Radio and television mirror (July-Dec 1951)

Record Details:

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For his WPEN show Kal Ross brushes up on the news as wife Judy serves coffee. Because he spins so few discs on the air Kal enjoys hearing his own record collection at home. Every Monday through Saturday from 11:05 P. M. to 2:30 A. M., WPEN's Kal Ross hits the Philadelphia airwaves from the Kal Ross Lounge of the Latin Casino. Formerly the Circus Lounge, it was renamed for Kal because of the wonderful job he is doing for his sponsor. Kal Ross is twenty-five years old and hails from New Rochelle, New York. He has made radio a part of his life, beginning at the age of eight when he played juvenile roles in Let's Pretend. Along with his radio work, he studied dramatics and got his first break in the Broadway production "The American Way," starring Fredric March. From the theater he returned to radio, until he graduated from high school. In 1943 he entered Syracuse University where he enrolled in the School of Speech and Dramatic Arts, and it was then that he joined WOLF and WSYR as a disc jockey and part-time staff announcer. At these stations he gained sufficient experience for "big time" radio work and in 1944 he enlisted in the Maritime Service, where his talent was recognized — he narrated the Maritime show, We Deliver The Goods, for CBS. In 1946 he returned to Syracuse University. While finishing college, Kal was associated with WNDR and WHEN-TV and became Syracuse's first television sportscaster, doing University basketball on TV for the '48-'49 season. In 1949 he graduated and went to WPWA in Chester, Pennsylvania. Eight months ago, WPEN's Program Director, Jules Rind heard Kal on WPWA and brought him to WPEN to do part-time sports broadcasting, namely basketball and special events. Due to the excellent job he did, and because of his past experience, Ross received his own show. As a part of his three-hour program, Kal interviews celebrities from the sports world and show business and chats informally with his listeners via telephone. Ross is essentially a commentator, not a deejay, although he does spin about five records over a three and one-half hour span to break up the constant chatter. He reviews books, plays, motion pictures, and enjoys the reputation of "Philadelphia's friendly critic." This does not mean that Ross pulls his punches — if he is not pleased with what he is reviewing he lets his audience know, but he does so in a friendly manner. 21