My first job in TV was running the audio board from 3 to midnight at WRVA TV (now WWBT) in Richmond. I was in college and could attend classes during the day. Most nights, between the 6 and 11 pm newscast, were open so I was able to go to the conference room and study. (Even slept there one night during a heavy snowstorm when management decided that the night crew should stay to be able to sign on in the morning if the day crew couldn’t get in.)

I got the job because the current night audio guy was scheduled to go away for active-duty training with the National Guard, and they needed someone familiar with an audio board. I had been in radio several years prior. BTW the board was a Western Electric with knobs, switches, and needle vu meters.

One of the shows we recorded in the afternoon was “Sailor Bob”, channel 12’s answer to children’s programming. I think it ran Saturday morning but am now sure. The set was part of an old boat. Bob’s wardrobe was a blue shirt and a Navy Dixie Cup hat and Gilly Gull, a puppet, wore an old bomber hat with goggles. The running joke was that Gilly was not a very good pilot and was always crashing.

Anyway, although the show was for kids, Bob Griggs and Dave Davis (Gilly Gull) would slide in some inside jokes and double entendres. Like “Remember, boys and girls, Sailor Bob’s name is spelled with only one Oh”. 

Dave found a song called “Are You Listening Billy Christian”, and they played the chorus frequently. Bill Christian was the name of the Sales Manager who was always trying to get product placement for his clients in the news shows. Another song frequently played was “Every time I Go to Town, the Boys Keep Kicking My Dog Around”, but I have no idea the significance of that.

Ah, the early days of TV. I have some more snow stories but that will have to wait for another time. -dm