Bill Todd had a radio road map filled with more major stops than almost anyone who ever sat behind a mic. If you listened to radio in the 60s and 70s, chances are good that you heard Bill a.k.a. Johnny Williams, a.k.a. Cat Simon in Trenton (WAAT), Atlantic City (WMID), Philadelphia (WIBG), Boston (WRKO), Los Angeles (KHJ, KMET), Cincinnati (WKRQ), Chicago (WDAI), Houston (KRLY) and San Diego (KPRI). In recent years Bill had a very successful Internet business in Arizona and he told http://www.440.com/ he was planning to retire in 2008. On Sunday, May 13th, 2007 Bill lost his battle with amyotrophic lateral sclerosis (ALS) or Lou Gehrig's Disease...
Bill leaves behind wife Tina and daughters Ashley and Nikki. I knew Bill from our WRKO days when he went by Johnny Williams and we maintained a close relationship throughout the years. He was one of the most positive and spirited people I've ever known. Even at the other end of the phone you could hear that smile in his voice. He was always up - an inspiration to those he reached in his life. He missed radio terribly but was grateful for the life he had. He knew that family and friends always came first. I was grateful for his friendship and will miss him...
Tina Todd doesn't know much about Bill's radio past and has asked me to reach as many people as possible for photos, old air-checks, any memorabilia that you might have. Please send them ASAP to Tina at: 4540 E. Collinwood Dr., Gilbert AZ 85297. Services will be held for Bill Todd on Sunday, May 20, 2007. If you are in the Phoenix area please call Tina (480-988-1467) for information re: funeral plans. You may also sign a guest book by going to http://www.mem.com/ and doing a search for TODD...
Many people have already sent condolences in memory of Bill, including: Mike McCann, Paul Power, Frank Kingston Smith, Roxy Myzal, Dick Summer, Joel Denver, Harvey Mednick, Gene Bolan, Elizabeth Brady and Corinne Baldassano...More on Bill Todd in my Commentary...
Timeline Memories...
- 1866] Nickel and half-dimeing: Congress authorizes minting of the nickel which replaced the 'half-dime'. Does anyone have one of these???
- 1888] The 1st DJ: Contrary to popular belief it wasn't Cousin Brucie. It was Emile Berliner whose voice was heard on the 1st demo of a flat disc...
- 1929] The envelope please: The 1st Academy Awards are presented. "Wings" starring Clara Bow and Gary Cooper is the 'Movie of the year' and Emil Jannings is the 'Best actor' for "The Last Command" and "The Way of Flesh"...
- 1946] Premiered on this date: "Annie Get Your Gun" starring Ethel Merman, who could be heard in Paramus without a mic, opened on Broadway...1965] "Uh-oh Spaghetti-O's" debuts...
- 1957] Basebrawl at The Copa: Bedlam breaks out at the 29th birthday party for Billy Martin with Mickey Mantle, Yogi Berra, Whitey Ford, Johnny Kucks, Hank Bauer and spouses getting into a brawl. Lots of fines were handed out and in 4 weeks Martin is traded to Kansas City...
- 1963] Welcome back: After orbiting the Earth 22 times, Gordon Cooper returns to our planet, ending the Project Mercury space program...
- 1977] Skyline Tragedy: Five people are killed when a New York Airways helicopter topples and dangles over the side of the Pan Am Building, sending the rotor blade flying to the street. That helicopter teetered off the building for months before they were able to get it down...
- 1987] Two legs, going for 3: Alysheba ridden by Chris McCarron duplicates his Kentucky Derby victory by winning the Preakness Stakes. Next stop: The Belmont in June which the horse will lose...
- 1987] P-U: A barge with over 3,000 tons of garbage sets sail from New York Harbor looking for a home. The barge travels 6,000 miles in search of a dump but returns 8 weeks later with the same smelly garbage...1988] Speaking of garbage, The Supreme Court rules that police do not need a search warrant to search discarded garbage. Apparently no one does. Enter the paper shredder...
- 1990] "Happy Trails": Sammy Davis Jr. loses his fight against throat cancer at 64...1990] "Muppet's" creator Jim Henson dies less than 24 hours after being hospitalized with pneumonia. Henson was 53...2002] The remains of kidnapped Wall Street Journal reporter Daniel Pearl, 38, are found and will be returned to his wife...
Music Memories:
- On "The Ed Sullivan Show": 1965] The Beach Boys sing "Help Me Rhonda"...
- Released on this date: 1966] "Pet Sounds" LP - The Beach Boys...
- #1 on this date: 1976] "Silly Love Songs" - Paul McCartney & Wings...
- Moonwalking: 1983] Michael Jackson does the moonwalk on "Motown 25: Yesterday, Today and Forever"...
- Dr. Feelgood: 1980] Dr. George C. Nichopoulous is indicted in Memphis on 14 counts of over prescribing drugs to Elvis Presley, Jerry Lee Lewis and 9 other patients (Ya think???)...
[To ensure accuracy of dates and content, multiple reference sources are used in each timeline]...
Commentary...
This condolence sent by Mike McCann is typical of those I've received for Bill Todd. I'm using it because I think it's quite telling of the person that Bill was: "I never met Bill in person, though we did exchange e-mails over the years. During my time at WMID, he was one of the names always held up by P.D. Gary Lane as 'someone who once sat in the chair you're in'...and got somewhere big.' In his case, P.D. of ABC's Chicago FM, then WDAI. The last time I heard from him, he mentioned that he'd gone into a (direct marketing?) business in Arizona and was, despite years of great memories, happy to put broadcasting in his rear-view mirror. I had no idea he was ill or having health problems. I'm deeply saddened." MM...
"Happy Birthday...happy birthday":
Tori Spelling (34), David ("Bones") Boreanaz (36), Tucker Carlson (38), Janet Jackson (41), Mare Winningham (48), Debra Winger (52), Olga Korbut (52), Pierce Brosnan (55) and Studs Terkel (95)...
Timeline Countdown: 3 days until The Preakness Stakes and 12 days until Memorial Day...
...
