Wednesday, April 26, 2017
The Writing on the Screen
I believe that there are "clues" along the way in this earthly journey as to who, or what, the future may hold for us.
There is nothing original about that statement, but my lunch the other day with an old friend and colleague reminded me of that.
I knew his name long before I knew him because during the 1950s, my Sunday afternoons in the Fall were largely taken up by Washington Redskin football on TV. And at the end of each game, there was a credit slide that read, PRODUCED AND DIRECTED BY JIM SILMAN.
I believe the word "Invented" or something like that should have been in there somewhere, because at that time there were no guidelines or standards regarding how football games should be "covered" on TV. Silman was one of those TV Directors "creating the art...as they did it."
Those Redskin's broadcasts were the first ever professional football games broadcast on a regular basis. And, as often happens, the "pioneer's" efforts are often never surpassed.
Fast forward about 10 years to my home in Charlotte where I had just returned from a week's vacation from my job at WSOC-TV, much of which I had spent "auditioning" at a couple of TV stations hoping for a career move to a larger market. The phone rang
There is nothing original about that statement, but my lunch the other day with an old friend and colleague reminded me of that.
I knew his name long before I knew him because during the 1950s, my Sunday afternoons in the Fall were largely taken up by Washington Redskin football on TV. And at the end of each game, there was a credit slide that read, PRODUCED AND DIRECTED BY JIM SILMAN.
I believe the word "Invented" or something like that should have been in there somewhere, because at that time there were no guidelines or standards regarding how football games should be "covered" on TV. Silman was one of those TV Directors "creating the art...as they did it."
Those Redskin's broadcasts were the first ever professional football games broadcast on a regular basis. And, as often happens, the "pioneer's" efforts are often never surpassed.
Fast forward about 10 years to my home in Charlotte where I had just returned from a week's vacation from my job at WSOC-TV, much of which I had spent "auditioning" at a couple of TV stations hoping for a career move to a larger market. The phone rang
around 10 o'clock that beautiful morning in May....and it was long distance...from Washington
My life was about to change forever.
The voice at the other end explained that he was a Vice President of one of the stations for which I had just "auditioned,' Channel 9 (WTOP_TV) and that he was offering me a full time announcer's job beginning as soon as I could move up to the Washington area.
I was in Heaven! It had been my ambition to work at that specific station since my high school days! The station I had visited while on tour of Washington in 1954 as a wide eyed senior at old CHS.
"And what is your name again?"
"Jim Silman," he replied.
That was the beginning of my 10 year career as an announcer/personality at the CBS outlet in Washington working closely with Jim. Those years were the highlight of my broadcasting career. Jim introduced me to his boss, who was a man named George Hartford who had a daughter who later became the love of my life, as my wife and Mother of our three children.
Silman and my careers at WTOP-TV ended about the same time 10 years later when the station completely changed management and its focus. and shortly thereafter, their Call Letters. We both went in different directions, but to this day stay in touch and remain friends.
Good Friends. the best kind...Old Ones.
-Ed
My life was about to change forever.
The voice at the other end explained that he was a Vice President of one of the stations for which I had just "auditioned,' Channel 9 (WTOP_TV) and that he was offering me a full time announcer's job beginning as soon as I could move up to the Washington area.
I was in Heaven! It had been my ambition to work at that specific station since my high school days! The station I had visited while on tour of Washington in 1954 as a wide eyed senior at old CHS.
"And what is your name again?"
"Jim Silman," he replied.
That was the beginning of my 10 year career as an announcer/personality at the CBS outlet in Washington working closely with Jim. Those years were the highlight of my broadcasting career. Jim introduced me to his boss, who was a man named George Hartford who had a daughter who later became the love of my life, as my wife and Mother of our three children.
Silman and my careers at WTOP-TV ended about the same time 10 years later when the station completely changed management and its focus. and shortly thereafter, their Call Letters. We both went in different directions, but to this day stay in touch and remain friends.
Good Friends. the best kind...Old Ones.
-Ed
