Hello Dayton!
Remember waaaaay back when WDTN was an ABC channel? They created some great promos in 1983 that are incredibly memorable. A BIG thank you to Mark Allan, WDTN's News Anchor for sending these!
Don Wayne
For 47 years, people in the Miami Valley trusted Don Wayne to bring them the news. First on WHIO radio, then on WHIO-TV, Channel 7. Wayne was known nationally, but not for perhaps what you might think. You see, his style of delivery was very similar to that of Walter Cronkite. It's been told that people would tell Cronkite, "you know, you sound just like that guy in Dayton!" In 1966, Wayne reported from Vietnam, and covered the American's held hostage in the American Embassy in Tehran in 1979-1980. Don Wayne and Newscenter 7 ruled the local TV news market.
YouTube: Watch Don in action
Gil Whitney
Whitney was the popular, folksy weather forecaster noted for his homespun approach to the weather when he was calling the highs, lows and barometric pressures for WHIO-TV, Channel 7. His exemplary coverage of the 1974 Xenia tornado won him many accolades in the Miami Valley community. Whitney passed away in 1982.
YouTube: Gil and the Xenia Tornado
Other Notable Newscasters
YouTube: Carl Day
YouTube: Steve Kirk
Johnny Walker
Johnny began his career in Dayton as a DJ for WING Radio in the 1960's. By the 70's he had become a newscaster for WKEF-TV, Channel 22 and would eventually become the News Director. But, what people remember him for the most: his commitment to and decades long tenure as the host of Dayton's Jerry Lewis Muscular Dystrophy Telethon, which every year raised more money than the year previous for MDA.
YouTube: MDA with Mike Scinto & Mike Gallagher
Lou Emm
Some radio fans would say that Dayton was unique because it had 3 types of radio... AM, FM and Lou Emm. Lou came to Dayton in the early 40's as a staff announcer for WHIO radio. Eventualy he would take over the reins of the station's morning show where he would dominate the morning drive ratings until he left WHIO in 1992. Lou worked for a time on WONE. A while later, Lou passed away and was given an honor no other broadcaster in Dayton has ever received: every radio station in Dayton paused for a collective moment of silence in his memory. (Dayton Area Broadcaster's Hall Of Fame)
YouTube: Interview of Paul Lynde includes Lou Emm
Gene "By Golly" Berry
Though Gene left us in 2001, his legacy lives on in the memories of thousands and thousands of (former) Dayton teens. He was the “platter pal” of a generation...the nighttime rock and roll DJ on WING Radio who, in his day, could command better than 50% of the nighttime radio audience. After leaving WING in 1964, he was one of the “idea” men who helped launch WDAO-FM radio as the first FM station in America targeting the black audience. He also served as one of ‘DAO’s first DJ’s. He would return to WING in the 70’s, during which time he helped raise $40-thousand dollars for victims of the Xenia tornado. Then returned again in the late 1980’s for one last radio trip around the block with a Saturday Night oldies show on WING.
Gene's famous 'Sign Off' (45 seconds into the recording)
Uncle Al
The Uncle Al Show was a children's television program originating in Cincinnati. The show was hosted by Cleveland native Al Lewis (1924–2009) and later was co-hosted by his wife, Wanda.
The show enjoyed a remarkable 35-year run (1950–1985) on WCPO Television, making it one of the longest running local children's shows in American TV history. Uncle Al holds the unofficial record for the longest running regularly scheduled series with the same host for the show's entire run.
YouTube: Uncle Al Clip
B.H.A. - Emmit Royer
PhilMan's Head Shop
YouTube: TV Commercial (plus others that follow)
Concord City - Jerry Cohen
YouTube: See you - pleeeeeeeease!! (Sans toupee!)
King's Island
Americana
Old River
For generations of NCR Corp. employees, their families and those lucky enough to be their friends, Old River Recreation Park lingers on the memory like the endless sunshine of a lazy summer afternoon.
Memories of paddling boats and canoes around its scenic lagoon. Of family picnics and sweaty games of baseball, croquet, volleyball and tennis. Of tossing popcorn from bridges to frenzied schools of hungry carp. And, of course, wading and splashing in the cool, refreshing waters of its giant spring-fed pool.
Dr. Creep
R.I.P. - Barry Hobart - January 17, 2011
Clubhouse 22
CLUBHOUSE 22 (WKEF-TV Channel 22) consisted of daily stand-up comedy, all kinds of projects for kids, cartoons, and a panoply of guests from Senator John Glen (the astronaut) to Muhammad Ali, to a wine representative from the Bordeaux region of France who gave viewers a primer on France...all on a kids show no less. A kids show by the way that was the run-away winner in it's time slot, and a show that was viewed by pre-schoolers, elementary kids, high school kids, college kids, factory workers and anyone else that was home in the late afternoon.
Malcolm's Official Clubhouse 22 Page!
Parkmoor
“Parkmoor has what no one else has got.
“Parkmoor has Dixie Golden Chicken, that’s what”
Sadly, when the Parkmoor restaurants closed, everyone thought the chicken was gone forever. But now I have good news for my fellow Parkmoor chicken fans.
We stumbled across a notice online that the Parkmoor fried chicken recipe had been saved by one of the owners of Fricker’s restaurants, a chain of 8 eateries in the Miami Valley.
Fricker’s confirmed they have the recipe and offer a Parkmoor chicken dinner on every Monday evening at the Chambersburg location in Huber Heights! The general manager of the Fricker’s restaurant at 6280 Chambersburg Road in Huber Heights said an owner of the Fricker’s corporation, Jeff Carter, obtained the “secret” chicken recipe from one of the late owners of Parkmoor.
I've also confirmed that Bunny's Hasty Tasty Pancake House located at 3509 Linden Avenue also serves the Parkmoor recipe chicken daily... and that it's GOOOO-OOOOD!!
Dayton Gems
The 1968-69 Gems won their second IHL regular season championship and won a record nine consecutive games in the playoffs to capture their first Turner Cup. Home attendance was at a high point as the team averaged over 4,500 a game for the year including an astounding 5,200 a game average over the last 14 games of the season.
The Gems returned to the playoff finals the next season beating Port Huron 5-2 at Hara Arena in game seven to become the first IHL team to win back to back Turner Cup championships in nearly 10 years. Don Westbrooke led the teague in scoring for the 2nd year in a row & Lefty McFadden was named Minor League Hockey Executive of the Year by the Hockey News.
Theaters and Drive-Ins
Dixie Drive-In
Kontiki Cinema
Dabel Cinema
Belmont Theater
Department Stores
Rike's
Elder Department Store
Beerman Home Store
Dayton Arcade
Miscellaneous Restaurant Memories
