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Table of Contents Table of Contents...... 3 Varsity Show and Coke Show Memories...... 4 Foreward by Ron Moore...... 5 Saturday Memories ...... 6 Augie Hiebert had a Brilliant Idea ...... 8 The American Bandstand Connection...... 9 Chucks DJ Dance Party...... 10 Who Could Dance on the Show ...... 12 My Terrifying Varsity Show Audition...... 14 Varsity Show Crew Members ...... 16 Working on the Varsity Show ...... 19 Varsity Show Hosts Over the Years ...... 21 How I Became a Staff Dancer on the Varsity Show ...... 22 Varsity Show Staff Dancers ...... 25 Dancing on The Varsity Show ...... 27 All The Latest Teen News ...... 29 Celebrities and Local Bands ...... 30 Live From the Sears Mall ...... 31 Remember When?...... 32 Varsity Show and Coke Show Memories...... 33 Varsity Show and Coke Show Memories
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Remember The Coke Show?
Relive your Coke Show memories, post your memories and listen to an actual recording of that very popular program, The Coke Show right now. Foreward by Ron Moore
Not often does a person have the opportunity of a lifetime to change lives, including his own.
Being asked to host The Varsity Show on KTVA channel 11 influenced how I felt about helping young people for the rest of my life and ended up working with them well beyond The Varsity Show, The Coke Show, the youth centers and more.
The students who worked on The Varsity Show were given scholarships and many went on to have related careers.
Since I was the only person on the show that wasn't a teenager (some may argue that point), I saw the hard work and talent and the behind the scenes dedication they put into all facets of the show. Live television can be a scary thing, even for veterans of the business. If you're the camera person, you don't get a second chance to get the right shot. The students who did the live commercials also wrote the script, rehearsed and performed live. In some cases modeling clothing or demonstrating a product in front of the dancers in the studio and hundreds more watching on TV.
So here's to The Varsity Show and KTVA's Augie Hiebert's vision and dedication to the youth of Alaska.
The Royal Coachman was honored to be a part of an everlasting story.
Yours Truly Ron Moore Saturday Memories
The Varsity Show ran from the 1950s through the 1970 TV season on KTVA channel 11, the CBS affiliate in Anchorage, Alaska.
It was broadcast live from the studios of KTVA in the McKinley building at 337 E. 4th Avenue in downtown Anchorage. In 1964, the McKinley building was damaged during the Good Friday earthquake. Not long after that, KTVA and KNIK, the FM radio station, moved into the newly named "Broadcast Center" in Spenard along with KBYR AM. The Varsity Show was then broadcast from that location until the show ended after the 1970 - 1971 season.
The show was on the air from September of each year to around the first of June and was off the air during the summer months.
A live one hour show, the format was mostly Anchorage teens dancing to the latest popular music of the day. The host of the show would introduce the music, local teen informational segments, commercials and do celebrity interviews.
It was an hour of fun for the Anchorage teens who came to the KTVA studios to dance on the show and enjoy a free coke, courtesy of Anchorage Cold Storage, a yearly show sponsor. It was also fun for teens in and around Anchorage as they tuned in the weekly show to enjoy the music and see if they could spot someone they knew who was dancing on the show.
And while Anchorage area teens danced in front of the cameras, there was something different about The Varsity Show from all the other teen dance shows across the United States, including ABC TVs, American Bandstand, that most never knew.
Augie Hiebert had a Brilliant Idea
Augie Hiebert was president of Northern Television, Inc., NTV owned KTVA channel 11 along with radio stations KNIK FM, KBYR AM and the Muzak service that provided the "elevator music" people enjoyed as they shopped or visited office buildings in Anchorage.
And Augie had a brilliant and generous idea.
Anchorage area high school students could come to the studios of KTVA near the end of every Varsity Show season, and audition in front of their peers, to be a part of the following year's Varsity Show crew. It was a very special internship program.
The students who were selected for this one-of-a-kind internship, spent the summer at KTVA, training to work on the camera crew, audio, lighting, producing and directing The Varsity Show.
In addition, others were trained to write and read commercials and to model clothing in front of the cameras. They also hosted informational segments and performed as staff dancers, also known as "Go Go girls".
The Varsity Show crew that was assembled for each season was then eligible for a scholarship at the end of the year. Scholarship funds were made available from the sponsors of the show.
A very big thank you to Augie Hiebert for putting this incredible program together from all of the Anchorage high school students who worked on The Varsity Show and benefited from this unique Northern Television Scholarship program.
Because of their Varsity Show training, many Anchorage teens actually "got their foot in the door" and started careers in both television and radio broadcasting. This author included.
As a direct result of working on The Varsity Show camera crew, I enjoyed a career in television and motion picture production that spanned over 30 years. Along the way, I was also fortunate enough to win an Emmy award for my camera work. Thank you Mr. Hiebert. The American Bandstand Connection
When most people refer to The Varsity Show, they say "Anchorage's version of American Bandstand" with Dick Clark. In fact, Anchorage's own Ron Moore is often referred to as the "Dick Clark of Alaska."
American Bandstand was a weekly Saturday afternoon show on the ABC television network and was broadcast in Anchorage on then station KENI-TV, channel 2, (now KTUU). The show was very popular across the United States and it's success quickly resulted in local teen TV dance shows springing up at television stations all over the country. As a side note, while the show was hosted by Dick Clark, his announcer was Charlie O'Donnell. I actually worked with Charlie back in the 1970s at KCOP-TV in Hollywood where Charlie was the staff announcer.
Broadcast in various versions from 1952 to 1989, American Bandstand first originated out of the studios of WFIL channel 6 (now WPVI) in Philadelphia.
In 1956, the ABC Television Network began airing the show across the country. The host, Dick Clark, would introduce the studio audiences by having them come up, give their first name and their age. He also had the famous "Rate-a-Record" segment where they would play a new song, then ask two teens to rate it. As a result of this segment, the phrase "it's got a good beat and you can dance to it" became a national catch phrase. If you liked something, you'd say "it's got a good beat and you can dance to it."
Another popular segment was when Dick Clark would make a phone call to local top 40 radio DJs around the country and ask them what song the local teens were really into. Then Clark would ask the DJ to introduce the song and the teens on American Bandstand would dance to it. Well, on a couple shows, Dick Clark called Anchorage's own Ron Moore who introduced the Anchorage teen favorites on American Bandstand.
And we all remember getting to see a variety of artists and bands who played their latest hit songs on American Bandstand.
When the Blues Image had a hit with "Ride Captain Ride" in 1970, they played the song on American Bandstand. And in case you didn't know it, the keyboard player for Blues Image and later, Three Dog Night, was none other than Skip Konte, from Anchorage, Alaska. Way to go Skip. Chucks DJ Dance Party
The Varsity Show actually got it's start with a show called "Chuck's DJ Dance Party".
The following picture shows Chuck Wenger in what looks like the garage door area of the KTVA studios in the McKinley building near downtown Anchorage.
In the mid 1950s, KFQD radio personality Chuck Wenger was the favorite DJ of Anchorage teens. At some point, Chuck had a mascot named "Emma the Lion" and there was even an Emma the Lion fan club.
"Chuck's DJ Dance Party" was broadcast on KTVA channel 11. And I suspect that Chuck had no idea his show would go on, although in a different form, until 1970.
Don and Dennis Kalafas, co-hosted the teen dance show in 1960 when it was broadcast Saturday mornings on KTVA. According to Don, he and his brother reported to Chuck Wenger at that time, but never saw Chuck in front of the camera.
Here's a story from Don Kalafas about doing a live commercial on The Varsity Show back in the early 1960s.
The Challenge of Live TV On one show, while doing a live commercial for Gilman's Bakery, as my brother Dennis played piano in the background, I attempted to open a fresh loaf of cellophane wrapped white bread to show the freshness.
Remember, cellophane wrappers on fresh bread were a challenge to open.
It was live TV so panic set in -
I put the bread on the piano, turned the loaf on end and slammed it with my fist and popped it as it were a balloon. The bread flew everywhere.
My boss, Chuck Wenger, was irate and told me so.
Moments later, the folks at Gilman's called the studio to commend the presentation.
Go figure. Who Could Dance on the Show
Over the years, The Varsity Show got their studio audience and teens who wanted to dance on the show in a variety of ways.
Back in 1960 I remember when my sister Anna Dougherty and I worked up the courage to go down to the KTVA studios in the McKinley building to dance on The Varsity Show. I remember that I was decked out in a white shirt and a bow tie. Yes, you read it correctly.
That year you had to be at least 13 years old to dance on the show. I was actually 13, but my sister, who looked older than me, was only 12. We were hoping that she at least looked as if she was 13 and we'd be able to dance on the show.
When we arrived at the KTVA studios, they had a greeter at the studio door who was there to keep out people under the age of 13. As my sister and I headed to the door he looked at me and said "wait a minute, you're not 13. I'm sorry but you can't be on the show."
I was shocked and embarrassed because I was the one who was actually 13. But because my sister looked older than me, they said it was OK for her to be on the show. Fortunately, my sister quickly came to my defense and said, "he is 13, really." At that, the studio door guard said "well if you say so, I guess he can go in." I smiled as he opened the studio door for us. Once inside the studio my sister and I just stood there looking at each other. My sister laughed, but I wasn't amused.
After my sister stopped laughing and I got over my embarrassment we started looking around the studio, The Varsity Show set, the lights and the cameras. As I looked, I was in awe of what I was seeing. Little did I know that in just a few years, I would be working on The Varsity Show.
My sister and I found a place to stand on the set, along with others in the studio audience, and when the show started and they introduced the first song, Anna and I headed out on the dance floor. After a minute or so, the camera came right over to use and focused on me and my sister as we danced together. I'm not sure why, but every time we danced, the camera would find us and focus on us. It was probably because my sister Anna was very pretty and a good dancer. Or maybe it was my bow tie.
By the time I became a member of The Varsity Show crew in the mid 60s, you had to be in high school to dance on the show. Shortly into that season of the show, we decided to have a Junior High School Day and we invited all the Anchorage Junior High students to come down and dance on the show. As a result, the studio was so packed with Junior high students that we could barely get the cameras across the studio floor. But the students had a lot of fun.
Here are just some of the, then Anchorage teens, who came down to the studios to dance on Chuck's DJ Dance Party and/or The Varsity Show.
Sandra Lyman-Cleveland
Sally Stevenson-Anderson
Lois Fedele
Ric Swenson
Paula Slaymaker
Anna Dougherty
Mike Dougherty
Tom Dougherty
Francis Meacham
Kathi Meacham
Denis Franklin
Rozanne Timbes
And literally hundreds more danced on The Varsity Show. My Terrifying Varsity Show Audition by Michael R Dougherty
In my Junior year at East Anchorage High School, I became interested in a career in television and motion picture production.
At the time, my mother Louise Dougherty, was working at Hewitt's Drug Store in downtown Anchorage, before the 1964 earthquake. My mom knew a man named Jeff Bowden who came into Hewitt's to eat lunch at their lunch counter. Jeff was an engineer at KTVA and agreed to meet with me at the lunch counter one Saturday to talk with him about my interest in television.
When I met with Jeff, he told me that The Varsity Show was holding auditions for the next season and that I should come down and give it a try.
A few weeks later, The Varsity Show announced auditions for next years show. So on the day of the auditions, I went to the studio in the McKinley building.
The auditions were set up so you had to face a firing squad of current Varsity Show crew members sitting in front of you behind a long table. There was a music stand in front of the table where you had to stand to audition, which began as an interview and a bunch of questions.
Now I wanted to be on the camera crew, so what happened next caught me totally by surprise.
Near the end of my interview, one of the current Varsity Show crew members got up with a piece of paper in her hand and walked up to me. She placed the paper on the music stand in front of me and said "here's a script. We'll give you a few minutes to look it over, then come back and read the script to us."
Read the script?
I didn't want to be in "front" of the camera. I wanted to be on the camera crew.
But because I really wanted to work on The Varsity Show, I was prepared to walk over hot coals if I had to. So I took the script into the dark shadows of corner of the studio and started looking it over.
Then, in what seemed like only 30 seconds, I heard "Mike, are you ready?" I quickly came out of the shadows, calmly walked back to the music stand like I owned the place, and read the script like my life depended on it.
For my troubles, I was told a polite "thank you, and if you make the crew, we will call you this week to attend a meeting next Saturday here in the studio." Our family didn't have a telephone back then, so I gave them the number of a family friend.
The week went by and no call. Then Saturday arrived and I was wondering what I had done wrong at my audition.
Suddenly, there was a knock at our front door. I opened the door and a Yellow Cab driver was standing there in front of me. "You Mike Dougherty" asked the cab driver. "Yes" was my snappy reply. "We'll you're supposed to go to the KTVA studios for a Varsity Show meeting."
Wow. I had made it. I was an official Varsity Show crew member.
My career in television had begun. Varsity Show Crew Members
From the 1950s through 1970, the final year of The Varsity Show, there were hundreds of local area teens who worked on the show.
Many of them went on to have careers in local Anchorage and vicinity radio and television broadcasting. And some went other places in the United States and worked in broadcasting. Some even went on to work at television networks.
Here are just some of The Varsity Show crew. The years credited are approximate.
Suzanne Cook-Taylor, 1962 - 1964
Cheryl McGhan, 1963 - 1964
Jim Prosser, 1963 - 1964 Sylvia Smith, 1963 - 1964
Jeanne Woodlock-Keyes, 1963 - 1964
Rick Hylland, 1963 - 1964
Jon Carter, 1963 - 1964
Mary Jane Kallander-Dougherty, 1968 - 1970
James Chafin
Peggy Anderson, 1961 - 1962
Bill Simpson
Ray Malott, 1965 - 1966
Bob Laurie
Tom Saxton
Frank Tonnema
Alex Tatum
Bob Martin ("Rapid Robert" on the Coke Show)
Tom Dougherty
Mike Pebsworth
Danuta Pfeiffer
Gwen Greg
Sherry Gay
Pat Landry
Rosalind Linda Agre Brooks
Larry Wansley And many, many more. Working on the Varsity Show
After being selected as part of the Varsity Show crew, I spent the summer at the KTVA studio being trained on how to operate the camera. I learned how to focus and frame my shots and how to smoothly move the camera forward, backward and sideways. I was also trained in lighting and sound and everything else. And I loved every minute of it.
During my first year on the Varsity Show, our host Ron Moore, was not going to be available for the following Saturday's show, so they decided to choose four members of the crew to each host 15 minutes of the show. Now this was way before visual artist, Andy Warhol, had made his claim that soon, "everyone would have their 15 minutes of fame."
They choose three crew members who regularly did commercials in front of the camera to host the first 45 minutes of the show. Then, much to my shock and amazement, they chose me to host the final 15 minutes of the show. Now I know why I had to read the commercial script during my audition.
Since this was a live TV show, if I blew it, I was going to blow it in front of the entire Anchorage, Alaska TV viewing audience that was tuned to KTVA and The Varsity Show. No pressure there. Gulp. I even had to do my first ever, live TV interview with four East High School cheer leaders.
When my 15 minutes arrived, the stage manager gave me the cue and I held my microphone the way I'd seen Ron Moore hold his microphone, and I looked right into the lens of the camera a started talking to it like it was my friend. Somehow, my 15 minutes, including the interview I conducted, went very well. Just two years later, I was co-hosting The Varsity Show with Anchorage DJ and KTVA Morning Show host, Roger Latham. We hosted the show together for about half of the season, then Roger left for Hollywood and I became the host of the show for the next three years.
While hosting The Varsity Show, I met the lady who would become my wife of 48 years and counting - at this writing. Mary Kallander was a staff dancer, a "go go girl" on the show. Shortly after we were married, I turned the hosting chores over to KENI radio and KBYR radio DJ Jerry Rose (Peter Bie) who hosted the show's final season 1970 - 1971 season. Varsity Show Hosts Over the Years
The following is a list of some of the show hosts for The Varsity Show from the 1950s through 1970. The list is not necessarily in order, or even complete, since information is sketchy and exact details hard to pin down after all these years.
Chuck Wenger - "Chuck's DJ Dance Party" in the 1950s
Dennis and Don Kalfas
Jim Roach, 1963, 1964
Neil Christopher
Ron Moore
Bill Kelley
Roger Latham & Mike Ray (Dougherty) co-hosted for half a season in 1967-68
Mike Ray
Jerry Rose, hosted the final year of the Varsity Show in the 1970 - 1971 season. How I Became a Staff Dancer on the Varsity Show by Mary Jane Kallander-Dougherty
One evening in November 1967, I got a phone call from my friend Billie Blake that would change my life.
I knew Billie from East High School. Billie told me she was a staff dancer on The Varsity Show, Anchorage's local teen TV dance show.
She proceeded to tell me that I was one of the best dancers she had seen at the teen club, Shindig City, and she wanted me to be her dance routine partner on The Varsity Show.
Billie told me that the director of The Varsity Show, Tom Dougherty, said she could choose anyone as her dance partner as long as they were in high school and were a good dancer.
I was flattered, but at first I told Billie that I was too shy to dance on television, so I told her no. But Billie said her cousin was her current partner, but couldn't be on the show anymore and that I was one of the best dancers and please help her out. So I eventually gave in and told her yes.
Billie and I met up and designed our wardrobe like the dancers on the popular national TV show, "Where the Action Is". My long-time friend Leslie had given me a pair of white go go boots the year before and I got a pair of patterned stockings and a ruffle blouse and we were set. Evenings after school we practiced our dance routine to the song, "Apple Peaches Pumpkin Pie" by Jay and the Techniques at Billie's Aunt's house. Her Aunt also helped sew our vests and skirts.
Then the Saturday came when I was to make my first appearance as a staff dancer on The Varsity Show at the 32nd and Spenard KTVA channel 11 studio. We arrived on time and went into the ladies room/dressing room and fixed our hair and put on our wardrobe.
I remember walking down the hall with Billie and then walking into the studio and seeing The Varsity Show set, including the host's podium and the boxes we were to dance on, and the studio lights. I recognized my friends from East High and they seemed surprised to see me walk onto the set and step up onto one of the dancer's boxes.
I also remember when the hosts, Mike Ray and Roger Latham introduced our song. Billie was on her box and we started to dance. Then the studio audience came out on the dance floor. I could see the lights and the cameras and the microphone boom operator and there I was, dancing on live TV.
When the song was over, Billie and I stood there on our boxes while some commercials were running and suddenly the voice of Tom Dougherty, the show's director, came booming over the loud speaker into the studio for everyone to hear, "Mary you need to smile. Remember to smile while you're dancing." Later, I told Billie that I wasn't smiling because I was concentrating so hard on our dance routine.
The next three songs were introduced on the show and Billie and I danced and finished our first set.
That was quite a fun experience and I continued on The Varsity Show as a staff dancer during the rest of the 1967 - 1968 season. I also began dating the show's host Mike Ray (Dougherty) in December of that year.
So I owe all of this to Billie Blake and The Varsity Show who took a chance on a young high school girl who just loved to dance.
I did audition again in 1968 and continued as a staff dancer on The Varsity Show until the end of the 1970 season.
Being on The Varsity Show was an experience that has helped me through out my entire life. I went on to become a background actress in Hollywood were I work on TV shows and movies shot in Hollywood studios and on location. And oh, by the way, Mike Ray (Dougherty) and I were married and as of this writing have been married for 48 years.
Varsity Show Staff Dancers
Beginning in about 1964 or 65, the "Go Go" scene took the world by storm.
And on television, shows like NBC's "Hullabaloo" (1965), ABC's "Where the Action is" (1965 - 1967) and ABC's "Shindig" (1964 - 1966), used high energy Go-Go girls to keep the pace of the show moving.
You remember seeing "Go Go" dancers with their white "Go Go" boots and dance outfits, that some times included fringe, because the fringe moved when the Go Go dancer was dancing up a storm. Do you remember Ron Moore's Pace Setters Go-Go dancers? They were named "The Fringe Benefits".
As they danced to the latest hits of the day, Go-Go girls were featured on stage, on top of large decorated stage boxes, or even in cages. "Go Go" was all the rage.
So in 1965, Ron Moore suggested to the in-coming Varsity Show crew, that we change the name of the show to "Varsity Au Go Go". We agreed, and on the show's 1965 - 1966 season, the show was titled "Varsity Au Go Go." But for some reason, actual Go Go Girls, or staff dancers, weren't added until the 1967 - 1968 Varsity Show season, when curiously, the show's title was returned to "The Varsity Show."
Here is a list of just some of the staff dancers from the show.
Billie Blake
Mary Jane Kallander-Dougherty
Margo Bell-Goldsboro
Rebecca Cowen-Cornelius
Debbie Bricker
Sheena Dossman
These fine young ladies put together dance routines every week and performed on the dancer's stages on The Varsity Show set. And, although the video tapes are long lost, The Varsity Show staff dancers did dance routines where they were all together in front of the cameras at one time. These special show segments required very long and difficult rehearsals in the studio.
One of these performances was set to the song "Grazing in the Grass" by Hugh Masekela and the Friends of Distinction.
First the dancers all rehearsed in the studio for what seemed like hours, under the direction of Varsity Show director Tom Dougherty. Then, they moved the cameras and the dancers outside and behind the KTVA studio, where the actual grass was tall. A speaker was brought out so the dancers could hear the song, the tape rolled and the cameras followed the dance routine. When the song ended and the director said "cut" , The Varsity Show dancers had a beautifully done show segment ready for broadcast.
When the video was introduced on that week's Varsity Show, all the staff dancers were very proud of what they had done. It was a Varsity Show first and one that ever person involved will remember always.
A big thank you to all the staff dancers who were part of The Varsity Show. And while my brother Tom Dougherty is no longer with us, he told me many times in his life, how proud he was of all of you. Dancing on The Varsity Show
Watching The Varsity Show on KTVA channel 11 was always fun because you could see Anchorage teens dancing to the latest hits, you'd see the latest dance moves and you could see your friends and other teens you knew.
Yes, watching The Varsity Show was fun, but actually going to the KTVA studios in the McKinley building, later named the McKay building, and even later in the KTVA Spenard studios, was a very different experience.
Teens that came to the studios to dance on the show were always surprised at how different the show's set looked in the studio. In person it looked smaller than it did on TV. And of course the bright studio lights took some getting used to.
Sometimes, the show's crew would play a couple of songs just before the show went live, so the studio audience could get used to dancing on the set, under the studio lights.
Then once the show went live, there were lots of fun songs to dance to.
If you were shy, even getting a free bottle of Coke to drink was interesting because you had to walk right onto the set and under those bright lights to get your Coke, which was courtesy of Anchorage Cold Storage, one of the show's long time sponsors.
Being behind the scenes could also be interesting.
Once in a while, when Anchorage teens filled the dance floor and were dancing away to a hit song, something would happen to the sound and the music would cut out. To compensate, The Varsity Show TV crew would tell the dancers to "keep dancing" even though they couldn't hear the music. Of course, the viewers at home thought their TV sets were acting up because they couldn't hear the music even though the teens were still dancing.
Also behind the scenes, the Peter Paul Candy Company was a Varsity Show sponsor for a while and each Saturday during the live show, all the teens that came down to dance were given free Mounds and Almond Joy candy bars.
The Varsity Show was a lot of fun and Anchorage area teens had a really great way to spend a Saturday afternoon when they went to the KTVA studios to dance on TV.
It's been a lot of years since The Varsity Show went off the air. Now, all over the world, there are adults who have fond memories of a time when they either watched or danced on a fun Anchorage TV show on KTVA channel 11 called The Varsity Show.
All The Latest Teen News
For many years, The Varsity Show wasn't just an hour of music and dancing, it also included informational segments for Anchorage area teens.
At one time, the show actually began with a 15 minute interview segment where a teen host would interview area teens about topics of local teen interest. That part of the show was eventually dropped in favor of starting the show off with music and dancing.
For many years, there were updates about school activities at both West High School and East High School (the only two high schools at the time). These segments were reported by Varsity Show crew members and helped to inform teens about happenings around their school. At the same time it gave students a sense of pride when their school was being featured on The Varsity Show.
Over the years, The Varsity Show also included a look at that week's songs on the Top Ten. When the host revealed the number one song on the charts, they played the song so the studio audience could dance to that week's latest chart topper.
There were also great things like a live telephone call to a teen at home. This of course was long before cell phones. If they were home watching the show, the teen won a prize. If they weren't home, their friends who were watching The Varsity Show, were sure to tell them that they missed the call and the prize.
The studio audience could also win things. I recall a contest where a studio audience member would win a case of Coca Cola, courtesy of the Anchorage Cold Storage Company. As I stood on the set with the teen who had won (a young lady), I was holding an empty cardboard Coke case. Since a full case was heavy, I was going to hand her the empty box, then she would be given the actual case of Coke off camera.
After I introduced her to the audience and congratulated her on winning, I handed her the empty case of Coke. Much to my surprise and her's, the case flew out of her hands and up into the air. Seems she thought I was actually handing her a full case of Coca Cola so she was pushing her arms up. We both had a great laugh, right along with the studio audience. The next time we did that give-away, I told the winner ahead of time that I would be handing them an empty case, but that they would receive their actual prize off camera.
Great times. Celebrities and Local Bands
The Varsity Show had it's share of celebrities drop by over the tears, as well as local bands who were either interviewed on the show or played live on the show.
Here's a look at a few of the celebrities that were featured on The Varsity Show.
Dobie Gray, "The in Crowd", "Drift Away"
Ian Whitcomb, "You Turn Me On"
Eric Burdon (The Animals and War), "San Franciscan Nights", "Good Times", "Sky Pilot", "Spill the Wine", "Paint it Black", "We Gotta Get Out of This Place"
Bobby Bare, "The All American Boy" (it was about Bobby, but everyone thought it was about Elvis when he went into the army. Bobby did the song on The Varsity Show,
Sky Saxon and the Seeds, "Pushin Too Hard"
Tony Orlando, "Knock Three Times", "Candida", "Tie a Yellow Ribbon Round the Old Oak Tree", "Sweets for my Sweet"
Local bands that were featured on The Varsity Show include.
The Arsons, The Heartbeats, The Vel Bops (also The Centuries" 1961-1963). Live From the Sears Mall
While The Varsity Show was broadcast live every Saturday from the Studios of KTVA channel 11, there was one show that was produced on location at the Sears Mall and broadcast on videotape that Saturday.
On or about 1969, The Varsity Show crew came up with an idea. They wanted to take the studio cameras to the Sears Mall on a Sunday, tape the show, and broadcast it the following Saturday during The Varsity Show's normal time slot.
The Sears Mall loved the idea, but KTVA didn't have a mobile TV unit at that time. So talks began with the Anchorage School Districts video department to use their multi- camera mobile unit. Because The Varsity Show was staffed by local high school students, the District agreed.
On The Varsity Show the Saturday before, we told our live audience and those watching us at home to join us at the entrance to Sears, inside the Mall, where we would be videotaping the following Saturday's show.
When the day came and we started putting up our Go Go girl stages in the Mall and creating a dance area for the crowd that joined us in the Mall, our entire Varsity Show staff was very excited. We set up speakers so the dancers could hear the music, and a special show intro was created with Mike Ray (Dougherty) walking down the Sears Mall toward The Varsity Show set to the tune of "Feelin Groovy" by the Young Rascals.
The crowd in the Mall was excited, our staff was excited and everyone had a great time.
The following Saturday, instead of being broadcast live as the show had been since the 1950s, The Varsity Show was broadcast from the videotape that had been recorded earlier in the Sears Mall. It was the first time the teens who came down to dance on the show were able to stay home and watch themselves dance on TV, and it was the first time The Varsity Show staff had stayed home to watch their show. In fact, many of the staff came down to KTVA and watched the show from the studio monitors. Remember When?
For 37 years, beginning in 1952 on WFIL - TV in Philadelphia and ending in 1989, teens danced on American Bandstand.
And from the 1950s to 1970, Anchorage area teens had their very own American Bandstand.
It was first called "Chuck's DJ Dance Party" and then "The Varsity Show" and for all those years, Anchorage area teens had something very special indeed - and all because of a man named Augie Hiebert, the President of Northern Television, Inc.
Yes, Augie had a brilliant and generous idea. You see, like many professions, television and radio broadcasting are difficult to break into. But Augie opened the doors for Anchorage area teens and gave them an opportunity to be a part of something wonderful, both in front of, and behind the cameras. Many of the fine people who's names are included in this ebook would tell you just how much The Varsity Show meant to them.
Today, The Varsity Show is a precious memory that brings to mind a very special time. Not all of those with warm, pleasant memories of The Varsity Show were teens at that Time. Ron Moore was a broadcast professional when he hosted The Varsity Show. I was one of the many Anchorage area teens who had the honor of working with Ron on the show. And for me and Varsity Show crew member Bob Martin, we also had the pleasure of working with Ron on the Coke Show. Do you remember "Mighty Michael" and "Rapid Robert"? Great memories indeed.
This nostalgic look back at The Varsity Show was an amazing book to write. It brought back so many great memories and names of people that I still think of from time-to- time. But now that much of the story is captured for all time in this ebook, we can all be happy that generations to come can read the story of a time in Anchorage, Alaska, when a program called The Varsity Show on KTVA channel 11 brought fun and happiness to Alaskans. Thank you Mr. Hiebert. Varsity Show and Coke Show Memories
You can find more stories, pictures and you can also post your Varsity Show memories by visiting Anchorage Memories.com right now.
Remember the Coke Show?
Relive your Coke Show memories, post your memories and listen to an actual recording of Anchorage's The Coke Show right now.