WMPT Staff, The Early Years

Before I start, thanks for the many kind comments I have received so far about this BLOG, to me it is a labor of love to write this and bring back some great memories to myself as well as you.
With that said let’s look at the staff of WMPT over the early years, now I must admit I am only going to take it as far as 1978 in later editions, when I went to operate the station in Canton.
I mentioned some of the staff in my first entries, but maybe I can expand on them a bit more as I go along:
Kerby Confer: Kerby was a young man, like most of WMPT’s D.J.’s when he hosted the Night Train Show. I first met Kerby when he was dating the best friend of my parents landlords daughter. Confused? Kerby left the Williamsport market and wound up in Maryland where he got together with Paul Rothfuss in a few years, they bought a station and turned it into a pretty good radio property, eventually selling it and buying others. At one time they owned WLYC WILQ.
Paul Rothfus: Paul was the softer spoken of the two, he had his turn at almost every shift on WMPT I remember one of his favorite records was by Annette called Tall Paul. Wonder why?
Woody Langley: Woody was the host of the Wax Works, the late night show after Night Train for a couple of years, I remember being surprised to hear him on the weekend at WATS in Sayre, Pa. I found out in later years that he had family there. Woody as I understand went on to become a pretty well respected TV producer, you may see his name from time to time in the credits of older TV shows.
Connie Hurst and Louise McLaughlin: Two of the first female D.J.’s in Williamsport, I don’t remember a lot about them except to say I had a crush on Connie! I remember Connie did the Saturday morning show for a while and Louise, (Wheezy) did the Wax Works after Woody Langley left.
Dick Crownover: I owe a lot to him, as he was really the first person I got to know extremely well in radio. I first met Dick at the Friday night record hop in Montoursville. Eventually I was allowed to fill in while he took his breaks, help set up the equipment, and carry the stuff too. (Pretty big for a young DJ wan-a-bee.) I remember that the station had a contest for one of its very early birthdays, send in the funniest birthday card and you would be a guest DJ on the Night Train! I didn’t win, but at least they knew I was interested in the station. Dick Crownover at one time hosted three record hops a week, plus the Rainbow Ball Room Show, the Coca Cola dance party on local cable as well as Mid Morning Melodies and Disk Jamboree. He was also the second Program Director, and probably the most fair one, I ever worked for. Dick left WMPT in the early 1970’s and went to work in his other field of expertise electronics for Sylvania. He did return to radio for a brief stint on WLYC a few years later. As a side note I worked with his daughter Susan at KISS FM in the early 90’s.
Harry Seltzer: Harry and I were best friends for a number of years, it was he who got me interested in firefighting and was one of my sponsors when I joined First Ward Fire Company. Harry was there in the early days and left for a stint in the Army and returned to WMPT in the late 60’s and became Program Director when Dick Crownover left, and eventfully Station Manager when Dave Castlebury became a County Commissioner. To say Harry and I always got along would be a lie, in 1972 he was Station manager and Fire Chief at First Ward so no matter where I went he was always there. This made for some rather uncomfortable times for both of us since I was serving as a fire officer at 1st Ward. It took a few years, but finally Harry and I buried the hatchet. After he left WMPT Harry went on to be a very successful representative for Motorola Two Way Radios. In later years I was a competitor to him, with my own business, but, we had a mutual respect for one another and actually gave each other leads.
Mike Sullivan: Mike had a very inventive mind and many years pulled a swing shift on WMPT doing mornings (Up and At ‘em) and afternoon’s (Platter Party). I became friends with Mike, (called Sully) and often spent an air shift observing him. Mike left WMPT and went to Chicago and became a news director.
Mike Steinhelper: “Stiney” came around about the time that Kerby left WMPT, and for a period of time did the Night Train and some other shifts on WMPT. I don’t remember a lot about Mike, except that he eventually got hooked up with Kerby and Paul and worked with them for many years.
Fred Plankenhorn: “F.P. on MPT.” Yet another of the hosts of Night Train, and other shifts on the air. I know Fred was there close to the beginning of WMPT and made the move to East Central Ave, and was around for a few years after that doing occasional shifts. As far as I know he is still doing an oldies show in the Williamsport area in addition to running the family business, Plankenhorn Stationary. He too had a favorite record, that being “Seven Little Girls,” the lyric line went on to say “sittin’ in the back seat kissin’ and a huggin’ with Fred.”
Bill and Rob Thomas: The only brothers we ever had on the air. Both worked a variety of shifts while in high school and college. Bill went on to work for ABC NEWS in later years.
Bill Byham: The “Aging Lefthander” came to WMPT in the early days. Bill was a professional baseball player in the minors, story has it he got hurt and decided to become a teacher. In those days the teacher pays scale was pretty low (like radio) and he applied for the job as sports man and play by play announcer in the late 50’s. Bill Did morning news and sports and then came back after school and did a 15 minute show called Sports Digest. Also in the very early days, he also did a late Saturday Afternoon show called “The Aging Lefthander’s Ballroom." It was on the air right after the Saturday afternoon RC Dance party record hop. Bill in my opinion is one of the finest sports people in the business and I suspect he could have easily gone on to much bigger markets. I had the pleasure of working along side of “Buck” for nearly a decade at every kind of sporting event. I remember one time we were broadcasting the Montoursville Bald Eagle Game at B.E.N. a VERY cold November day, it was snowing so hard you could not see the end of the field where all the action was, Bill was calling a super game, all made up from sounds he heard from where we were. One other time Bill and I were doing South Williamsport at Loyalsock and we spotted a fire near the stadium, we got the DJ on the air to take a break and we had him call it in, I think we spend most of the next quarter doing play by play of Loyalsock Fire Department fighting the fire.
Other good folks from the sports department included Mike Fogarty who is still doing some radio sports and is a teacher and Scott Lowery who is employed by Little League Baseball Inc..

Some of the lesser known people from the 60’s:

Clyde Thompson: Now there is a name you probably don’t remember. Clyde was with WMPT for a couple of years in the late 60’s early 70’s as the News Director, leaving to become Lycoming County Clerk when Dave was elected County Commissioner. Clyde had a great sense of humor and was usually one of the first one’s to participate in “getting” who ever was on the air.
Dolly Wilt: I had known Dolly for many years by her association with the Mummer’s Association and other organizations in South Williamsport. Dolly came to WMPT in the early 70’s following the departure of Karen Howard. Dolly also hosted a daily talk show called oddly enough “Hello Dolly.” I believe that Dolly left sometime during a period of time after the flood of 1972 when I was gone. Eventually she went on to become a very popular County Commissioner and a lot of credit is give to her for convincing the state to work on the Route 15 bypass, a portion of which is named in her honor. Sadly Dolly died while in office without seeing her good work completed.
Steve George: I first met Steve not long after I started at WMPT in 1966, he and a group of people I knew came over to the station on Saturday night I was working, I wound up throwing the bunch out. I think Steve came back a few weeks later and we became friends. Steve was another of those people who got drafted into building something, namely the new transmitter building on the back of the existing station. I worked with Steve at WLYC/WILQ as well in 1973-74, and when I had my own business he often worked for me installing two way radios. Steve is credited for "throwing me off the roof" at Sullivan County High Shcool during the installation of their two way radio system.
Jim Keefer: All the way with J.F.K. Jim was yet another of those people who passed through the control room door of both the studios at Borough Hall and East Central Ave in the early 1960’s. Jim was the grandson of Bura Keefer Jr. who was a quite famous manufacturer of musical instruments in Williamsport. His use of J.F.K. ended with the untimely death of President Kennedy. If I remember correctly he went on to become an airline pilot.
Ken Breon: One of two Ken’s on the staff from the “early” days. Ken, like so many other WMPT “Good Guys” worked at the station while he was in college. Ken was one of those folks you might hear on the air most anytime as he was like all we young D.J.’s hungry for work. He also during this time worked weekends at WMLP in Milton using the air name of Brian Kay. Ken eventually went on to become the operator of North Central Amusements.
Robert “Ken” Kephart: One of a group of D.J’s to come out of Montoursville. Ken, again worked for many years for WMPT while he was in college. Later he went on to work for the Commonwealth of Pennsylvania and even married a young lady from my high school class.
Marty Martin: I must say I nearly forgot him. Marty was only at WMPT for a short time in the early 1960’s, as a part timer. I believe he eventually went on to become a minister.

A couple of other names came to mind from the early years, those being Guy Ferris. I don't remember much about Guy except he loved the song "Sweet Talkin' Guy" by The Chiffons. One more lessor know part timer from that era was Gary (Mouse) Merrick, I belive like some many other people that WMPT had on staff he started in an off air position and was drafted when the need arose to cover a shift. I seem to remember that he often played the recond "Do The Mouse" by television personaity Soupy Sales. Yet one more name from the past was Bill Stutzman, I know he was there for a period time, but I can't rememebr when exactly but my best guess would be around 1962-63. I belive he may also have worked for Vic Michaels at WMLP using the air name of Bill Stewart. It is always funny when a name appears in your mind such is the case with Jim Kennedy, I can remember he was at WMPT for a period of time and I think he may hve gone to Harrisburg.

That, to the best of my memory covers the early staff, if you notice anyone I have missed please let me know. In the next edition I will take you from the late 1960’s to the 1970’s.

As Bill Byham would say, “That’s 30.”