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WGR's Frank Benny - Great DJ, Lousy Bank Robber
Missed this when it was first published in The Buffalo News in late Feb. - a portrait of the late and great Frank Benny, one of WGR's best jocks during its 70s music days. But it was his bizarre and thankfully temporary foray into bank robbery that nearly sidelined - but didn't end - his career.
I know our former founder, Dale Patterson, was a huge fan. So was I. If you were, too, you'll likely find this article about radio and redemption a fascinating read.
Frank Benny pulls off 'most outstanding comeback' of Buffalo broadcast history
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Re: WGR's Frank Benny - Great DJ, Lousy Bank Robber
RadioActive wrote:
Missed this when it was first published in The Buffalo News in late Feb. - a portrait of the late and great Frank Benny, one of WGR's best jocks during its 70s music days. But it was his bizarre and thankfully temporary foray into bank robbery that nearly sidelined - but didn't end - his career.
I know our former founder, Dale Patterson, was a huge fan. So was I. If you were, too, you'll likely find this article about radio and redemption a fascinating read.
Frank Benny pulls off 'most outstanding comeback' of Buffalo broadcast history
Thanks for posting that. Never knew the true story behind it.
Here's a little bit of Frank Benny on 'GR from March 3, 1979:
Last edited by Dale Patterson (March 15, 2016 12:47 pm)
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Re: WGR's Frank Benny - Great DJ, Lousy Bank Robber
Can you imagine the reaction today on social media to Benny The Bank Robber? I'm betting the guy would have been hounded out of the business. Not to mention what the other stations in a shock jock era would have said about it, instead of giving it a subtle pass as the local TV outlets did.
He never did anything like it again, and was able to resume a remarkable career that entertained thousands for decades. He's gone now, of course but he was extremely lucky it happened back then and not now. The Internet is great for a lot of things. Forgiveness isn't one of them.
Last edited by RadioActive (March 16, 2016 1:03 am)
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Thread Starter- Fitz
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Re: WGR's Frank Benny - Great DJ, Lousy Bank Robber
Buffalo has had a a number of such broadcasters and if memory serves me right Humble Harv Moore was charged with murder and also made a comeback..I remember him mainly from Oldies 104 but he worked at various Buffalo stations and I think is still working somewhere in the market. He also worked in LA and other markets.
Then there was the infamous Bob Allen and his take-over of WUWU FM. , He went on a on-air rant and I have mentioned this before on the old board, I called him up while he was playing music that night and it was somewhat surreal. Anyway a while ago I stumbled across a site that actually has some audio of that night. There's some speed issues with the audio and there's no longer any accompanying information with the clip but I think there was before.
WUWU Take-Over
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Re: WGR's Frank Benny - Great DJ, Lousy Bank Robber
Buffalo has had a a number of such broadcasters and if memory serves me right Humble Harv Moore was charged with murder and also made a comeback..I remember him mainly from Oldies 104 but he worked at various Buffalo stations and I think is still working somewhere in the market. He also worked in LA and other markets.
Then there was the infamous Bob Allen and his take-over of WUWU FM. , He went on a on-air rant and I have mentioned this before on the old board, I called him up while he was playing music that night and it was somewhat surreal. Anyway a while ago I stumbled across a site that actually has some audio of that night. There's some speed issues with the audio and there's no longer any accompanying information with the clip but I think there was before.
WUWU Take-Over
That was Humble Harv Miller of KHJ fame. Different person.
Last edited by Dale Patterson (March 16, 2016 8:33 am)
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Re: WGR's Frank Benny - Great DJ, Lousy Bank Robber
The way I heard the story was that the PD at 55 WGR Buffalo had to deal with the newspaper headlines: "Morning Man Robs Bank": "Morning Man Arrested". "Morning Man Convicted"
...and fixed it by moving Benny to afternoons.
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Re: WGR's Frank Benny - Great DJ, Lousy Bank Robber
That was Humble Harv Miller of KHJ fame. Different person.
Sorry I had the wrong Humble Harv. Apologies to Harv Moore and shoddy on my part not to re-check my memory
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