Radio and television mirror (July-Dec 1950)

Record Details:

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FRANK and the FACTS WBEN's Frank Fredrics can handle just about anything radio or TV have to offer. R M 10 Frank Fredrics of WBEN and WBEN-TV in Buffalo has the kind of talent needed to cope with most any type of program — radio, TV, or any new medium the future may dream up! During a decade of radio and television work, Frank has capably handled such assorted assignments as sportscaster, news commentator, comedian, reporter, emcee, western character, poetry reader and actor in roles that ranged from romantic leads to gangsters to college professors. It seems Frank is not only willing, but also ready and able, to play any part that comes along either as an assignment or challenge — or both. At the moment he's spotlighted on the WBEN-TV Late News Roundup Monday through Friday evenings shortly after 11 o'clock. Frank attended Milwaukee State Teachers College, and first broke into radio in Milwaukee as an announcer on a fifteen-minute broadcast of Freddie Fisher and his Schnicklefritz band, heard over a regional Wisconsin network. This zany experience convinced him that he should pursue radio announcing as a career. "Trying to announce while the Schnicklefritz band did everything possible to convulse me with laughter or drown me out provided excellent basic training and taught me to keep talking—and making sense — no matter what was happening," Frank points out. "And so," he adds with a smile, "I'm still announcing." From that first job in Milwaukee, Frank went on to become staff announcer on stations in Cleveland and Chicago — where he spent seven years before the mike with NBC, mostly in the role of a disc jockey. It was in the early 1940's that he gained considerable recognition as one of the first platter-spinners to sing along with the recordings he played. As a matter of fact, one of Cleveland's betterknown voice teachers tried to persuade him to forsake announcing and devote all his time to singing. But expounding over a microphone was his first love, and Frank Fredrics preferred to save his vocalizing for more informal occasions — such as singing in the bathtub. During the War, Frank fought with the Army's celebrated 42nd Rainbow Division, serving both in the medics and as an infantry rifleman in France, Germany and Austria. For outstanding heroism, Frank later had the distinction of being one of the few soldiers ever to receive the combat badge from both the medical corps and the infantry. He also was awarded the Bronze Star for gallant action, and received several other military citations. Following his discharge, Frank returned to radio announcing in Cleveland where he was heard regularly on the NBC program Do You Remember? and later Hometowners and Musicana, a show originating from Chicago and starring Jack Haskell and the Art Van Damme quintet. He was married in 1943 to the former Lillian Cody of Cleveland. They are the proud parents of B»ian, six. and Karen, two years old.