bookmark this obituaryBookmark
ShareShare
PrintPrint

Jack Waldron Passes

By Matt Hill-Byrne


It is with great sadness that I inform you of the passing of Jack Waldron. I beleive there are still a few members of the 9 news team that may recall his time at the station.

Jack retired as a Channel 9 News Technical Supervisor 20 years ago. He had been an employee of the station for 42 years. Jack started with, then WOIC, in 1949. He interviewed for the position from a phone booth at the construction site of the Channel 9 building. He was one of the original dozen or so employees.

Jack worked in the infancy of television news with the likes of Walter Cronkite. As a camera man, he met and filmed many interesting people, including many pool side events with Aurthur Godfrey. He also used his camera skills on the roof of Griffith Stadium during Redskin games.

Jack was very proud of his work and the people he worked with. It was always a treat to have him invite us down to meet the talent. I remember in particular meeting my favorite sportscaster, Glenn Brenner, in the late 1980's.

Before Jack retired, he was honored with the Silver Circle Award for 40 years in broadcast television. After retirement, he was active with the alumni association. Over the last decade, Jack had lost touch with most alumni due to health concerns. He often mentioned Buddy Belote. Please forward this email to him and anyone else who may be interested.

Jack was born and raised in Washington, DC. He worked at his father's print shop until entering WWII in 1943. Jack was a decorated member of a B17 crew as a radio operator and a gunner. He flew 35 bombing missions aboard "Lucky Penny I, II, and III". He was shot down and MIA in LPI and crash landed in LP2, and yet like most of his generation, he fought until the mission was accomplished.

After the war, Jack worked briefly for RCA before interviewing for his job at Channel 9. He married his wife, Betsy, in 1947 and they raised 2 beautiful daughters, Diana and Pam.

Jack was an avid golfer. He practiced hard and, at a 2 handicap, had a room full of trophies. Among the trophies are ones from the WTOP Golf Classic.

Jack and Betsy moved to Hilton Head, South Carolina in 1991. He lost Betsy, the love of his life, in 2000 after 53 years of marriage.

Jack passed at exactly 11PM On December 8TH. Just in time for the news and with his family by his side.

If anyone from 9 News would like to share any thoughts or stories about Jack. Please contact his daughter, my wife,

Pamela Hill-Byrne

9447 Emory Grove Rd

Gaithersburg, MD 20877

pwstudio1@yahoo.com



Wednesday, December 15, 2010 11:06 AMTo: WUSA, 9news
Subject: Remebering Jack Waldron 1926-2010


Matt Hill-Byrne