Don Rose
Encyclopedia
Don Rose
Don Rose (born Donald Rosenberg- also known as Dr. Don Rose or just Dr. Don (July 5, 1934 – March 30, 2005) was an American
radio personality
on KFRC
AM
610 in San Francisco, California
from October 1973 to 1986. Prior to joining KFRC, Rose had been a prominent broadcaster at WQXI (AM)
in Atlanta, Georgia
, and WFIL
in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania. He was known for his one-liners
, sound effect
s and philanthropy.
, and got his first experience in broadcasting at age 15 while reporting on his trip to the Boy Scout National Jamboree in Valley Forge, Pennsylvania, for KODY in his hometown. He began his career in 1955 at KWBE
in Beatrice, Nebraska, while majoring in accounting at the University of Nebraska in Lincoln. He moved to KLMN/Lincoln shortly thereafter, and then was hired by KOIL/Omaha, a job that appeared to be so promising that he dropped out of college in his senior year. He was fired by the station four weeks later.
His next job, at KTSA/San Antonio, also lasted only four weeks. Returning to Nebraska, he held an announcing position at KRNY/Kearney for about 15 months before being terminated again. His next employer, the Union Pacific Railroad, offered only manual labor — pounding spikes into the railbed — but he continued to pursue work in radio, and acquired a job at KTUL/Tulsa.
His next broadcasting position was in KMT/Fort Dodge, Iowa, where he first complemented his jokes with cowbells and other barnyard sounds. His stay in Fort Dodge wasn't lengthy, but it was there that he met his future wife, Kae, to whom he remained married for the next 45 years of his life.
From Iowa it was on to WEBC/Duluth, Minn., followed by his first taste of big-market success, as morning host at WQXI/Atlanta ("Quixie In Dixie"), his fame made ever-lasting by his inclusion as the 1967 entry in the popular series of "Cruisin’" LP records. Originally hired for the nine-to-noon slot, he was shifted to morning drive shortly after his arrival, and soon became the number one deejay in town.
during the final decade of AM's musical dominance. He was named by Billboard Magazine as Disc Jockey of the Year on both the East Coast (while with WFIL Philadelphia) and on the West Coast (while with KFRC San Francisco). One of Rose's characteristic "sound bite" mannerisms when he was at KFRC was to state the words "that's right" in a continuous fashion that was intended to sound "crazy" or funny, which also served to represent the overall morning zoo
radio format, style and "feel" of his show.
"I'm married to radio," he told The Chronicle (San Francisco) in 1975, "and I'm thinking about suing it for nonsupport. I would describe my show as therapy, for myself."
During the 1980s, Jane Dornacker
worked with him doing traffic. One of his running gags was feeding the dog Roscoe. This would involve Rose telling about what he and his wife Kae ate for dinner the night before, and then Roscoe would eat the "leftovers."
In addition to his radio broadcasting work, he hosted cartoon shows on Field Communications television stations in Chicago (WFLD 32), Detroit (WKBD 50), Philadelphia (WKBS 48) and San Francisco (KBHK 44) for over a decade. Dr. Don Rose raised a total of over $10 million by hosting March of Dimes
Superwalks for 20 years. As well, he emceed many golf tourneys, including his own, with proceeds going toward Special Olympics
and special education.
Despite his cheerful persona, Rose suffered over three decades of debilitating pain from assorted medical problems. In 1972, he underwent a botched heart surgery, which caused chronic knee infections that required 11 more operations and led to his losing his kneecap. He broadcast his daily radio show flat on his back from his home hospital bed for months. In 1984, after a fall made the knee problems worse, one leg was amputated.
Rose had to alter his on-air act in 1986 when KFRC
changed its format to Big Band Music and its imaging to Magic 61. He left KFRC permanently by the end of the year.
His departure from KFRC was followed by a short stint at KKIS/Concord-Walnut Creek beginning in 1987, where his son, Jay, was chief engineer. After a failed attempt at buying the station, Dr. Don moved to mornings at San Francisco's K101 (KIOI
); four months later, he suffered a heart attack while on the air. He never returned to broadcasting on a fulltime basis.
Rose died in his sleep on March 30, 2005, due to complications from pneumonia
at the age of 70. He was married for 45 years to his wife Kae, with whom he had five children.
In 2006, Dr. Don Rose was elected to the Bay Area Radio Hall of Fame as a member of the first class to be inducted.
Don Rose (born Donald Rosenberg- also known as Dr. Don Rose or just Dr. Don (July 5, 1934 – March 30, 2005) was an American
United States
The United States of America is a federal constitutional republic comprising fifty states and a federal district...
radio personality
Disc jockey
A disc jockey, also known as DJ, is a person who selects and plays recorded music for an audience. Originally, "disc" referred to phonograph records, not the later Compact Discs. Today, the term includes all forms of music playback, no matter the medium.There are several types of disc jockeys...
on KFRC
KFRC (defunct)
KFRC was a radio station in San Francisco, California in the United States, which made its first broadcast on Wednesday, September 24, 1924, from studios in the Hotel Whitcomb 1231 Market Street. KFRC originally broadcast with 50 watts on the 270 meter wavelength , then moved to 660 kHz. in...
AM
Amplitude modulation
Amplitude modulation is a technique used in electronic communication, most commonly for transmitting information via a radio carrier wave. AM works by varying the strength of the transmitted signal in relation to the information being sent...
610 in San Francisco, California
San Francisco, California
San Francisco , officially the City and County of San Francisco, is the financial, cultural, and transportation center of the San Francisco Bay Area, a region of 7.15 million people which includes San Jose and Oakland...
from October 1973 to 1986. Prior to joining KFRC, Rose had been a prominent broadcaster at WQXI (AM)
WQXI (AM)
WQXI, "790 The Zone", is a radio station licensed to the city of Atlanta broadcasting at a frequency of 790 kHz. The station has a power of 28,000 watts in the daytime, and 1,000 watts at night. WQXI's signal is non-directional during the daytime, and directional at night...
in Atlanta, Georgia
Atlanta, Georgia
Atlanta is the capital and most populous city in the U.S. state of Georgia. According to the 2010 census, Atlanta's population is 420,003. Atlanta is the cultural and economic center of the Atlanta metropolitan area, which is home to 5,268,860 people and is the ninth largest metropolitan area in...
, and WFIL
WFIL
WFIL is a radio station and a former television station serving the city of Philadelphia, Pennsylvania. Its transmitter is located in Lafayette Hill, Pennsylvania....
in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania. He was known for his one-liners
One-liner joke
A one-liner is a joke that is delivered in a single line. A good one-liner is said to be pithy.Comedians and actors use this comedic method as part of their act, e.g...
, sound effect
Sound effect
For the album by The Jam, see Sound Affects.Sound effects or audio effects are artificially created or enhanced sounds, or sound processes used to emphasize artistic or other content of films, television shows, live performance, animation, video games, music, or other media...
s and philanthropy.
Early years
Rose was born Donald Duane Rosenberg in North Platte, NebraskaNorth Platte, Nebraska
North Platte is a city in and the county seat of Lincoln County, Nebraska, United States. It is located in the southwestern part of the state, along Interstate 80, at the confluence of the North and South Platte Rivers forming the Platte River...
, and got his first experience in broadcasting at age 15 while reporting on his trip to the Boy Scout National Jamboree in Valley Forge, Pennsylvania, for KODY in his hometown. He began his career in 1955 at KWBE
KWBE
KWBE is a radio station broadcasting a talk radio format. Licensed to Beatrice, Nebraska, USA, the station is currently owned by Siebert Broadcasting, Inc. and features programing from Citadel Media and Westwood One....
in Beatrice, Nebraska, while majoring in accounting at the University of Nebraska in Lincoln. He moved to KLMN/Lincoln shortly thereafter, and then was hired by KOIL/Omaha, a job that appeared to be so promising that he dropped out of college in his senior year. He was fired by the station four weeks later.
His next job, at KTSA/San Antonio, also lasted only four weeks. Returning to Nebraska, he held an announcing position at KRNY/Kearney for about 15 months before being terminated again. His next employer, the Union Pacific Railroad, offered only manual labor — pounding spikes into the railbed — but he continued to pursue work in radio, and acquired a job at KTUL/Tulsa.
His next broadcasting position was in KMT/Fort Dodge, Iowa, where he first complemented his jokes with cowbells and other barnyard sounds. His stay in Fort Dodge wasn't lengthy, but it was there that he met his future wife, Kae, to whom he remained married for the next 45 years of his life.
From Iowa it was on to WEBC/Duluth, Minn., followed by his first taste of big-market success, as morning host at WQXI/Atlanta ("Quixie In Dixie"), his fame made ever-lasting by his inclusion as the 1967 entry in the popular series of "Cruisin’" LP records. Originally hired for the nine-to-noon slot, he was shifted to morning drive shortly after his arrival, and soon became the number one deejay in town.
Broadcasting career
With Dr. Don as morning anchor, KFRC was voted "Station of the Year" four times by Billboard Magazine. He was considered by many to be the king of radio in the Bay AreaSan Francisco Bay Area
The San Francisco Bay Area, commonly known as the Bay Area, is a populated region that surrounds the San Francisco and San Pablo estuaries in Northern California. The region encompasses metropolitan areas of San Francisco, Oakland, and San Jose, along with smaller urban and rural areas...
during the final decade of AM's musical dominance. He was named by Billboard Magazine as Disc Jockey of the Year on both the East Coast (while with WFIL Philadelphia) and on the West Coast (while with KFRC San Francisco). One of Rose's characteristic "sound bite" mannerisms when he was at KFRC was to state the words "that's right" in a continuous fashion that was intended to sound "crazy" or funny, which also served to represent the overall morning zoo
Morning zoo
Morning zoo is a format of morning radio show common to English-language radio broadcasting. The name is derived from the "wackiness and zaniness" of the activities, bits, and overall personality of the show and its hosts...
radio format, style and "feel" of his show.
"I'm married to radio," he told The Chronicle (San Francisco) in 1975, "and I'm thinking about suing it for nonsupport. I would describe my show as therapy, for myself."
During the 1980s, Jane Dornacker
Jane Dornacker
Jane Dornacker was an American rock musician, actress, and comedienne turned traffic reporter.In 1986, while working for WNBC 660 AM Radio in New York City , Dornacker was aboard during two unrelated crashes of the helicopters leased to WNBC...
worked with him doing traffic. One of his running gags was feeding the dog Roscoe. This would involve Rose telling about what he and his wife Kae ate for dinner the night before, and then Roscoe would eat the "leftovers."
In addition to his radio broadcasting work, he hosted cartoon shows on Field Communications television stations in Chicago (WFLD 32), Detroit (WKBD 50), Philadelphia (WKBS 48) and San Francisco (KBHK 44) for over a decade. Dr. Don Rose raised a total of over $10 million by hosting March of Dimes
March of Dimes
The March of Dimes Foundation is a United States nonprofit organization that works to improve the health of mothers and babies.-Organization:...
Superwalks for 20 years. As well, he emceed many golf tourneys, including his own, with proceeds going toward Special Olympics
Special Olympics
Special Olympics is the world's largest sports organization for children and adults with intellectual disabilities, providing year-round training and competitions to more than 3.1 million athletes in 175 countries....
and special education.
Despite his cheerful persona, Rose suffered over three decades of debilitating pain from assorted medical problems. In 1972, he underwent a botched heart surgery, which caused chronic knee infections that required 11 more operations and led to his losing his kneecap. He broadcast his daily radio show flat on his back from his home hospital bed for months. In 1984, after a fall made the knee problems worse, one leg was amputated.
Rose had to alter his on-air act in 1986 when KFRC
KFRC (defunct)
KFRC was a radio station in San Francisco, California in the United States, which made its first broadcast on Wednesday, September 24, 1924, from studios in the Hotel Whitcomb 1231 Market Street. KFRC originally broadcast with 50 watts on the 270 meter wavelength , then moved to 660 kHz. in...
changed its format to Big Band Music and its imaging to Magic 61. He left KFRC permanently by the end of the year.
His departure from KFRC was followed by a short stint at KKIS/Concord-Walnut Creek beginning in 1987, where his son, Jay, was chief engineer. After a failed attempt at buying the station, Dr. Don moved to mornings at San Francisco's K101 (KIOI
KIOI
KIOI FM is a radio station licensed to San Francisco, California. The Clear Channel Communications-owned station programs a Hot Adult Contemporary format.- KPEN :...
); four months later, he suffered a heart attack while on the air. He never returned to broadcasting on a fulltime basis.
Rose died in his sleep on March 30, 2005, due to complications from pneumonia
Pneumonia
Pneumonia is an inflammatory condition of the lung—especially affecting the microscopic air sacs —associated with fever, chest symptoms, and a lack of air space on a chest X-ray. Pneumonia is typically caused by an infection but there are a number of other causes...
at the age of 70. He was married for 45 years to his wife Kae, with whom he had five children.
In 2006, Dr. Don Rose was elected to the Bay Area Radio Hall of Fame as a member of the first class to be inducted.
External links
- DrDonRose.com (Bay Area Radio Museum official tribute website
- Virtual Museum of the City of San Francisco, KFRC webpage
- Tangent Sun San Francisco Bay Area Radio History
- Broadcast Pioneers of Philadelphia, Dr. Don Rose webpage
- Reelradio website includes several sound files with airchecks of Dr. Don Rose
- Bay Area Radio Museum includes radio history and several sound files of Dr. Don Rose