Ron Chapman is a dazzlingly entertaining intellect who has refreshed my life for 25 years with his insightful wit and unerring eye for the quixotic vagaries of the human kind. At the end of this, the sergeant looked at Ron and said, What is your job. Legendary radio host Ron Chapman has passed away. Ron Chapman set out to claim it. I love doing the morning show but my bones are beginning to tell me that hitting the ground running at 4:10 every morning is not going to be supported forever by whatever frame that I carry around with me and happy to have served me around for a lot of years but it looks as tho I really need to be taking care of it instead of it taking care of me. Thats what we started doing. He was an actor, known for Dallas Cowboys . He knew exactly what he was going to do and started work reprogramming KVIL in their big studio. Suzie Humphreys was Chapmans on-air sidekick on KVIL from 1975 to 1995. Stevens and Pruett. "In so many ways around here, Chapman was the pioneer, the seer," Rhyner said. Jun 03, 2004 07:18pm. He works on his show twelve, fourteen, sixteen hours a day. And you were supposed to live up to them. CHAPMAN, Ralph Frederick (Ron) Born January 25, 1936, in Newton, MA, Chapman has been heard on the airwaves in the Dallas/Fort Worth area since the 1950s. Please enter valid email address to continue. When the show aired its final broadcast, Chapman played as its swan song Turn! Dean later called it a dream come true. Ron was one of those guys who made this a better place to live.. Since Chapman is not only essential to ratings but is a key figure in all promotions, contests, personnel matters, etc., he is a general managers worst nightmare. I was driving an older beat-up Nissan, and my alternator went out one night while on the way to work. So he and a couple of radio buds ( Hugh Lampman and Jack Schell) got some backers and found a little building on Mockingbird across from the Dallas Country Club, where they launched a station called KVIL. Posted Mon, Apr 26, 2021 at 8:33 pm CT. Dallasites are grieving the death today of deejay Ron Chapman, a man whose voice was a constant companion throughout the Metroplex for more than five . Ron Chapman Death - Obituary, Funeral, Cause Of Death Just heard radio legend Ron Chapman has died. Barnum. Ron Chapman on the State of Radio and Why He'll Never Make a Comeback On the mike, butter wouldnt melt in his mouth. During his 31 years at KVIL, Chapman became famous for his upbeat humor and his participation in outrageous stunts and giveaways. In 1989, KVIL reigned supreme for three consecutive quarters, reaching 10.5 ratings points in the July Arbitrons, 3.1 points ahead of runner-up KSCS. We are very grateful for the care and compassion he. The call letters have been tossed in the dustbin; they no longer serve a purpose. RIP Ron pic.twitter.com . RADIO: Thank You, Ron - D Magazine While Ron was 85 years old at the time of his death, Nance Chapman's age remains a mystery. Ron Chapman has passed away. If Chapman knows just what to say on the air, he also knows what not to blurt out: no jokes that have females as the butt. KVIL wasso named for its original HQ in the Highland Park Village, after Charles Meeks acquired a broadcast license from the feds to open up shop in 1958. Turns out that a few years back, during a race around the world for a promotion, Chapman arrived late at the airportno ticket, no cash, no passport. Bring walking sticks. According to Littauer, Chapmans massive energy manifested itself during his youth in a series of class-clown pranks. His older sister, Florence Littauer, now a motivational speaker, used her seniority to motivate Ralph, teaching him tongue twisters and then persuading him to repeat them for amazed visitors at the store-for a small fee. Hes now a program director for ABC Dallas radio and an adjunct professor of TV production at the University of North Texas.We did Sumpn Else at NorthPark. The Amp is now playing a handful of pop-radio hits, by the likes of Bruno Mars and Taylor Swift and DJ Snake, over and over and over, ad infinitum. "It was what it was when it was. I would hope it would be as someone who elevated the art.. Legendary radio host Ron Chapman has passed away - Audacy Ron Chapman Obituary Kvil Death | Obituary | Ron Chapman Dead | Died | Has Passed Away | Funeral Plans - We are immensely sad . We had several meetings in which we hoped to gain her attention about things we didnt feel were happening correctly on the nighttime show. An announcement in this newspaper heralded his arrival, along with the promise that KVIL would play music that was "always in good taste, but contemporary in all ways" -- a rather unwieldy slogan. In my mind, Chapman continues, I used to picture Mary Tyler Moore. And thats a problem KVIL itself will have to face one of these days. Brings new meaning to the phrase Sunday Funday. Broadcasting great Ron Chapman, who introduced himself to Dallas radio in 1959 under the pseudonym of Irving Harrigan on AM pioneer KLIF, and who elevated his legend after more than 30 years at KVIL-FM and another five at KLUV-FM, died Monday of natural causes. So Chapman is now going to teach Brad and me how we should broadcast a football game to appeal to his target audience women. But back then, you prayed for Vince Lombardi. Ron Chapman Obituary KVIL - - InsideEko.com News Media | Facebook The people who dont understand the program., A recent case in point, says Chapman, was the popular evening jock Lynn Haley, who was dismissed in early August. In 2007, he returned to broadcasting part-time as a substitute for radio legend Paul Harvey. And the 01 Man on KVIL is still saying, aint this great? Ron Chapman Was a Warm and Fuzzy Tyrant - D Magazine And even then they didnt get it. Didnt think about it until after I handed the keys back to him. His career launched in 1953, the day after he graduated from high school. Chapman invited him to come watch the show at some point. But his desire was for you to get the best out of yourself. I once wrote Ron Chapman meant more to Dallas radio than electricity. Dale Hansen broadcasted Cowboys games on KVIL. He was huge in Dallas for decades doing mornings at KVILclick link to learn more. The feature says Chapman and his wife, Nance, had met at a charity telethon in the late sixties and spent decades as platonic friends before both parties . They thought we were going 50 miles. Because shes gonna move up. Here are a few other stories about Chapmans career, told by those who knew and worked with the legend. He was inducted into the Radio Hall of Fame in 2012. Theres a Stevie Wonder song where right in the middle of the song he does this loud, high-pitched scream. He was always very warm and sweet with me and very welcoming, as he was to all the kids. CBS Radio's local market manager Brian Purdy, in announcing the format change, made just a brief nod to the station's past by insisting 103.7 is "not your mother's radio station any more," which hit a little close to home. FACE FOR RADIO: Chapman hosted a popular TV show. Chapman targeted that audience for several reasons, and he lists them the way he says almost everything, with unflappable confidence: a) they are the purse strings; b) there are a lot of them; c) they tend to be very faithful and build an allegiance; and d) they were underserved in this market, and nobody was paying them any respect. 2023 Audacy, Inc. ALL RIGHTS RESERVED. When Ron Chapman, Morning Host of KVIL in Dallas, Texas, asked his listeners back in 1998 to send $20 to the station, they did to the tune of $240,000. Ron Chapman's radio career began in 1953the day he graduated from high schoolwhen he became a disc jockey at station WHAV/Haverhill, MA. In 2000, as radio began to change once again, Chapman moved to KLUV, a Dallas oldies station where he stayed until announcing his retirement in 2005. Ron was a longtime morning host at our sister station KVIL 103.7, where he worked with KRLD's Mitch Carr. The money was donated to charity. We did that to our audience constantly. dallas talk radio hosts - quickglobalexpress.com After 45 years in radio, Ron Chapman retired from his morning show on June 24, 2005. He must know where everything is at all times. Name another program director or air person of any type anywhere in the country who would come in at 11 oclock and cut a promo thats going to run overnight. It wont work for you.. He loved kids and teenagers and music and all that was happening in the 60s, which was a lot. If someone leaves KVIL and wants, a year later, to work for Y-95, and theyve just been in the Dallas Observer calling me a, uh, you -fill- in-the-blanks, well, they know better than to call me for references.. He did not see the humor in it. In terms of logistics and creativity, hes a towering genius. Nance prayed for her. Chapman had a . Chapman was 85 years old. Would Stevie Wonder object if we took it out? Walton and Johnson. But when the chairwoman greeted Chapman in the ballroom, she says, he lit into her. And it was Chapman who ran every single nutty promo in the station's stories history, among them a scavenger hunt that involved hidden tape recorders, secret messages and, eventually, a Braniff International Airways ticket to Hawaii. About all they had were some call letters, and not very good ones at that. Be sure to wear a hat. We dont do that here. In 1969, Chapman joined the staff of KVIL-FM/Dallas-Fort Worth as morning disc jockey, music director, and program director, bringing the "adult contemporary" format to FM radio. Tragedy Info - Ron Chapman Obituary - Death: Ron Chapman | Facebook And then they put me on from midnight to six. But Im serious when I tell you that I learned a great deal from it. When the drawer becomes filled with bills and change, he bundles it up and sends it to the man. "His family asks for time to . They were gonna change owners and he knew the new owner. But hes been trying to play Creative Tension to the point that it became creative chaos. While many have attempted to imitate his formula, nobodyat least locallyis likely to remotely approach his mastery of it. #1. Whatever it took.. And I want you to know that Leonard jerked the plug out from the wall. And Ron has a brand-new sweater. But what me and Tom Murphy did was put together a morning show for teens, Murphy and Harrigan. The rest, as they say, is history. And I do have a good memory. Broadcast Hall of Famer Ron Chapman, Who Began at WHAV in 1953, Dies at 85 Especially this woman right here., And Brad says, Well, how about if we start the play and say, The quarterback comes up to the line of scrimmage. Dallas radio legend Ron Chapman passes away at 85 And because I drove the yellow van, I could go wherever I wanted to go. The program, based on "American Bandstand . Jun 16, 2005. In those days KVIL was so big the Postal . Chapman, who was inducted to the Radio Hall of Fame three times, started his career in 1953the day he graduated from high school, according to his bio on the organization's website. "KVIL was so big, so all-encompassing that you never thought it would go away.". If you continue to use this site we will assume that you are happy with it. Ron Chapman announced his retirement on 98.7 KLUV at age 69 saying he was retiring from the morning program and going on vacation with his wife Nancy. And that means dont do anything to KVIL. He knew you dont talk down to your audience, you speak up to them, and thats when Ron enjoyed his greatest success., Dean added that Chapman helped transform radio in the city into a shining example of what the media can do and should be. The center is the guy who is bending over with the football.. He directed his in more positive directions, into the station and into work.. I can walk faster than most people can run, Chapman once told The Dallas Morning News. Like the time when, in charge of locking away the band instruments in a wire cage, Ralph kept the mouthpiece of the tuba in his pocket. Chapman had done the Charley and Harrigan show on KLIF during the Sixties (Chapman went by Irving Harrigan then) and had hosted Sumpn Else, a low-budget local version of American Bandstand on Channel 8. Id never been in a Cadillac Seville. Ralph Frederick "Ron" Chapman (1936-2021) - Find a Grave The piece coincided with Chapmans 20th anniversary at KVIL, where, The News noted, His hyper, happy-talk Ron Chapman and the Morning Group has been the almost-constant No. Hes now an announcer and does several shows for ABC radio. Copyright 2023, D Magazine Partners, Inc. We use cookies to ensure that we give you the best experience on our website. Ron actually holds up a picture that hed cut out of a JCPenney catalog. And it suddenly became a craze. I froze. Remembering Ron Chapman Vocal Majority - Pure Harmony But KVIL, four letters that decorated 100,000 Dallasites' car bumpers during one notable 1982 promotion,shouldn't be allowed to vanish without a proper eulogy. The radio industry took to social media to reflect on Chapman's life and career. Read our daily updates at 12:30, 2:30 and 4:30 p.m., and our complete obituaries in The Herald-Dispatch on Wednesday and Ron Chapman began his radio career the DAY he graduated high school, hitting the airwaves in his hometown of Haverhill, Massachusetts. And I think he said, This would be a good time to go to commercial.. We had this little kinkajou honey bear. Ron Chapman and Mitch Carr Photo credit Courtesy Mitch Carr. He was born in Pittsburg, in East Texas and was raised in East Dallas -- in the area that is now District 5 -- where he graduated from Thomas Jefferson High School. Hollywood actress Morgan Fairchild first met the radio maestro when she was a student at Lake Highlands High School. "Dallas radio legend Ron Chapman dies at 85. There will be no service, however a "public gathering for friends and colleagues" is being planned at this time. The magic is about to happen, the same magic thats been running nonstop for twenty years. The country was going to get in shape. Here and there, she reveals a snippet about her husband. His rages and abuse must be swallowed whole. Even after he retired, he would call and ask for help, and I was always happy to do it. He served with the Army in South Korea from 1957 to 1959, producing a radio show for Voice of the United Nations Command. But theyll never work hard enough.. Trust me, Chapman didnt laugh at all. Nance (pronounced Nancy), Chapmans wife of three years, is the centerpiece of the home tour. The individuality, the uniqueness. KVIL TIDBITS: Ron Chapman's radio show was simulcast live with video on KXAS-TV as a 30-minute daily program (mid-1970s.). Its on the far back burner, but I think about it. They had no bathtub, no phone, no family car. Hes right. Menu. (Her cohort, Ron Chapman, who clocked more than 45 successful years on local radio and television [including WFAA-TV,] died in 2021.) The things that attracted Marilyn to me in the first place were the things that drove her crazythe drive, the ambition, the living in the eye of the tiger eventually drove her crazy. Did Ron Chapman have a wife? KVIL radio personality's life explored The maddest he ever got at me were those times that I delivered less than the best. Chapman's booming voice is now a shadow of its former self, the result of a stroke suffered just before Christmas in 2012. Mess with Ron and I might become an ape in heat and jump all over you. Nothing to embarrass a woman who is even remotely prudish. Chapman and his morning cohortsSuzy Humphries, Jody Dean, Michael Rey, et al.are saying, in effect. Skip to content. At one point, Chapman broadcast live while skydiving from a plane. Hes now a news anchor for CBS Channel 11 and will replace Chapman on KLUVs morning show. Tuesday afternoon obituary update | Recent News | herald-dispatch.com Nevertheless, she also has to be in between her late '70s and early '80s. 'And with honor I return' - The Northwest Florida Daily News A ratings war is brewing between two oldies stations, and a controversial gadget might decide who wins. This was 1991. No spam, ever. Dallas Radio Icon Ron Chapman Dies at 85 | KLIF-AM Theres gotta be some point at which hes willing to pass the torch. The man who sat at the top of the hill, a legend in broadcasting. He ended up following Chapman at KLUV in 2005. The station would cycle through many owners, all of whom readily admittedthey were really buying Chapman-- "a warm and fuzzy tyrant," D called him in 1989, which he took as compliment. Ron would fairly often show up while I was on the air to go in a studio and record a promo that might run overnight, only to plug something that was going to be on his show. A very happy one. She said, How do you expect me to do a good job after all Ive been through? I said, Thats it, weve been talking too long. A year later, he suffered a stroke. Ron Chapman passed away earlier this week at the age of 85. He also had a stint on television with the local ABC affiliate, WFAA-TV, where he was featured in the mid-60s on the "Sump'N Else" show. And, you know, Im an easy-going guy. Then the man loaned him enough money to buy a ticket. They filmed it. In 1969, he teamed up with local radio men Hugh Lampman and Jack Shell at the newly born KVIL. We could go AOR. It was Chapman who convinced owners to ditch their paltry AM signal and go with its powerful 100,000-watt signal. Talk about a cush gig. Anybody can read, goddammit! When New York-based Infinity Broadcasting bought KVIL a couple of years ago, they paid more than $80 million, the highest amount ever paid for a stand-alone radio station in the U.S. The Zoo crew used to regard KVIL's mushy adult-contemporary playlist as a punchline. RON CHAPMAN ANDERSON - Ronald Ray Chapman, 67, of Anderson, died Wednesday, October 28, 2009 at Rainey Hospice House. Net Worth Inspector Menu. You people dont listen to me, and you are going to lose $100,000 on this auction! When she replied that the auction had never made anywhere near that much, he snapped, Thats why!. Tags. PART OF AUDACY NEWS. Turn! Im absolutely realistic in believing that nobody remembers you, Chapman says. Some 12,000 did, and KVIL donated $240,000 to charity. Im talking to a thirty-year-old female. Dallas, Texas 75201. Chapman first hit the Dallas airwaves in 1959 on the Mighty KLIF. We can't say goodbye to KVIL until its legendary voice Ron Chapman His wife says the best way to get him frantic is to put him in a car without a phone. On April 13 in Las Vegas, Ron Chapman will be inducted into the National Association of Broadcasters' Radio Hall of Fame -- a momentous occasion that comes exactly one month after the Citadel . He was the Dean of Dallas/Fort Worth Radio spending 31 years hosting the morning show at KVIL, most of those in the number one position. Get browser notifications for breaking news, live events, and exclusive reporting. Knowing Ron over the years has been an adventure. Who is KVIL Dallas Radio Personality Ron Chapman? Cause Of Death In 2000, Chapman moved to KLUV/Dallas, an "oldies" station where he stayed until announcing his retirement from radio in 2005. Thats power. You had left "Sump'n Else" and you're still at WFAA directing the church remotes. But you could hear this blow-dryer. A D Magazine feature on Chapman from December 1989, reproduced this week in honour of his life, stated that he had a wife called Nance (pronounced Nancy) Murray, for three years at that point. And its not just the lower-downs, but the higher-ups who have their hands full of Chapman ego. Chapman died Monday at the age of 85, the Texas Radio Hall of Fame announced on its Facebook page. So we hit the air, and Ron got it. Robert Wilonsky on Twitter: "I once wrote Ron Chapman meant more to But, of course, its demise was inevitable, yet another casualty of shifting tastes and platforms; it's sign-off came just two months after Clear Channel dulled The Edge by making it, too, a dull shade of Maroon 5. All great relationships are built on trust . In fact, the jingle was the fastest 45 in the West. It was based on Rons experience with Top 40 radio. Ron has never been much for physical labor, says Littauer, so he stood there nodding and saying, Mm-hmmm and very good, very good, while the sergeant gave jobs to the rest of the men. The winning name was Chief Rain in the Pants.. It was Chapman who gave KVIL its sound in 1969: music foryoung adults who'd grown up listening to him on KLIF. But the laughter was tinged with something like pity. FOX 4. @garycogill : RT @HawkeyeOnAir: I'm saddened to tell you that legendary Dallas DJ Ron Chapman has passed away at 85. April 26, 2021 - TOP INFO GUIDE He's now a news anchor for CBS Channel 11 and will replace Chapman on KLUV's morning show. - Click to. There is no way that Vince Lombardi could coach football in todays world. The station is branded as "Alt 103.7" and airs an alternative rock radio format. The Texas Radio Hall of Fame shared the news of the passing of Dallas radio icon Ron Chapman. Ronald Chapman Obituary (2021) - Jordan, NY - Syracuse Post Standard Chapman maintains that the station turns down huge amounts of revenue from advertisers who are dying to get at his listeners: Massengill, Preparation H, etc. A secretary, yeah, sure, absolutely, but she wont be for long. Warmth, a man who seems to genuinely feel that his biggest contribution to the world is sending his listeners off to work happy and chipper, so that each in her own little way can help make a kinder, gentler Dallas. "And when he left, that was it.". And the guy was the typical model. Chapman is a perfectionist in every way, Nance says. the magic morning man takes a deep breath, raises his index finger before his eyes, and does what Ron Chapman does best: KAY he breathes, low and confiding, in a voice that mirrors the softest, kindest, deepest, afterglow moments of romantic love. Theyll still be telling that story when Chapmans grandkids have carpool duty. But certainly not unrealistic. But Chapman says that the first time Haley went on the air after the deal was struck, She was dreadful. . And we walked around the corner and stopped. Brings new meaning to the phrase Sunday Funday. / CBS Texas. Hey, says Chapman, most people like living here. Says Chapman, Electronically, we dont do much, but we are very conscious of highs. Dallas Cowboys want another playmaker on offense. He said, Well, its something. From 1965 to 1968, Chapman hosted a television dance show for teens called "Sump'N Else." In 1969, he moved to KVIL, where he spent 32 years. And he says, This is your audience. Ill never forget it. When we first went to KVIL to do the Cowboys games, Ron brings Brad Sham and me into his office and starts giving us this big speech on how we should broadcast a football game. Michael Selden, a DJ at KVIL from 1974 to 1979, has gone full circle with Chapman emotionally, from admiration to loathing and back again. Everybody bring your water. For nearly thirteen years, with a few scattered intermissions. Fort Worth was the butt of all the jokes by DJs sitting in Dallas talking about people over in Fort Worth. Radio Hall of Famer Ron Chapman Dies at 85 - People Newspapers Rhyner, co-founder and sage of the sports-talking Ticket, spent the '70s and '80s just down the FM dial from KVIL at KZEW, where the jocks playedhard(ish) rock while Chapman and his band spun cotton candy. Thats reflective of some pretty strong public service. Chapman says. Fifteen years later, this newspaper called it "the800-pound gorilla of Dallas radio," describing Chapman as "not only one of the top DJs in Dallas, but one of the most respected and feared in the country.". He never said anything to me about it. Wednesday's announcement just made it official, finally. Shes divorced, and may have a kid at home that shes sole support for. Among the passengers on a March 4 flight out of Hanoi 45 years ago Sunday at the end of the Vietnam War were three Air Force officers who would eventually settle in Northwest Florida. Late Radio Legend Ron Chapman Changed The Way Dallas Sounded Chapman thought that was funny. Dallas-Fort Worth radio legend Ron Chapman has died, officials with his former station KLUV-FM confirmed. List Of Coronavirus Testing Sites In Texas, Legendary radio host Ron Chapman has passed away, Featured Image Photo Credit: Courtesy Mitch Carr, Bankman-Fried might use flip phone under stricter bail plan, Woman accused of killing ill husband released from jail, Alaska's arduous Iditarod kicks off with ceremonial start, Snow blankets Northeast as cleanup begins from deadly storm, Civilians flee embattled town as Ukrainian pullout looms. Right away, you know two things about her: she has no time to waste, and you dont mess with her. We never worked in the studio together, for 20 years. I dodged flying reels of tape more than once., Later, Dean said, Im sure Ron regretted a great deal of it. The program, based on . Last time I dialed in for any length was the first day of September2000, whenRon Chapman signed off after a 31-year stint as The Voice of KVIL and, by extension,Dallas radio. Turn! Now, its someone I found out of Kim Dawson headshots. Thirty-two of them at the same station. Jason Kidd hopes Mavs star stays patient in preseason play, Spring training cuts are incoming, but these Rangers prospects have impressed in camp. This system is awful. Ron Chapman Net Worth, Age, Height, Weight Thousands showed up. I hand it to Ron, and the little guy hops on Rons shoulder, and when the lights come up, you know, animals react. It was an itty-bitty bear. Ron Chapman Obituary KVIL - Death : DFW Radio Legend Died: Funeral - KVIL and DFW Radio legend, Ron Chapman died aged 85, on April, 26th, 2021, with. But Ive wondered ever since., Herb Kelleher has known Chapman for years. I figure we have her ears, and were the only ones shell let talk to her for the first hour of the day. Selden was the Afternoon Drive DJ at 1190 KLIF at the time when 75% of the teenagers in Dallas were listening. Thats just the wrapper. The slightly bugged eyes turn flat, focused inward. . Dallas Radio Legend Ron Chapman Recovering From A Stroke - Blogger He began by working as a disc jockey for WHAV in Haverhill. This time, the gala planners were prepared; the system had been checked and rechecked by technicians. But KVIL saw a huge, underserved demographic: women listeners between the ages of twenty-five and forty-four account for some 22 percent of the Dallas/Fort Worth radio market. "This has something to do with age. The kids had to wear coats and ties on the show. He spent 19 years at the Los Angeles Times before returning to Dallas. And yet, he would never ask me to be one of the [featured] dancers. Its a small industry. Everyones going to do a 50-mile hike. Consultants studied and copied KVIL, launching dozens of lite-rock imitations across the country. Info. The hand goes higher above his head: VEE higher now, almost pleading as it keens with the anticipation of all the wonderful, warm, cuddly, sensual things to come. Not all of Chapmans career was limited to radio.