Monday
Apr202009
Past Toledo Television Personalities
Monday, April 20, 2009 at 11:01AM Incomplete list in no particular order:
Gordon Ward (News), Frank Venner (News and Weather-in-the-Weather) , Jim Rudes (News), David Drury (Ch 13 Editorials), Jim Ubelhart (News) , Jerry Kiel (Sports), Don Edwards (News), John Saunders (News), Frank Gihooley (Sports), Jeff Heitz (News), Joe Ashton (Weather and Dialing for Dollars), Holly Wood (24 News), Orris Tabner (Sports), Bill Spencer (Uncle Ben), Brooks Morton (Mr. T), Jack Kesling (Mr. T), Johnny Ginger (For and About Women on ch. 24 and Glass City Marquee on W48AP), Bev Schwind and Sue Donner (Patches and Pockets), Bob Kelly (Skippy the Scarecrow).
Reader Comments (15)
Here are some past names for you, June Miller TV-13 NEWS, Nancy Riley, TV-13 WEATHER, Bill Harris TV-13 NEWS Jeannine Lauber TV-13 NEWS Merle Kachenmeister all
3 stations WEATHER, Charlie Umpenhour TOLEDO ELEVEN WEATHER, Amy Ashcroft, all 3 stations WEATHER, Amy Marsalis TOLEDO ELEVEN NEWS, WEATHER, Jill Olmstead TOLEDO ELEVEN NEWS, Sue Parcell, TOLEDO ELEVEN NEWS, Rebecca Fondessy, all 3 stations, NEWS, WEATHER., Elizabeth Mcguire, TOLEDO ELEVEN NEWS. That's all I can recall for the moment. Do you have any idea of current whereabouts on some of these ladies. Curious about June Miller, Jill Olmstead, the 2 Amys and Nancy Riley.
Thanks,
Donny G
Donny G,
Thanks for the other names. I googled some of the names but I couldn't find too much current information on most of them. Rebecca Fondessey had been doing voice-overs and commercials: http://video.google.com/videoplay?docid=-4508166391842991765. I think Amy Ashcroft was doing voice-overs too.
Two other last names come to mind, both females, but the first names escape me: Quayle and Bloom. There was also a Bloomquist. And there was a male, Randy Price. Then there was Chase Clements (I think that last name is right), and Brad Fish.
Thank you Mike for posting this! Brooks Morton mentioned in the article is my father. Im looking for any info i can find on him on Toledo television. Thanks again.
Brett Sweeney
Brett,
If you have anything about your father (especially when he was at WTOL-TV) that you'd like posted on this site or If you'd like to write something about him, I'd really appreciate it! I can't seem to find anything on the web about Mr. "T." Just post another comment here if you'd like to contribute something.
Thanks
P.S. If you search for Brooks Morton / Mr. T in the site's search box, you'll find a few ads here, too.
Mike, My dad is Jack Kesling (only 1 "S") who was Mr.T at WTOL in the 1960's and hosted Bowling for Dollars on WDHO Ch.24 in 1971-72. He is still alive and well in the Toledo area.
John Kesling
John,
Maybe you can help me. Was there more than one "Mr. T?"...your dad, and Brooks Morton? I'd love to get more information on this. Thanks, Mike.
Yes there was more than one Mr. T. From about 1960 to 1964 Mr.T was played by someone else. (Not sure whom). Jack Kesling took over in 1964 till it went off the air in 1971. A while back WTOL did a "PM Magazine" story on Jack. I think the lady's name who did the story was Marta.
Thanks for that info, John.
I grew up in Toledo/Sylvania from 1968-1987 and remember a lot of those names. I went to Northview with Gordon Ward's daughter (I think her name was Molly, but can't remember for sure) and went to Arbor Hills Jr High with another kid whose mom, I believe, did the weather (this was around 1980 or so), but I can't remember either of their names. I also visited the downtown office of John Saunders after he retired from news casting to concentrate on writing. He wrote "Mary Worth" and "Steve Roper & Mike Nomad". I was absolutely obsessed with the Mike Nomad character and received several strips of original art from the late Mr. Saunders. His father Allen had written both strips since the 1930s.
I love reading nostalgic articles about Toledo, especially regarding the 1970s.
Tim, I don't know if you ever listened to Bob Kelly on the radio, but he used to read "Mary Worth" every morning on his show.
Rebecca fondasey lives in florida with husband and son. Not in very good health.
You've forgotten Lamont McLaughlin who was 6pm News anchor on channel 11 for quite awhile in the '70s. I was friends with his son Terry in 8th and 9th grade.
As for the fellow above who mentioned John Saunders writing Mary Worth, I'm pretty sure it was his brother Alan, at least initially. Perhaps they collaborated later.
RRBBKK, If you search the site for Lamont McLoughlin you'll find many ads for him on TV and radio, as well as newspaper stories. Note the spelling!
Hello, My name is Ron Orr. I'm the little kid that used to Tap Dance on the Mr. T show back the late 60's. Does anyone have any film or still pictures from those shows? I tried contacting Channel 11 but they said much of that film was not retained when the studio moved. Any leads will be greatly appreciated!
Thanks!