Dick Abbott with Jack Cullen
Dec. 21 1951 Dick arrives at NW
Another of the many long-term employees begins with
CKNW. Responsible for creating the three tone NEWS Sounder, Dick Abbott started
in the record library and later became the Production Manager. Now with Dick
and Roger’s Recording Studio, he remains active with CKNW.
Dick Abbott
- Record library then production engineer and Production Manager CKNW
New Westminster 1951-98; created CKNW’s three-tone news sounder; co-founder
(with Roger Monk) Dick and Roger’s Sound Studio Vancouver 1990-current; retired
from CKNW 1998
“There was an 8-month hiatus, otherwise NW has been
my life.” The number of commercials,
jingles, features, special programs etc. that you’ve heard packaged by Dick
Abbott is beyond numbering in his 40 years at CKNW. He is one of the best, most sought-after production engineers in
North America. Ted Smith’s evaluation
of Dick appears to be universal among the staff: “. . one of the finest, most
genuine and dedicated people I know.”
Dick’s known for his speed and concentration. A representative of hockey’s Seattle Totems came to Vancouver one
day, told Dick the club needed a promotional campaign . . . and needed it that
very day. Dick was collaborating with
the talented David Hoole at the time, and the two of them put their heads
together. Before the end of the day,
they had packaged the entire campaign—and called it Blood, Sweat &
Cheers. It was a smash.
Born in Kamloops in 1935, Dick moved to the coast
with his family when he was 6. He got
into music in junior high, played alto sax, clarinet and flute. And he was a jock, too, into all sorts of
sports. At 16, he got a job in the CKNW
record library. Eventually, Dick began
packaging commercials . . . then making transcriptions. . ending up doing all
the production at NW. “I learned to
edit doing Gerber Baby Food commercials.”
Some of the programs he packaged (such as the Easter special with music
and readings) are still being played on NW years after they were created. And he recalls, with a shudder, his first
remote: it was at the Bowell Funeral Home, where organist Ed Reimer would play
15 minutes of sweet, solemn music. “There
were bodies there in open coffins!”
Dick taped the show and left quickly.
Dick credits chief engineer Jack Gordon with being
a tremendous influence. “He was so
patient. And if I wanted to do
something, and didn’t have equipment to do it, he’d built it! He started calling me his production manager
and I got a memo where he used that phrase.
I took the memo into Hal Davis office, and said, “Does this mean that I
am your production manager?” Hal grins, and says, “I guess so.” So I took the title.”
Dick has worked with hundreds of different people
at CKNW over the years—but has a special regard for Hal Davis. “In my opinion, Hal has never been given
credit for being one of the most innovative programs directors in radio
history. He was open to
experimentation. His hirings, and his
patience with talented, extroverted people has been taken for granted. I, for one, will always be grateful for his
help.” And he has a special left-handed
regard for Hugh Wallace. “Hugh was
assistant manager at the time. I hadn’t
been at the station long. We’re coming
back from an Orphan’s Fund do; Hughie’s driving, Arnie Nelson’s in the front
passenger seat, I’m in the back. Hughie
says to Arnie, “You’ll make it on talent.”
Then he jerks his thumb over his shoulder at me. “This guy makes it on personality.”
“Well, I took that as a challenge. After 40 years, I thank Hughie Wallace for
that.” Dick still brings an infectious
enthusiasm to the job, after 40 years of it, still tries new ideas, new equipment,
new effects. The most fascinating part
of the business he says is the “what if?” factor. “What if we speeded up the music here?” What if we brought in this electronic sound effect?” “What if
we etc. etc?” At a 1992 bar B Q
party at Frank Griffiths’ home, more than 100 CKNW employees were
gathered. Dick leaned over the boss’
chair to say hello to him, and Griffith, now in his late 70s, and frail,
clasped Dick’s hand and looked up smiling, “ I hope you had good memories of
this place.”
Thanks to Chuck Davis