The Real Don Steele TV Show

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=aIs3AnyTCOo

i can dig it,
-mike

 

Cool! I remember all that like it was yesterday.

Don Steele, born Donald S. Revert (April 1, 1936 - August 5, 1997), was one of the most popular disc jockeys in the United States, from the middle of the 1960s until his retirement for health reasons in May 1997. He was often promoted as "The Real Don Steele" to distinguish himself from another DJ with the same name.

Born in Hollywood, California, Steele first became famous as a DJ on radio station KHJ-AM in Los Angeles, where he helped to promote the "ultrahip" top-40 Boss Radio format which began on May 3, 1965. He also appeared on TV in his own programs called Boss City and The Real Don Steele TV Show, a show which ran from 1965 to 1975 on KHJ-TV channel 9 in Los Angeles. When the popularity of AM radio gave way to FM stereo in the 1970s, Steele continued to remain a popular personality at the station. For the remaining years of his life he spent his broadcasting days at Los Angeles's KRTH-FM (K-Earth 101).

He graduated from Hollywood High School, served in the Air Force and then studied at a local radio school before working at stations around L.A. He worked in Kennewick, KIMA Yakima and KXLY Spokane, Washington; KOIL Omaha, Nebraska; KISN Portland, Oregon, and KEWB San Francisco before returning to Los Angeles to work at the All-New KHJ in April of 1965.

In the book "Los Angeles Radio People," Mr. Steele recalled the beginnings of Boss Radio in May, 1965: "We were standing literally at ground zero, then (his radio format) became a huge giant. It was like a mushroom cloud that went up -- heavy on the mushroom."

Mr. Steele was never one to analyze the evolution of rock radio. In a 1995 interview, he insisted, "Look, you take the Motown sound and the British Invasion and you throw in Elvis and Roy Orbison, and you have a music mix that's hard to beat at any time or any place."

"Robert W. Morgan was the first one hired for Boss Radio," KHJ program director Bill Drake said. "He recommended Steele. He flew down from San Francisco. I was a little leery because I had heard he was kind of a crazy man, but it turned out he was very dedicated to his work."

Mr. Steele stayed at KHJ until 1973, then moved on to KIQQ, KTNQ, KRLA, KODJ, KCBS and arrived at KRTH in July 1992. He made his acting debut in ABC-TV's Bewitched, had his own weekly TV dance-party show and appeared in such movies as Death Race 2000, Grand Theft Auto, and Eating Raoul. He starred as "Screamin' Steve Stevens" in Rock 'n' Roll High School, "Rockin' Ricky Rialto" in Gremlins, and in 1996, he played a driver in Tales from the Crypt Presents Bordello of Blood. He recorded commercials, and at one time had a successful, nationally syndicated radio show.

That show, "Live From the 60's", was created by Steele along with friend and contemporary M.G."Machine Gun" Kelly, who D.J'd with Steele in the 70's at 10Q. Live From the 60's was a 3hr program that featured oldies exclusively from the 1960's. Each hour of the show profiled a certain year from that decade. It was written and performed in present tense, and peppered with audio clips of news events, presidential speeches and TV shows that correlated with that particular year. The show ran in syndication, and was marketed to radio stations with an "Oldies" format from 1988 until 1993. Repeats of earlier shows aired in some markets as late as 1996.

"It must be a sad day for Tina Delgado," author-historian Don Barrett said of Mr. Steele's death. Delgado became part of Mr. Steele's afternoon mantra, "Tina Delgado is alive, alive!" Who she was is a mystery he took with him. Not even his wife knew

 

I grew up watching that after school. It was "The groovy Show" before that with Sam Riddle hosting. They had some amazing bands on there. Doors, Carpenters, The New York Dolls etc etc.

 

Was that Farrah Fawcett in the beginning with the blow dryer??

 

Tina Delgado is alive! ALIVE!

Man...I have to wonder how much of that Don Steele show contributed to that classic 'KRP episode where Johnny has his own dance show!

 

Ow man! That took me back to when I was 11 years old! It was especially cool to see the KHJ ID. Man, what memories! I always though The real Don Steele was a Soul Train rip-off, but he was more interesting!

This is the news, and you have just HAD IT!!!

 

I knew I had just seen this name somewhere! I just picked up at Goodwill a 3 disc set from "Live at the 60's" broadcast in 1988 for $.99. I'm listening to the first side now and boy it takes me back. I never listen to the radio anymore and this is like a blast from my youth - terrific The Honeycombs are on now with "Have I The Right", what a wonderful song. It's really neat how they put the news tidbits and commercials in.

 

Thank you for posting that link Diddley! Don was one of the all time great AM radio DJ's. I never knew this show existed before seeing it on YouTube. I guess this program only aired locally in L.A.?

 

Where can I get me a (unreal) Don Steele wig?

 

Hey there:

In the late 60's He used to be down on the beach next to Santa Monica pier. what show was that? and what year? I can still remember going to the beach on Sundays for the show.

 

Don made a few friends in the Pac NW during his run at the various stations, most notably KISN/Portland. He was supposedly partially responsible for getting Portland's Don & the Goodtimes the deal with Dunhill Records. I think it was the flip of "Sweets For My Sweet" that Jim Valley attempts to repay Steele, singing at the end... "the Real Don Steele, noooww..." Radio was something back then. It'll never happen that way again.

Frank G