Gerry Harrison's son appears!

[Donna Halper <dlh@donnahalper.com>]

Was I delighted to receive this e-mail!!!

Stan wrote--

 > My father, Gerald Harrison, was a founder of WLEX,
 >WLEY, WLLH, WLLH-s, WLLH-FM, and WMAS, and WMAS-fm.
  > Here is my recollection of some of that history. I would like to find
 >out more.  G.H. was best friend and as I understand, partner with Carl
 >Wheeler since the 20's.   [snip]

When I met Eunice Randall's niece and got the chance to go to her home (her 
niece idolised her and was so happy to share photos and letters and such); 
when I recently found the home of the late great Irving Vermilya and talked 
to his grandsons (who respect his  illustrious radio career but do not have 
especially fond personal memories of him)--  this really made some of these 
pioneers more alive for me.  Now, out of nowhere, Gerry Harrison's son 
turns up-- Gerry was indeed a pioneer, not just as a broadcaster but in 
radio sports-- he was one of the first wrestling announcers (and possibly 
the first in New England-- I have him doing wrestling matches on air as 
early as 1927-8).   I wonder if his son knows that the late Carl Wheeler 
(his business partner) was at one time a pro wrestler, but he gave it all 
up to do radio...

Anyway, Gerry Harrison had a long career-- first with WLEX and then with 
the Yankee Network and John Shepard 3rd, and then with several Yankee 
affiliates.  Gerry's wedding was broadcast, I do believe-- he had met his 
wife Janet while working for WLEX-- she was a vocalist and he announced her 
songs... ultimately, they fell in love and both ended up being hired by 
Shepard... ah the stories I will be able to tell their son.  It's times 
like that when I am glad I do all this research into the lives of Boston's 
radio pioneers.  Anyway, I will let you know what memorabilia and 
information Stan has.  I already sent him information about the early 
mechanical TV experiments with W1XAY in 1928-9, but I am saving the clips 
about wrestling for later!

------------------------------