| KVAK Atchison, Kan.
KPAC Port Arthur, Tex.
KCKN Kansas City, Kan.
1940-46
Learning the Ropes
Within a few days of losing his first radio job at
KDRO in Sedalia, Walt heard from his friend Harry Becker.
It was Becker who had tipped him off to the job at KDRO
and he had good news once again. There was a job coming
open at KVAK in Atchison, Kan.
The twist: It was Harry’s job.
Harry was the program director at KVAK, but he was
sick and tired of it. He had arranged with the owners
for me to take over as program director as soon as
I knew the ropes.
(My Times, My Town)
KVAK was a small station that allowed Walt the chance
to really learn the business, especially how to cope
when things went wrong, which they frequently did.
For example, what do you do when you’re supposed
to cover a parade that doesn’t seem to be happening.
Listen: I
Can Hear the Drums
KCUR's Up to Date 12-4-2003
He also got practical experience dealing with tricky
words like "meringue."
Listen: Problematic
pronunciations
KCUR's Up to Date 12-4-2003
Walt would be at KVAK for almost a year before getting
wind of another job closer to home at KCKN in Kansas
City, Kan.
“Getting hired was remarkably easy – perhaps
because of the wartime turnover.” (My Times,
My Town)
Walt would soon be part of that turnover himself, within
a few months leaving KCKN for a tour of duty in the
U.S. Maritime Service. Walt was stationed in Port Arthur,
Tex., where he spent most of his time recruiting other
young men to join up. One night a week, he worked a
shift at local radio station, KPAC, “just to keep
my hand in.”
Returning home in 1945, Walt took up his old announcing
job at KCKN. Among the programs he worked on was "Katz
Dance with America."
With more than one announcer and sound effects, the
radio audience was lead to believe that it was hearing
from top bands perforning in cities across the county.
One of us might say, “And now to Philadelphia
for the sounds of…” and play a record
by that band.
(My Times, My Town)
It would be less than a year before Walt got a call
to audition at WDAF, where he would spend the better
part of the next two decades.
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