Saturday, July 23, 2011

Bob Crane...Who?


CBS Photo by Jerry Fitzgerald.


As KNX Morning Man from 1956 to 1965, Bob Crane interviewed thousands of celebrities and other Hollywood notables, and his radio show had become the place for them to be. A nod from Crane on his early morning KNX show would provide them with media coverage unlike any other, which often translated into increased public awareness of their latest album, song, film, television show, or stage production, and it usually equated success.

As such, a great many of Hollywood's elite were terrific fans of Bob Crane's show. For instance, Danny Kaye, who was a pilot, often tuned into Crane over KNX as he flew over Southern California in the early morning hours.

In this rare KNX ad, Bob Crane is seen with a poster presented to him by 20th Century Fox producer Jerry Wald. The poster is a take on the 1958 film, The Fiend Who Walked the West. Wald, who was a big fan of Bob's KNX radio show, adapted the poster ever so slightly in favor of...who?

Note: Jerry Wald was also the producer of Return to Peyton Place (1961), in which Bob Crane had a small role - one of Crane's first acting roles on film. Jerry Wald passed away on July 13, 1962, at age 50.