Remembering Chuck Blore

 

We’re sad to report Chuck Blore, the architect of KFWB “Color Radio 98” and creator of some of the best radio spots has died.

The Los Angeles native was born on April 10, 1929. In his autobiography Okay, Okay, I Wrote the Book, Blore recalled hearing Al Jarvis on the radio. When he told his Mom that he too wanted a career on the air, she said, “…in the gentlest possible voice, ‘Chuckie. People like us don’t do that.”

After dropping out of high school and joining the Navy, Blore found himself in radio school. He landed his first job in Kingman, Arizona, before returning back to L.A. and re-enrolling in radio school. Blore found work at KTKT-Tucson, Arizona wanting to read news but learned the station had their teletype machine repossessed. He acknowledged he didn’t have a great radio voice, but worked hard at preparing short skits, telling jokes, and other features while playing records. Eventually he learned his program “Let’s Play Records” was the number one show on the local dial.

https://bill37mccurdy.com/2010/08/02/the-old-scotsman-gordon-mclendon/

While at KTKT, Blore met Gordon McLendon, recognized as one the few true geniuses in the history of radio. McLendon hire Blore to do on-air work at his stations, KLIF-Dallas and KTSA-San Antonio, before appointing him as Program Director at KELP-El Paso.  Blore created a show based on the rantings of someone who had “proof” of UFOs visiting earth, hosted by Ted Quillan. Blore was confident the whole town was listening. Blore was right - the Hooper ratings estimated the station had obtained a previously unheard of 72 share.

laradio.com

Blore’s success caught the attention of Bob Purcell, who’d just been hired to be the General Manager of KFWB, the station having just been purchased by Crowell-Collier Publishing. It was then Blore created “Color Radio,” promising Purcell they could raise the ratings by three points in three months. Blore did run into a few obstacles, including Al Jarvis, who dismissed the Color Radio format stating “asking Al Jarvis to do this kind of radio…(dramatic pause)…that’s like asking Picasso to paint a house.” Of course, Jarvis would later join Bill Balance, B. Mitchell Reed, Joe Yocum, Bruce Hayes, Elliot Field, and Ted Quillan. The music was selected based upon record sales, while the personalities - strictly following the style book written by Blore - were encouraged to be entertainers, telling stories and exercising creativity.

http://wfmuichiban.blogspot.com/2010/07/close-cover-before-striking.html

There are a number of stories about the success of KFWB, including the station getting the highest ratings ever achieved in Los Angeles. There are also behind-the-scenes tales worth retelling. Looking at some of the station’s souvenirs, one of their slogans was presented as “my Mommy listens to KFW…B!!” Note the pause. It originated when Blore’s own daughter Cathianne was brought in to record the line. There was a soda machine in the studio, which distracted the young girl who apparently loved her cola. After a few unsuccessful takes, Blore snatched the bottle away from his daughter and demanded “now, say it!” As described in his book:

She stuck her chin out, squinted his eyes, wrinkled her little nose and with a look of absolute defiance she said, “Myyyyy Mommy listens to K F W…” she almost spit the last letter at me “…B!”

It turned out to be the perfect reading, which helped distinguish the already successful top 40 outlet both on the air and with the station’s advertising.

One more story, shared by Blore at the LARadio.com day at the Museum of Television and Radio in 2000. He noticed that Bruce Hayes casually mentioned “there was an amoeba loose” in the studio. As Hayes “was sounding laconic” that morning, Blore suggested Hayes tell his listeners there was “an amoeba loose and ladies with butterfly nets were chasing him!” That was all Hayes needed to create an imaginary, day long adventure, pursuing a mysterious one-celled organism. He even interrupted a record - “which was totally against policy” - exclaiming “MORE INFORMATION ABOUT THE AMOEBA!" The FCC was overwhelmed with complaints. Though the officials eventually admitted it was a funny stunt, they told KFWB they needed to add a disclaimer. By the afternoon, the Herald Express newspaper had a giant cartoon of a man having climbed a lamppost, with a radio stuck to his ear declaring “the amoebas are coming!” The front page headline: “Local Radio Station Stunt Backfires.” But it offered KFWB amazing publicity. A footnote: As a result of the KFWB endeavor, the FCC changed the laws about promotions making such a stunt no longer possible.

Blore later held the title of Vice-President of Programming for the Crowell-Collier stations, “That’s when radio stopped being fun and started being all…business.” He gave notice which opened a new chapter, producing radio commercials which featured many award-winning efforts.

https://www.johninarizona.com/california/california.html

It was his commercials for a low-rated radio station which led to Blore's re-entry into local radio. KIIS-AM had billboard all over town featuring a closeup of a lipstick covered pair of lips. Blore created a TV spot which had the same model lip-sync “I want to tell you about a remarkable radio station.” The success of the spot led to Blore becoming a consultant to KIIS, bringing in established L.A. talent including Dave Diamond, Jack Angel and Ben Chandler. He also recruited to SoCal Sonny Melendez, a popular San Antonio personality. Blore created two minute mini-dramas and dramatized introductions to records. The obscure MOR station rose to number six in the competitive Los Angeles ratings.

Blore at LARadio.com Day, 2001

Blore continued his commercial producing ventures, while also exploring other options. One was to re-create Color Radio as an online offering, which would now be referred to as a podcast. It unfortunately didn’t come to fruition, but it did offer a reunion of some of L.A.’ radio's all time greatest talent.

Jessica Clark is also one of Blore’s daughters. She posted the following tribute on social media:

My dad swam 10 laps in the pool every morning. My dad would climb the backyard orange trees and pick fresh oranges and make juice on the weekends. My dad read me two books and told me a story he’d make up on the spot every night before bed. My dad would stand over me and help me with my math homework (even though he was never great at math). My dad sang to me every night “I love you forever, I like you for always, as long as I’m living my baby you’ll be,” a lullaby he wrote based on my favorite children’s book. I never wrote a song, a poem, a story or a paper my dad didn’t read/listen to and beam with pride. My dad never missed a hug. Never missed a chance to support me, never missed a chance to step up as a dad, never missed a chance to wipe away my tears. In the end, there were no more laps in the pool, no more fresh orange juice, no more stories, words became harder for him to reach; but the one thing he was still able to look at me and say clearly even today was “I love you love you love you.”

I love you forever, I like you for always, as long as I’m living my daddy you’ll be. Goodnight daddy, Rest In Peace.

Funeral arrangements have not yet been announced.

ayodaradio@gmail.com