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Former CHUM Newsman J.J. Richards Gone At 88
I was glancing through the obits in the Star Saturday, when I came across the name James Joseph Richards.
It took me a second to realize this was the same J.J. Richards who worked at a number of Toronto stations during a lengthy career, most notably in the CHUM newsroom. He was at 1050 from 1957-1964, and followed up at CFTO and CBC Toronto, before moving out west and having a successful career as, among other things, the News Director of CFUN Vancouver for 18 years.
He won a ton of awards during an amazing career that lasted 50 years.
He passed away on June 30th in Rancho Mirage, California, where he retired a number of years ago.
J.J. Richards, one of the CHUM originals, was 88.
Toronto Star obit
Pugetsoundradio.ca obit
- Doug Thompson
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Re: Former CHUM Newsman J.J. Richards Gone At 88
J.J. Richards was already at CHUM when I started there in February of 1965. He had had a stage act with CHUM's Promotion Director Allen Farrell in Edmonton before they both came to CHUM in the late 1950's. J.J. was a jack-of-all-trades - a highly respected newsman and a weekend fill-in DJ. He also hosted "CHUM Steps Out" when the station used to broadcast live music from across Toronto. As a board op, I operated for J.J. quite a few times on weekend shows. Very wry wit. He used to call himself the 'Arabian Fabian' on the air.. Here's a photo from the CHUM Archives from 1959 with J.J. and morning man Al Boliska in a Toronto soap box derby. 
Last edited by Doug Thompson (July 8, 2018 12:18 pm)
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