Friday, December 19, 2008

Bill Gordon Dies

Long-time Cleveland TV and radio host Bill "Smoochie" Gordon has passed away at the age of 83.

The station which carried Gordon's "One O'Clock Club", Scripps ABC affiliate WEWS/5, confirms his death in a story posted on its NewsNet5 website. The Plain Dealer's Michael Heaton has an obituary which was just posted on Cleveland.com.

The Cuyahoga County Coroner's Office says Gordon was found dead in his Euclid apartment Thursday, and that the death is believed to be of natural causes.

In addition to his TV fame, hosting "One O'Clock Club" with legendary WEWS personality Dorothy Fuldheim, Gordon had an extensive radio career, and was heard on stations like WHK/1420 and WERE/1300, the latter one of the pioneering talk radio efforts.

Our Swiss Cheese Memory(tm-"Sam Beckett", "Quantum Leap") tells us we also heard Gordon do talk on the old WBBG/1260 "SuperTalk 1260", the former WIXY which later took a big band format ("Big Band Grandstand") - after a stint as religious WMIH, it's today's Radio Disney O&O, WWMK...

4 comments:

Cliff said...

You are correct about "Smootchie" being on Supertalk1260/WBBG. He was on during morning drive.

The call letters of 1260 right before that was WMGC "Magic Radio"

Michael P said...

We'll miss you Smoochie!

Bill was frequently seen jogging down Lake Shore Blvd. I made his acquaintance back in the 80's.

Don't forget the time 1260 was WRDZ from 1988 - ~1992. Just before that it briefly simulcasted WMJI.

Unknown said...

I do remember the 1-O-Clock with Dorthy way back in the Sixties. Bill Gordon was part of that early live black&white T.V. show. Dorthy passed away in November 1989. Such giants of television and radio this city has had.

May the family of the deceased know that culture has been enriched by the contributions of their loved ones in those early days of media. Those pioneer broadcasts were much appreciated by the common folk who loved down-to-earth personalities.

Cappy said...

RIP Smoochie. You will be remembered.