Bob Crane: Life & Legacy: Fascinating Rhythm - Bob Crane Plays 'Get Smart'

Friday, July 29, 2011

Fascinating Rhythm - Bob Crane Plays 'Get Smart'

Bob Crane Promotional
Advertisement / Epic Records.
Billboard Magazine, December 3, 1966.
Courtesy of Bill Dillane.

Bob Crane was mentioned regularly in Billboard Magazine, with an early notation on February 24, 1951, when the magazine announced he had recently moved from WLEA in Hornell, NY, to WBIS in Bristol, CT. From his promotions to program director to his migration to Hollywood to when another DJ filled in for him when he was on vacation or had a cold, Billboard Magazine covered the major (and minor) moves of Crane's radio career.

In December 1966, Epic Records purchased a 3/4-page ad in Billboard Magazine to promote the sale of Crane's new album, Bob Crane, His Drums, and Orchestra, Play the Funny Side of TV. It would be the only retail album Bob ever recorded, but sources say he had the time of his life making the album and working with professional musicians.

The theme from Get Smart, as performed by Bob Crane and included on this album, is presented here.

Theme from "Get Smart" / Bob Crane on Drums
"Bob Crane, His Drums, and Orchestra Play the Funny Side of TV"
Epic Records, 1966

Theme from Get Smart / Bob Crane on Drums by vote4bobcrane

Praise for Bob Crane: The Definitive Biography

"...nothing short of amazing."

—Danny Lyons, operations manager, WICC/WEBE, Bridgeport, CT

"Carol Ford and company have ripped the lid off the real story of Bob Crane."—Marakay Rogers, Broadway World

"If you're a Bob Crane fan, this book is a must."—Kevin Doran, owner, WLEA, Hornell, NY

"...the most extensive biography I've ever read about a movie or TV actor. I'm impressed with the amount of research the authors did over the last 12 years."—Bill Dillane, NHTV, North Haven, CT

"TRULY DEFINITIVE... One of the best Hollywood-related books I have seen."—James Zeruk, Jr., author, Peg Entwistle and the Hollywood Sign Suicide

"...can serve as an inspiration for anyone seeking to understand the often double world of the sex addict."—Susanne A. Quallich, ANP-BC, NP-C, CUNP, FANNP, University of Michigan Health System; Member, Urologic Nursing Journal Editorial Board; Expert on Men's Sexual Health

"There are many biographies in the world of literature, and this is certainly up there with the best of them."—Dean Mardon, radio host, Napier, New Zealand

"Ford and her colleagues have exhaustively researched every conceivable detail of Bob Crane's life."—Cindy Vitto, PhD, Dean, College of Humanities and Social Sciences, Rowan University, Glassboro, NJ

Official National Radio Hall of Fame Campaign for Bob Crane

Formerly 'Vote For Bob Crane.'
The late legendary radio personality, musician, actor, and director Bob Crane, also known for his role on Hogan's Heroes, is being considered for induction into the National Radio Hall of Fame. Support for his induction was submitted by his colleagues in radio. Bob Crane's nomination is officially endorsed by WICC 600 AM in Bridgeport, CT; WLEA 1480 AM in Hornell, NY; WATR 1320 in Waterbury, CT; the Connecticut Broadcasting History Organization, and members of the Columbia Square (KNX) Alumni Group. This effort is supported by members of Bob Crane's family, as well as his close friends and colleagues in music, radio, television, film, and theatre. Founded, owned, and managed by Carol M. Ford, author of Bob Crane: The Definitive Biography, in 2011.

Vote For Bob Crane

Vote For Bob Crane was created because the National Radio Hall of Fame (NRHOF) allows public voting as part of their selection process. Thus, we needed to raise and build public awareness so people could literally vote for Bob Crane for his posthumous induction. Public voting was suspended in 2012 and then re-established in 2015. You can show your support by nominating Bob Crane via the NRHOF website.

Our work on Bob Crane's behalf has grown to include the publication of Bob Crane: The Definitive Biography and our 2017 podcast The Bob Crane Show: Reloaded. In 2018, we began work on a new project, in collaboration with a producer. Therefore, we changed our name to Bob Crane: Life & Legacy.

About Us

For most of her life, campaign manager Carol Ford, a professional editor and author, has been an advocate of Bob Crane's. This led to her collaboration with Linda Groundwater and Dee Young in researching a serious biography about Bob,. More than 200 individuals from Bob's life—including family, close friends as far back as grade school, and coworkers in radio, television, theatre, and film—contributed, and on September 7, 2015, Bob Crane: The Definitive Biography was published. The book is available through all major book retailers worldwide.

After getting to know Bob Crane's family and many of his dearest and trusted friends on a personal level, in February 2011, Carol nominated Bob for the National Radio Hall of Fame. He has, to date, not been inducted; however, the Steering Committee has assured us that our nomination for Bob has been retained on file and will be considered for future classes. We will continue to petition the Steering Committee for Bob Crane's posthumous induction in the National Radio Hall of Fame.

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Friday, July 29, 2011

Fascinating Rhythm - Bob Crane Plays 'Get Smart'