KLOR Programs

Here is a look at some of the locally-produced programs featured on KLOR during it's 26 months on the air.

Barney Keep, star of The Show on KLOR Tuesdays at 8 pm, is a great man for organization. One of his past efforts was "Left-handed and right-handed doughnut dunkers society." He had his picture taken (to show headier aspects of being presiding officer) with models Pat Carmen (left), Ardath Borba.

Barney Keep, disc jockey turned TV star, will move his variety half-hour, aptly called The Show, to KLOR's studios next Tuesday at 8 pm.

The Show--called that, according to Keep, because when it first went on the air the producers "expected it to run for a while but weren't sure the cast could keep up"--is Portland's only live song-and-dance TV show.

Barney emcees the entire production in the same slow-tempoed style which made him the early morning's top-rated disc jockey on KEX, drawling his introductions of such costars as songstress Jeanne Hackett or Mike Davenport in a strictly off-the-cuff manner.

Barney's final on-the-air performance seldom shows any resemblance to the rehearsal, according to H. Richard Seller, producer of the show.

Barney Quick With Ad Lib

"Whatever pops into Barney's head is what comes out his mouth," Seller said. Frequently, he breaks up the show.

Once, when a famous personality was being introduced, the fellow hung back and seemed to stand as far out of camera range as possible.

Barn, was saying, "And he came all the way from New York . . ."

Then he paused.

Reaching out a hand to drag the reluctant performer to him, he added all, that is, but the last two feet."

In addition to Keep and Miss Hackett, whose songs are heard on every weekly performance, The Show frequently features dramatic bits with Davenport, and always opens with a bit  of four-four tempo by the Hamiltones, versatile combo headed by singing star John Hamilton.

Each show also stars the Arthur Murray TV dancers under the direction of Pat Harden.

Each week the show features some special attraction. This can range all the way from the University of Portland basketball stars showing off their trick shots and formations to appearance of the headline act from Amato's supper club.

Once it even included one of the original Mack Sennet comedies from the Modern Museum of Art's collections, with appropriate comment by Keep.

The Show, previously in a 6:30 pm Monday night spot, hopes for a larger audience at it's new 8 pm time on the new channel.

	A KLOR broadcast from December 1956. Accordionist Bob Cantin performs in front of the camera while Lowell Farmer waits off stage for his appearance. [Photo courtesy Bob Cantin]

Portland audiences will be able to see as well as hear those precocious little hams, some of whom probably will graduate from top billings in Stars of Tomorrow and go on to strike gold in the entertainment world.

"Uncle Nate" Cohn, who through nearly 29 years as impresario of young talent on the radio broadcast of Stars of Tomorrow, will take to the telewaves at 2:30 pm Sundays on KLOR, channel 12.

The showcase program will follow in the same tradition that helped develop such talent as Jane Powell, Johnny Ray and Kay St. Germain, top three of Uncle Nate's outstanding products.

Cohn has major-domoed the show since its inception, and probably it's the biggest thing n his life. But he has an instinctive feeling for kids in show business. When he might have been tearing his knickers in a game of cowboys and Indians, Cohn himself was starring as Harold Hoff, "The Wonder Boy", on the Sullivan-Considine circuit.

The hour-long radio show will be telescoped into a half hour on KLOR. But Cohn will see to it that stage-struck youngsters from two-and-a-half to 21 get an opportunity to go through their paces before the cameras.

Click here for more information and photos from Stars of Tomorrow at "Yesterday's KPTV".

KLOR Sportscaster Charlie LaFranchise

On the spot sports coverage to suit the taste of every viewer will be available on KLOR, under the direction of experienced Sportscaster Charlie LaFranchise.

"Telecasts of various sports activities in our immediate area will develop more fans formerly unfamiliar with major or minor events," LaFranchise predicted.

Television coverage of sports celebrities, athletes, coaches and managers tends to build fan interest and loyalty, he said.

Athletic promoters across the nation have found that telecasts of local and regional games, boxing matches, wrestling and other sports events have provided the incentive to ally thousands of fans with a particular sport.

Research indicates that both live and filmed sportscasts have considerable viewer response. TV retailers report they have sold sets solely because the purchaser is interested in sports features.

"The best shows are action shows, and you'll never lack for action in a sporting event," LaFranchise said, but qualified, "Unless, that is, Cleveland gets into the world series again."

Local sports enthusiasts will receive the latest scores, fight decisions, golf results and commentary Monday through Friday at 10:40 p. in. on LaFranchise's sportscast. He also will have a 15-minute show Tuesday nights from 6:30 to 6:45.

LaFranchise, 41, is a native of Chicago who settled down in Portland nearly 20 years ago. He started his professional radio career at Station KVAN, Vancouver, Wash., but left that spot to joint the staff of KPOJ in 1945.

A sports enthusiast since his first participant days playing high school football and basketball under Ed Krause, now athletic director at Notre Dame, LaFranchise has broadcast, written and been active in sports events since he came to the Northwest.

Ron Myron, host of afternoon show on KLOR.

The Ron Myron Show

The housewife who wants entertainment as a garnish for her afternoon coffee break will find The Ron Myron Show, a daily KLOR feature from 3:30 to 4 pm, her special dish.

The program will feature guest personalities prominent in this area, but its producers have no intention of stopping there. Children from 3 to 6 years of age will have their chance to speak up from the "Tiny Tot" corner. Teenagers, representing Portland schools, also will appear from time to time.

Doni Hurd, who will double as the station's "weather girl," will be Myron's hostess and co-entertainer. She halls from Hillsboro. Portland's well-known organist, John Ernmel, will provide music for the show and take part in its activities.

John Salisbury, host of Academy Theatre

Academy Theatre

John Salisbury, Saturday night host on KLOR's Academy Theatre, spends most of his working hours behind the scenes as Channel 12's Program Coordinator -- a position which keeps him constantly hopping to stay on top of the myriad details in the daily operation of a TV station. This type of work is somewhat new to John, since most of his career has been spent before the cameras, radio microphones, on the legitimate stage and in vaudeville. It is John's belief, however, that with the rapid changes taking place in TV, being behind the scenes offers considerably more security than being on camera.

"The mortality rate for talent is extremely high these days," he says. "Television is an ogre which eats it alive. Still, I like to keep my hand in."

"I've discovered that hosting Academy Theatre exposes me, at one time or another, to practically everyone who owns a television set because our films have such a wide general appeal. Through this one show, I've become acquainted with many new and wonderful friends in Portland, and that means a great deal to me."

John has a vast store of information on movie-land which dates back to the days of the silents. He owns a large collection of soundtrack recordings from films dating from 1929, plus rare recordings of stage and vaudeville personalities of the past and present. When time permits on Academy Theatre, John features some of these in a special Record Room segment. Because of his wide knowledge of films, John personally selects and edits the preview scenes of current pictures featured in the first half hour of Academy Theatre, and actually programs the entire show. Easy as it may look on the air, John spends approximately four hours weekly In preparation, timing every segment so that the entire two hours will run smoothly.

John has been in Portland for a little over a year. He came here from KUTV, Salt Lake City, where he was radio and television News Editor. He'll be taking over that post on KLOR this summer while Sherm Washburn vacations. John hails originally from Minneapolis, Minnesota, where he spent almost twenty years in radio, theatre and TV. He also spent three years in Washington, D. C. teaching and broadcasting radio. In his spare time he writes, primarily for the theatre. He recently completed a new play --"Love Scene"-- which he claims is ideal for little theatres and stock companies.

"It has one simple set and only two characters," says John. "In stock, where budget is important, this is a big item." John should know. He spent twelve years as a writer-actor in professional summer stock in Minnesota where several of his plays were produced. He also put in a stretch with the Long Beach Theatre Guild in California with Laraine Day as his leading lady. One of, his plays -- "This Blessed Union" -- won first place this year in the Portland Civic Theatre Playwriting Contest, and will be produced in the Blue Room June 29th.

John is married to a lovely blonde named Pat, and they have two children -- a boy, Clark, aged 2 1/2, and a girl, Carey, born last July in Portland. They live in a comfortable old house on Mt. Tabor where they are rapidly becoming green-thumbers and barbecue experts. They are extremely fond of Portland and its people.

"Rain?" says John. "Let it pour. We love it here and feel at home -- and the gang at KLOR is by far the finest I've ever been associated with. These are the important things. Pat and I hope we'll be around these parts for a long time because we're certainly counting our blessings for this wonderful first year the people of Portland have given us."

TV-Radio Prevue, July 22, 1956