The Southern Ontario/WNY Radio-TV Forum » An Amazing CKEY Artifact You've Never Seen Before

RadioActive · November 5, 2023 12:30 pm

A good friend of mine (not into radio at all beyond being a listener) sent me this, saying he'd just "found it." He didn't say where.

I'm curious about the date. If I had to guess, it looks like it might have come out in 1963, shortly after the legendary Al Boliska left CHUM for CKEY. But it's a pretty amazing little bit of Toronto radio history, either way.

Last edited by RadioActive (November 5, 2023 12:30 pm)

RadioActive · November 5, 2023 2:19 pm

By the way, I believe Al Boliska is sort of the Holy Grail of Toronto radio aircheck collectors. Despite his fame and the impression he made on listeners at two of the city's biggest early rock stations, there are almost no samples of his on-air work to be found anywhere.

I believe there's a pre-taped hour-long noon show he did for CHUM in 1958, in which he put in as little effort as possible and failed to capture any of what made him so famous in the market. But as for his morning shows - which led to his stardom here - somehow no one thought to tape or keep even a single bit of it for posterity.

I believe there are collectors looking for any evidence of his regular daytime work, but so far they've all been disappointed.

I wonder if CHCH still has a tape somewhere of the TV gig he did for them back in 1969. I'd love to see what that was like.

Radiowiz · November 5, 2023 2:27 pm

How old would Al be if he were alive today?

Dale Patterson · November 5, 2023 3:29 pm

Radiowiz wrote:
How old would Al be if he were alive today?

He would be 91.

Boliska died April 7, 1972, the day before his 40th birthday.

Doug Thompson · November 5, 2023 4:29 pm

That hour show RA, was Boliska's noon to 1PM show on CHUM that he inherited when he first started in the fall of 1957 when Josh King's country hour went bye-by. Al hated doing that noon show and begged and pleaded to not have to do it. Eventually, Allan Slaight relented, but that was part of the resentment Boliska felt about CHUM.

That Boliska CKEY testimonial appeared on at least one, but maybe more CKEY charts in late '63/early '64 if I recall and probably was a newspaper ad as well.

In the early '60's, Boliska was the host of a weekly local CBC half hour show (on then CBLT) called "On The Scene". It was one of the first Canadian shows to use video tape. Not sure if CBC has any of those shows in their massive archive.

Last edited by Doug Thompson (November 5, 2023 4:30 pm)

RadioActive · November 5, 2023 4:33 pm

I guess I was too young to hear Boliska, because outside of that one not very compelling aircheck, I can't remember ever hearing him on air. Too bad. There's such a legend grown around the guy, I would love to know what he sounded like at his peak.

So I guess unless someone cleans out their basement or attic one day and finds a real gem (or in this case a "reel" gem) that's been hidden away for decades, those of us who missed him will never know.

RadioActive · November 5, 2023 4:37 pm

Dale Patterson wrote:
Radiowiz wrote:
How old would Al be if he were alive today?
He would be 91.

Boliska died April 7, 1972, the day before his 40th birthday.

RadioActive · November 5, 2023 4:44 pm

He tried (and at least partly succeeded) in syndicating his trademark "World's Worst Jokes" to stations around the world.

It looks like he was doing this out of his house. Here's what 12 Hammok Crescent looks like today. It's in the Steeles and Bayview area.

RadioActive · November 5, 2023 5:03 pm

Turns out at least one other thing has survived. But beware. As implied in the title, these really are some awfully unfunny jokes.

Jody Thornton · November 5, 2023 5:17 pm

Apparently we share the same birthday (except mine is 1970).

I have those recordings somewhere. Certainly one facepalm after another.

RadioActive · November 5, 2023 7:02 pm

Doug Thompson wrote:
That hour show RA, was Boliska's noon to 1PM show on CHUM that he inherited when he first started in the fall of 1957 when Josh King's country hour went bye-by. Al hated doing that noon show and begged and pleaded to not have to do it. Eventually, Allan Slaight relented, but that was part of the resentment Boliska felt about CHUM.

That Boliska CKEY testimonial appeared on at least one, but maybe more CKEY charts in late '63/early '64 if I recall and probably was a newspaper ad as well.

In the early '60's, Boliska was the host of a weekly local CBC half hour show (on then CBLT) called "On The Scene". It was one of the first Canadian shows to use video tape. Not sure if CBC has any of those shows in their massive archive.

How is it that none of his moning stuff survived? He was on the air at CHUM for what, five years and then CKEY after that? And there's nothing beyond that one inferior tape? Given his fame at the time, it seems unbelievable to me that all of it has been lost to history. A real shame.

RadioAaron · November 5, 2023 7:08 pm

That is a rough 39.

RadioActive wrote:
Dale Patterson wrote:
Radiowiz wrote:
How old would Al be if he were alive today?
He would be 91.

Boliska died April 7, 1972, the day before his 40th birthday.

RadioActive · November 5, 2023 8:43 pm

Thirty-nine is way too soon. The obit above says the cause of death wasn't known, but I believe it was a heart attack. I'm not sure what his lifestyle was, but who succumbs to a cardiac event that young? Very sad, but he accomplished more in those near-40 years than others do in an entire career.

RadioAaron · November 5, 2023 8:54 pm

RadioActive wrote:
Thirty-nine is way too soon. The obit above says the cause of death wasn't known, but I believe it was a heart attack. I'm not sure what his lifestyle was, but who succumbs to a cardiac event that young? Very sad, but he accomplished more in those near-40 years than others do in an entire career.

Alcohol and cocaine.

RadioActive · November 6, 2023 6:15 pm

SOWNY member AlbertaBoy4Life was kind enough to send along this rare article from The Calgary Herald dated Sept. 8, 1973, after Boliska passed away. It details what happened to his collection of the World's Worst Jokes and explains how he died without a lot of money, despite all those years working mornings for CHUM, CKEY as well as in Montreal and other markets.

Thanks for the extra info AB4L. It's sad but really interesting.

Doug Thompson · November 6, 2023 7:21 pm

Boliska would have been making no more than $14,000. at CHUM. CKEY took him up to around $25,000. CKEY seriously wanted to hurt CHUM, but Boliska's audience stayed with CHUM and Jungle Jay. Dave Mickie at CKEY worried CHUM management much more than Boliska's leaving ever did. Had Dave stayed, he really would have hurt CHUM's ratings, certainly at night.

By the way, we have Boliska's World Worst Jokes files and archives at the Canadian Broadcast Museum Foundation. They had been with Don Cullen and when he died, our mutual friend Bud O'Reilly suggested the Museum would be the best place for them.