Pete Myers
Pete "Mad Daddy" Myers was an American radio DJ. In January 1958, Pete "Mad Daddy" Myers joined WKNR radio in Cleveland, Ohio from WHKK 640 AM in Akron. from WHKK 640 AM in Akron. His "Mad Daddy" persona was later adapted by Ernie Anderson for his "Ghoulardi" character on sister station WJW-TV in 1963. Myers's show was heard nightly from 8 pm to 12:30 am. Myers had a brief but meteoric career at WJW, lasting only until May 13, 1958, when he resigned to go to Metromedia's WHK which was establishing itself as the new Top 40 powerhouse in Cleveland.
WJW enforced a 90-day noncompete clause, and "Mad Daddy" could not be heard on WHK until August 10. To keep his name in front of the public while he was off the air, Myers concocted a publicity stunt on June 14, 1958, parachuting from a Piper Cub 2200 feet over Lake Erie, and composing a poem on his way down.
He was fished out the waters shortly thereafter, and handed out copies of the 45 record "Zorro" to hundreds of fans who greeted him when he got to shore. Some initial reports of the stunt incorrectly stated that Myers did not survive the jump, but they were quickly revised.
"Mad Daddy" reached the peak of his popularity at WHK, hosting record hops and live after-midnight shows dressed in a Dracula costume. In July 1959 he moved to WHK's sister station in New York, WNEW 1130 AM, where "Mad Daddy" was not well received. He played it straight as Pete Myers there until 1963, when he moved to WINS and resumed the "Mad Daddy Show." This show was syndicated to other stations until WINS changed format to all-news in 1965.
As again just Pete Myers, he returned to WNEW once more. Myers lived until October 4, 1968, when he took his own life in New York City, shortly after he had been informed that his show was to be moved from afternoons to evenings at WNEW.[1][2]
- ↑ Cite error: Invalid
<ref>tag; no text was provided for refs namedWJW archives - ↑ Hinkley, David (April 7, 2005). "Man Out of Time: Mad Daddy". New York Daily News via WNEW1130.com. WNEW1130.com. Archived from the original on October 15, 2009. Retrieved January 1, 2007.
