RON CHAPMAN ANDERSON - Ronald Ray Chapman, 67, of Anderson, died Wednesday, October 28, 2009 at Rainey Hospice House. I dont believe that any one person can be in that much control and yet allow for the station to be the living, breathing organization it has to be in order to survive. But Chapman says that the first time Haley went on the air after the deal was struck, She was dreadful. Chapman is not just guessing at what his audience wants to hear He is downright methodical about it. He had spent his last few years on 98.7 KLUV in Dallas/Forth Worth. I tell people this story, and they think its one of those urban legends. No spam, ever. the magic morning man takes a deep breath, raises his index finger before his eyes, and does what Ron Chapman does best: KAY he breathes, low and confiding, in a voice that mirrors the softest, kindest, deepest, afterglow moments of romantic love. Says Chapman, Electronically, we dont do much, but we are very conscious of highs. But suppose, suddenly, a rogue meteorite comes falling out of the sky and mashes him into a puddle at the corner of Mockingbird and Central? DALLAS - Three-time Texas Radio Hall-of-Famer and Dallas radio legend Ron Chapman died on Monday. I can make her feel good about the day, or I can make her feel crappy about the day, and of course, the choice is to make her feel good. Ron Chapman's radio career began in 1953the day he graduated from high schoolwhen he became a disc jockey at station WHAV/Haverhill, MA. Chapmans cohorts speak of having to walk a very fine line; remaining clever and at least half-witty without ever being more clever than Ron. Id just started with Chapman, and I did that two or three times before he slammed down the headphones and blew up. "In so many ways around here, Chapman was the pioneer, the seer," Rhyner said. Ron Chapman has passed away. I love the guy. Because shes gonna move up. Turn! The Zoo crew used to regard KVIL's mushy adult-contemporary playlist as a punchline. But hes been trying to play Creative Tension to the point that it became creative chaos. "This has something to do with age. 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By Casey Carr. Id never been in a Cadillac Seville. It was a 45-minute show. "They should have changed the call letters the day he left," said Jody Dean, who joined KVIL in 1982 and served as Chapman's producer before replacing him on the morning show. To a person, everyone interviewed for this story believed that Chapman, if riled, could end his career. And Ill tell you who finds it difficult to work for me. So Charlie and Harrigan came on and said, Were going to do our hike. Or we could go KVIL.. I was off the wall, and he loved it. But the precise age, her birthday, and zodiac remain unknown. There are a lot of stations right now that will say, after they read this, Oooooh, so thats what theyre doing. They still dont know it., Even the KVIL signal is altered to be pleasing to a womans naturally more sensitive ears. And, you know, Im an easy-going guy. Nothing to embarrass a woman who is even remotely prudish. He was No. Bud Buschardt worked as the unit manager on Away We Go and Sumpn Else, two television shows that Chapman did for WFAA Channel 8 in the mid-60s. So we all lined up, and we said, Okay, hoooo! And we started to walk. This was 1991. Ron Chapman made Vocal Majority . And Ron has a brand-new sweater. But his desire was for you to get the best out of yourself. So, Chapman can afford to surprise his wife with a 4.9-carat diamond, keep houses in town and country, and fly to Madrid on a whim., Born in January 1936, Ralph Frederick Chapman was the youngest of three children raised in the back rooms of his dads store during the Depression. He was 85. As The News noted in a story: When the terrified producer charged into his room to say the ghost had just hugged her, Chapman had only a one-sentence response: Did you get it on the air?. Ron Chapman passed away earlier this week at the age of 85. The Left Hand of God is Fort Worth. I can tell you that little secret and know the competition will pick up on it, and theyll work on it. Baby, it's cold outside. The late Ron Chapman, who died April 26, 2021 at the age of 85, as seen in 2014. The maddest he ever got at me were those times that I delivered less than the best. The store was open from 6 a.m. to 11 p.m. As writer Diane Reischel put it in The News story: The store was the childrens living room, the customers their audience., His sister, Florence Littauer, said her baby brother was so clever and funny that people would pay me for him to speak. As The News noted, The parents his mother was a violinist challenged the children to think creatively. The hand goes higher above his head: VEE higher now, almost pleading as it keens with the anticipation of all the wonderful, warm, cuddly, sensual things to come. Other than that, Im real comfortable.. Chapman's booming voice is now a shadow of its former self, the result of a stroke suffered just before Christmas in 2012. Chapman knows how to be reassuring to women who are fighting an uphill battle day after day. Read our daily updates at 12:30, 2:30 and 4:30 p.m., and our complete obituaries in The Herald-Dispatch on Wednesday and Ron was a legend already in the 60s in Dallas, Fairchild said Monday from her home in Los Angeles. Ron in makeup for his role in an episode of Police Story. Rons face superimposed on the body of Michael Jackson. He seems completely oblivious to his subjects, the teeming thousands of Little People trapped and fuming in the traffic below. Next to it is a portable telephone, complementing cellular phones in his and Nances cars. . And guess what? Robert Bird Brown Obituary - Dead | Robert Bird Brown Cause of Death April 26, 2021 Son of Mercy 0. On it was a headshot of some fierce new arrival on the Dallas radio scene, the latest young gun bent on a showdown with Chapman at the WBOK Corral. But for the first 20 minutes of the show, Id been loading this little guy up with Coca-Cola. Chapman realized that if he won Fort Worth, he could almost double the stations numbers. Net Worth Inspector Menu. We said, Okay, thats it! Photos: Chapman Today: Dan Sellers; Chapman on TV: Courtesy of ABC Radio Networks. The piece coincided with Chapmans 20th anniversary at KVIL, where, The News noted, His hyper, happy-talk Ron Chapman and the Morning Group has been the almost-constant No. Many years later, both of their first marriages ended (Chapman divorced in 1982) and Ron and Nance began seeing each other, but again, just as friends. pic.twitter.com/XuaDWmWvEm. 2021 CBS Broadcasting Inc. All Rights Reserved. According to Littauer, Chapmans massive energy manifested itself during his youth in a series of class-clown pranks. The things that attracted Marilyn to me in the first place were the things that drove her crazythe drive, the ambition, the living in the eye of the tiger eventually drove her crazy. He killed the competition. He became widely known, according to his bio page on the Radio Hall of Fame website, for his humor, outrageous stunts and giveaways. And for his astronomically high ratings. So I went by my hairdressers, who lived in Oak Cliff. First published on April 26, 2021 / 11:54 AM. First it was six to nine. Thats power. Ron Chapman, a Dallas - Fort Worth radio legend, has died at the age of 85, according to CBS 11 KTVT in DFW. There will be no service, however a "public gathering for friends and colleagues" is being planned at this time. Its what youd get if God had money, Nance says. And its also a public service if you use it right.. April 26, 2021. He was inducted into the Radio Hall of Fame in 2012. Ron didnt say a word. Ron has never been much for physical labor, says Littauer, so he stood there nodding and saying, Mm-hmmm and very good, very good, while the sergeant gave jobs to the rest of the men. Chapman himself acknowledges his mortality, but only in the vaguest way, putting retirement plans out there some years down the road. Please enter valid email address to continue. He must know where everything is at all times. The following obituaries have been provided by local funeral homes. Tags. He is, he admits, a control freak. What followed was story after story about Chapman, who started as a DJ in 1953, and his more infamous bits. I figure we have her ears, and were the only ones shell let talk to her for the first hour of the day. And I want you to know that Leonard jerked the plug out from the wall. By KLTV Digital Media Staff. There is no excuse for making a mistake. Bring walking sticks. Were keeping you on the payroll through October. If shed said, I f-ed up, Im on the team, shed be here still. Who is available? Ron Chapman received an obituary from the KVIL community. Ron preparing to parachute out of an airplane and broadcast all the way to the ground. anyway? And Ron said, Why, I am in charge of the talent show, of which there wasnt one at the time. In 2000, Chapman moved to KLUV/Dallas, an "oldies" station where he stayed until announcing his retirement from radio in 2005. He ended up following Chapman at KLUV in 2005. Hey, says Chapman, most people like living here. He said, Well, its something. He likes certain things in certain places. Ron Chapman and Mitch Carr Photo credit Courtesy Mitch Carr. Beneath that rasp, he's still very much the manwho once broadcast while skydiving and whoin April 1988 asked listeners to send $20 without explaining why and wound up collecting $240,000 he dispensed to charity. There are no excuses in Ron Chapmans world except You screwed up. Knowing Ron over the years has been an adventure. - Click to. Fort Worth was the butt of all the jokes by DJs sitting in Dallas talking about people over in Fort Worth. I hand it to Ron, and the little guy hops on Rons shoulder, and when the lights come up, you know, animals react. So youre that egotistical S.O.B., They became fast, but platonic, friends. Ron Chapman had this offer from KVIL. Many of us grew up listening to him on #KVIL. Thats just the wrapper. If you continue to use this site we will assume that you are happy with it. One former employee, who asked not to be named, speaks for many when she says, Hes the most unfeeling, cold-hearted son of a bitch I ever met., And this woman counts herself among his admirers because of his genius at making KVIL a raging success. The feature says Chapman and his wife, Nance, had met at a charity telethon in the late sixties and spent decades as platonic friends before both parties . It was an itty-bitty bear. Blonde, voluptuous, impeccably well-mannered, and gracious, she smiles through a mouthful of sharp teeth. After 45 years in radio, Ron Chapman retired from his morning show on June 24, 2005. Garrett remembers eavesdropping with Chapman on conversations at the local coffee shop or the grocery store, trying to get a feel for what people were talking about. And you were supposed to live up to them. By Emily Jimenez, NewsRadio 1080 KRLD. Chapman, who was inducted to the Radio Hall of Fame three times, started his career in 1953the day he graduated from high school, according to his bio on the organization's website. Catch up on the day's news you need to know. His family received condolences from thousands . Wednesday's announcement just made it official, finally. Jody Dean was Chapmans producer at KVIL from 1987 to 1994. When Ron met Nance twenty years ago at a charity telethon, he was immediately struck by her good looks, he says, recalling that he trotted out a bunch of glib compliments before saying, By the way, Im Ron Chapman. Her reply: Oh. The other bold stroke by the founders of KVIL was its attitude toward Dallass sister city, Fort Worth. We play some stuff that cooks pretty good, but there are a lot of songs we wont play at all. Hes right. 2023 Audacy, Inc. ALL RIGHTS RESERVED. Then by the following Tuesday, youre just gone. The man who sat at the top of the hill, a legend in broadcasting. But she never did., Coast to coast, when a radio stationbegins considering a format change, radio insiders say, the list of options goes like this: We could go country. The station is branded as "Alt 103.7" and airs an alternative rock radio format. Ironically, Chapman so dominates the KVIL lineup that the DJs around him seem unremittingly unmemorable. Ron Chapman's radio career began in 1953the day he graduated from high schoolwhen he became a disc jockey at station WHAV/Haverhill, MA. . List Of Coronavirus Testing Sites In Texas, Legendary radio host Ron Chapman has passed away, Featured Image Photo Credit: Courtesy Mitch Carr, Bankman-Fried might use flip phone under stricter bail plan, Woman accused of killing ill husband released from jail, Alaska's arduous Iditarod kicks off with ceremonial start, Snow blankets Northeast as cleanup begins from deadly storm, Civilians flee embattled town as Ukrainian pullout looms. And now, it is no longer.". But what me and Tom Murphy did was put together a morning show for teens, Murphy and Harrigan. The rest, as they say, is history. I wouldnt even park near one. When it comes to his precious radio station, the man is as fiercely protective of his listeners and his formal as a mother sow is of her litter. Robert Wilonsky, Special Contributor. And I think he said, This would be a good time to go to commercial.. Ronald Chapman July 23, 2021 Ronald Monroe Chapman, 77, of Jordan, died peacefully in his sleep at 2:32 am on July 23, 2021 while at home surrounded by his loving family. A man in the hotel found his passport and rushed it to the airport. Dallas most important news stories of the week, delivered to your inbox each Sunday. But there is more to the message than merely commercialized feminism. While many have attempted to imitate his formula, nobodyat least locallyis likely to remotely approach his mastery of it. And then they put me on from midnight to six. Incidentally, the quarterback is the guy behind the center. Then it became Jane Fonda for a while. Chapman returned to the states in 1959, took a radio job in New Haven, Connecticut, and then, when a co-worker landed a job with KLIF in Dallas, Chapman went alongat $175 a week, more than double his Connecticut salary. But off-mike, in what employees call his little Come to Jesus talks, that mouth can get hot enough to melt pig iron. Selden, now an aide at a substance abuse clinic in Tyler, believes that Chapman has accomplished what it took him much longer to do: harness a runaway ego and put it to good use. But telling Brad after 20-plus years how to broadcastDont be talking about blitzes and the nickel defense. And Chapman was being pretty emphatic about it. Yet beneath that amiable exterior lurk hints of a tyrannical ego, of a man well accustomed to his own success story. Chapman joined the staff of KVIL-FM/Dallas-Fort Worth as morning . And we stayed in touch over the years. Jan 3, 2017. Chapman first hit the Dallas airwaves in 1959 on the Mighty KLIF. But its going to be hard to groom someone to replace him when he hogs the limelight and wants all the glory for himself.. The Morning Guys on Y-95. At the end of this, the sergeant looked at Ron and said, What is your job. Chapman was 85 years old. KVIL TIDBITS: Ron Chapman's radio show was simulcast live with video on KXAS-TV as a 30-minute daily program (mid-1970s.). That's a very sad commentary on the times. I'm saddened to tell you that legendary Dallas DJ Ron Chapman has passed away at 85. Chapman's family says there will be no service, but a public gathering of friends and . TYLER, Texas (KLTV) - Longtime radio personality Ron Chapman has died at the age of 85. But she was the problem., Chapman, who says he agonizes over every firing and tries to help the departed financially, told Haley to find another gig by the end of the year, while challenging her to do better: I told her. Im paying you to write! One time, I finally asked him, You seem to like my dancing, but why dont you ever ask me to be one of the dancers? And he said, Well, to be honest, youre too sexy for our show. ", At that age, Fairchild said with a laugh, I didnt really know what he was talking about.. But, quite frankly, we werent real excited about learning it at the time.. #1. According to Tony Garrett. CBS Radio has rebranded 103.7 on Your FM Dial as the Amp, a moniker also bestowed upon energy drinksand vitamins that promise "alean, ripped physique." We dont do that here. In 1968, Chapman joined a team that purchased KVIL-FM, a station known for pioneering the Adult Contemporary (AC) format. Nance (pronounced Nancy), Chapmans wife of three years, is the centerpiece of the home tour. The Right Hand of God is Dallas. This is a secret, but we take a lot of the staff to the big derrick at Six Flags and put them on top. His talent rose above us all. And the little guy loved Coca-Cola. Chapmans radio station has been number one in Dallas. Within three days listeners had sent in more that $240,000. Ron Chapman announced his retirement on 98.7 KLUV at age 69 saying he was retiring from the morning program and going on vacation with his wife Nancy. Chapman thought that was funny. We could go New Age. Thanks a lot, everybody! They were pissed off, and they loved it. FOX 4. We had this little kinkajou honey bear. @RGreggHart : A giant of Dallas-Fort Worth radio, Ron Chapman, has died at 85. From 1965 to 1968, he became Dallas rarefied answer to Dick Clark and American Bandstand, as host of the wildly popular Sumpn Else, a teen dance show carried live from NorthPark Center on WFAA-TV (Channel 8). When he started hosting SumpN Else, I was a kid, and we loved to dance, and I would go over there to dance. This month, after 45 years on the Dallas airwaves, Ron Chapman signs off. He was the Dean of Dallas/Fort Worth Radio spending 31 years hosting the morning show at KVIL, most of those in the number one position. Former Dallas Morning News columnist Robert Wilonsky contributed to this report. Skip to content. For a while, Chapmans career in Dallas was on the stairsteps to oblivion, he recalls. The station would cycle through many owners, all of whom readily admittedthey were really buying Chapman-- "a warm and fuzzy tyrant," D called him in 1989, which he took as compliment. But Chapmans vaunted ego and his famed temper have only enhanced his hold on the Dallas radio market. Between his junior and senior years, he interned at The Washington Post during "the Watergate summer" of 1973. Dale Hansen broadcasted Cowboys games on KVIL. I froze. He loved kids and teenagers and music and all that was happening in the 60s, which was a lot. Suzie Humphreys was Chapmans on-air sidekick on KVIL from 1975 to 1995. Didnt think about it until after I handed the keys back to him. You treat her with respect. The station is branded as "Alt 103.7" and airs an alternative rock radio format. The guiding light in my life, my operational phrase, was: Ill show em. It wasnt angry. The obituary was featured in Dallas Morning News on May 16, 2021. RIP Ron Chapman. His career launched in 1953, the day after he graduated from high school. He remained at KVIL-FM for 32 years, serving as program director, music director, promotion director and morning personality. Suite 2100 I now think about retiring. Especially this woman right here., And Brad says, Well, how about if we start the play and say, The quarterback comes up to the line of scrimmage. After working for two years with the Voice of the United Nations Command in Korea , Chapman moved to Connecticut and station WHNC/New Haven. EYE descending now, deeper into the warmth and coziness; the voice says Yes, my dearest, you are almost home, safe and warm here with me, with us, ELLLLLLLLLvery low and smoky-warm, like embers in the fireplace and sleeping babies in rooms with duckies on the wall, like hearth and home and cows dozing in the barn, and maybe a comforter over your legs on a winter evening, Not too long ago, Ron Chapman received a postcard. He also had a stint on television with the local ABC affiliate, WFAA-TV, where he was featured in the mid-60s on the "Sump'N Else" show. So Chapman is now going to teach Brad and me how we should broadcast a football game to appeal to his target audience women. "But a well-respected punchline," Rhyner said. No sexism, period. Jun 03, 2004 07:18pm. That was the power of Ron Chapman. I was driving an older beat-up Nissan, and my alternator went out one night while on the way to work. KVIL-FM, born in Highland Park on August 25, 1961,died, officially, on Jan. 18, 2017. We used a two-way radio. Chapman, fifty-three, fell over laughing. But I got my bucketful of him a long time ago. Since Chapman is not only essential to ratings but is a key figure in all promotions, contests, personnel matters, etc., he is a general managers worst nightmare. I know something the others havent figured out.. Its a small industry. The individuality, the uniqueness. Our ears are in mourning. And because I drove the yellow van, I could go wherever I wanted to go. Warm and fuzzy was the game plan from the very beginning. And I was going to run faster, work harder, get street-smarter. His rages and abuse must be swallowed whole. Copyright 2023, D Magazine Partners, Inc. We use cookies to ensure that we give you the best experience on our website. Chapmans associates swear that hes a perfect friendas long as you never do anything that might make him mad. And Id walk a mile for an impression., Part of the magic of KVIL is that it is positive and upbeat, even when its poking fun at the news, the politicians, or the Cowboys. Chapman died Monday at the age of 85, the Texas Radio Hall of Fame announced on its Facebook page. So settle down with one of these throws. Everywhere 1 go, the broadcasters are asking me how to do that. This time, the gala planners were prepared; the system had been checked and rechecked by technicians. And the 01 Man on KVIL is still saying, aint this great? He claims more listeners than any DJ in Texas. I noticed that they would feature me dancing a lot on the show. *To hear some classic clips of Chapman from the old KLIF days, go to www.reelradio.com/se and www.historyofklif.com. Ron Chapman set out to claim it. Ron was a longtime morning host at our sister station KVIL 103.7, where he worked with KRLD's Mitch Carr. In 1959, a 23-year-old up-and-coming disc jockey from Haverhill, Mass., took on the role of morning co-host for a . Nobodys going to build monuments or hold big memorial services. He spent 19 years at the Los Angeles Times before returning to Dallas. And this is, like, in the 80s. And yet, he would never ask me to be one of the [featured] dancers. When the drawer becomes filled with bills and change, he bundles it up and sends it to the man. Chapman retired from KVIL in 2000 and moved to KLUV, where he worked until 2005 before retiring again. Dallas-Fort Worth radio legend Ron Chapman has died, officials with his former station KLUV-FM confirmed. For example, co-workers wondered about his habit of dumping all his foreign currency into a drawer when he returns from trips. The radio industry took to social media to reflect on Chapman's life and career. Ron Chapman joined KVIL-FM/Dallas-Fort Worth in 1969 as morning disc jockey, music director, and program director, and stayed there for 31 years. Legendary radio host Ron Chapman has passed away. We tell them, Heres the concept. There was dead air for, like, 10 seconds. We just hit. Not only is he 110 percent fireproof and the goose that laid the golden egg, but he is shadow management, and he must be catered to and appeased. Said a Dallas radio newsman with nearly twenty years in the market, When I left KVIL, my blood pressure dropped by forty points. We edited it out. Im rough to work for. RIP Ron pic.twitter.com . I can give you failure after failure of people whove come on the air in this market and tried to do that. Because of my vast admiration and liking for this protean man, I was shocked beyond dismay when he publicly stated that inviting me to roast him was the worst mistake hed ever made. Catch up on the day's news you need to know. But the thing about it is, ten minutes later, its like it never happened.. (The money was later distributed to local charities.) Go ahead and ask me whatever you want. The kids had to wear coats and ties on the show. . The piece coincided with Chapman's 20th anniversary at KVIL, where, The News noted, "His hyper, happy-talk 'Ron Chapman and the Morning Group' has been the almost-constant No. Each ratings point represents a percentage of the audience market share and is said to be worth about $1.3 million in advertising revenues yearly. Hes now a program director for ABC Dallas radio and an adjunct professor of TV production at the University of North Texas.We did Sumpn Else at NorthPark. . Ive got a speech at the Board of Realtors this morning, and Im getting my hair done., And I said, Hes giving me a real nice blow job., Oh, Lord. Michael Granberry was born and grew up in Dallas. Hell suddenly realize he needs to talk to everybody he knows.. After I left, there were several attempts to be 'the new KVIL,' but KVIL left such an impressive mark on Dallas that they were neverable to shake this old image of its old people there, me being among them.".