Dan Simmons Rik De Lisle Steve Kostelac Magnificent Magoo T O P S E C R E T The Great 88 the coolest heroes of the cold war www.great88.de T O P S E C R E T a documentary about AFN-Berlin 88 FM, the music, the fans, and the DJs who, through their music and on-air personalities, helped destroy the Berlin Wall. The Great 88 the coolest heroes of the cold war T O P S E C R E T T O P S E C R E T The Great 88 the coolest heroes of the cold war TABLE OF CONTENTS T O P S E C R E T 1 THE BACKGROUND cold war geography 2 THE FILM 3 THE DJs 5 THE DIRECTOR 6 THE CREW 7 THE PRODUCERS 8 THE PREVIEW DVD AND CONTACT 9 MORE T O P S E C R E T The Great 88 the coolest heroes of the cold war THE BACKGROUND cold war geography The Cold War started to be felt after the end of the Second World War with the division of Germany into occupied zones. The Western Allies ended up face to face with the Soviet Union and consequently, Stalinism. Germany’s division marked the division of the world as it was into two political and economic ‘blocks’ or spheres T O P S E C R Eof T influence: West and East. The AFN (American Forces Network) had long since been established in (West) Berlin and in 1945 began recording programs in the American sector of the divided city; bringing Berliners (in the West as well as the East) swing, rock ‘n’ roll and soul and later other popular musical styles. The AFN, which had actually been produced exclusively for the G.I’s, advanced in Berlin’s particular situation as a divided city and became the free voice of Berlin and of the free world and broadcast its remarkable programme to over 54 countries. Its presenters became the darlings of the Berlin public in the Western zone, as well as in Soviet-occupied areas which were later to become the GDR. The stories of the division of Berlin and of its Western part (known as West Berlin) and the AFN are inseparable and belong to the memory of a particular state of being, of a city which existed as an island surrounded by a ‘Red Sea’. T O P S E C R E T The Great 88 the coolest heroes of the cold war THE FILM T O P S E C R E T The film titled „The Great 88,“ tells the story of AFN-Berlin and the staff, in particular the DJs and the music (R & B and Jazz) in context with the cold war situation of West Berlin. In this spirit, the DJs and the music as they were presented on AFN between 1976 and 1984 plays a central role in the film. Since then, the DJs have been raised to legends, which represent a state of mind and took the music scene in Berlin beyond the limits of imagination. As a foundation, the film conveys the unique situation of the city of Berlin, and of AFN in its historical relationship to the Western sector of the city, and also the duty that was assigned to AFN. At the same time, the role of all the Western allies is illustrated (keyword: guarantors of peace and freedom). West Berlin entered into extraordinary situation in the era of the Cold War. AFN also took on extraordinary status in the region as it was also being heard in East Germany and East Berlin. The special feeling and atmosphere that AFN brought to the East German youth forged a music scene and a desire for freedom that was existed in T O P S E C R E T the AFN DJ personalities and the music itself. At the same time the West Berlin youth were living the same dream. Friday belonged to Jim McAuley. On Thursday it was AFN disco. The AFN broadcasts and the DJs were part of everyday life for teenagers in Berlin. But AFN also stood for great music and the highest standards of excellence. AFN was actually a channel of culture, par excellence. It was inconceivable that it would have ever been otherwise. And despite everything, it was always special. Thirty years later the era of this special feeling sent out by AFN and its DJs, for just a moment, became real again. This was a magical moment for all the West Berliners, who lived the dream of freedom and for all the East Berliners, who were never all- owed or able to live the dream. And both these rivers fused to re-kindle the Old-school style of R & B and jazz, and fuelled the rise of the DJs who first played this music. A story of a special city, special music and fantastic radio personalities. Personalities that gave birth to an unforgettable spirit, that captured the imagination and connected people across borders. And the DJs did all of this in addition to their regular duties in a frontier city: West Berlin. The Great 88 the coolest heroes of the cold war THE DJs Rik De Lisle began his broadcasting career at KTFM in San Antonio, Texas in 1968. In the late 60’s and early 70’s he worked as DJ, Music Director, and finally as Network News Director at various AFN station in South East Asia, Portugal and West Germany. In 1977, he was named “European Presenter of the Year”. In 1984 he joined RIAS2 as music director and morning show host. The radio station that won more than 30% of the T O P S E C R Emarket T share in West Berlin in the first 90 days of existence. In 1993 after being named PD of r.s.2 he and his team successfully revamped the station, dramatically increasing the number of listeners. r.s.2 went from fifth place in the market to number one. From June 1997 through December 2007 De Lisle was Director of Alan Burns and Associates European Buro. A/B and Associates was Europes largest Radio Consultancy with over 22 stations in 7 Countries. De Lisle is now “retired” and voice tracks syndicated radio shows in several German Markets. Steve Thomas Kostelac, Jr. was born 29 January 1955 in the entertainment capitol of the world Las Vegas, Nevada. He Joined the United States Army upon graduating from high school on 08 May 1972. The former US Army Sergent was assigned to headquaters US Army Berlin from september 1980 to november 1983. Primary duties: Non-Commissioned Officer in charge of the Adjunt Generals Office of military community personnel services officeduties: Supervise 1 active duty and 5 civilian personnel who issue passports, U.S. active duty military ID Cards, U.S. dependents ID Cards civilian personnel ID Cards and issue and approve flag orders for travel to and T O P S E C R E T from Berlin through the Eastern Sector via plaine, car or train travel to and from Frankfurt West Germany. Also served as an off-duty volenter at 88 FM disco show broadcast twice a week on 88 FM and also was a regular entertainment Disc Jockey in the U.S. Military Officer and Non-Comissioned Officer Club Systems, Night Clubs and was the House Disc jockey for the Riverboat Night Club West Berlin and many guest apperances a La Bells Night Club and the Premadona Night Clubs West Berlin. The Great 88 the coolest heroes of the cold war Jim McAuley joined the U.S. Air Force in 1964 and worked in the Far East, Middle East and Europe. In 1981 he was named one of the USAF Twelve Outstanding Airmen of the Year. During his Air Force career he produced and hosted freelance radio programs for American Forces Far East Network Japan, AFN Berlin, and AFN Europe. He also co-hosted the Berlin RIAS “Jazz Nacht Acht” radio show and conducted radio interviews T O P S E C R E T with Jazz and Top Forty musicians including Earth Wind & Fire, Al Jarreau, Roberta Flack, Santana, George Duke, Herbie Hancock, War, and Barry White. After retiring in 1984, he joined IBM and held several engineer and manager positions. In 2009 he retired as Director of Architecture Engineering, IS&GS division of Lockheed Martin. Jim has a B.S (Cum Laude) University of Maryland, M.S Vanderbilt University and completed courses at IBM’s System Research Institute. Dan Simmons was born in Summerville, South Carolina. He graduated from Alston High School in Summerville, South Carolina and immediately moved to New York City where he attended acting school and worked part time in the famed Sugar Ray Robinson restaurant in Harlem. At the age of 19, he joined the United States Air Force. He trained as an Administrative Specialist and spent two years in Texas and two in Japan. While he was stationed with Travis Air Force in California, he joined the Mellow Fellows Band playing keyboard and singing. After serving tours in Thailand and California, Dan was assigned to Berlin with the Air Force’s Security Service. His boss recognized that he had a great T O P S E C R E T voice and told him about a radio job at the local American Forces Network (AFN) station. His popularity among the American military and the local German population soared so quickly that the AFN Program Director, Mr.