Game show hosts-turned-deejays

[Winkfan]

We all know that many game show hosts started out as radio disc jockeys, but does anyone know who was the first to pull off this feat in reverse? Meaning, go from game show host to disc jockey?

My guess is Peter Marshall. He, of course, was the 'Master of The Hollywood Squares' who now plays pop standards on the Music of Your Life satellite service.

Prove me wrong, if you dare!

Cordially,
Tammy Warner--the 'Heather Cunningham of the Big Board!' (who has twelve audio cassette tapes of Peter's MOYL shows in her collection!)

[clemon79]

[quote name=\'Winkfan\' date=\'Jun 29 2004, 04:40 PM\'] We all know that many game show hosts started out as radio disc jockeys, but does anyone know who was the first to pull off this feat in reverse? Meaning, go from game show host to disc jockey?

My guess is Peter Marshall. He, of course, was the 'Master of The Hollywood Squares' who now plays pop standards on the Music of Your Life satellite service.

Prove me wrong, if you dare!

Cordially,
Tammy Warner--the 'Heather Cunningham of the Big Board!' (who has twelve audio cassette tapes of Peter's MOYL shows in her collection!) [/quote]
 Does it count if they had any kind of DJ gig before their stint as a GS host? Because a WHOLE LOT of people have done that.

[Jimmy Owen]

These are talk hosts but, did Art Fleming do radio before J!?  I know he was on KMOX in St. Louis for many years after.  From what I've read he went from actor to TV anchor to J!. Nick Clooney? Michael Reagan? Matt Ottinger?

[whampyl03]

My guess is Peter Marshall. He, of course, was the 'Master of The Hollywood Squares' who now plays pop standards on the Music of Your Life satellite service.

Well, if you're going to talk about Peter Marshall, you might as well toss Wink Martindale in the same boat too.  Last time I checked, Wink also hosts a little weekday show over at Music of Your Life.

[Jimmy Owen]

It would be easier to name some hosts who didn't do radio.  Bert Convy, maybe?

[rigsby]

[quote name=\'clemon79\' date=\'Jun 29 2004, 07:05 PM\']Does it count if they had any kind of DJ gig before their stint as a GS host? Because a WHOLE LOT of people have done that.[/quote]
I kinda assumed that it did not count...and that being the case, the only other two people of whom I can think, whom I knew first as game show hosts, who then later became DJs are Todd Newton (on the ill-fated "Blink 102.7" in NY) and Ryan Secrest (currently on pretty much every radio station everywhere).  

Of course, I'm sure that within 10 minutes of this post, someone will let me know that both of them started out as DJs and I just didn't know them from Adam back then.

Tammy Warner--the 'Heather Cunningham of the Big Board!'

Who is Heather Cunningham?

[BrandonFG]

[quote name=\'rigsby\' date=\'Jun 30 2004, 11:27 AM\']

Tammy Warner--the 'Heather Cunningham of the Big Board!'

Who is Heather Cunningham? [/quote]
 Dice girl on "Big Showdown."

[davemackey]

[quote name=\'whampyl03\' date=\'Jun 30 2004, 10:01 AM\']

My guess is Peter Marshall. He, of course, was the 'Master of The Hollywood Squares' who now plays pop standards on the Music of Your Life satellite service.

Well, if you're going to talk about Peter Marshall, you might as well toss Wink Martindale in the same boat too.  Last time I checked, Wink also hosts a little weekday show over at Music of Your Life. [/quote]
 Yes, BUT Wink Martindale was a renowned disk jockey back before he ever set foot on a game show stage. He was at WHBQ in Memphis and was good friends with Elvis.

Miss Tammy was looking for people who hit the deejay booth AFTER they became game show icons.

[Jimmy Owen]

[quote name=\'rigsby\' date=\'Jun 30 2004, 11:27 AM\'] [quote name=\'clemon79\' date=\'Jun 29 2004, 07:05 PM\']Does it count if they had any kind of DJ gig before their stint as a GS host? Because a WHOLE LOT of people have done that.[/quote]
I kinda assumed that it did not count...and that being the case, the only other two people of whom I can think, whom I knew first as game show hosts, who then later became DJs are Todd Newton (on the ill-fated "Blink 102.7" in NY) and Ryan Secrest (currently on pretty much every radio station everywhere).  

Of course, I'm sure that within 10 minutes of this post, someone will let me know that both of them started out as DJs and I just didn't know them from Adam back then.

Tammy Warner--the 'Heather Cunningham of the Big Board!'

Who is Heather Cunningham? [/quote]
It's a shame you were not able to see Heather in 1975.  As Jim Peck said to her on the next-to-last ep of TBS, "Dynamite! You little rascal, you look terrific today!" I will add, she looked great every day. Ahem, back to the matter at hand, the first time I had heard of Todd Newton, he was hosting the "All Nite Cafe," which was a syndicated pop music show that one of our local stations carried.  This was around 96 or 97.  As for Ryan, he was doing radio at least by the time of his "Dating Game" appearance, whether he was a dj before WAG, somebody will know.

[uncamark]

[quote name=\'rigsby\' date=\'Jun 30 2004, 11:27 AM\'] [quote name=\'clemon79\' date=\'Jun 29 2004, 07:05 PM\']Does it count if they had any kind of DJ gig before their stint as a GS host? Because a WHOLE LOT of people have done that.[/quote]
I kinda assumed that it did not count...and that being the case, the only other two people of whom I can think, whom I knew first as game show hosts, who then later became DJs are Todd Newton (on the ill-fated "Blink 102.7" in NY) and Ryan Secrest (currently on pretty much every radio station everywhere).  

Of course, I'm sure that within 10 minutes of this post, someone will let me know that both of them started out as DJs and I just didn't know them from Adam back then. [/quote]
 They both did.  Don't know where Newton started, but Seacrest started in his native Atlanta.

[rigsby]

[quote name=\'Jimmy Owen\' date=\'Jun 30 2004, 12:14 PM\'] It's a shame you were not able to see Heather in 1975. [/quote]
 That pretty much sums up the video quality of my TBS ep.  The audio quality is summed up by the fact that I had to ask the question.

Thanks to all for the responses.

[davemackey]

[quote name=\'Jimmy Owen\' date=\'Jun 29 2004, 09:24 PM\'] These are talk hosts but, did Art Fleming do radio before J!?  I know he was on KMOX in St. Louis for many years after.  From what I've read he went from actor to TV anchor to J!. Nick Clooney? Michael Reagan? Matt Ottinger? [/quote]
 I don't think Nick Clooney was ever a DJ. He started out as a singer with his two sisters (Betty and Rosemary) in Cincinnati. Then Nick branched out into journalism, both print and electronic.

Mike Reagan may have done some radio, as his dad did before him.

[JCGames]

As long as we're talking about game show hosts turned DJs, we should not forget these game hosts who were also 'communicators' on NBC Radio's weekend service, MONITOR, from 1955 to 1975:

Hugh Downs('55-60,pre-Concentration)
Monty Hall('56-61,pre-LMAD)
Ben Grauer('55-61,hosted Americana Quiz in 1947-48)
Gene Rayburn(started in 1961, pre-Match Game[NBC version], stayed thorought TMG's run, stayed on MONITOR until 1973 before going out west for CBS version of MG. Gene was the longest running MONITOR communicator....and the best too!)
Hal March(1961, post-$64000 Question)
Ed McMahon('65-68, hosted Snap Judgment during his MONITOR tenure)
Joe Garigiola(1969-70, pre-He Said She Said; he also did occasional sports commentaries)
Bill Cullen('71-73; also did occasional substitute hosting)
Art Fleming(briefly in '72, while hosting Jeopardy)
John Bartholomew Tucker(the last MONITOR communicator in 74-5; he hosted Treasure Isle in '68)

Also, Wayne Howell, who later announced Concentration, was the host of the Saturday night MONITOR segment. IGAS panelist Henry Morgan was the Sunday afternoon communicator from 1966 to 1970. Dan Daniel was the Sunday afternoon communicator in 1973 before he was the announcer on The Big Showdown. And WML?'s beloved Arlene Francis was an occasional contributor to the show.

The website www.monitorbeacon.net has info about these and other MONITOR communicators as well as a picture section....you'll see pics of Gene Rayburn and Bill Cullen among others.

"You're on the Monitor Beacon...."

[The Ol' Guy]

Nick was indeed a radio DJ - according to his political bio, he started in radio at age 16. I'm pretty sure he was dismissed not very long ago as a personality on WSAI-AM when the format changed from adult standards to pop oldies or some sort of hybrid Clear Channel is using.

[TimK2003]

[quote name=\'Jimmy Owen\' date=\'Jun 29 2004, 08:24 PM\'] These are talk hosts but, did Art Fleming do radio before J!?  I know he was on KMOX in St. Louis for many years after.  From what I've read he went from actor to TV anchor to J!. Nick Clooney? Michael Reagan? Matt Ottinger? [/quote]
 I can confirm that Art was a dee-jay prior to J!

He worked for radio station WAKR in Akron in the 50s.  He was inducted into some sort of Cleveland/Akron radio hall of fame (I forget the official name), as his accomplishment is displayed at the 'museum' at Quaker Square in Akron -- more like a little out-of-the-way kiosk.