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WJR: One of a Kind (ca. 1966)

Story of radio station WJR, Detroit. Many shots with local radio personalities in studio and people listening to the radio at home, in the ballpark at work and outdoors. Excellent, clear color film with good sequences and shots


This movie is part of the collection: Prelinger Archives

Production Company: Handy (Jam) Organization
Sponsor: WJR
Audio/Visual: sound, color
Keywords: need keyword

Creative Commons license: Public Domain

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Reviewer: Myron Falwell - - March 19, 2009
Subject: Great film for a great station
The shame of it is, most of the unique features about WJR would go away in time: CBS Radio would give way to NBC Radio in the late 70's, then over to ABC with the ABC/Capital Cities merger (Capital Cities bought WJR in the early 60's from G.A. Richards' estate; the "Goodwill" group). Karl Haas took his classical music show to Cleveland, where it was syndicated until well after his death.

Focus continued with JP (and his successor, Paul W. Smith) until the late 90s, the news blocks would go away in 2006, and all music programming disappeared with Mike Whorf's retirement in 2004. Not to mention the loss of the Lions, Tigers and the U of M broadcasts.

J.P. is the best presenter possible. He had one of the greatest announcing voices I have ever heard, the other being Ernie Anderson. Proof that he was a Motor City treasure. It makes this film an awesome look back into radio history, when it really mattered.

Reviewer: elsybee - - September 4, 2005
Subject: WJR
That's J.P. McCarthy,with a nostalgic look back at Detroit of the early 1960's.

Reviewer: Spuzz - - February 21, 2005
Subject: One of a kind penetration!
Lov\ingly made film about the radio giant WJR. The film which is introduced of course, by Lowell Thomas, who only stays long enough to introduce the real narrator, J.T. Mccartney who takes off his sweater (yikes!) AND butts out his cigarrette before he tells us about the wonders of WJR radio. And what a radio station it is! He introduces nearly everyone broadcasting, from sports announcers to women's news broadcasters. Everyone wants to listen to WJR! Fathers ignore their kids while they're at the zoo! People on train rides bring their loud radios on board with them! It almost becomes a satire. Especially with the Joi Lansing impersonator struggling with the words to 'When The Saints Go Marching in". Worth a look, Reccomended!

Reviewer: Jilly9 - - February 20, 2005
Subject: Includes a clip by Ernie Harwell
This clip features a clip of Ernie Harwell in the broadcast booth, calling a play by Norman Cash
and also Ernie interviewing Al Lopez.

Reviewer: Steve Nordby - - October 2, 2003
Subject:
A slick early 1960's film aimed at potential advertisers for Detroit's WJR Radio. Interesting that the folks at WJR decided film (pictures) was a way to sell sound (radio). It is also a look at the kind of varied, live local radio that used to be found all over the US but has been lost to media mergers.