Here are three Puget Sound radio voice masters who were the real deal. From the late ’60s and early ’70s — a composite of samples of Robert O. Smith, Terry McManus and Lan Roberts. Many jocks attempted character voice impressions, but few were as good. Heard first is Smith from his KOL days in ’70 and ’71. Some called him the man of a thousand voices. Second is Terry McManus, also from KOL, the much-in-demand production director, with those golden pipes we all coveted. His first track here is a Moody Blues spot from late ’69, followed by station ID’s/promos, some commercial voice overs, and his nearly world famous Jimmy Stalwart character paired with Lan Roberts from late ’69 through mid ’71. The third voice master is Roberts, who with his regulars the Hollywood Reporter and Phil Dirt, brought fame to Jimmy and Mr. Science with McManus’ Stalwart during KOL morning drive. Most of Roberts’ voices got their famed start at KJR several years earlier.
In a later audio offering, I’ll present a full KOL montage from the early ’70s in which the three voice masters were instrumental in one of that station’s more successful periods.
Total audio run time is about 5:15.
Ron DeHart is a former newspaper and broadcast journalist and a retired Public Affairs Officer from both the U.S. Forest Service and the U.S. Navy/Naval Reserve. His historical accounts of Pacific Northwest broadcasting are published by Puget Sound Media.
View more articles by Ron DeHart
COMMENT GUIDELINES | "What Happened To My Comment?" | post an OFF-TOPIC COMMENT