Harry Harrison (radio)
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- For the science fiction author, see Harry Harrison.
Harry Harrison has been a popular American radio personality for over 50 years.
Harry is the only deejay to be a WMCA “Good Guy,” a WABC “All-American,” and on the WCBS-FM line-up when the New York station flipped to the “Jack” format in June, 2005.
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[edit] WBEZ, Chicago, Illinois—1953
Harry Harrison, at age 14 in Chicago, Illinois, listened to lots of radio while confined to bed for rheumatic fever for a year. After his recovery, he approached WJJD, but was signed instead to a contact with an educational radio station, WBEZ.
[edit] WCFL, Chicago, Illinois—1953–1954
Harry worked at WCFL as a “summer replacement,” yet remained there eight months, substituting for the permanent deejays.
[edit] WPEO, Peoria, Illinois—1954–1959
Harry became program director at WPEO, Peoria and hosted the morning show" as the Morning Mayor of Peoria." In just six months, Harry made WPEO the top station. WMCA, New York would come calling.
[edit] WMCA, New York—1959–1968
Harry, wife "Pretty" Patti, and children Brian Joseph ["B.J." taken from them much too soon], Patti, Patrick, and Michael would soon call the New York suburbs "home".
In 1959, Harry joins WMCA as the mid-day "Good Guy." Joe O'Brien (mornings) and Harry gave WMCA a "one-two punch" for over eight years.
Other WMCA "Good Guys" included Jack Spector, B. Mitchell Reed, Dan Daniel and Johnny Dark. Harry became popular with his "Housewife Hall of Fame” and participated in a WMCA picnic. WABC program director Rick Sklar took note.
[edit] WABC (AM), New York, New York—1968–1979
In 1968, when Herb Oscar Anderson left WABC, Rick Sklar hired “the Morning Mayor” to become WABC's morning drive air personality. Harry was back-to-back with Ron Lundy, who followed him.
Every year, Harry would play seasonal songs, such as his holiday greeting "May You Always” in the winter, and Allan Sherman’s summer camp song "Hello Muddah, Hello Fadduh" throughout the summer months.
WABC All-Americans had included Herb Oscar Anderson, Charlie Greer, Scott Muni, Bob Lewis, Ron Lundy, Johnny Donovan, and Dan Ingram, Radio Hall of Fame member "Cousin Brucie"Bruce Morrow, Chuck Leonard, Bob Cruz, Frank Kingston Smith, and Roby Yonge.
Harry had a number of "trademark" phrases, such as "Every brand new day should be opened like a precious gift", "Stay well, stay happy, stay right here" and "Harry Harrison wishing you the best... because that's exactly what you deserve!” Harry left WABC as the station began to change in November 1979.
[edit] WCBS-FM, New York—1980–2003
In March 1980, Harry became the morning personality at WCBS-FM (101.1), playing oldies music. In 1984, with Ron Lundy joining the station, he once again was heard back-to-back with Lundy. Harry would interact with Morning Crew engineer Al Vertucci, Phil Pepe (sports), and joke about "wacky weather" and toupee warnings with Irv “Mr. “G” Gikofsky (weather), Mary Jane Royce, and Sue Evans. At 7:20 AM, Harry opened the "birthday book" and announced listener and celebrity birthdays.
On April 25, 1997 New York City Mayor Rudolph Giuliani issued a proclamation naming April 25, "Harry Harrison Day" in honor of the second "Mayor."
On March 19, 2003, after a 44-year career in New York radio, Harry Harrison left WCBS-FM, saying “I am not retiring.” His farewell to his loyal radio friends (from 5:30 to 10 am) was held before a packed live audience at the Museum of Television and Radio. It offered old airchecks, and guest appearances by WCBS-FM colleagues Don K. Reed, Bobby Jay, Steve O'Brien, Randy Davis and Dan Taylor, his replacement, as well as his son and daughter, Patti. Harry took phone calls from Bob Shannon, Mike Fitzgerald, Ed Baer and Ron Lundy. Songs included Gladys Knight's "Neither One of Us (Wants to Be the First to Say Goodbye)" and the Little River Band's "Reminiscing," before closing with "That's What Friends Are For."
Sadly, soon after he left WCBS-FM, Harry would lose his long-time wife--and best friend--Pretty Patti.
[edit] WCBS-FM, New York—2004–2005
Harrison returned to WCBS-FM, to the delight of his fans, with a Saturday morning show (6–10 AM) in 2004. It offered 2 hours of variety and 2 hours of Beatles music and memories.
On Memorial Day, May 30, 2005, Harry and Cousin Bruce Morrow were guests on WABC Radio’s annual “Rewound” show. Four days later, on June 3, 2005, WCBS-FM ended its "oldies" format in favor of the new “Jack” format. (Ironically, Harry’s voice was last heard on New York radio, not on WCBS-FM, but on WABC.)
[edit] Today
Harry spends his time tending to his 5 adorable dogs at his Bergen County, New Jersey home.
