Re: Ads of summers past

[Hopper <wlnhwbhg@lr.net>]

David W. Harris wrote:
> 
> >From the obits:  Bob Morrell (78) died at his home in Kearsarge NH last
> Friday (6/19) and Red Dunn (72) died at the veterans' home in Tilton NH
> last Thursday (6/18).
> 
> Red Dunn was a local character in Laconia, the sort of person described
> by those wishing to be charitable as "colorful."  When not rolling
> around the city in his car with American flags flapping in the wind, he
> could be found speaking out at municipal hearings or calling up local
> talk shows.  He unsuccessfully ran for the mayor's and governor's
> offices.  My memory of this man, however, is connected with what I
> considered at the time to be the dumbest radio spot I had ever heard.  I
> still think it's dumb, and yet...25 or so years later I still remember
> the darned ad from WLNH.  The spot mostly consisted of vaguely patriotic
> march music, with an announcer blurting out Red Dunn's name every 7
> seconds at the end of a musical phrase:  "Da-da-dah-da, da-da-dah-da,
> da-da-dah-dah-da-dah-dah-dah, RED DUNN!"  Repeat this several times,
> then conclude with the information that if you need your driveway paved,
> you should call Red Dunn.  "When it's done by Dunn, it's well done!"
> Oh, the memories.

A dumb ad?  yes...right up there with the Marlboro music and Winston Jingle.

Indeed!  One of my career highlights was taping one of Red's many unique 
commercials...which he sang...

"Today, today, I think you're great today
Today, today, I think you're great today
That's the way we ought to feel each day of our lives
While we enjoy the Lakes Reeeee-gion"

Former WEMJ GM Gary Howard was the announcer who shouted "Red Dunn!" 
several times in the commercial you remember.  

> 
> Now a different kind of blast from the past--SS from EBRadio wrote on
> 5/12/98:
> "This weekend I visited what I think is the new WLNH/WBHG FM transmitter
> 
> site. It was on Parade Road (Route 106) in Laconia. In front of the site
> 
> was a white house which has had many additions to it apparently."
> 
> Yes, and from the the early 1960s to the early 1980s that white house
> (but not the attached barn part) was home to the studios of WLNH, which
> simulcast on AM & FM during those years. 

Winter 79-80: But the attached barn was very handy for repairing the hole in 
my Plymouth Valient's floor board.  I bought the car from then & now Operations 
Manager Warrne Bailey.  I sincerely believe that buying the car from Warren 
was a condition of my employment.

> Getting back to 'LNH, of all their air personalities in the 1960s, the
> one I remember is public affairs person Esther Peters.  Last time I
> checked she could still be heard chatting up a storm Sunday mornings at
> 9 on WEMJ...some 44 years after she started in Laconia radio.

Back in the mid-late 70's LNH had a quick 10 minute talk show coming out of CBS 
news at 9:06am.  Ironically the show was called "9-oh-6".  I believe Ester (who 
is a wonderful person with an awesome deep voice) hosted the show until 78 or 
so.  Judy Papperelli(sp) hosted 9:06 during my first year at LNH, 1979, until 
Sconnix bought an AM/FM combo in Charlston, SC and Judy left for the south 
about Jan 1980.  Judy was WLNH's first full time copywriter, I the second.
Hey Mike, Is Judy at WXLO?

Hopper

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End of boston-radio-interest-digest V2 #108
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