Re: shows for kids RE: Fred Rogers

[rjoc@webtv.net (Rod O'Connor)]

Growing up in the Squantum section of Quincy in early 50's I vaguely
remember Al Rawley (sp) from early WBZ TV days, as well as Rex Trailer,
Big Brother and the early Boston TV legends.

Al Rawley moved to Maine in mid 50's and was a popular fixture, along
with his wife Eileen, during the earliest days of WTWO-TV Channel 2 (Now
WLBZ) Bangor. They were with Channel 2 for close to 20 years, and also
had a western swing band that would play all over Maine, as  well as
having several shows on Channel 2.. By the early 70's they left TV, and
went back to radio. Al was with WEEI back in the 40's,  I remember him
telling me. He also was the evening announcer/board op. during the mid
70's at the WDEA AM/FM in Ellsworth.  

He was a very pleasant and friendly man.  When I was in the Coast Guard
stationed here in Southwest Harbor during the 70's, one of our many
duties in the Rescue/Operations Center was to give weather reports and
conditions from the offshore lighthouses along the Maine Coast (Back
when they were manned)  Every night, like clockwork at 10:45PM he would
call down and tape our reports, then air them after WDEA's live 11:00PM
late-evening news (CBS News, Maine and local news and complete weather
roundup).This was back when CBS Radio Mystery Theater would come on
right after the news.

Many of us Coasties got to be friends with Al. He would always welcome
us up to the WDEA Studios to show us around and watch him at work. And,
if the Red Sox were on, we could actually watch him do production work.

Al's wife Eileen, passed away in the 80's, and after Al stopped working
at WDEA he would occasionally volunteer at WERU 89.9 Blue Hill, but his
health went poor during the 90's, and in May, 1999 he passed away. I
remember WLBZ had quite an extensive look back at his career.

Looking back, Al was one of the people who really got me started in
radio. He was always most gracious about having me stop up to WDEA, And
he used to tell some wonderful stories about early radio.

I believe he had a son, or step-son, who was with WLBZ for a few years,
then went on to other markets....Darned if I can remember his full name
Russ (Ross?) Von Arsdale (sp) or something like that..Don't hold me to
it.

Rod O'Connor
Southwest Harbor, Maine