musicradio77
04-10-2004, 05:28 PM
Here's an article from yesterday's Daily News:
Klavan, the clever host at old WNEW, dies at 79
By David Hinckley
Gene Klavan, whose razor-sharp wit woke up New Yorkers for a quarter-century on the old WNEW-AM, died yesterday morning at Presbyterian Hospital, a month short of his 80th birthday.
He had been diagnosed in December with multiple myeloma, but until the last few weeks he remained "active and energetic," his son Ross said yesterday.
The Baltimore-born Klavan landed at WNEW in 1952, replacing Gene Rayburn ("Match Game" sidekick) as Dee Finch's broadcast partner. Among other candidates he beat out for the job was #### Van ####.
Klavan and Finch stayed together until Finch retired in 1968, after which Klavan did the show solo until 1977.
He moved to afternoons on WOR until 1980 and then did television work at CBS and AMC before returning to WNEW for a weekend show.
Klavan was known on the air as a one-man cast of dozens, creating and doing the voices for such characters as Trevor Traffic, Sy Kology, country singer Johnny Charge, Italian singer Emilio Percolator and Mrs. Wes Chester.
With Finch as Klavan's straight man, the team was among the pioneers in an edgier style of morning talk radio - often mocking WNEW executives, for instance, in sketches involving Mr. Nat, the "Coordinator of interrelated services," who in reality did nothing.
Outside radio, Klavan was a photographer who had a number of pictures and photography articles published.
"He had a very quick and inquisitive mind," said Ross Klavan. He learned electronics in the Army Air Corps in World War II and in later years "loved working with computers."
In later years, Klavan lamented the decline of creativity on radio. "He admired Howard Stern," said Ross Klavan. "He said whatever you think of his content, he's a great entertainer."
The family plans a private memorial.
Klavan, the clever host at old WNEW, dies at 79
By David Hinckley
Gene Klavan, whose razor-sharp wit woke up New Yorkers for a quarter-century on the old WNEW-AM, died yesterday morning at Presbyterian Hospital, a month short of his 80th birthday.
He had been diagnosed in December with multiple myeloma, but until the last few weeks he remained "active and energetic," his son Ross said yesterday.
The Baltimore-born Klavan landed at WNEW in 1952, replacing Gene Rayburn ("Match Game" sidekick) as Dee Finch's broadcast partner. Among other candidates he beat out for the job was #### Van ####.
Klavan and Finch stayed together until Finch retired in 1968, after which Klavan did the show solo until 1977.
He moved to afternoons on WOR until 1980 and then did television work at CBS and AMC before returning to WNEW for a weekend show.
Klavan was known on the air as a one-man cast of dozens, creating and doing the voices for such characters as Trevor Traffic, Sy Kology, country singer Johnny Charge, Italian singer Emilio Percolator and Mrs. Wes Chester.
With Finch as Klavan's straight man, the team was among the pioneers in an edgier style of morning talk radio - often mocking WNEW executives, for instance, in sketches involving Mr. Nat, the "Coordinator of interrelated services," who in reality did nothing.
Outside radio, Klavan was a photographer who had a number of pictures and photography articles published.
"He had a very quick and inquisitive mind," said Ross Klavan. He learned electronics in the Army Air Corps in World War II and in later years "loved working with computers."
In later years, Klavan lamented the decline of creativity on radio. "He admired Howard Stern," said Ross Klavan. "He said whatever you think of his content, he's a great entertainer."
The family plans a private memorial.