William B. Ogden Radio School

Submitted by
Name: Ralph Cole
From: Los Angeles
E-mail: ralph90015@yahoo.com

Comments:
I attended in 1969 or 1970. One memory is of the air traffic over the school from Meadowlark airport, whose runway ended right next to the school. One night during lecture the familiar drone of a light plane taking off over the school abruptly ceased and the next thing I knew was that all of us had unconsciously reacted by hitting the floor on all fours and scrambling away from the exterior wall. By then the engine resumed its drone, leaving us embarrassed but joyously relieved.

Added: May 9, 2013

Submitted by
Name: Bill Kingman
From: Lake Tahoe, NV
E-mail: tahoe61@juno.com

Comments:
Our class of Jan-Feb 1962 at 1150 West Olive, Burbank, ranged from a kindly station owner in his eighties to a woman in her teens. No boarding at the school then and I commuted daily from Pasadena. It rained like crazy with some heavy flooding. We were OK, though, because the classroom wall plaque reminded us: "In OGD We Trust!"

About mid-course one night the class was invited across the street to the Burbank Womens' Club to hear five young guys asking to audition in public. We listened and decided it was "nay" for The Beach Boys...

Another plaque: "R.T.D.Q. = Read the damn question!"

Added: May 3, 2013

Submitted by
Name: Steven Spears
From: San Francsisco, Ca.
E-mail: scoartist@yahoo.com

Comments:
I went to school there in Huntington Beach in 1972. Bill and Tally had been my Godmother and GodFather. My Father John Spears, and mother Susan Raye (Gilbert)Spears were both students of Bill prior to ROES in Huntington Beach.

Added: April 24, 2013

Submitted by
Name: Lee Duncan
From: Bakersfield, CA
E-mail: jleeduncan@live.com

Comments:
Attended classes in 1963 when Richard Kiel was our night math teacher.. http://www.modestoradiomuseum.org/ogdens%20kiel.html I'll never forget Bill's O.I.C. Club... (Oh I See). RIP Bill and family.

Added: April 21, 2013

Submitted by
Name: Phillip Potter
From: Fresno
E-mail: p.potter@sbcglobal.net

Comments:
Oh, what a time we had in the summer of 1969!

I remember long, hard hours in class, and Bill shouting at me, "Potter... push-pull CANCELS even harmonics!!!"

But, I also remember eating lunch sitting on Huntington Beach.... aaaaaaahhhh.

Added: April 20, 2013

Submitted by
Name: Patty Porter
From: Washington state
E-mail: alanporter1@msn.com

Comments:
I am the Ogden's niece. I was just checking this website to see if anything new had been added. I find this a treasure to read.

Added: April 18, 2013

Submitted by
Name: Jerry Longden
From: Santa Rosa, CA
E-mail: Jeralong@aol.com

Comments:
I was born in Santa Ana, CA and grew up in Orange County. I interned at KEZY-AM in Anaheim in early 1964 and graduated in the ROES September, 1964 class. I was 19. Impatient to work, I took a job as Chief Engineer at KICA-AM in Clovi,s New Mexico and returned to California about six months later. I worked mostly as a Rock DJ, but did everything over my 40+ year career.

In class, I only ever got chalk thrown at me once. Bill Ogden was a unique man and a good teacher, as anyone who knew him would agree. A special school run by special people in a special time. Kind regards to all who read this, Jerry Longden 2013

Added: March 22, 2013

Submitted by
Name: Mike Lundy
From: Toluca Lake (part of North Hollywood, which is part of Los Angeles
E-mail: suziesbro@gmail.com

Comments:
What memories. Hamburgers and beer at Don's, not far from the original Burbank location. Met some great people. Ron Bryan went to jock in Laramie, Wyoming, drafted, became a medic. Gave up radio. Went to medical school when he got out. Became a neurologist. Just retired from his own practice, but still doing work at a local hospital in Knoxville, Tennessee. I was his best man years ago in New Orleans. Still get together with the Bryans every couple of years. In our class was a very enthusiastic kid named Bobby Weiner. Later, as Bob Wilson, kicked * * * at KAFY and KDAY. Then founded industry rag "Radio and Records." Worked with Bob several times. He's a helluva guy. Jon Bruce went on to a really neat career--and he is still going strong. Any others here from our class. Wish I could remember the year.

Added: March 20, 2013

Submitted by
Name: Paul Christy
From: Houston
E-mail: Paul.christy@gmail.com

Comments:
Summer of '65, class included Rick Carroll, others. Coffees get 'em high! Also remember Don's beer & burger joint down the road....great pics.

Paul (Stelljes), aka Eric Chase, Harry Miller, etc.

Added: March 4, 2013

Submitted by
Name: Norm Hankoff
E-mail: normh@sinkie.com<normh@sinkie.com>;

Comments:
Memories of Bill, Tally, Thora, Jim and Major and the R.O.E.S. - Class of June, 1957

Bill Ogden had to be a genius because he filled my aptitude-free head with enough knowledge to pass his diabolically merciless first class license exam before turning me loose to take the FCC’s; by comparison a much simpler one which I gratefully nailed on my first try. Aside from his intellect and unique teaching skills, Bill was a great guy; sometimes drill sergeant-like on the outside but a genuinely caring one-man cheering section for all his students on the inside. I was a starry-eyed disc jockey-wannabe with the ink still wet on my BA in Radio-TV from San Francisco State. In those days, having a first phone rather than a third opened a lot more control room doors to job seekers.

Those six weeks in Burbank were virtually all-consuming with study. I do, however, remember two breaks from the grind. Several from our class spent a Saturday or Sunday at Disneyland and one weekend I flew home for some much-needed R&R. Around my fourth or fifth week, I auditioned by telephone and was offered the morning gig at brand new KPER 1290 in garlic-redolent Gilroy.

With my newly earned first ticket in hand, and having a few days until I had to report for work, I took my time driving back to Northern California. On the way, I stopped at every radio station in sight mostly just to look around, gape and appear to all in attendance to be the young greenhorn that I was. What was truly surprising was the number of job offers made to me during those visits. I had committed to the Gilroy offer and so I turned down the others, some of which were quite tempting. Although I was reluctant to say no to a few of them, I figured it was too soon in my career to be saddled with a reputation as a flake. There’d be plenty of time for that later on. On the bright side, just being asked was a great ego boost and confidence builder.

Whenever I think back on those 42 brain-taxing days in beautiful not-quite-downtown Burbank, and I do so fondly, for some inconceivable reason, two disparate things jog my memory. One is “Searchin’” by The Coasters, which I can’t help but hum, whistle or just grunt. I guess it must have been popular back then. The other was the combination diner, drive-in and dive on West Olive Avenue where they dispensed enough grease on one cheeseburger to equal a week’s supply at your average Jiffy Lube, which is probably where I would have wound up, had it not been for Bill and my highly coveted first class ticket.

All good wishes,

Norm Hankoff AKA Norm Hanley

Added: February 19, 2013