Art Finley
Encyclopedia
Art Finley is a former North American
television
and radio personality
, mostly in San Francisco and Vancouver
, until his retirement in 1995.
His broadcasting
career began at KXYZ
Houston in 1943. He enlisted in the U.S. Army Air Corps during World War II
, and in the Korean War
, he was recalled to active duty as a reserve officer in the U.S. Air Force, where he helped establish radio stations in Newfoundland
and Greenland
for the Strategic Air Command
. Afterward, he worked in New York City
in TV and radio. He moved to Stockton, California
in the mid-1950s, to host a children's program, Toonytown, on KOVR-TV, where he remained until 1958.
He is widely remembered as "Mayor Art," the host of a live children's show that aired weekday afternoons on KRON-TV
in San Francisco beginning in 1959 through 1966. Dressed in a top hat and a morning coat, he addressed his live audience of attendant children, who wore similar top hats, as the "city council
." Each program featured a short science segment; and in between Popeye cartoons, Finley used a hand puppet
, "Ringading," to teach introductory French, Spanish, German, and Italian words and phrases.
"Mayor Art's Almanac" was the first TV newscast for children in the U.S., and the State of California awarded him two gold medals for the feature, in 1963 and 1965. The Mayor Art character was partly a way of introducing young people to civic matters, which, in retrospect, revealed Finley's true interests and foreshadowed his later career as a radio talk show host.
When the Mayor Art Show ended in the summer of 1966, Finley joined KRON-TV’s news department as a reporter and producer-host of “Speak Out,” a weekly political interview program, until 1968.
During the last half of his 50-year career, Finley returned to radio as a newsman and talk-show host. He relied on his wife Geraldine as his career advisor, researcher and editor throughout their 56-year marriage. She died in 2006.
In the U.S., Finley’s station affiliations were primarily in San Francisco: 10 years at KGO, and KCBS. Three interim years were spent at XTRA in San Diego and WNIS in Norfolk. Two radio stations in Vancouver, B.C., needed a talkshow host with U.S. experience and a knowledge of Canadiana, and Finley spent five years at CKNW, and later, six years at CJOR. He retired in 1995 from his years as a KCBS news anchor.
While living in Canada, Finley contributed many news stories and features from that country and from Europe, as byline writer for the San Francisco Chronicle Foreign Service.
Art Finley served as Master of Ceremonies
for San Francisco's official celebration of Independence Day
for fourteen of the years between 1960 and 1979.
From 1962 to 1981, the San Francisco Chronicle and scores of other North American newspapers published his syndicated daily panel “Art's Gallery
”, consisting of 19th Century woodcuts, to which Finley had written humorous modern-day captions. All 6200+ original panels are now in the archives of San Francisco State University
.
On February 12, 2002, Finley donated tapes of 100 of his memorable radio interviews, to the University of British Columbia Library
's Rare Books and Special Collections.
North American
North American generally refers to an entity, people, group, or attribute of North America, especially of the United States and Canada together.-Culture:*North American English, a collective term used to describe American English and Canadian English...
television
Television
Television is a telecommunication medium for transmitting and receiving moving images that can be monochrome or colored, with accompanying sound...
and radio personality
Radio personality
A radio personality is a person with an on-air position in radio broadcasting. A radio personality can be someone who introduces and discusses various genres of music, hosts a talk radio show that may take calls from listeners, or someone whose primary responsibility is to give news, weather,...
, mostly in San Francisco and Vancouver
Vancouver
Vancouver is a coastal seaport city on the mainland of British Columbia, Canada. It is the hub of Greater Vancouver, which, with over 2.3 million residents, is the third most populous metropolitan area in the country,...
, until his retirement in 1995.
His broadcasting
Broadcasting
Broadcasting is the distribution of audio and video content to a dispersed audience via any audio visual medium. Receiving parties may include the general public or a relatively large subset of thereof...
career began at KXYZ
KXYZ
KXYZ is an AM radio station in Greater Houston, which broadcasts on 1320 kHz under ownership of Multicultural Broadcasting. It has once featured daytime programming from the Biz Radio Network, but it's now a full-time Vietnamese station.-History:...
Houston in 1943. He enlisted in the U.S. Army Air Corps during World War II
World War II
World War II, or the Second World War , was a global conflict lasting from 1939 to 1945, involving most of the world's nations—including all of the great powers—eventually forming two opposing military alliances: the Allies and the Axis...
, and in the Korean War
Korean War
The Korean War was a conventional war between South Korea, supported by the United Nations, and North Korea, supported by the People's Republic of China , with military material aid from the Soviet Union...
, he was recalled to active duty as a reserve officer in the U.S. Air Force, where he helped establish radio stations in Newfoundland
Newfoundland and Labrador
Newfoundland and Labrador is the easternmost province of Canada. Situated in the country's Atlantic region, it incorporates the island of Newfoundland and mainland Labrador with a combined area of . As of April 2011, the province's estimated population is 508,400...
and Greenland
Greenland
Greenland is an autonomous country within the Kingdom of Denmark, located between the Arctic and Atlantic Oceans, east of the Canadian Arctic Archipelago. Though physiographically a part of the continent of North America, Greenland has been politically and culturally associated with Europe for...
for the Strategic Air Command
Strategic Air Command
The Strategic Air Command was both a Major Command of the United States Air Force and a "specified command" of the United States Department of Defense. SAC was the operational establishment in charge of America's land-based strategic bomber aircraft and land-based intercontinental ballistic...
. Afterward, he worked in New York City
New York City
New York is the most populous city in the United States and the center of the New York Metropolitan Area, one of the most populous metropolitan areas in the world. New York exerts a significant impact upon global commerce, finance, media, art, fashion, research, technology, education, and...
in TV and radio. He moved to Stockton, California
Stockton, California
Stockton, California, the seat of San Joaquin County, is the fourth-largest city in the Central Valley of the U.S. state of California. With a population of 291,707 at the 2010 census, Stockton ranks as this state's 13th largest city...
in the mid-1950s, to host a children's program, Toonytown, on KOVR-TV, where he remained until 1958.
He is widely remembered as "Mayor Art," the host of a live children's show that aired weekday afternoons on KRON-TV
KRON-TV
KRON-TV, virtual channel 4 , is a television station in San Francisco, California, serving as the Bay Area affiliate of the MyNetworkTV programming service; the station is owned by Young Broadcasting...
in San Francisco beginning in 1959 through 1966. Dressed in a top hat and a morning coat, he addressed his live audience of attendant children, who wore similar top hats, as the "city council
City council
A city council or town council is the legislative body that governs a city, town, municipality or local government area.-Australia & NZ:Because of the differences in legislation between the States, the exact definition of a City Council varies...
." Each program featured a short science segment; and in between Popeye cartoons, Finley used a hand puppet
Hand puppet
A hand puppet is a type of puppet that is controlled by the leg or face that occupies the interior of the puppet. Glove puppets are a variation of hand puppets...
, "Ringading," to teach introductory French, Spanish, German, and Italian words and phrases.
"Mayor Art's Almanac" was the first TV newscast for children in the U.S., and the State of California awarded him two gold medals for the feature, in 1963 and 1965. The Mayor Art character was partly a way of introducing young people to civic matters, which, in retrospect, revealed Finley's true interests and foreshadowed his later career as a radio talk show host.
When the Mayor Art Show ended in the summer of 1966, Finley joined KRON-TV’s news department as a reporter and producer-host of “Speak Out,” a weekly political interview program, until 1968.
During the last half of his 50-year career, Finley returned to radio as a newsman and talk-show host. He relied on his wife Geraldine as his career advisor, researcher and editor throughout their 56-year marriage. She died in 2006.
In the U.S., Finley’s station affiliations were primarily in San Francisco: 10 years at KGO, and KCBS. Three interim years were spent at XTRA in San Diego and WNIS in Norfolk. Two radio stations in Vancouver, B.C., needed a talkshow host with U.S. experience and a knowledge of Canadiana, and Finley spent five years at CKNW, and later, six years at CJOR. He retired in 1995 from his years as a KCBS news anchor.
While living in Canada, Finley contributed many news stories and features from that country and from Europe, as byline writer for the San Francisco Chronicle Foreign Service.
Art Finley served as Master of Ceremonies
Master of Ceremonies
A Master of Ceremonies , or compere, is the host of a staged event or similar performance.An MC usually presents performers, speaks to the audience, and generally keeps the event moving....
for San Francisco's official celebration of Independence Day
Independence Day (United States)
Independence Day, commonly known as the Fourth of July, is a federal holiday in the United States commemorating the adoption of the Declaration of Independence on July 4, 1776, declaring independence from the Kingdom of Great Britain...
for fourteen of the years between 1960 and 1979.
From 1962 to 1981, the San Francisco Chronicle and scores of other North American newspapers published his syndicated daily panel “Art's Gallery
Art's Gallery
Art's Gallery is a weekly comic strip by Art Finley which featured in the San Francisco Chronicle between 1965 and 1977. The strip consisted of 19th century woodcut panels from the Chronicle's archives, to which Finley added humorous and contemporary captions....
”, consisting of 19th Century woodcuts, to which Finley had written humorous modern-day captions. All 6200+ original panels are now in the archives of San Francisco State University
San Francisco State University
San Francisco State University is a public university located in San Francisco, California. As part of the 23-campus California State University system, the university offers over 100 areas of study from nine academic colleges...
.
On February 12, 2002, Finley donated tapes of 100 of his memorable radio interviews, to the University of British Columbia Library
University of British Columbia Library
The University of British Columbia Library is the library system of the University of British Columbia . In 2004, UBC Library ranked 22nd among members of the Association of Research Libraries....
's Rare Books and Special Collections.