After 45 years in radio, Ron Chapman retired from his morning show on June 24, 2005. Ive got a speech at the Board of Realtors this morning, and Im getting my hair done., And I said, Hes giving me a real nice blow job., Oh, Lord. And thats the way Ron was. TYLER, Texas (KLTV) - Longtime radio personality Ron Chapman has died at the age of 85. When we first went to KVIL to do the Cowboys games, Ron brings Brad Sham and me into his office and starts giving us this big speech on how we should broadcast a football game. And I think he said, This would be a good time to go to commercial.. Then by the following Tuesday, youre just gone. He claims more listeners than any DJ in Texas. That was the power of Ron Chapman. KVIL was always my mom's station, hogging up most of the pre-sets in the '76 Cordoba and later the '79 LeBaron station wagon; it was either Ron Chapman or a Helen Reddy 8-track. Ron Chapman - IMDb The radio industry took to social media to reflect on Chapman's life and career. First published on April 26, 2021 / 11:54 AM. Everyone I knew went to college. He did not. For full obituary please visit. And we ran an electric cord out to the van, and while Im on the air with Ron, Im having my hair done. Who could follow Ron Chapman? Blonde, voluptuous, impeccably well-mannered, and gracious, she smiles through a mouthful of sharp teeth. But KVIL saw a huge, underserved demographic: women listeners between the ages of twenty-five and forty-four account for some 22 percent of the Dallas/Fort Worth radio market. . 1 radio show in Dallas for a dozen years. For all time, at the moment, 2023 year, Ron Chapman earned $73 Million. He had spent his last few years on 98.7 KLUV in Dallas/Forth Worth. @RGreggHart : A giant of Dallas-Fort Worth radio, Ron Chapman, has died at 85. "And when he left, that was it.". But what me and Tom Murphy did was put together a morning show for teens, Murphy and Harrigan. The rest, as they say, is history. But certainly not unrealistic. Everywhere 1 go, the broadcasters are asking me how to do that. "Well, they had to do something," the National Radio Hall of Famer said. No spam, ever. Drive-time shows have opposite hours from most other jobs, starting in the very early morning hours. A year later, he suffered a stroke. I have the same type of personality, just not as much discipline. He is survived by his loving wife of 49 years, Deborah Chapman; mother Helen Chapman; twin sister Connie Smith; sons Eric . Nothing to embarrass a woman who is even remotely prudish. blackpool north pier fishing permit; bradley cooper parents; best prepaid debit card to avoid garnishment The Emperor is in his tower, conjuring, working on the exact wording and inflection of the incantation that will once again secure his seemingly unending supremacy. It was, after all, the city's top radio station for years, throughout the 1970s and '80s and even into the '90s, when it was finally capsized by country radio. So youre that egotistical S.O.B., They became fast, but platonic, friends. Talk about a cush gig. Michael Selden airchecks | RadioDiscussions We edited it out. Chapman joined the staff of KVIL-FM/Dallas-Fort Worth as morning . His older sister, Florence Littauer, now a motivational speaker, used her seniority to motivate Ralph, teaching him tongue twisters and then persuading him to repeat them for amazed visitors at the store-for a small fee. According to Tony Garrett. "Dusty Attics", Episode 23: Ron Chapman - Jody Dean So, Chapman can afford to surprise his wife with a 4.9-carat diamond, keep houses in town and country, and fly to Madrid on a whim., Born in January 1936, Ralph Frederick Chapman was the youngest of three children raised in the back rooms of his dads store during the Depression. He was an actor, known for Dallas Cowboys Cheerleaders (1979). This month, after 45 years on the Dallas airwaves, Ron Chapman signs off. Everybody that works here eventually comes back around, and Im going to be here when they come round again. We had a contest to name the honey bear. His family is asking for time right now to process the loss and thanks the community for their "kindness, understanding and prayers.". Ron, how come my offer to buy KVIL never worked out? Chapman knows his audience, and he knows what they buycomfort. They had no bathtub, no phone, no family car. When it comes to his precious radio station, the man is as fiercely protective of his listeners and his formal as a mother sow is of her litter. I tell people this story, and they think its one of those urban legends. He remained at KVIL-FM for 32 years, serving as program . Death: Ron Chapman Obituary Kvil - Tradegy Info He was inducted into the Radio Hall of Fame in 2012. dallas talk radio hosts - quickglobalexpress.com He was huge in Dallas for decades doing mornings at KVILclick link to learn more. Chapman had a . Ralph Chapman passed away on May 4, 2021 in Dallas, Texas. We never worked in the studio together, for 20 years. Here and there, she reveals a snippet about her husband. For a while, Chapmans career in Dallas was on the stairsteps to oblivion, he recalls. anyway? And Ron said, Why, I am in charge of the talent show, of which there wasnt one at the time. You treat her with respect. But the youngsters came to understand their poverty., I liked applause early on, said Chapman, who took on Ron as his radio first name in 1965. And now. The Emperor is in his tower . Broadcasting great Ron Chapman, who introduced himself to Dallas radio in 1959 under the pseudonym of Irving Harrigan on AM pioneer KLIF, and who elevated his legend after more than 30 years at KVIL-FM and another five at KLUV-FM, died Monday of natural causes. Youd be walking down the hall, and nothing would stop him from putting you down in a very loud voice in front of anybody. In 1959, as "Irving Harrigan" he joined the staff KLIF/Dallas, where he teamed up with Jack Woods (a.k.a. Since Chapman is not only essential to ratings but is a key figure in all promotions, contests, personnel matters, etc., he is a general managers worst nightmare. "Dallas radio legend Ron Chapman dies at 85. But back then, you prayed for Vince Lombardi. . But hes been trying to play Creative Tension to the point that it became creative chaos. Before SumpN Else finished its run, Fairchild had already scored her first movie credit, appearing as Faye Dunaways double in the Oscar-winning film, Bonnie and Clyde. We became great friends, Fairchild said. Remembering Ron Chapman Vocal Majority - Pure Harmony Chapman had already carved out a legend as one-half of Charlie & Harrigan on KLIF. We had to beg them to stop sending checks. Six years later, he moved to Texas to begin what eventually became a Radio Hall of Fame career in DFW. And the 01 Man on KVIL is still saying, aint this great? Jason Kidd hopes Mavs star stays patient in preseason play, Spring training cuts are incoming, but these Rangers prospects have impressed in camp. Hes now a news anchor for CBS Channel 11 and will replace Chapman on KLUVs morning show. He killed the competition. He spent 19 years at the Los Angeles Times before returning to Dallas. We used a two-way radio. And its not just the lower-downs, but the higher-ups who have their hands full of Chapman ego. Chapman is not just guessing at what his audience wants to hear He is downright methodical about it. FOX 4. Broadcast Hall of Famer Ron Chapman, Who Began at WHAV in 1953, Dies at 85 He must know where everything is at all times. (To Everything There Is a Season) by the Byrds. And it suddenly became a craze. Ralph Chapman Obituary - Death Notice and Service Information Go ahead and ask me whatever you want. This duality is a big part of Ron Chapmans magic. The Radio Hall of Famer died at the age of 85 by leading an exemplary life being the pioneer of radio hosting in the country. But it doesnt mean that I wont stick my heel in your throat. Tags. In the late 1990's Chapman joined KLUV-FM, an Oldies format that saw high ratings upon his arrival. I was driving an older beat-up Nissan, and my alternator went out one night while on the way to work. Ron Chapman Death - Obituary, Funeral, Cause Of Death Just heard radio legend Ron Chapman has died. There will never be another run like his. That was the power of Ron Chapman. He died Monday at age 85. It was the only way we could get a feel for the publics impressions on what we were doing. Radio Hall of Famer Ron Chapman Dies at 85 - People Newspapers Ron Chapman Death - Obituary, - InsideEko.com News Media | Facebook He is an amalgamation of Luke Skywalker and Darth Vader, a warm, fuzzy presence who intrudes benignly into the consciousness of hundreds of thousands of women every morning. Robert Wilonsky on Twitter: "I once wrote Ron Chapman meant more to RIP Ron pic.twitter.com . RIP Ron Chapman. Who is available? He ended up following Chapman at KLUV in 2005. And guess what? Okay, so were in a commercial break. Turn! I grew up listening to his voice, though as many different characters, in Arlington. . WATCH: Steve Eberhart reminisces about late radio legend Ron Chapman - KLTV We tell them, Heres the concept. . Dallas Cowboys want another playmaker on offense. We can't say goodbye to KVIL until its legendary voice Ron Chapman You realize we dont play the same things for a thirty-five-year-old female that youd play on the Zoo. Ralph Frederick "Ron" Chapman (1936-2021) - Find a Grave Im absolutely realistic in believing that nobody remembers you, Chapman says. He is best known as the morning drive anchor of radio station KVIL, on the 103.7 frequency. When he started hosting SumpN Else, I was a kid, and we loved to dance, and I would go over there to dance. Both of which I left, unconsumed, somewhere in Rons car. And this was totally not intended. Chapman liked to say he was a poor kid who grew up behind a grocery store, which his father owned in his native Haverhill, Mass. The Story of Ron Chapman, Sharon Carr Travel & the KVIL World Tour Copyright 2023, D Magazine Partners, Inc. We use cookies to ensure that we give you the best experience on our website. From 1965 to 1968, Chapman hosted a television dance show for teens called "Sump'N Else." In 1969, he moved to KVIL, where he spent 32 years. There is no way that Vince Lombardi could coach football in todays world. For two weeks, while everyone else painted and scraped, he sat in a deck chair and interviewed people to see what their talent was., After Chapman had been in Korea for about a month, he got a parchment scroll commending him for lifting the morale of the troops. Menu. "How sad that all of those KVIL things are now part of history. While many have attempted to imitate his formula, nobodyat least locallyis likely to remotely approach his mastery of it. Ron was one of those guys who made this a better place to live.. Chapman rounded out the 1960s by joining the staff of KVIL-FM in 1969, when AM radio was yielding the spotlight to the purer sound of FM stations. @garycogill : RT @HawkeyeOnAir: I'm saddened to tell you that legendary Dallas DJ Ron Chapman has passed away at 85. Dallas, Texas 75201. Chapman was known for doing the unexpected, once airing his show from a haunted house and another time while skydiving. I would carpool my son to school, pick up kids. He brought, what is known in the industry as the "adult contemporary" format to FM. Ron Chapman received an obituary from the KVIL community. And Ill tell you who finds it difficult to work for me. Chapman says he and Nancy were in excellent health at that point but age was a factor for him wanting to retire. The center is the guy who is bending over with the football.. And yet, as he prepares to send his message radiating into those hundreds of thousands of receptive minds, he is more aware of them than perhaps anyone has ever been in the history of this city. Ron has never been much for physical labor, says Littauer, so he stood there nodding and saying, Mm-hmmm and very good, very good, while the sergeant gave jobs to the rest of the men. Among the passengers on a March 4 flight out of Hanoi 45 years ago Sunday at the end of the Vietnam War were three Air Force officers who would eventually settle in Northwest Florida. Suzie Humphreys was Chapmans on-air sidekick on KVIL from 1975 to 1995. I prayed for her to have a lot of success, and I prayed that she get a wonderful starring part-and stay in New York forever.. Please enter valid email address to continue. History of Radio in Dallas - Fort Worth, Texas - FM - DFWRETROPLEX.COM Ron Chapman joined KVIL-FM/Dallas-Fort Worth in 1969 as morning disc jockey, music director, and program director, and stayed there for 31 years. Ron Chapman made Vocal Majority . KVIL - Wikiwand . His wife says the best way to get him frantic is to put him in a car without a phone. Legendary radio host Ron Chapman has passed away - Audacy RALPH CHAPMAN OBITUARY. Chapman returned to the states in 1959, took a radio job in New Haven, Connecticut, and then, when a co-worker landed a job with KLIF in Dallas, Chapman went alongat $175 a week, more than double his Connecticut salary. No sexism, period. I figure we have her ears, and were the only ones shell let talk to her for the first hour of the day. We had this little kinkajou honey bear. Ronald Chapman July 23, 2021 Ronald Monroe Chapman, 77, of Jordan, died peacefully in his sleep at 2:32 am on July 23, 2021 while at home surrounded by his loving family. For nearly thirteen years, with a few scattered intermissions. Of course, back in those days, I was also given to partaking in the pleasures of cannabis and had a couple of joints with me for the ride. About 20 years ago, Id barely started working at KVIL and was the overnight deejaythe lowest life form in radio, with an equivalent lifestyle. I'm saddened to tell you that legendary Dallas DJ Ron Chapman has passed away at 85. By Emily Jimenez, NewsRadio 1080 KRLD. Some 12,000 did, and KVIL donated $240,000 to charity. I once wrote Ron Chapman meant more to Dallas radio than electricity. 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Chapman thought that was funny. However, Ron Chapman's cause of death remains yet to be known but it is suspected that he died of natural causes. Like the time when, in charge of locking away the band instruments in a wire cage, Ralph kept the mouthpiece of the tuba in his pocket. I can give you failure after failure of people whove come on the air in this market and tried to do that. Though nobodyrepeat, nobodywants to take on Ron Chapman in public (even his roast at the Dallas Press Club last year was a three-hour valentine), friends and foes alike admit to a powerful fear of the man. Obituaries Search for Ron Chapman - Dignity Memorial Said a Dallas radio newsman with nearly twenty years in the market, When I left KVIL, my blood pressure dropped by forty points. I never brought it up with him, either. Ronald Chapman Obituary (2021) - Jordan, NY - Syracuse Post Standard Ironically, Chapman so dominates the KVIL lineup that the DJs around him seem unremittingly unmemorable. He was so popular in Dallas in the 70s, 80s and 90s that his station, KVIL, sold for more than the Dallas Cowboys. But her memories of her tenure at the station are not pleasant. So Charlie and Harrigan came on and said, Were going to do our hike. On April 13 in Las Vegas, Ron Chapman will be inducted into the National Association of Broadcasters' Radio Hall of Fame -- a momentous occasion that comes exactly one month after the Citadel . Im sitting there, and Im cracking up. Anyway, I was holding this animal on my shoulder, on my freshly cleaned jacket, and it got a little excited. [2] "But a well-respected punchline," Rhyner said. Exact sum is $73000000. Catch up on the day's news you need to know. Chapmans on-air name was Irving Harrigan. Ronald V. Chapman, age 80, passed away Tuesday, October 11, 2022 at Mount Carmel East Hospital in Columbus. Meet Jody Dean: A man for this season: Lost job leads to a better life During his 31 years at KVIL, Chapman became famous for his upbeat humor and his participation in outrageous stunts and giveaways. Ron Chapman had this offer from KVIL. Ron Chapman Radio Hall Of Fame Ralph Chapman Obituary (1936 - 2021) - Dallas, TX - Dallas Morning News About all they had were some call letters, and not very good ones at that. He spent more than three decades at KVIL, toiling as a morning deejay, music director and program director, transforming the adult contemporary format into a major success on the FM band. What followed was story after story about Chapman, who started as a DJ in 1953, and his more infamous bits. I was off the wall, and he loved it. A lot of people on this board are so young that they have never heard of Michael Selden. He knew you dont talk down to your audience, you speak up to them, and thats when Ron enjoyed his greatest success., Dean added that Chapman helped transform radio in the city into a shining example of what the media can do and should be. EYE descending now, deeper into the warmth and coziness; the voice says Yes, my dearest, you are almost home, safe and warm here with me, with us, ELLLLLLLLLvery low and smoky-warm, like embers in the fireplace and sleeping babies in rooms with duckies on the wall, like hearth and home and cows dozing in the barn, and maybe a comforter over your legs on a winter evening, Not too long ago, Ron Chapman received a postcard. Ron.. Ron Chapman's radio career began in 1953the day he graduated from high schoolwhen he became a disc jockey at station WHAV/Haverhill, MA. One former employee, who asked not to be named, speaks for many when she says, Hes the most unfeeling, cold-hearted son of a bitch I ever met., And this woman counts herself among his admirers because of his genius at making KVIL a raging success. There was dead air for, like, 10 seconds. But, quite frankly, we werent real excited about learning it at the time.. Chapman is an obsessive-compulsive perfectionist, Selden says. We decided we would keep Fort Worth, and treat her like the lady that she is. I wouldnt even park near one. I dodged flying reels of tape more than once., Later, Dean said, Im sure Ron regretted a great deal of it. In the meantime, you play every night like it was opening night, kick ass, and prove me wrong. PART OF AUDACY NEWS. An announcement in this newspaper heralded his arrival, along with the promise that KVIL would play music that was "always in good taste, but contemporary in all ways" -- a rather unwieldy slogan. (Her cohort, Ron Chapman, who clocked more than 45 successful years on local radio and television [including WFAA-TV,] died in 2021.) Chapman realized that if he won Fort Worth, he could almost double the stations numbers. Ive always tried to make my sportscast understandable to the non-sports fan. At the end of this, the sergeant looked at Ron and said, What is your job. Says Chapman, Electronically, we dont do much, but we are very conscious of highs. In 2007, he returned to broadcasting part-time as a "permanent substitute" for legendary broadcaster Paul Harvey. Ron was a legend already in the 60s in Dallas, Fairchild said Monday from her home in Los Angeles. During his 31 years at KVIL, Chapman became famous for his upbeat humor and his participation in outrageous stunts and giveaways. And every morning he was there for us, standing at his mic, drinking Dr Pepper, talking to the city. He had spent his last few years on 98.7 KLUV in Dallas/Forth Worth. And because he spanned KLIF and "Sump'n Else" to KVIL -- he WAS the history of Dallas radio .