Dwight Hemion

During the fall of 1952, not long after leaving the cast of Your Hit Parade, on NBC, my mother sang on a weekday morning TV show, seen on New York's NBC station, WNBT-TV (later known as WNBC). The show, called Breakfast With Music, starred comedian Morey Amsterdam; its musical director was Milton DeLugg, who, in 1950 and 1951, had led the band on TV's first late-night hit show, Broadway Open House.

Breakfast With Music was directed by Dwight Hemion, who later became one of TV's most prominent directors.

Hemion recently passed away, in Virginia. Here's a story about his career, from the Los Angeles Times:

http://www.latimes.com/news/printedition/california/la-me-hemion2feb02,1,4968449.story?ctrack=2&cset=true

Butler/Tri-Boro Rotary Club luncheon

Howard Ball, former President of the Butler/Tri-Boro Rotary Club, here in northern New Jersey--and a columnist for the Suburban Trends newspaper--recently invited me to speak to the club, about The Lucky Strike Papers. The event took place this past Thursday, at Bella Sera restaurant in Bloomingdale, New Jersey, and was delightful. My thanks to Howard; to Charlie Ebers, the group's current president; to Vice President Judith Woop; and to the other attendees, for their great kindness, and hospitality.

An interview, and a luncheon

This coming Tuesday (February 5), at 12:15 p.m., I’ll be interviewed on the radio talk show Speak Your Piece, on station WBCB-AM, in Bucks County, PA, just outside of Philadelphia. The host of the show is Pat Wandling, a former reporter for The Bucks County Courier Times. She's been the host of Speak Your Piece for many years.

As it happens, I’m quite familiar with WBCB—having been the host of “Speak Your Piece” between 1991 and 1995. I once interviewed Pat on the program, when she was reporting for the Courier Times.

WBCB’s Vice President and General Manager, by the way, is Merrill Reese, the longtime play-by-play announcer for The Philadelphia Eagles. His autobiography, It’s Gooooood!, was brought out in 1998, by the publishing house Sports Publishing Inc. The book was written with sportswriter Mark Eckel.

In 2005, Merrill--widely popular and much-honored--was named “Broadcaster of the Year” by the Pennsylvania Association of Broadcasters. The same year, he was inducted into the Broadcast Pioneers of Philadelphia’s Hall of Fame.

Also: at noontime, on Thursday (February 7), I’ll be speaking about The Lucky Strike Papers at the Butler/Tri-Boro Rotary Club luncheon, in Bloomingdale, New Jersey. The luncheon will take place at Bella Sera restaurant, on Main Street in Bloomingdale.