Barry Gray was an American radio personality, often referred to as "the father of talk radio." His late-night New York City radio talk show was carried by WOR radio and then later by WMCA.
Barry Gray returned to WMCA in 1950, and stayed there for 39 years, refining the talk show format still utilized today. During the 1960s, he was in the odd position of having an 11 p.m.-1 a.m. late-night talk show on a station otherwise dominated by Top 40 music and the youth-targeted "Good Guys" disc jockey campaign. But for teenagers who kept their radios on into the night, Gray's show was a window into the high-brow New York culture of the 1940s and 1950s.
Barry's guest is comedian Mort Sahl who is interrupted by a news bulletin about a plane crash in South Hampton Massachusetts involving Senator Edward Kennedy of Massachusetts. There is a second bulletin. We hear Kevin Powers announcement of the crash in more detail. Senator Edward Kennedy is reported in serious condition.
There are two others in the plane which crashed at 11:35pm EST. We learn from Barry Gray who returns to the studio after hearing about the crash on the radio in his car heading home, after his live broadcast, which ended at !1:30pm on which he talked with Senator Jacob Javits at 11:25pm. Following the conclusion of this live broadcast, a pre-recorded Barry Gray show followed with Mort Sahl which is interrupted with the bulletins.
Barry Gray hearing this on his car radio, driving home, returns to the studio. WMCA transmits live on which Barry Gray calls Senator Jacob Javits on the phone, telling him of the news, and getting his reaction.
NOTE: This radio program was broadcast with, at times, severe original transmission static. Phil Gries (Archival Television Audio, Inc.) has reduced a lot of the static, as much as possible, making this rare broadcast quite discernable and extant.
