WKIS-740
AM
Orlando
Original Call Letters: WORZ
Originally Licensed: Feb
8, 1947
WKIS
logo Courtesy of Pete Simonson
Original City of License: Orlando
Original Power: 1,000
watts
Original Format: Pop
Network Affiliation(s): CBS
Owner(s):
1966-Tom Cassel
1971-Susquehana
Radio
1988-Guy Gannett
Broadcasting
1994-Paxson Broadcasting
1997-Clear Channel
Communications
2007-Aloha
Station Trust, LLC, as Trustee
History Of Call Letters and Formats: WORZ-1947
WKIS-1960's-Adult
Contemporary
WKIS-1979-News/Talk
"NewsTalk 74"
WWNZ-1988-News/Talk
WQTM-2001-Sports
Talk formerly on 540 kHz
History of WKIS
WKIS took to the air as WORZ
on Feb. 8, 1947, with 1,000 watts of power as another NBC affiliate at
740 on the AM dial. Offices and studios were located at 790 N. Orange Ave., and
the station's transmitter was on Old Winter Garden Road. In those days, NBC
had two radio networks, called the red and
the blue networks. In 1949, you
could listen to the Dean Martin and
Jerry Lewis show on Friday evenings on WORZ.
WKIS Personalities
Mark McKibben-1974-1977-From
Mark's email: "...I started
out doing the all night show. After a couple of years on air, I shifted
over to become Gene Burns' engineer. In the spring of 1977, we worked 90
straight days without a day off to help boost the station's ratings during
the sweeps. Bob Poe was Gene's producer in those days. He later
went on to become the GM. I enjoyed
working with Gene tremendously. He is a fantastic talk show host. We were
a great team. We used to celebrate from time-to-time at Freddie's Steak
House in Fern Park. Gene loved good food and he taught me a lot about wine. Another
person that helped make WKIS successful was John Loving. John
was the Chief Engineer of the station and he became my mentor. It's
because of John that I was able to make the transition to engineering. I left
WKIS in 1977 to work as Chief Engineer of WRMF-FM
98.1 in Titusville. I
was only there about a year and then moved to WPLP-AM 570 in Pinellas Park.
While at WPLP, I was "discovered" by Ray Rask of the Mutual Broadcasting
System. I moved to Washington in 1979 and took over as the "Assistant
Director of Satellite and Corporate Engineering."
Tony Gerard
Larry Shannon (Larry
Roberts)-1971-1974-Program
director and afternoon personality. Biography
Marty Stebbins-Biography
Russ Wheeler-1966-1969, 1972-1975-mornings.
Biography
Stan
Savran-1973-1976-sports
talk show on Sunday nights from 7-10. Sports and news on the morning show with
Russ Wheeler. Stan also did play by play for the Florida Blazers of the World
Football League the one season they were in existence in 1974.
Hal Murray
Phil Hendrie
Doris Ashwell-1970-1976-Talk
show host Biography
Doris with Larry
Shannon (Roberts) and Larry
King (Bessler) on the WKIS mid-day
show.
Richard
King-News director
Buzz Lawrence-1974-program director. From Steve
Schiffman; "...His sign off was: "Buzz Off, Kiss On".
I heard that Buzz died sometime after leaving WKIS-radio
("Open the door, to '74, Orlando).
Steve Mitchell-1974-1975-Weekends/Fill-in
Steve
Mitchell with
Guests Shari Lewis and Kirby "Sky King" Grant-1974 Courtesy
of Steve
Schiffman
Gene
Burns-1971-1985
Biography
Interview with Radio Phenomenon Gene Burns
Frank Reed-1972 Biography
Pete Forgione-1973-Mid
days. Biography
Jerry
Gordon-1972-1978-Middays, afternoon drive Jerry
was also the voice of Disney for ten years.
Bob
James-1982-"The Real Bob
James"-Bob came to Orlando
from WGAR in Cleveland (where he left in 1979). Prior to his stop at WKIS
he was involved in production work and wrote for TV's "Entertainment
Tonight". He also did some acting with small roles in "The
Deer Hunter" and "Those Lips, Those Eyes".
Bob replaced Steve Cannon.
Bob is currently a professor of broadcast journalism at Middle
Tennessee State University.
Bob Barnes Biography
Dick Norman-weekdays 9
a.m. to noon/3-6 PM
/ operations manager
Biography
Dr.
Marilyn Mason-1984-1985-"Practical
Psychology"-Noon-2PM- Dr. Mason began a similar radio-psychology in 1980
at KSTP-AM in Minneapolis. Her commitment to psychology stemmed from a
tragedy. Mason's husband, a student at the University of Texas at Austin, was
killed in 1966 by Charles
Whitman, the student who climbed into the University of Texas tower and
began a shooting rampage that killed 15 and wounded 31.
Clive Thomas-Biography
Leslie Brewington-Producer
Biography
Jim
Philips-1972-1986
Biography
Lynn
Levine (Moira of
the "Philips Phile" on WTKS-FM
104.1) News anchor and host of “At Your Service” from 1
p.m. to 3 p.m.
Lynn also co-hosted the Morning News on WWNZ-AM 740
with Wayne
Trout in 1988. 
(Note:
Program Director Kaye Barone made Lynn the host
of "At Your Service".
Lynn hade been a "street reporter".
Wayne Trout-1983-1990-News
Director
Biography
Wayne on George W. Bush
Chris
Russo-1984-1987-"Sports Talk"-6PM-8PM
Chris graduated from Rollins College in Winter Park in 1982. Before Orlando he
worked at WEXI and WOKV in Jacksonville. Chris would move to WMCA-AM
570 in New York in 1987. Now known as the "Mad Dog" on WFAN-AM
640 in New York City.
8-14-08-After 19
years at WFAN-AM 660, New York Chris leaves.
Bud Brewer-Biography
Harry
Cup-1982-7PM-11PM-Biography-
Harry's program would go statewide in 1983 on the Florida Radio Network.
FRN was owned by WKIS' parent company. Cup
was heard from 7-11Pm on; WKIS, WIPC-AM 1200,
Winter Haven, WEZY-AM 1350, Lakeland,
WNDB-AM 1150,
Daytona Beach, and WWFL-AM
1340, Clermont
Steve Kane-was a theater arts professor at
Rollins College when
he began as a fill-in host at WKIS
in 1977. He eventually took over late nights. His program called "Talk
About Life Klub" (T.A.L.K.). card carrying members would meet at the Golden
Corral restaurant. He would leave WKIS
and take his program to WLOF-AM
950. Today Steve Kane is heard on South Florida radio.
Pancho O'Hara-(Chico Ramos)-1977-1978, 1979-1984-Pancho
was a regular caller to local talk shows in Orlando. He was a gardener and
painter by trade. WKIS
found him so entertaining (or obnoxious) they offered him a job.
Part
of an email from Pancho. "...I
was hired by Gene Burns
(one of the greatest talk hosts in the biz) in February of 1977. In July of 1978
I was fired for being " irresponsible" saying things that
offended "minority groups." All
I said, was "some minority folks are too pushy" and I meant it. Then
in Jan 1979, I was
rehired. I lasted until 1984 or so, before Jim
Philips was hired to replace Dick
Norman a helluva nice guy who died
while trying to leave a convenience store in Tampa..."
Don
Smith-Biography
Carole
Nelson-Biography
Sandy Bernard-8PM
to midnight
Dan Tressler
Rod
Hemphill-1974-1978-News Director
Tom Haley-Noon-4PM Biography
Frank Vaught
Sam
Gilkey
Jim
Boynton-mid-days/Program Director
Lon
Wagner
Wolfman Jack and
Pancho share a laugh
Shelton Adams-1980-Orlando city
councilman, who lost the 1980 Mayoral election to then Mayor, Bill Frederick
(Frederick was Orlando's mayor from 1980 to 1992)
Harvey
Doyle-production
Pat
Flannigan-1980-Pioneer female talk host
Dave Lawrence-overnights
Jeff Alan-1987
Peter Rocchio-Peter is an attorney and gourmet chef.
Larry
(Bessler) King-Production
In
Memory
John Martin-1986 to 1991-writer,
reporter, anchor and producer and co-host with Lynn Levine.
John
Anthony-morning
sports late 90s
.
Barbara
McClure-overnight
news late 90s
Ken
Presti-reporter
late 90s.
Winnifred
King
Kathy Putnam
Wayne
Deschambeau
Craig
Eicher-overnights,
then weekday anchor/reporter from 1987 to 1991. Then became a news
reporter/anchor at
Channel 6, Orlando for ten years.
Don
Gould-1979-afternoon drive anchor Biography
Click on photo for full sized view
Dave Elliott
Bev Smith
Al Dunaway-6AM-9AM
Mike
Schiano Biography
Patricia Madden
Bill
Bauman
Alan Spector
Linda Coleman
Adrian
Charles
Left to right; Pat Beall, Wolfman Jack and Dan
Robertson
Jay Jeffries (Jeff
D'Aurora)-4PM-7PM
courtesy of
Dan Robertson
Jack Murphy
Clay Daniels-9AM-Noon
Tom McCloud (Tom Locke)-Sky One traffic plane
John Martin Biography
70's
Bumper sticker
Michael
Cooper-Sports
Courtesy of Pete
Simonson
Dave
Arlington (David Swerdloff)-1972-1973-"KIS
all night show" and later the evening program
Roger
Stallard-1978-1981-Midnight-6AM/Program
Director Biography
Terry
Deck-News
Pat Beale-News
Mike
Ruble-Producer
Jeff
Allen (Cassell)-1982-1986 Biography
Lee Hillyard-News
Pat
Beall-News
Roger Williams-News
Michelle Simos-News
Sal
Tamburo-Gardening expert. Regular guest on the Doris Ashwell show.
Tom
McCubbin-Gardening expert. Regular guest on the Doris Ashwell show.
Win Pendleton-author
and lecturer known as "The sage of Windermere". Regular guest on the
Doris Ashwell show
Other
names in WKIS History
John Loving-Chief Engineer
Ernie
Legge-1963
In
Memory
Bob Nocero-1973-1980
Tom Marshall-1968
Pete
Simonson
Roy
Scott-News
George
Crossley
Herb Craft
Gina Jordan Biography
Steve
Craig
Mike Gaier-General
manager
Kay Barone-1986-Program
director
Sandie
Biddle-Copywriter
and production director. Was the voice behind "Mrs. Roger Holler"
spots for Holler Chevrolet.
Pat
Flynn-1970-1975-News-In
an email from Pat he tells us about his time at WKIS.
"...I did news at WKIS
around 1970-1975 during the Gene Burns era. When I was in college at UCF,
69-73, I worked at WWQS
(FM 105.1) doing classical music during the week, then news on weekends
at "KIS". After a couple of years of that, I left "QS"
and worked fulltime at "KIS". I continued at "KIS",
after college, until January 1975 at which time I moved to Houston and went to
law school. I have been practicing labor & employment law here in Houston
since 1977
Dan
Robertson-1978-1980-"...was Gene Burns engineer for a while
at WKIS, along with Clay
and AL and Roger Stallard
Steve
Wein-1976-Board
operator for Gene Burns
Bob Poe-1985-Gene
Burns Program Producer/General
Manager
Scott Santos-Producer
Steve Hall-Sports
Jim Casey-Program
Director
A WKIS
first class card. Membership
Steve Kane
entitled you to discounts and prizes
Randy Molnar-Production
Director
Don Grider
Tranny Jackson
Robert Dempsey-General Manager
Larry Kindel-Sales Manager
Lawrence Kahn-Producer for Gene Burns
Tom Cassel-Owner
Steve Fluker-1983-Assistant
Engineer
Bob
Christoper
Bob Bierkentoll-fill-in
producer
Chuck Agostinelli-1978-1980-Producer
for Gene Burns
Mike Cooper-1980-Producer for Gene
Burns
Pete
Raymondetta-Engineer for Steve Kane
Robin Reiger-Producer
for Steve Kane
Gene
Witt-1983-1986-Skywatch 1 traffic plane pilot
Bob
Keith-General Manager
Other
Programs in WKIS History
NBC's Monitor 
listen to the Monitor beacon
CBS
Radio Mystery Theater-1982
WKIS beer
Ray
Durkee's "Sunday at the Memories"
Thanks to Dick Camnitz
Chuck Harder-"For The People"
Sally Jesse-Raphael (NBC TalkNet)
Jim Bohannon
Robert Vincent Sims-"The Garden Rebel"
Jack Nelson-"Dollars and
Sense"
Tom Olson-1988-"Olson on the
Law"
When Radio Was
Dining Around-noon-to-2pm-hosted by Gene
Burns and, alternately, Peter Rocchio Myron
Stein-"The Auto Doctor"--10 a.m. to noon
Peter Lane- "Wine Line"-2 to 3
p.m.
Click for full sized view
Click for full sized view
Pete Simonson sends along this photo of Frank
Reed and Larry
Shannon at Disney's Grad night
and a promo for the Russ
Wheeler morning show
This full page ad appeared in the Orlando
Sentinel Star on April 14,
1978 celebrating the 30th anniversary. It was more the anniversary of the
frequency because the call letters WKIS were new to the station in the
1960's. The party was held at the "Rainbow
Ranch".
Thanks to Jeff D'Aurora
for the photo
Click photo for full sized view
This building
on Winter Garden Road was built to house WORZ-AM 740, WORZ-FM
100.3 as well as a planned TV studio as WORZ was granted a
license to transmit on channel 9. Seems they ran out of money and channel 9
became WLOF TV. The area in the back of the station which housed
the Sales dept. was to be the TV studio.
click photo for full sized view
Thanks to Jeff D'Aurora for the photo.
What's
New Biographies
In Memory Sounds
Misc. Links
Chronology What's News?
