WKIS-AM 740 Orlando

History Of Call Letters and Formats:	WORZ-1947-Pop
	WKIS-1958-Adult Contemporary
	WKIS-1971-MOR/Contemporary
	WKIS-1973-Pop/Standard MOR
	WKIS-1975-MOR
	WKIS-1979-News/Talk "NewsTalk 74"
	WWNZ-1988-News/Talk "740 Wins"

WKIS Personalities

Bob Andrews-1959-Program Director-Central Florida Broadcasting Co. *Biography* In Memory
Happy Ison-1959-News Director/Special Events Director-Central Florida Broadcasting Co. In Memory
Ray Olech-1959-Farm Director-Central Florida Broadcasting Co.
Edith Entee-1959-Women's Director-Central Florida Broadcasting Co.
Glenn Smith-1963-Program Director-Central Florida Broadcasting Co.
Don McWhorter-1963-News Director-Central Florida Broadcasting Co.
Russ Wheeler-1966-1969-KIS, Inc./1972-1975-Mornings- *Biography*
Joe Francis-1966-Program Director-KIS, Inc.
Roy Scott-1966-News Director-KIS, Inc.
Steve Thompson-1968-News Director-KIS, Inc.
Bob Arel-1968-Sports Director-KIS, Inc.
Pat Flynn-1970-1975-News-In an email from Pat he tells us about his time at WKIS. "...I did news at WKIS around 1970-1975 during the Gene Burns era. When I was in college at UCF, 69-73, I worked at WWQS (FM 105.1) doing classical music during the week, then news on weekends at "KIS". After a couple of years of that, I left *"QS"* and worked fulltime at "KIS". I continued at "KIS", after college, until January 1975 at which time I moved to Houston and went to law school. I have been practicing labor & employment law here in Houston since 1977
Doris Ashwell-1970-1976-Talk show host-KIS, Inc. Biography Doris with Larry Shannon* (Roberts) and Larry King (Bessler) on the WKIS mid-day show.*
Buddy Pittman-1971-Weekends-Susquehanna Radio *Biography*
Jim Boynton-1971-Program Director-KIS, Inc.
Gene Burns-1971-1985-1971-Operations Manager/1975-Assistant Manager -Susquehanna Broadcasting Biography Interview with Radio Phenomenon Gene Burns
Jack Murphy-1971-Program Director-Susquehanna Broadcasting
Larry Shannon (Larry Roberts)-1971-1974-Afternoons/1973-Program Director-Susquehanna Broadcasting *Biography*
Cal Rains-1971-News Director-Susquehanna Broadcasting
Jim Philips-1972-1986 *Biography*
Frank Reed-1972-Air Personality/1973-Music Director-Susquehanna Broadcasting *Biography*
Jerry Gordon-1972-1978-Middays/Afternoon Drive-Susquehanna Broadcasting Jerry was also the voice of Disney for ten years.
Dave Arlington (David Swerdloff)-1972-1973-"KIS All Night Show"-Susquehanna Broadcasting
Richard King-1973-News Director-Susquehanna Broadcasting
Stan Savran (Stan Savransky)-1973-1976-Sports Director-Susquehanna Broadcasting Stan did a Sports talk show on Sunday nights from 6PM-9PM/Sports and news on the morning show with Russ Wheeler. Stan also did play by play for the Florida Blazers of the World Football League the one season they were in existence in 1974.
Wayne Deschambeau-1972-1976-Midnight-6AM-Saturdays/producer/engineer for "Sports Wrap740"/1973-High school football/1974-Traveling producer with Stan Savran and Mick Andrews for the Blazers network
Pete Forgione-1973-Mid-days/1979-Program Director-Susquehanna Broadcasting *Biography*
Mark McKibben-1974-1977-Susquehanna Broadcasting From Mark's email: "...I started out doing the all night show. After a couple of years on air, I shifted over to become Gene Burns' engineer. In the spring of 1977, we worked 90 straight days without a day off to help boost the station's ratings during the sweeps. Bob Poe was Gene's producer in those days. He later went on to become the GM. I enjoyed working with Gene tremendously. He is a fantastic talk show host. We were a great team. We used to celebrate from time-to-time at Freddie's Steak House in Fern Park. Gene loved good food and he taught me a lot about wine. Another person that helped make WKIS successful was John Loving. John was the Chief Engineer of the station and he became my mentor. It's because of John that I was able to make the transition to engineering. I left WKIS in 1977 to work as Chief Engineer of WRMF-FM 98.1 in Titusville. I was only there about a year and then moved to WPLP-AM 570 in Pinellas Park. While at WPLP, I was "discovered" by Ray Rask of the Mutual Broadcasting System. I moved to Washington in 1979 and took over as the "Assistant Director of Satellite and Corporate Engineering."
Steve Mitchell-1974-1975-Weekends/Fill-in-Susquehanna Broadcasting Steve Mitchell with Guests Shari Lewis and Kirby "Sky King" Grant-1974 Courtesy of Steve Schiffman
Buzz Lawrence-1974-Program Director. From Steve (Mitchell) Schiffman; "...His sign off was: "Buzz Off, Kiss On". I heard that Buzz died sometime after leaving WKIS-radio ("Open the door, to '74, Orlando) From Wayne Deschambeau "...Buzz left WKIS and passed away within a year after leaving the station, from melanoma. He had developed a small growth on his face that appeared shortly before he left Orlando ."
Rod Hemphill-1974-1979-News Director-Susquehanna Broadcasting
Steve Kane-1977-Susquehanna Broadcasting Steve was a theater arts professor at Rollins College when he began as a fill-in host at WKIS in 1977. He eventually took over late nights. His program called "Talk About Life Klub" (T.A.L.K.) card carrying members would meet at the Golden Corral restaurant. He would leave WKIS and take his program to WLOF-AM 950. Today Steve Kane is heard on South Florida radio.
Pancho O'Hara-(Chico Ramos)-1977-1978, 1979-1984--Susquehanna Broadcasting Pancho was a regular caller to local talk shows in Orlando. He was a gardener and painter by trade. WKIS found him so entertaining (or obnoxious) they offered him a job. Part of an email from Pancho. "...I was hired by Gene Burns (one of the greatest talk hosts in the biz) in February of 1977. In July of 1978 I was fired for being " irresponsible" saying things that offended "minority groups." All I said, was "some minority folks are too pushy" and I meant it. Then in Jan 1979, I was rehired. I lasted until 1984 or so, before Jim Philips was hired to replace Dick Norman a helluva nice guy who died while trying to leave a convenience store in Tampa..."
Darrel Douglas-1977
Roger Stallard-1978-1981-Midnight-6AM/Program Director-Susquehanna Broadcasting *Biography*
Don Gould-1979-Afternoon Drive News Anchor-Susquehanna Broadcasting Biography
Clive Thomas-1980-1993-Susquehanna Broadcasting/Guy Gannett Broadcasting *Biography*
Shelton Adams-1980-Susquehanna Broadcasting Adams was an Orlando city councilman, who lost the 1980 Mayoral election to then Mayor, Bill Frederick (Frederick was Orlando's Mayor from 1980 to 1992)
Pat Flannagan-1980-Pioneer female talk host-Susquehanna Broadcasting
Bob James-1982-"The Real Bob James"--Susquehanna Broadcasting Bob came to Orlando from WGAR in Cleveland (where he left in 1979). Prior to his stop at WKIS he was involved in production work and wrote for TV's "Entertainment Tonight". He also did some acting with small roles in *"The Deer Hunter"* and "Those Lips, Those Eyes". Bob replaced Steve Cannon. Bob is currently a professor of broadcast journalism at Middle Tennessee State University.
Harry Cup (Michael Christian)-1982-7PM-11PM-Susquehanna Broadcasting *Biography* Harry's program would go statewide in 1983 on the Florida Radio Network. FRN was owned by WKIS' parent company. Cup was heard from 7-11PM on; WKIS, WIPC-AM 1280, Winter Haven, WEZY-AM 1350, Lakeland, WNDB-AM 1150, Daytona Beach, and WWFL-AM 1340, Clermont In Memory
Wayne Trout-1983-1990-News Director-Susquehanna Broadcasting *Biography In Memory* Wayne on George W. Bush

Dick Norman-1984-9AM-Noon/3PM-6PM /Operations Manager-Susquehanna Broadcasting Biography In Memory

Dr. Marilyn Mason-1984-1985-"Practical Psychology"-Noon-2PM--Susquehanna Broadcasting
Dr. Mason began a similar radio-psychology in 1980 at KSTP-AM in Minneapolis. Her commitment to psychology stemmed from a tragedy. Mason's husband, a student at the University of Texas at Austin, was killed in 1966 by Charles Whitman, the student who climbed into the University of Texas tower and began a shooting rampage that killed 15 and wounded 31.

Chris Russo-1984-1987-"Sports Talk"-6PM-8PM-Susquehanna Broadcasting
Chris graduated from Rollins College in Winter Park in 1982. Before Orlando he worked at WEXI and WOKV in Jacksonville. Chris would move to WMCA-AM 570 in New York in 1987. Now known as the "Mad Dog" on WFAN-AM 640 in New York City. Biography

8-14-08-After 19 years at WFAN-AM 660, New York, Chris leaves and joins Sirius/XM Satellite radio

Leslie Brewington-1986-Producer for Clive Thomas-Susquehanna Broadcasting Biography

Gary Van Allen (Gary Warne)-1986-Production Director-Susquehanna Broadcasting

Craig Eicher-1987-1991-Overnights/Weekday Anchor/Reporter-Susquehanna Broadcasting Craig became a news reporter/anchor at Channel 6, Orlando for ten years.

Jeff Allen (Cassell)-1982-1987 Biography

Lynn Levine-1986 (Moira of the "Philips Phile" on WTKS-FM 104.1) News anchor and host of “At Your Service” from 1 p.m. to 3 p.m. Lynn also co-hosted the Morning News on WWNZ-AM 740 with Wayne Trout in 1988.

Program Director Kaye Barone made Lynn the host of "At Your Service". Lynn had been a "street reporter".

Bud Brewer Biography

Don Smith Biography

Carole Nelson Biography

Hal Murray

Tony Gerard

Sandy Bernard-8PM to Midnight

Frank Vaught-Sports In Memory

Lon Wagner

Peter Rocchio-Peter is an attorney and gourmet chef

Larry (Bessler) King-Production In Memory

Ken Presti-Reporter late 90's

Winnifred King-News

Kathy Putnam

John Anthony-Morning sports

Barbara McClure-overnight news late 90s

Harvey Doyle-Production

Dave Lawrence-Overnights

Dan Tressler

Mike Schiano Biography

Patricia Madden

Linda Coleman

Adrian Charles

Jay Jeffries (Jeff D'Aurora)-4PM-7PM

Clay Daniels-9AM-Noon In Memory

Tom Haley-Noon-4PM Biography

Sam Gilkey

Jim Boynton-Mid-days/Program Director

Dave Elliott

Bev Smith

Al Dunaway-6AM-9AM

Michael Cooper-Sports

Tom McCloud (Tom Locke)-Pilot "Sky One" traffic plane

    WKIS beer
thanks to Dick Camnitz

Pat Beale-News

Mike Ruble-Producer

Myron Stein-"The Auto Doctor"-Saturdays-10AM-Noon

Peter Lane-"Wine Line"-Saturdays-2PM- 3PM

Greg Galloway-1974-1975 Biography

Gene Witt-1983-1986-"Skywatch 1" Traffic Plane Pilot-Susquehanna Broadcasting Biography

Gina Jordan Biography

Steve Hall-Sports

Lee Moss "The Country Hoss"

Lee Hillyard-News

Sal Tamburo-Gardening expert. Regular guest on the Doris Ashwell show.

Tom McCubbin-Gardening expert. Regular guest on the Doris Ashwell show.

Win Pendleton-Author and lecturer known as "The Sage of Windermere". Regular guest on the Doris Ashwell show

Steve Biro-News

Max Johnson-News

Carolyn Devonshire-News

Wolfman Jack and Pancho share a laugh
courtesy of Dan Robertson

NBC's Monitor listen to the Monitor beacon

Chuck Harder-"For The People"

Sally Jesse-Raphael (NBC TalkNet)

Jim Bohannon

Robert Vincent Sims-"The Garden Rebel"

Jack Nelson-"Dollars and Sense"

Tom Olson-1988-"Olson on the Law"

When Radio Was

Dining Around-Saturdays-Noon-2Pm-Hosted by Gene Burns and alternately, Peter Rocchio

                  Click for full sized view                                          Click for full sized view
                Pete Simonson sends along this photo of Frank Reed and Larry Shannon at Disney's Grad night
                                                  and a promo for the Russ Wheeler morning show

This full page ad appeared in the Orlando Sentinel Star on April 14, 1978 celebrating the 30th anniversary. It was more the anniversary of the frequency because the call letters WKIS were new to the station in the 1960's. The party was held at the "Rainbow Ranch".

Thanks to Jeff D'Aurora for the photo

Click photo for full sized view

This building on Winter Garden Road was built to house WORZ-AM 740, WORZ-FM 100.3 as well as a planned TV studio as WORZ was granted a license to transmit on channel 9. Seems they ran out of money and channel 9 became WLOF TV. The area in the back of the station which housed the Sales dept. was to be the TV studio

                                                 Click photo for full sized view
                                            Thanks to Jeff D'Aurora for the photo

WKIS QSL Card-Larry Fleegle.jpg (36163 bytes)

Larry Flegle sends along a QSL card from WKIS in 1972
Click photo for full sized view

Owner(s):	1947-Central Florida Broadcasting Co.
	1966-KIS, Inc.
	1971-Susquehanna Broadcasting Co.
	1988-Guy Gannett Broadcasting
	1994-Paxson Broadcasting
	1997-Clear Channel Communications
	2007-Aloha Station Trust, LLC, as Trustee
	2008-Clear Channel Communications

Bill Bauman *Biography*
Alan Spector	70's Bumper sticker Courtesy of Pete Simonson
Terry Deck-News
Left to right; Pat Beale, Wolfman Jack and Dan Robertson courtesy of Dan Robertson

	Associated Press
	Mutual Broadcasting System
	Keystone Broadcasting