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March 28, 2016 8:03 am  #1


Wally Crouter Dies At 92

His son revealed just before 8 AM Monday that longtime CFRB morning man Wally Crouter has died. He was 92. Crouter served as RB's morning man for an amazing 50 years, retiring in 1996 on the exact anniversary of the day he started --November 1, 1946.

'RB was obviously prepared for this day, airing a pre-recorded full obit, complete with clips and interviews seconds after the news was announced, pre-empting the 8 o'clock major. Pre-produced obits are common practice in most newsrooms, but it appears they were expecting this day was near.

It's a story they will own this day, but it's also clear there will never be anyone with that kind of tenure in Toronto radio again.

Last edited by RadioActive (March 28, 2016 8:26 am)

 

March 28, 2016 9:32 am  #2


Re: Wally Crouter Dies At 92

Here's an aircheck of Wally Crouter on CFRB from July 23, 1973:

http://rockradioscrapbook.ca/cfrb-crouter-jul23-73.mp3


"Life without echo is really no life at all." - Dan Ingram
 

March 28, 2016 10:33 am  #3


Re: Wally Crouter Dies At 92

Wally was very kind to me.  He was a 1st class man.  There will never by another like him.  Condolences to Glenn and his brother.

 

March 28, 2016 1:54 pm  #4


Re: Wally Crouter Dies At 92

Wally was a hero to me growing up.  He was always the best!

 

March 28, 2016 3:10 pm  #5


Re: Wally Crouter Dies At 92

Wally was a legend.  Period.   He was a morning guy before mornings were primetime.  More important, he was a very kind man.    I feel lucky to have worked with him.   Condolences to the family.   92 is a great run.

 

March 28, 2016 9:40 pm  #6


Re: Wally Crouter Dies At 92

Exactly.

This showed how Bell feels about heritage.

Garrison, 61, found out his 40-year career at AM 1290 was over after he signed off at 10 a.m. Monday.

“As soon as I got off the air, I was called downstairs” for a meeting with management, he said.

“I was escorted out the door.”

http://www.lfpress.com/2015/11/23/london-radio-host-steve-garrison-loses-job-at-am-1290-as-part-of-bell-media-layoffs

Last edited by Prod Guy (March 28, 2016 9:42 pm)

 

March 28, 2016 10:00 pm  #7


Re: Wally Crouter Dies At 92

I like this quote from Crouter's son Glenn, in the Canadian Press obit. 

"They wanted somebody who could talk. They put him in a studio ... turned the mic on and ... gave him a sharpened pencil and (said), 'Talk for five minutes about the pencil.' They had to cut him off at seven minutes because he kept on going. Then they said, 'You've got the job.'"

By the way, in RB's features on Crouter's passing, they mentioned there were only three radio stations in Toronto when he signed on in 1946. Is this true? And if so, what were they?

RB is obviously one of them, and I'm pretty sure the CBC had an AM outlet then, too.(In fact, CBL-FM went on the air in 1946 with a simulcast of its AM counterpart.) I think that third one may have been CKEY, but I'm not sure. Can anyone here confirm that?

     Thread Starter
 

March 28, 2016 11:55 pm  #8


Re: Wally Crouter Dies At 92

According to the Bill Dulmage pages, in 1946, we had:

CBL-FM (VE9E-FM)
CBL-AM
CFRB
CKEY
CHUM
CJBC (The French CBC -- even back then everyone forgot about them)

I'd hardly call that just 2.
 

 

March 29, 2016 12:15 am  #9


Re: Wally Crouter Dies At 92

"Stop, look and listen before you cross the street.
Use your eyes and use your ears before you use your feet."

Wally gave me that specific advice every weekday morning back before I became a card-carrying CHUM Bug.  Condolences to Glenn who I also knew and to the rest of the family.  To Wally's friends and fans...you have my sympathy.  He sure had loads of great years...and I'm not talking work.

[agree 1000% with ONEIL...except it would have been less than 8 years.]

 

March 29, 2016 9:47 am  #10


Re: Wally Crouter Dies At 92

Regarding CJBC....Not to nit pick with Mr. Dulmage, but my recollection is that CJBC was a CBC English language affiliate until into the 1960's.  I seem to recall that Elwood Glover's broadcasts from the Four Season's hotel on King Street West (near where Lee Valley Tools is now located) first were heard on CJBC, which was part of the CBC' Dominion Network.  I can remember that far back...There was a gradual switch over to French language programming.
=14pxFrom Wikipedia: "CJBC began carrying some French language programming in 1962, initially in the form of a nightly, half-hour newscast at 10 pm. With the closure of the Dominion Network on October 1, 1962, CJBC's French schedule expanded to two hours of programming each evening. The station adopted a French-only schedule when it became a fully fledged Radio-Canada station on October 1, 1964."

 

March 29, 2016 10:01 am  #11


Re: Wally Crouter Dies At 92

I should point out that the annotation of CJBC being a French language was mine, and was incorrect.  At the time, CJBC was indeed an English language station as Dulmage  points out here:

http://www.broadcasting-history.ca/index3.html?url=http%3A//www.broadcasting-history.ca/listings_and_histories/radio/listings.php%3Fpt%3D132%26r%3D343

Clicking on "History" in the section beside CJBC will display the whole page.
 

Last edited by Peter the K (March 29, 2016 10:03 am)

 

March 29, 2016 11:50 am  #12


Re: Wally Crouter Dies At 92

Yes...Uncle Bing did a lunch time kids show there at CJBC when I was a wee lad.  Seems to me that a man named Walter Boles [close?]  read the news adjacent to the noon hour.  I remember there being some connection with Walter to Wingham which my Mom pointed out to me as we had family from Lucknow.  [Still do]

Last edited by Old Codger (March 29, 2016 11:50 am)

 

March 29, 2016 2:05 pm  #13


Re: Wally Crouter Dies At 92

Prod Guy wrote:

Exactly.

This showed how Bell feels about heritage.

Garrison, 61, found out his 40-year career at AM 1290 was over after he signed off at 10 a.m. Monday.

“As soon as I got off the air, I was called downstairs” for a meeting with management, he said.

“I was escorted out the door.”

http://www.lfpress.com/2015/11/23/london-radio-host-steve-garrison-loses-job-at-am-1290-as-part-of-bell-media-layoffs

I hope somebody gave him Lior Samfiru's number.
 


 I am Here, just not all there.
 

March 29, 2016 3:36 pm  #14


Re: Wally Crouter Dies At 92

As long as Bell is not a client of Lior Samfiru, he could use him. 

 

March 29, 2016 7:37 pm  #15


Re: Wally Crouter Dies At 92

Bell can afford the big guns.  They've got Howard Levitt.

But as either Levitt or Samfiru will tell you, your employer can dismiss you for any reason (other than a human rights or pregnancy issue) they want as long as you get sufficient notice.  (under which severance qualifies)  

Actually, on Levitt's show last weekend, they dealt with the issue of letting go of older employees who make more to let younger folks take over at a fraction of the wages.  We've never seen anything like that in radio, have we?  It was actually a very interesting discussion.

 

 

March 30, 2016 9:30 am  #16


Re: Wally Crouter Dies At 92

Regarding Wally's Broadcast career.  Just read about the man.  Read his obit.  He went straight from CHEX in Peterborough to CFRB and stayed at 'RB for 50 years.  Two (2) stations.

 

March 30, 2016 1:47 pm  #17


Re: Wally Crouter Dies At 92

Peter the K wrote:

Bell can afford the big guns.  They've got Howard Levitt.

But as either Levitt or Samfiru will tell you, your employer can dismiss you for any reason (other than a human rights or pregnancy issue) they want as long as you get sufficient notice.  (under which severance qualifies)  

Actually, on Levitt's show last weekend, they dealt with the issue of letting go of older employees who make more to let younger folks take over at a fraction of the wages.  We've never seen anything like that in radio, have we?  It was actually a very interesting discussion.

 

In a roundabout way, I was referring to severance. After 39 years, and He was walked out, I would think He's owed 2 years severance.(According to Lior)
 


 I am Here, just not all there.
 

March 30, 2016 5:58 pm  #18


Re: Wally Crouter Dies At 92

StevieB wrote:

Prod Guy wrote:

Exactly.

This showed how Bell feels about heritage.

Garrison, 61, found out his 40-year career at AM 1290 was over after he signed off at 10 a.m. Monday.

“As soon as I got off the air, I was called downstairs” for a meeting with management, he said.

“I was escorted out the door.”

http://www.lfpress.com/2015/11/23/london-radio-host-steve-garrison-loses-job-at-am-1290-as-part-of-bell-media-layoffs

I hope somebody gave him Lior Samfiru's number.
 

Steve and I have been good friends since we attended high school together starting back in 1969.

He is a very good businessman with loads of contacts...

He will get what he is owed and Bell can be assured of that...

I should also add that Steve was a great admirier and well aware of Wally Crouter and respected Wally's longevity in the biz.
 





 

 

Last edited by unclefester (March 30, 2016 6:40 pm)