She said, How do you expect me to do a good job after all Ive been through? I said, Thats it, weve been talking too long. Here and there, she reveals a snippet about her husband. They had no bathtub, no phone, no family car. Right away, you know two things about her: she has no time to waste, and you dont mess with her. Industry critics say that while Chapman is full-tilt today, he is not really doing much to prepare his station for Life After Ron. One of his greatest talents is picking people, knowing where they fit, where they go.They gave me a little yellow van, and I drove it myself. Anybody can read, goddammit! He killed the competition. And Ron has a brand-new sweater. Theres gotta be some point at which hes willing to pass the torch. But the thing about it is, ten minutes later, its like it never happened.. But theyll never work hard enough.. We are very grateful for the care and compassion he. The maddest he ever got at me were those times that I delivered less than the best. Get browser notifications for breaking news, live events, and exclusive reporting. Steve Eberhart was a deejay at KVIL. According to the Texas Radio Hall of Fame, no public service is happening, but there will be a public gathering of friends and colleagues which is being planned at this time. Both of which I left, unconsumed, somewhere in Rons car. Jun 03, 2004 07:18pm. It was an itty-bitty bear. In 2000, as radio began to change once again, Chapman moved to KLUV, a Dallas oldies station where he stayed until announcing his retirement in 2005. We just hit. FACE FOR RADIO: Chapman hosted a popular TV show. The store was open from 6 a.m. to 11 p.m. As writer Diane Reischel put it in The News story: The store was the childrens living room, the customers their audience., His sister, Florence Littauer, said her baby brother was so clever and funny that people would pay me for him to speak. As The News noted, The parents his mother was a violinist challenged the children to think creatively. The feature says Chapman and his wife, Nance, had met at a charity telethon in the late sixties and spent decades as platonic friends before both parties . At one point, Chapman broadcast live while skydiving from a plane. Ron Chapman made money by Directors niche. I dodged flying reels of tape more than once., Later, Dean said, Im sure Ron regretted a great deal of it. Chapmans cohorts speak of having to walk a very fine line; remaining clever and at least half-witty without ever being more clever than Ron. His family is asking for time right now to process the loss and thanks the community for . Knowing Ron over the years has been an adventure. He said, Thats the second time youve used that item and its the last! And it suddenly became a craze. Ron.. Ron Chapmans the only one that talks to her that first hour, and in that hour, 1 can mold her frame of mind. Enjoy unlimited access to all of our incredible journalism, in print and digital. Then ten to midnight. Chapman had a . KVIL (103.7 FM, Alt 103.7) is a commercial radio station dual-licensed to Highland Park and Dallas, Texas.It is owned by Audacy, Inc. and it serves the Dallas/Fort Worth Metroplex in North Texas.The station's studios are located along North Central Expressway in Uptown Dallas. He ended up following Chapman at KLUV in 2005. We had a contest to name the honey bear. His talent rose above us all. Ron Chapman passed away earlier this week at the age of 85. Nothing to embarrass a woman who is even remotely prudish. Ron Chapman has passed away. First published on April 26, 2021 / 11:54 AM. To Chapman, a working divorced mother with two kids was the woman of his dreams. The Right Hand of God is Dallas. But you could hear this blow-dryer. "In so many ways around here, Chapman was the pioneer, the seer," Rhyner said. For example, co-workers wondered about his habit of dumping all his foreign currency into a drawer when he returns from trips. He was No. And the guy was the typical model. If you continue to use this site we will assume that you are happy with it. 2023 CBS Broadcasting Inc. All Rights Reserved. Homepage; Contact US; About US; Ron Chapman Net Worth, Age, Height, Weight. He said, Well, its something. And we ran an electric cord out to the van, and while Im on the air with Ron, Im having my hair done. Go ahead and ask me whatever you want. In a 1985 issue ofBillboard, the music industry's trade publication, a radio consultant called it "dominant" -- "the best-run radio station in Dallas" among a pile of worthy contenders, including K104. He brought, what is known in the industry as the "adult contemporary" format to FM. Chapman invited him to come watch the show at some point. And we stayed in touch over the years. Chapman hired fellow broadcasting legend Jody Dean to work a late-night shift at KVIL in 1982. Not only is he 110 percent fireproof and the goose that laid the golden egg, but he is shadow management, and he must be catered to and appeased. Chapman had already carved out a legend as one-half of Charlie & Harrigan on KLIF. I noticed that they would feature me dancing a lot on the show. And brother, let me tell you something: It was a different age., In 1989, The Dallas Morning News devoted a High Profile cover story to Chapman, noting that peers described him variously as a genius, tyrant and hero. He was huge in Dallas for decades doing mornings at KVILclick link to learn more. the magic morning man takes a deep breath, raises his index finger before his eyes, and does what Ron Chapman does best: KAY he breathes, low and confiding, in a voice that mirrors the softest, kindest, deepest, afterglow moments of romantic love. We dont do that here. The guiding light in my life, my operational phrase, was: Ill show em. It wasnt angry. But KVIL, four letters that decorated 100,000 Dallasites' car bumpers during one notable 1982 promotion,shouldn't be allowed to vanish without a proper eulogy. By KLTV Digital Media Staff. His family is asking for time right now to process the loss and thanks the community for their "kindness, understanding and prayers.". Turns out that a few years back, during a race around the world for a promotion, Chapman arrived late at the airportno ticket, no cash, no passport. In the meantime, you play every night like it was opening night, kick ass, and prove me wrong. Be sure to wear a hat. Im absolutely realistic in believing that nobody remembers you, Chapman says. Every store in town used KVIL's mellowrock as its shop-to soundtrack; it evenprovidedthe background music softly droning throughout my orthodontist's office, because what pre-teen with a mouth full of metal doesn't dig some "Afternoon Delight." Didnt think about it until after I handed the keys back to him. Former Dallas Morning News columnist Robert Wilonsky contributed to this report. The following obituaries have been provided by local funeral homes. This is the story of how a chance encounter lead to a close friendship that would span four decades, and a revolutionary radio travel program that is in it's 46th year. The slightly bugged eyes turn flat, focused inward. Maybe for forty-eight hours, max. Chapman was involved at the time with a woman in New York, an aspiring actress. His career launched in 1953, the day after he graduated from high school. But for the first 20 minutes of the show, Id been loading this little guy up with Coca-Cola. This system is awful. A lot of people couldnt handle it, Dean said of Chapmans style. I was driving an older beat-up Nissan, and my alternator went out one night while on the way to work. 750 North St.Paul St. In 1989, KVIL reigned supreme for three consecutive quarters, reaching 10.5 ratings points in the July Arbitrons, 3.1 points ahead of runner-up KSCS. I hear it., I said, Yes. And because he spanned KLIF and "Sump'n Else" to KVIL -- he WAS the history of Dallas radio . Everywhere 1 go, the broadcasters are asking me how to do that. No dice. For a while, Chapmans career in Dallas was on the stairsteps to oblivion, he recalls. It was our mascot for the show. "And when he left, that was it.". Chapman's family says there will be no service, but a public gathering of friends and . Chapman had done the Charley and Harrigan show on KLIF during the Sixties (Chapman went by Irving Harrigan then) and had hosted Sumpn Else, a low-budget local version of American Bandstand on Channel 8. Ron Chapman Obituary Kvil Death | Obituary | Ron Chapman Dead | Died | Has Passed Away | Funeral Plans - We are immensely sad . I'm saddened to tell you that legendary Dallas DJ Ron Chapman has passed away at 85. And he admits that, in part, it is the reason his first marriage ended after nineteen years. . Passing by the cage, he would surreptitiously slip the mouthpiece through the wire into the neck of the tuba and blow. 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. So we all lined up, and we said, Okay, hoooo! And we started to walk. Chapman and his morning cohortsSuzy Humphries, Jody Dean, Michael Rey, et al.are saying, in effect. 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. "It's a shame it's gone, but KVIL had a great history," he said. Dallas Cowboys want another playmaker on offense. Chapman was a giant in radio in Texas, and was inducted as a member of the Radio Hall of Fame in 2012. There will never be another run like his. I never brought it up with him, either. KVIL wasso named for its original HQ in the Highland Park Village, after Charles Meeks acquired a broadcast license from the feds to open up shop in 1958. And, you know, Im an easy-going guy. The kids had to wear coats and ties on the show. And we are going to walk all the way from the Sheraton Hotel to the so-and-so life building. They were on the same block, but nobody caught it. Many years later, both of their first marriages ended (Chapman divorced in 1982) and Ron and Nance began seeing each other, but again, just as friends. And no decision is really final until Chapman signs off on it. 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. More than one KVILite also remarked that they wouldnt have had jobs at all if Chapman hadnt heard that they were down on their luck and called to offer them gigs. Each year, I am more and more aware of the power we have in that room, Chapman confides. Chapman was on his way to becoming, twenty years later, a small industry unto himself. "Ron Chapman is a dazzlingly . 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 is single-minded, living and breathing and eating KVIL to the detriment of everything else in his life. "Well, they had to do something," the National Radio Hall of Famer said. "His family asks for time to . No sexism, period. And Id walk a mile for an impression., Part of the magic of KVIL is that it is positive and upbeat, even when its poking fun at the news, the politicians, or the Cowboys. By now, everyone knows the story about how, in 1988, Chapman asked his KVIL listeners to send in $20 each, without ever saying why, and took in $240,000. 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Chapman is a perfectionist in every way, Nance says. But Chapman says that the first time Haley went on the air after the deal was struck, She was dreadful. After I left, there were several attempts to be 'the new KVIL,' but KVIL left such an impressive mark on Dallas that they were neverable to shake this old image of its old people there, me being among them.". We put them on constantly.. To the multitudes who wake up with him every weekday, hes Mr. "In my own little world, the end of KVIL was something unthinkable," he said. 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. We said, Okay, thats it!