RETIRED CBS ENGINEERS ASSOCIATION
Messages from retirees
This page is an "archive" into which the message pages from October, 2000 have been moved. It is intended to serve the purpose of filling in for those who may be off line for a period and want to review what they've missed, and also as a place to look up past correspondence. The arrangement is from top to bottom earliest to the latest, for the easiest day-to-day perusal.

Received Oct. 3, 2000
Received Oct. 5, 2000
Received Oct. 9, 2000
Received Oct. 11, 2000
Received Oct. 15, 2000
Received Oct. 16, 2000
Received Oct. 17, 2000
Received Oct. 19, 2000
Received Oct. 22, 2000
Received Oct. 23, 2000
Received Oct. 25, 2000
Received Oct. 30, 2000

Received Oct. 1, 2000:

From Tony Cucurullo  9/28/2000

    It was nice reading Jesse Michnick's letter. I think he is the next Howie Purnick around CBS. He has a quick sense of humor. I remember that he was a drummer up in "The Catskills" of New York at one time. So he knows lots of the comics and their routines. "Jesse, perhaps you will attend a luncheon sometime."
    It was also enjoyable to see Mike Singer, Charlie Carlucci, (who did a great job on a tape I saw  about Fucci), Barry Weiss was also in attendance.  I think this young man is one of the finest story tellers as a cameraman. I rank him up at the top with the very best at CBS. And, too a very nice young man. He came from a department that supplied, three winners. Barry Weiss, Bernie Sweeney, and Andy Gato. They were all Schedule Department Supervisors.  Bernie fits in the mold of George Naeder, he is a whiz art making money and he has the balls to make the moves. Andy Gato, I like to think of him as another Jerry Sullivan. He can only do things if they are right to do. He is one of the most honorable people to know, like Jerry, Pat Finn, George  Seelinger. They are the standard bearers of the moral fiber of the new CBS.      Which brings me to a story about the drivers of the CBS remote trucks. I could do a piece about the contributions the BLACKS made to the history of CBS television, and the transition to finally realizing that most of them had good technical backgrounds and therefore could be integrated into the studio-field section of the company. It had nothing to do with the political atmosphere that was changing around the country. These were men of good character and they knew their jobs as well as any one.
    When the time came to include the WHITE drivers, they too, had ambition to move into technical operations. The character of these men that sacrificed the many days on the road year-in and year-out can only be characterized as noble.
    An example comes to mind. We were in Talladega, Ala for a car-race. During setup, (which is tedious and heavy duty work) we noticed that the track and stands was cleaned each day by children. Ranging in age from about 10-17 years. They resembled waifs from 'Oliver Twist'. And indeed they were handle just like they had 'Fagin looking over there shoulders. We further investigated and found that the children were supplied by a school from Pennsylvania. And the track supplemented them with a stipend for this job.
    There living quarters were a pig sty. They slept in stacked bunks, with barely space to turn. Their clothed were tattered and torn. They need to be cleaned.
    Well I went to the crew and asked for donations to buy a washing machine for them. And as usual, the crew gave generously. When Pete, a driver and I went to Sears to buy the machine we fell short about fifty bucks. Needless to say, Peter reached in his pocket and came up with the rest of the money.
    I am proud to say our drivers are the best in the business, and can double at most of the technical positions. They have supplied, cameramen, audio, maintenance, and some have gone into management. Scott Either,Soucy, Murphy, Surphlis, Butler, Davey, Jackson, Walsh, DiTroia and the early men.. I wish some one of you would write in and fill in the gap of those old timers.. Like the Sheriff out in Arizona? I can't remember all the names... another senior moment.
Tony

From Andy Gatto  9/29/2000

Hi Tony, I don't know if I'm the last to know or if I missed some mail But, Emil wife wrote me to tell me that Emil passed on to a better place. She also told me that Bob Brugo gave a nice eulogy at the service. Sorry to pass on sad news. Regards, Andy

From Harold Deppe  9/29/2000

Please post this to the website:

In regards to Jesse Michnick's comments of the current day Broadcast Center, I remember back in 1950 I had to take my tie off as it almost got caught in the spockets of a 16mm projector in Grand Central telecine!

Also a little nostalgia, I remember the day the first Ampex 1000 was installed in Grand Central on the second floor next to TVR. Could Jesse respond as to what vtr's are being used now at the Broadcast Center? Also, I understand the new season will find all of prime time in High Definition---any comments on the equipment being used for this?

Kudos to Jesse for identifying his department and current status--makes it easier to know who he is and where he works!

Best regards,   Harold Deppe  EC  1949-1973

From Tony Cucurullo  9/30/2000

This is the first and last of articles that I will post like this.   It is a PRIME EXAMPLE OF PERSONS TOO LAZY TO CARE ABOUT THEIR FELLOW MAN.   How long would it take to cut and paste an article and get rid of those ridiculous looking forwarding arrows which really tick me off.  LES

Subject: ITALIAN VERSION OF THREE LITTLE PIGS


>>Subject: Italian version of the three little pigs
>>>
>>> > > Once upon a time, there were 3 little pigs.  The straw pig, the
stick
>>> > > pig, and the brick pig.
>>> > >
>>> > > One day this nasty old wolf came up to the straw pig's house and
>>> > > said, "I'm gonna huff and puff, and blow your house down." So he
did!
>>> > >
>>> > > The straw pig went running over to the stick pig's house and said,
>>> > > "Let me in, please, the wolf just blew down my house!!"
>>> > >
>>> > > The stick pig let the straw pig in. Then the wolf showed up and
>>> > > said, "I'm gonna huff and puff, and blow your house down!"  And he
>>did!
>>> > >
>>> > > So, the straw pig and the stick pig went running over to the brick
>>> > > pig's house and said, "Let us in! "The wolf just blew down our
houses
>>> > > and we're scared!" So the brick pig let them in. The wolf caught up
>>> > > with them and said, "I'm gonna huff and puff, and blow your house
>>down."
>>> > >
>>> > > While he was huffing and puffing, the straw pig and the stick pig
>>> > > were so scared!  But the brick pig picked up the phone and called a
>>> > > friend.
>>> > >
>>> > > A few minutes passed and all of a sudden this big, black stretch
>>> > > limousine drove up.  Out came two massive pigs in pin-striped
>>> > > suits and fedoras. These huge pigs came over to the wolf and grabbed
>>> > > him by the neck and proceeded to beat the crap out of him. One of
them
>>> > > pulled out a gun and fired into the wolf's mouth. Then they got back
>>> > > into their limo and drove off, leaving the wolf dead on the street.
>>> > >
>>> > > The straw pig and the stick pig were amazed!  They asked the brick
>>> > > pig, "Who the hell were those guys?"
>>> > >
>>> > > And the brick pig said, "Oh, those are my cousins, the Guinea Pigs."

From Tony Cucurullo  10/1/2000

    This morning finds me thinking about life before CBS. The year 1937.   It's a Sunday morning and the place is Red Hook, Brooklyn. For those of you that were raised on the continent USA, Brooklyn is a borough on the island just off New York State. If you travel through the Brooklyn-Battery Tunnel, it empties out into Erie Basin, I lived in the part called, Red Hook .   To the left is the Public School 142, that is were I developed my accent.  You know, dees, dems, dat, and does. The toll booth on the extreme right is where the house that my current wife was born. (I say current because if she don't make my breakfast soon....well!). That was known as Hamilton Avenue.
    I remember going to the corner grocer, and asking for 1/2lb. tub butter, and a bottle grade A milk. While he was digging for the butter, in the frig, I would bury my arm up the elbow to dig for a pickle in the barrel. A loaf of Silver cup bread, (because that's what the Lone Ranger advertised on his show, at 7:30pm Wednesday nights). After the grocer packed it in a number 3 brown bag, I would tell him to write it in the book. They always had one of those black and white covered school books,  where they kept tracked of all the days transactions. They didn't have welfare then, But the grocer was every ones benefactor. I don't remember hearing that anyone every reneged on their bill.
    At the corner candy store  which was owned by my future brother-in-law Pete, I would get the Daily Mirror newspaper, and two lucies. (Two
cigarettes, that's what they were called then, and only a penny a-piece).
    I'd race home, because as a boy I always loved to run. I could run so fast that I actually felt that I could leap through the air. When I got home, we lived on the ground floor of a five floor brown-stone house, at 71 First Place.  When you entered the front door, the smell of garlic simmering in a little olive oil was the opening for senses to what would later be the final master-piece for my mothers Sunday gravy.(you folks say sauce).
    She would be sitting at the table, having just come home from an early mass. And she would be mixing the meatballs. Squishing, ground-chuck, eggs, salt, pepper, basil, bread-crumbs, garlic. Sometimes she would ask me to mix this concoction. I tell you when you are finished mixing this mess, your hands are clean, for the meat pulls all the dirt out of your skin, and from under your nails, too. "No kidding."
    I would have my coffee, and lots of broken animal crackers. They were cheap, and you could buy a bag full for pennies. I would be ready for church, my mother would give me and my sisters, two pennies each for the collection plate in church.
    In church, I would try to stay awake because the masses then were always in Latin. Italian was tough enough for us to learn, but Latin, forgedaboudit. My parents (who were both born here) only spoke Italian when they didn't want us to know something, or when they wanted us out of the house so they could have sex. So for that reason alone I recommend a second language.
    Now I could go on about my yuthe, but I am sure yours is just as memorable as mine, so, howaboutit, guys and gals. Give us a little. I don't
know about the rest of you, but, I'm interested.
    Let me know if you want to hear about,... more of...you know... those good OLE-days of yore.

Tony C

From Les Burkhardt  10/1/2000

I have just been uninundated again with responses to my asking  about adding audio on the web site.  The window of opportunity has now closed at 3:39 PM EDT  this date and no more replies will be accepted.  I will personally arrive at your abode in a stretch limo and present you with the grand offering.  Be on the look out for me.  I also realize that it is impractical to add audio to the site.   One minute of MP3 audio would occupy more than 1 M of the site storage allotment, 5 messages of that size would wipe out the storage allotment.

Received Oct. 3, 2000:

From Ted Perzeszty  10/3/2000

THANX TED. SEND SOME MORE FOLKS: TONY C
Tony,
    The following is a list of my thoughts about my past years.  Maybe you
would like to share them with our retirees who will probably remember most of
them.  Some of them I plagiarized and some are my own memories.

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

            Go back now...........

Close your eyes.....And go back....
Before the Internet or the MAC,
Before semi automatics and crack
Before SEGA or Super Nintendo

Way back........
I'm talking' bout hide and go seek at dusk.
Sitting' on the porch, Hot bread and butter.
The Good Humor man,
Red light, Green light.

Chocolate milk,
Lunch tickets,
Penny candy in a brown paper bag.

Playing' Pinball in the corner store.
Hopscotch, butterscotch, double Dutch
Jacks, kickball, dodge ball, y'all!

Mother May I?
Red Rover and Roly Poly

Hula Hoops and Sunflower Seeds,
Jolly Ranchers, Banana Splits
Wax Lips and Mustaches

Running through the sprinkler
The smell of the sun and lickin' salty lips....

Wait......
Watchin' Saturday Morning cartoons, Fat Albert,
Road Runner, He-Man, The Three Stooges, and Bugs,

Or back further, listening to Superman on the radio
Catchin' lightening bugs in a jar,
Playin sling shot.

When around the corner seemed far away,
And going downtown seemed like going somewhere.

Bedtime, Climbing trees,
An ice cream cone on a warm summer night
Chocolate or vanilla or strawberry or maybe butter pecan
A lemon coke from the fountain at the corner drug store

A million mosquito bites and sticky fingers,
Cops and Robbers, Cowboys and Indians,
Sittin on the curb,

Jumpin down the steps,
Jumpin on the bed.
Pillow fights

Runnin till you were out of breath
Laughing so hard that your stomach hurt
Being tired from playin'.... Remember that?
I ain't finished just yet...
Eating Kool-aid powder with sugar
........Remember when...
There were two types of sneakers for girls and boys
(Keds & PF Flyers) and the only time you wore them at school,
was for "gym."

When it took five minutes for the TV to warm up,
if you even had one.

When nearly everyone's Mom was at home when the
kids got there.

When nobody owned a purebred dog.
When a quarter was a decent allowance, and another
quarter a miracle.

When milk went up one cent and everyone talked
about it for weeks?

When you'd reach into a muddy gutter for a penny.
When girls neither dated nor kissed until late
high school, if then.

When your Mom wore nylons that came in two pieces.
When all of your male teachers wore neckties and
female teachers had their hair done, everyday.

When you got your windshield cleaned, oil checked,
and gas pumped, without asking, for free, every time. And,
you didn't pay for air. And, you got trading stamps to boot!

When laundry detergent had free glasses, dishes or
towels hidden inside the box.

When any parent could discipline any kid, or feed
him or use him to carry groceries, and nobody, not even the
kid, thought a thing of it.

When it was considered a great privilege to be
taken out to dinner at a real restaurant with your parents.

When they threatened to keep kids back a grade if
they failed ... and did!

When being sent to the principal's office was
nothing compared to the fate that awaited a misbehaving student at   home.

Basically, we were in fear for our lives but it
wasn't because of drive by shootings, drugs, gangs, etc.
Our parents and grandparents were a much bigger threat!
And some of us are still afraid of em!!!

Didn't that feel good.. Just to go back and say,
Yeah, I remember that!

There's nothing like the good old days! They were
good then, and they're good now when we think about them.
Share some of these thoughts with a friend who can
relate, then share it with someone that missed out on them.


Regards,
Teddy

From Gayle DePoli  10/3/2000

I officially end the job tomorrow.  AND we will be lucky to have everything out of the venue by then.  All of the technical gear has left and either went to Pakistan or Singapore.  It all was rented from a British company with an office in Singapore.  Remember Peter Donalan from CBS Sports London?  It is the company that he works for, Charters Broadcast that provided the stuff for most  of the sports in my venue.  The other company was out of South Africa called, Air Time.  All of the techs and gear were top of the line.  I had no problems at all.  ......except with security.  There basically wasn't any in our compound.  With that in mind...the pictures stopped coming when my laptop got stolen.  I am in a cyber cafe now catching up on my mail.  Not to worry....it's only a machine.  I'll buy another one when I get home. 

I hope you enjoyed the closing ceremony only 1/2 as much as me.  The fireworks sent chills down my spine...and singing "Walzing Matilda" with all of my new Aussie friends at the end was the highlight of the games.  We really had a great time.  I will send you all of the updates when I get home.  Got a great photo last night with Prince Albert of Monaco at my Atlanta reunion party.  I didn't know that my friend Jonathan Taylor, a producer from London, was friend's with him.  Well, he showed up with the Prince.  Gonna make for a nice picture for Mom!!

Ciao for now,
Gayle

Received Oct. 5, 2000:

From Jesse Michnick  10/5/2000

Dear Tony,

    Thank you for the mention.  The good old Catskill Mountains were a good place to escape to during a New York City summer.  BUT-while Ed Sullivan had The Beatles and Simon & Garfunkle, we had water bugs (they weren't only stompin at the Savoy) and Simon Sez.  Arthur Godfrey had Julius LaRosa....we had Julius LaRosa. And then there were the mishugganah wives from the bungalow colonies.
    To answer Harold Deppe's question about the video tape equipment presently in use.  Telecine has given up it's rows of
projectors and telops to a wall of Sony Beta tape recorders.  They come in both analogue and digital flavors.  The digital machines are sought after as their content can be duplicated without generation loss.  Two Ampex 2" machines still live and are used everyday transferring the many reels of CBS News footage to the new tape formats.  You can still see Charles Collingwood or Richard C. Hottelete reporting somewhere from some not so long ago time.
    The video recording business is now in transition. Computer hard drives now make recordings without the need for tape.  Random access takes the place of rewind and fast forward.  Sporting events now have "instant-instant" replays that can be called up in a highlight package at any time with the flick of a few buttons.  This new powerful technology now places the operator with the responsibility of cataloging every important play and memorable crowd shot.  All this recorded information must later be transferred to videotape as there is no floppy disc that can presently hold the pictures and sound. This process of transfer is known as the "post game melt."  We sure have come a long way since the Ampex
HS 100 slo-mo disc that only held 30 seconds of material.  
    Tony, about your mention of CBS truck drivers.  The one great driver turned video tape editor was Bobby Foster.  He had natural talent for recording the right thing at the right time and could perform under great pressure with ease. How many cameramen would wonder if the tape guy was recording the great shot that just took place?  Bobby always had it!  He was also a great instructor.  He loved teaching and was happy to share his experience.
    Question: Which female comedian would mess up cameraman Bobby Heller's hair on the Ed Sullivan Show? 
    Regards to members of the CBS gallery- the "suits."              All my best,
Jesse Michnick Video Tape Dept.

From Andy Gatto  10/5/2000

September 29,2000
 Dear Violet,
I was very much saddened when I read your letter- I was with Jimmy Wall when he called you  that day to see how Emile was doing and I know then the outlook was grim, I was hoping for better news -  I first met Emile in 1966, when I went to work on the scheduling desk.  Yes, I was one of those young men who use to call your house all the time and ask Emile to work all those crazy hours. When Emile would come into the scheduling office he would have a sly look on his face, the one that said I'm going to get you, and he would rush up behind you and give you the most wonderful back massage you can imagine. You could hear the groans all the way down the hall.
    In 1976, 1 was lucky enough to become a technician. I was assigned to Emile's crew. (No more back massages.) I consider myself extremely fortunate to be working with the best studio crew in the building.    The first show Emile put me on, as a cameraman, was ''Sunrise Semester'' with Roy Allen as the director. I had the shot framed up on the professor and Roy asked me to pan to another shot while my tally light was still on. I was frozen stiff and could not move the camera. Emil thought that I was being vigilant and was holding my shot until the tally light went off. The next  words I heard were from Emile telling me ''you have arrived''. I didn't have the heart to tell him otherwise. Emile was the most respected technical director in the business. He was honest, fair and above all he treated you like a person. I never heard him swear or say an unkind word to anyone. All the more reason why we loved him If you stepped out of line he would be the first to put you back. in line. What we called a man's man.   I'll never forget the day when Emile returned to work after Fred's funeral. I felt terrible for Emile, for that was the day Emile stopped smiling. He was never the same old Emile after that, and no one could blame him. We all felt his pain. I'm sure it wasn't easy for Emile to leave CBS. I guess we missed him as much as he missed the place.   Emile to this day is held in such high esteem that we still judge all Td's
by the standards that he set. I know, I'm still there working on the CBS Evening News with Dan Rather.  I will respectfully post the eulogy you sent to me on our bulletin board so that other's may learn of Emile's passing. My heart and prayers go out to you
  Violet, I know it hasn't been easy for you having lost Fred, Elaine and now Emile.
The hour of departure has arrived, and we go our separate ways- I to die and you to live which is better? God onlv knows, Plato ~ Peace I leave you; my peace I give you. John 12:2 7
Sincerely,
Andrew J. Gatto

Received Oct. 9, 2000:

From Tony Cucurullo

From BIG MOUTH TONY C.
I am sorry I spred the news about Theodoreable. But, I am HAPPY for the good
news. Read on.
Tony C
To all:
   My CAT scan came back negative.  They think that it was the image of a
special implanted electrode screen that was put in after my first
defibrillator episode.  This was needed because there wasn't a good enough
contact with the implanted electrodes directly into my heart.  So now the
crisis is over, you're all stuck with me for a bit longer!
    The Hernia surgery is now scheduled for Tuesday October 10. 

Regards,
Teddy

ABOUT THAT HERNIA. Just don't carry all your cash in the wallet and the
Hernia will go away.
Tony (knows all)

Received Oct. 11, 2000:

From Tony Cucurullo 10/10/2000

Many people have asked about B.A. Taylor. He was an exceptional Audio Man.  Well respected, by his coworkers.
I received this memorial from Roy Halee jr. (his GodSon)  Tony C.  See Photo Gallery Photo 108

B. A. Taylor Helped Make Fearrington a Lively Place

    Some twelve years ago, Fearrington was still very young, and R. B. Fitch was offering the first of his small, energy efficient single family homes inPhase Four. At that time, a leading audio engineer with the CBS television network in New York was planning to retire after close to forty years of working with the top artists and performers in the golden years of television.      The audio engineer was Buell A. Taylor. His father had named him Buell in honor of General Don Carlos Buell, Union commander in Kentucky in 1861. Buell did not particularly like the name and so he usually identified himself and was still best known as B.A. Taylor, eventually to be recognized in Fearrington as the Villages Number One Swimming Pool Man.      In World War II, B. A. found himself in Newark, NJ, teaching radio wiring and repair to 500 Army WACs for the Signal Corps while going to school nights to become an audio engineer. In 1943 he went to work at CBS - first in radio for four years, and then in television.      He handled the audio for all of Garry Moore's shows in the era when the three networks reigned supreme. He handled the audio for the first appearance of the Beatles on the Ed Sullivan Show, and worked on Barbara Streisand's first television special and many of her subsequent CBS shows. B.A. was sound man for all of Walter Cronkite's last ten years as news anchor.      Where should B.A. and his recently-widowed mother, Harriett, retire to?  Reading and research convinced them that Chapel Hill, then (and still)
recognized as the top retirement community in the United States, was the place to go. They heard about R. B. Fitch's first promotional videotape, which included a walking tour of Chapel Hill and views of Fearrington's prize winning homes and countryside. They wrote for a copy and ran it on their VCR at home in Arlington, NJ. Clearly, Fearrington was the place for them.      In January 1982, B. A. and his mother moved into the second house built in Phase Four, at 268 Quail Run, with woods on one side and a large garden on the other, for BA. liked to garden.     B. A. soon became active in the growing community, serving for three years on the Fearrington Homeowners' Board, volunteering as block captain, and later as phase captain for his neighborhood. His audio background made him the person to call when any work was needed in the public address or sound systems of community events in the Barn, in the Fearrington Market (where early community meetings were held) and later in the Gathering Place when it was dedicated and opened for residents' use in 1990.      But it was the Pool & Croquet Club that B. A. was to make his greatest mark in Fearrington. In 1984, R. B. Fitch announced that he was going to build a Swim & Croquet Club for Fearrington homeowners. When the Club was
opened the next year, R. B. asked B. A. if he would be willing to head a resident committee to plan and organize social events at the Pool. Operating and maintaining the swimming pool and other facilities was R. B.'s responsibility, but he called on B.A. to organize the social activities of the pool from 1985 through 1988. B. A. began the highly successful series of pool parties held four or five times a season. At the end of the 1988 season, R. B. offered to deed the whole 2.4 acre Club complex, including the pools, croquet courts, equipment, building and grounds to the Club members, provided
a two-thirdc vote annroved. The generons offer was unanimously and enthusiastically accepted. First to be elected a Director and first to be named President of the Pool & Croquet Club was none other than B. A. Taylor.     Although there are a few days in the year when you would not find B. A. at the Pool, he would not travel much and was happy in the environs of Fearrington. "I may go away as far as Carrboro," he joked, "but other than that, I'd rather stay home."
    He is survived by his mother, Harriet, of Fearrington Village. - by Desmond M. Reilly

From Tony Cucurullo  10/10/2000

This is a letter I received from a dear friend Joe DiGiovanna. I met Joe when we started at NBC. Latter when NBC laid us off we went to work at Western Electric as Microwave Engineers. When the call came for a job at CBS Joe and I came there, and we were laid off again in 1961. Joe pleaded with me, "Tony, PLEASE, don't follow me to ABC-TV...I need the work"  Here is the letter from Joe, back in 1990.

ABC Broadcast Operations & Engineering 47 West 66 Street New York NY

Joseph DiGiovanna
Senior Vice President
Broadcast Engineering Services

May 24, 1990

Mr. Tony Cucurullo
President
Local 1212, IBEW
230 West 41st Street
New York, New York 10036

Dear Tony:

I happened to get a copy of your "1212 News", April - May 1990. First of all, I was shocked to read you were the President of the Local, second and more shocking was the command of the English language you've picked up since I left
CBS in 1960.  Tony, that's 30 years ago!!!

Except for the layoff, I have the fondest memories of my 6 years at CBS as a technician during the golden era of the 50's, under Piliero, Jensen, Zagoren, Tonn, Bergen, Protzman, Hammer, Wilson, Giriat, Mercier, and Thompson. But most memorable, and the basic reason for this letter to an "old friend", was your mention of Charlie Christian - one of the most "humanistic" managers and individuals I can recall ever knowing and working for.

I, along with my wife, Dolores, offer his son the memory of a personal kindness Charlie bestowed on us. In 1958, I was hospitalized for approximately a week. On the first day of my admittance, Charlie personally called Dolores at home to inquire about my well-being, asked if there was anything she or I might need in assistance (my son, Bob, was one year old) and instructed her to call him personally if any help was needed during my illness. Dolores was deeply touched by his kind and sensitive nature.

I will never forget the day Charlie was in that fatal accident. I was working in Studio 50 (the Ed Sullivan theatre), along with Baltmiskis, as resident maintenance. Suddenly, Art Shine screamed the fact that he had heard that Charlie was or might have been on that ill-fated train. We, of course, later found out he had drowned. When I called Dolores to give her the painful news, she broke down in tears, recalling his kindness to her.

I was very fortunate in having known Charlie and having met and worked for him. Dolores unfortunately never met Charlie, but was very fortunate and richer for having known him.

To his son, I might add:
Your father was the type of individual that was always concerned about his "people". He had that rare quality of dealing with his subordinates on a personal basis treading that invisible line between "boss" and "pal" very deftly. I feel fortunate to have considered myself his "pal", as I hope you remember him. My regards to your family.

Tony, we go back a long way --- starting as vacation relief at NBC in 1954, when we worked together on the Arlene Francis "Home" show. I recall following Bob Zagoren around, actually tutoring under him. In 1990, you and I find ourselves still working in the business, a business I feel is the "only" business to be in, irrespective of what our roles may be perceived to be.

I have fond memories of our personal relationships --- we bounced around in this business years ago but finally found our niches. Here at ABC, Joe Carr, Bill Maier, Mel Machanic, and I found a home. Joe Carr has retired; Bill, Mel and I are still plugging away ... loving it. We four came into ABC as friends and remain so to this day.

In ending, congrats on going for and accepting the task of President of 1212 -- you and I were never the type to take on easy tasks. (P.S. Dolores and I recall that your wife made a great plate of spaghetti - our regards.)

Good luck to you and the remainder of my friends retired from and still employed at CBS.

Joe

Received Oct. 15, 2000:

From Tony Cucurullo  10/11/00

Subject:    FW: Things You Need To Know!

More Great Tips to Share!!!!!
*****************************************************************

1.  Stuff a miniature marshmallow in the bottom of a sugar cone to prevent ice cream drips.
2.  Use a meat baster to "squeeze" your pancake batter onto the hot griddle and you'll get perfectly shaped pancakes every time.
3.  To keep potatoes from budding, place an apple in the bag with the potatoes.
4.  To prevent eggshells from cracking, add a pinch of salt tothe water before hard-boiling.
5.  Run your hands under cold water before pressing Rice Krispies treats in the pan and the marshmallow won't stick to your fingers.
6.  To get the most juice out of fresh lemons, bring them to room temperature and roll them under your palm against the kitchen counter before squeezing.
7.  To easily remove burnt on food from your skillet, simply add a drop or two of dish soap and enough water to cover bottom of pan, and bring to a boil on stovetop.
8.  Spray your Tupperware with nonstick cooking spray before pouring in tomato-based sauces and there won't be any stains.
9.  When a cake recipe calls for flouring the baking pan, use a bit of the dry cake mix instead and there won't be any white mess on outside of the cake.
10.  If you accidentally over-salt a dish while it's still cooking, drop in a peeled potato and it will absorb the excess salt for an instant "fix me up."
11.  Wrap celery in aluminum foil when putting in the refrigerator and it  will keep for weeks.
12.  Brush some beaten egg white over pie crust before baking to yield a beautiful glossy finish.
13.  Place a slice of apple in hardened brown sugar to soften it.
14.  When boiling corn on the cob, add a pinch of sugar to help bring out the corn's natural sweetness.
15.  To determine whether an egg is fresh, immerse it in a pan of cool, salted water. If it sinks, it is fresh, but if it rises to the surface, throw it away.
16.  Cure for headaches: Take a lime, cut it in half and rub it on your forehead. The throbbing will go away.
17.  Don't throw out all that leftover wine: Freeze into ice cubes for future use in casseroles and sauces.
18.  If you have a problem opening jars: Try using latex dishwashing gloves. They give a non-slip grip that makes opening jars easy.
19.  Potatoes will take food stains off your fingers. Just slice and rub raw potato on the stains and rinse with water.
20.  To get rid of itch from mosquito bites, try applying soap on the area and you will experience instant relief.
21.  Ants, ants, ants everywhere ... Well, they are said to never cross a chalk line. So get your chalk out and draw a line on the floor or wherever ants tend to march.  See        for yourself.
22.  Use air-freshener to clean mirrors. It does a good job and better still, leaves a lovely smell to the shine.
23.  When you get a splinter, reach for the scotch tape before resorting to tweezers or a needle. Simply put the scotch tape over the splinter, then pull it off. Scotch tape        removes most splinters painlessly and easily.
24.  Now look what you can do with Alka Seltzer. Clean a toilet. Drop in two Alka-Seltzer tablets, wait twenty minutes, brush and flush. The citric acid and effervescent        action clean vitreous china.  Clean a vase.  To remove a stain from the bottom of a glass vase or cruet, fill with water and drop in two Alka-Seltzer tablets.  Polish        jewelry. Drop two Alka-Seltzer tablets into a glass of water and immerse the jewelry for two minutes. Clean a thermos bottle. Fill the bottle with water, drop in four
      Alka-Seltzer tablets, and let soak for an hour (or longer, if necessary).  Unclog a drain. Clear the sink drain by dropping three Alka-Seltzer tablets down the drain         followed by a cup of Heinz White Vinegar.  Wait a few minutes, then run the hot water.
25.  If your VCR has a year setting on it, which most do, you will not be able to use the programmed recording feature after 12/31/99. Don't throw it away.  Instead, set it        for the year 1972, as the days are the same as the year 2000.  The manufacturers won't tell you. They want you to buy a new Y2K VCR.

From  Harold Deppe 10/11/00

Hi Tony.
Thanks for all the Household Hints good information I used up all of my Alka Selzer cleaning Toilets Now I got Indigestion What have you got for that?
Maybe I should be sorry I asked
Best Regards Harold Deppe  E.C. 49....73

Drink some of the toilet water.
Tony

From Harold Deppe 10/11/00

Tony.
Thanks for the advice
Living on a fixed income one must  Watch His Pennies
Not only have I got the Toilet clean
Got rid of my Indigestion.
I Bottled the Toilet water for future use......I get a lot of Indigestion.
Thanks again You made my Day
Harold.
P.S. Can I count on You for advice in the Future??

Wait till you hear my advice on, using Viagra to stimulate your tu lips    Tony

From Pierce Evans 10/11/00

7:17 pm.

What an evening! We sat out on the deck .... full moon low in the sky......not a cloud anywhere ......launch of the 100th space shuttle mission.

Fan - damn - tastic!
It took a northerly course right passed our house and eventually disappeared in the northeast sky. We watched the boosters drop away and the shuttle was visible for more than 10 minutes.

Then above its flight path and directly above the full moon ..... a mysterious expanding blue (thats right ...BLUE) cloud that seemed to glow of its own accord. It expanded rapidly and then dissipated .  Don't have a clue as to what it was. Any thoughts?
--
Pierce Evans

From Tony Cucurullo 10/12/00

WITH WHAT YOU SAVE, HOW ABOUT ADOPTING ME. I AM TALL, HANDSOME,AND VERY
MODEST. I MAKE A NICE HOUSE PET.
FROM TONY C.


Very Big Overlooked
Tax Deduction
    Many people who inherit IRAs overlook a potentially big tax deduction-that for "income in respect of a decedent."
    Key:    A bequeathed IRA may be subject to double taxation- first estate tax, then income tax when its proceeds are distributed. Combined, these two taxes may total 70% or more.
    Saver:  To soften the blow when inherited assets are subject to both estate and income tax in this way, those who inherit the assets can take an income tax deduction for the federal estate tax paid on the assets. And for IRAs that hold a lifetime of retirement savings, this deduction may be huge.
    Example: If you inherit an IRA worth $200,000, the federal estate tax on it may be $80,000-entitling you to claim $80,000 of income tax deductions over the period during which you withdraw money from the IRA.
    Trap:   Many people don't take this deduction at all, simply because they don't know about it. Don't let this happen in your family. Whether you are likely to bequeath an IRA or inherit one, ask your tax adviser about the rules for "income in respect of a decedent"-and plan accordingly.
Ed Slott, CPA. E. Slott & Co., CPAs,

From Joe Janovsky 10/13/2000

Hi Tony,
Tried to pick up the archive #2 on the web site, no can do.  #1 works fine, but when I try for #2 it keeps going beck to the photo gallery opening page.  Any of the computer gurus out there got a fix for this?
73, Joe J.

From Tony Cucurullo 10/15/2000

    How moral was the character of the CBS Technicians? To show some perspective of turpitude, I will use a Damon Runyon, type story.
    Back in the days at Grand Central Station, When CBS had Studios, maintenance departments, mixing studios, Telecine, and Master Control. In other words it was the hub of the television business for the company.
    There was also another department that was the center for video control.  It was known as vidicon valley. From there all the film shows were handled
for picture quality.
    The technicians that worked there were from all other departments about the company. And there were people of all moral shapes and facets.
    Two men of note were Forest Bishop, and Jim Kelenson. One was from the North pole, and the other was from the south pole in every aspect of their characters.
    Forest, was a staid old New Englander, with the look of Calvin Coolidge, and the caustic attitude of Harry Truman. His opinions were set in stone. He believed in fair play, Everyone must get the same amount of overtime, and days off must be shared equally too. He was vociferous on these points.
    Jim, was the complete opposite. I have written about Jim before. He was one of the most outstanding people I have ever known. A voracious reader, and an addicted horse-player. He was constantly reading the Racing Form, in the control room, during his breaks. Now that was almost a taboo, but Jim , not being a hypocrite, refused to hide the Form inside a sheet from the New York Times, so the bosses wouldn't see his gambling propensity.
    I was in a discussion with Forest, about the New England area mores of his youth. Forest was an elderly gentleman. And very proper in all aspects of his personal conduct. He was very shy in describing how a young man would visit a potential sweetheart, and perhaps he might have to travel a great distance by foot, s there wasn't any mode of transportation in the '20's, except by horse or by walking. In the winter months that was a problem, for if a young man stayed to long at the girls home, and it was a very cold and long walk back home. The girls parents would ask the man to stay. If the couple were close to possibly marrying then they would sleep together in the same bed......only with a board between them. That was known as bundling.
    I asked Forest if maybe there wasn't a little hanky-panky that cold take place? He noted that since Adam and Eve, if two people were put together, they would find a way to climb over that board. (ED: I know I wrote two people and not boy and girl).
    There was a time when Jim and Forest were sent on a remote in the days when we had to share a room together. Lo and behold they were matched and put in the same room.
    Forest returned from dinner, and was reading before retiring to bed, when Jim called, and asked him to leave the room for an hour or so. Jim had picked up a lady, and was anticipating a lovely evenings desert with this lady in the room.
    Forest said, "no way, this is his room and he wasn't going to leave." Jim, understood, and figured well it was his room also. So he brought the lady back to the room and while Forest Bishop kept his eyes on the book he was reading, Jim had his desert with the lady in the next bed.
    Stories such as this was the reason the union won the right of the techs to have their own room, and it had to be a first class room.  But, morally, don't you think that Jim, and Forest had the same moral values? I do.
    Jim and Forest have long since passed on and I hope they are now sharing the same holy space together, for they were fine CBS characters.
Tony C.

From Al consiglio 10/15/00

Haven't heard from you lately. Good tips, I will try some. I also read the text of your talk to the CBS luncheon group. I didn't hear it of course, so it was good to finally find out what you were talking about. Hope to see you at another future event.  Al C.

From Herman Lang 10/15/00

TONY: I WILL BE LAUGHING FOR THE REST OF THE YEAR EVERY TIME I LOOK AT MY
COMPUTOR. Herman

Received Oct. 16, 2000:

From Mike Singer 10/16/2000

HI CUCU, JUST A QUICK HELLO. WE ALL STILL LOVE YOU. HOPE ALL IS WELL. WHEN IS THE NEXT LUCHEON?  KEEP IN TOUCH.
MIKE SINGER
P.S. YOU WANTED UPPER CASE, YOU GOT IT
I didn't ask for upper case! you can write in san-script for all I care, just write. Thank you.
Tony

From David Fruitman 10/16/2000

Tony...did enjoy reading the e-mail ...what is the name of the web page.
Thanks,
David
www.rrhistorical-2.com/retcbs
Nice to hear from you. Now write to everyone, read and write to the WEB
Tony

From Lee Levy 10/16/2000

We have been a little busy at the Levy household.  We just had our third grandchild and my wife Lynn has gone up to New York to help our daughter with her first baby.  Amanda Drew arrived on 10/10/00 weighing in at 8lb 8oz. Our smiles are ear to ear.  Life is good and when new life comes it brings things back in to perspective.  I will sit down and write a few lines for the boys in the back room.  I sit here today, fat, dumb and happy because of CBS so who could complain about that.   Regards to all..

From Harold Deppe 10/16/2000

Hi Tony
As of now I See 2,542 have looked in on the Webb .They all cant be looking down from that great control room from above Please Guys SEND IN .If it was not for
Tony sending  In I would not have got My Toilets clean .Lets see what you have to say.The Story Tony sent in about Vidicon Valley .I worked in Vidicon Valley also with Matty Camillo Cal Burns ....Tom Nadig Who just had Surgery I wish Him a fast recovery  And Ed Benford And many more .They were the great Days of  Live T. V.
Tony is doing a great Job with the Webb .Why not help him with some E. Mail ? Before We lose the Webb Page.
Best Regards
Harold Deppe  E.C...49...73

From Ted Perzeszty 10/16/2000

Hi All,
    Operation was a clean cut success.  I'm now in the healing mode.  I hope to be back up to speed in about a month or so.  Thanks for all of your good wishes.  One final note: 
    Hernia surgery is considered "minor surgery".  The definition of minor surgery is:      "WHEN IT IS PERFORMED ON SOMEONE ELSE!!!"

From Harold Deppe 10/16/2000  

Hi Tony
It looks like I am taking over the Webb Page.But just found this Photo taken out the Window 56 Street side .Does any one remember this View from the Broadcast Center ?
Date Aug 1973
Best Regards
Harold Deppe   E.C. 49...73

See Photo 117 in Gallery

From Gayle DePoli  10/16/2000

Tonycucu:    Gayle Ted and I are sending your picture to the web.
DepoliG:    did you like it?  You know who he is?
Tonycucu:   I like it. He looks like Bob Brugo
DepoliG:    LOL....Prince Albert of Monaco
DepoliG:    or in street terms...Grace Kelly's kid
Tonycucu:   Great.  I was hoping it was a technician with a job
Tonycucu:    You are not going to believe this but I knew Grace Kelly.
DepoliG:    nah....he came to the Evening News one night when I was working and everyone made such a stir over him.  Mutchler even borrowed Dorsett's tie to dress himself up.  Micky Fox said, "what's the big stir about...his Grandfather was a bricklayer and his Father is a bookmaker"....we cried.  How did you know Grace?  from a film you shot?
Tonycucu:   I will write the story and send it in to the web, and this dialogue also. OK?
Tonycucu:   Is It really her son?
DepoliG:    Yeah....that is Prince Albert of Monaco.  He was at the games the entire time.  He is an IOC member and if you look closely he is wearing SWAG from the Monaco Team.  Just like a tech.
Post it...it's OK
Tonycucu:   OK then I will do the story. Let me get to it. Bye Luv-ya Tony
DepoliG:    bye

DepoliG:     by the way...the photo that you submitted as the DePoli Family???  that is ME...Linda Baron and Lois Marino.  LInda used to be a tech and Lois was with NBC Sports, ESPN and when retired...the CFO of Madison Square Garden.

This is how stories are born.
 See the WEB Photo section for a picture of Gayle and Prince Albert of Monaco.  When I was a cameraman at NBC before coming to CBS. I did  soap opera. And one of the actresses was a skinny almost starved beauty, named Grace Kelly.  During one days shooting, I was on a break, and very hungry, so I dashed across the street from The Music Hall Theatre, to a small luncheonette, that is no longer there. I ordered a Strawberry milk shake, and a piece of plain pound cake. I raced back to the studio, and put the container on my camera pedestal.  During a scene, Miss Kelly had been looking at me sip my shake, and nibble at the pound cake. When the scene ended she came over to me and said, "that is pure torture, watching you eat." I looked into those beautiful eyes and, melted. I apologized, and offered to her some of what I had left. She was so hungry, I think she would have snatched it from me without my permission. From that day on I never had only one container of shake, (she had me change it to vanilla). But, she continued to share my cake, always just one small bite.  She left the show to go to Hollywood and star with Bing Crosby, in a movie. I think it was Holiday Inn?
So, how do like that, I buy the girl a shake and cake, and she goes over seas and marries some other guy. What's his name, Al, the bookie from Monaco, or something.
This is (SEAL) true, this story.
Tony C.

See Photo 118 in Gallery

From William L Murtough 10/16/2000

 I did write you. For awhile I had a problem getting on the web. I still  keep gatting info about last months luncheon. While at our main home here  in Stuart, signing on the net is expensive, usually over two bucks a  throw. However when we are at the other place it is a local call.
 
 When we get back from the Newark Old  Time Radio Convention this coming  weekend I will try to get some material to you. At present I am trying to  condense about 45 years of broadcasting into a 45 minute talk.
 
 Did you know that Mr. Paley was the one who put his people into IBEW back   in about 1937? He always took care of his people. In our time we had a  new President in the news department. There was a layoff in the news  staff. The president handled it indiscretely. Mr. Paley found out about  it and promptly fired the president, who then wrote a book about what was  wrong with CBS.
 
 We also had some inadequet leadership in the union in later years  Perhaps I knew more about the background of some of our leaders. Not long  before he died we talked about his political leanings back in the early  days. Is Korf still living? I had problems with him when he was my boom  man on Edge of Night. He kept up a steady stream of chatter during  rehearsals. When he became business manager he was always threatening  that he was going to get me fired because I was working for an  independant outfit doing horse races on weekends, even though the company  had approved it. He just never understood the broadcasting business. So  much for Korf.
 
 There was one other situation. Art called me at home one day saying that  he had heard that I was a strike breaker at WOV back before the war. This  came from a letter circulated by a WHN engineer who was a friend of the  guy from the old WOV staff, who was a strike breaker. He was sore because  I had his job. The Bulova organization, for whom I worked in Hartford,  bought the frequency and call letters of WOV, upped it to 10,000 watts  and built new studios on Fifth Avenue and a new transmitter in Kearny.  The head of engineering for all the Bulova stations asked what I wanted  to come with them. I agreed but would not come on board untill they got
 rid of the illegal pickets in front of the new tranmitter. They did and I  took over. Imagine my surprise when I arrived and found that my  engineering staff were all strikebreakers from the old station. One was  Gil McDonald who had been the supervisor of the old station. I would  later find out that he was blackballing me via a "Morse" loop with which  we communicated with our other stations (I couldn't read code). Many  years later I came into the field shop at CBS and Freddy Schutz showed me  a letter that was being circulated and was written by a WHN engineer, who  I had never heard of saying that I had been a strikebreaker at WOV.  However I couldn't obtain a copy of it. However I could not get a copy of  the letter. Then a number of years later Art Korf phoned me and asked  about the letter. Again I told him the story. He called later and said  that he checked it out and I had told him the truth. However, when I  asked him for a letter he refused saying that he might want to use it  against me at a later date. By that time both Gil McDonald and the guy  from WHN were dead. Fotunatly there were only a few Art Korf's and Gi  McDonald's in my life.
 
 BILL >>

From Tony Cucurullo  10/16/2000

The Colonel, Art Korff. He knew how to attack...but not how to defend.  He did some good for the union and the company by creating the "Quarterly meetings" between the union and the company.  If he really was in the military, I pray to GOD that he never planned an operation. During our major strike at CBS (under his leadership) we got our asses kicked, and he had "no plan of operation." He had this idea that," a union should strike every fourth contract time"
Thanks to the good fortune of having Bartillucci, and DeIeso to bail us out.  But, I must tell you this, I was the strike coordinator for the union that time.  I developed an adage, and it goes like this: "I firmly believe that a person that works hard for the company will also work hard for the union, when it is needed."
We had some  real slackers, and some great people, that believed in the union concept and cause. They also did their picketing without crying one minute.  And this is from people that did not believe in unionism, or striking. But they had extreme loyalty.  There are men in the company that would make great point men in the military.  I have the highest regards for them.  Korff, was a gunslinger...he shot from the hip. He wasn't my Colonel.
Tony C

From Tony Cucurullo 10/16/2000

A TEST

Don't cheat! The answer's at the bottom. Try & figure it out before
you
scroll below the four lines.
You're driving a bus that is leaving from Pennsylvania and ending in
New
 York. To start off with, there were 32 passengers on the bus.

 At the next bus stop, 11 people get off and 9 people get on.

 At the next bus stop, 2 people got off and 2 people got on.

 At the next bus stop, 12 people got on and 16 people got off.

 At the next bus stop, 5 people got on and 3 people got off.

 What color are the bus driver's eyes?

 .
 .

 The key to understanding the problem is focusing on the right  information. If we assume it is critical to keep track of the number f  people getting on and off the bus....... we focus on information that  turns out to be unessential.   It distracts us from the important information.   The answer to the problem is found in the first sentence:

 YOU are driving the bus, so the color is of course the color of YOUR  eyes.

 If you didn't get it right, don't worry........ the majority of people  don't answer correctly.

 If you got it right...... you have exceptional problem solving skills!

AND HERE IS THE ......WEB ADDRESS .....AGAIN www.rrhistorical-2.com/retcbs
TONY C

Received Oct. 17, 2000:

From Sig Meyer  10/17/2000

I can't seem to get into Photo Archive #2.. Has anyone else had that problem?  As soon as I click on it, I am put into Photo Archive #1..

From Sig Meyer 10/17/2000

We are using Windows 98
We have 64Megs of memory
We have no trouble clicking on the links
The color does change when we click on it.  Then the Archive #2 goes out and we are automaticly put into Archive #1.

The mysteries of the internet.. After doing camera for CBS for 33 years, I still don't know how pictures go through the air!!

From John Wells  10/17/2000

Regarding Joe Janovsky's problem with archive # 2, I had the same trouble using "Netscape" it would only show the first archive. Switching to Internet Explorer solved this problem. I don't know why that occurs but it works.
regards John Wells.

Note: I had asked Sig Meyer some questions which he answered in his second entry.  I assumed with the using of Windows 98 he would be using Internet Explorer. I had had no problem with my computer on accessing the pages until!! I logged onto the site this evening, clicked on the gallery and then archive #2, lo and behold archive # 1 appeared.  I repeated the steps and again the same result.  I did note that the link to archive #1 was still present and clicked on that, archive #1 appeared and then I tried to repeat the steps for the third time now the access of the files works normally.   I do recall reading somewhere that strange problems occur sometimes when using different software to upload pages to the website and using some other software to access those pages via the net.  Has anyone else seen this information??  I will again have to try to get the Front Page book from the County Library System and see if I can relocate the information about this.

***[From Adrian]We now have this localized, that it's a Netscape problem. I have a copy of Netscape on another computer, so I should be able to experiment with this and most likely will be able to fix it. However, not until next week as we're leaving this morning (Wednesday) for a visit with my son's family in Washington.

From Tony Cucuurullo 10/17/2000

Hi Tony

Sorry to pass along bad news again...

Bob Zuffi was a fine friend and great worker at CBS

Freddie S

--------- Forwarded message ----------
From: "Mahler, Hank"
This is to inform you of the passing of long time CBS Lab Technician Bob
Zuffi on Oct. 15, 2000.  Bob was still a vital member of our engineering
department and although not a member of your association, he was well
known
to many of them.  Please pass on this information to them.

Sincerely, Hank Mahler
**************************************************

Thank you for letting us all know of the passing of another of our CBS Family.
That is why I implore all of you to pass on some additional facts about
anyone that dies. I wish I knew the gentleman. But, if Fred Schutz says that
he was a fine man, it must then be so. If anyone else knows this man please
let us all know something about him.
 Thank you Fred.
Respectfully,
Tony C.
AMEN

From Les Burkhardt 10/17/2000

Happy Birthday on 10/18 to my Bride Jackie

Received Oct. 19, 2000:

From George Klimsack  10/18/2000

Hello Les...Group Photo # 40
Frank Marth is speaking to RON  ?
Back to Camera could be John Lennon.
Romeo Quaranta  speaking to FRED Holst..

Photo # 41    Sitting bottom left Vern Cheesman

Photo #6 next to Frank Marth looking like Mort Smith.

Photo # 13 to right of Irv Jacobs..  how about Jack Katz (audio)

Photo # 37 speaking to Hugo ....How about Paul BUDA

take a good LOOK.....Geo Klimcsak

From Mike DeIeso  10/18/2000

Tony-just got back from a week in Las Vegas where my grandaughter got married and my daughter got married. Had a great time...noting your comment on the web site dy p sent me an email with the address of the site because I tried many times to get on thru many sources and to date have never been sucessful...broke even for the stay at Las Vegas..                                       love Michael

Can anyone help Old Mike?.......Tony

From George Klimsack  10/18/2000

Tony...I really enjoy reading the many stories by our good ole CBS family members...and..the work that you do to make all of us go back in the time capsule...as for my career at CBS,  I did not spend much time in the studio's upon getting the opportunity to go into Field Operations...

It was a boring life..and..it would be difficult to go back and recollect the shenanigans that went on with the likes of NFL, Baseball, Kentucky Derby,  Presidential Inaugurations, Golf and so many other junk assignments.

I'm very depressed about the exciting life that you indoor people experienced as to that dull remote crew assignments.

I should sit down by the fireplace soon,  and try to go back in time, if I can get the brain in gear, and fetch up somethings that can be interesting.

Your ever so Dull, Oppressed, Depressed and Scroungy   KLIMY...


Now for the real facts....

I belong to about 5 different Oranizatrions, not including the Church Maint. Group etc.  I'm really having a hell of a time..and should get my butt near this computer and stay in touch more often...  Keep up the good work Anthony....Best Regards,  Klimy

From Tony Cucurullo  10/18/2000

If there is anyone that has stories to memorialize it should be you.  Here is a story subject for you to fill us in on......Nixons Trip to China.  It was historic..and can you fill the inside...inside stuff. How about it?
Tony
Thanx for writing.

From Adrian Ettlinger  10/18/2000

Hi Joe,

    I got to it much sooner than I'd expected to.  It was very helpful that you sent me a picture of your screen, because that localized where I had to look in the file.  As I was coming to expect, it had to be a syntax error which Internet Explorer is smart enough to forgive, but Netscape will not tolerate.  In this case, I found something very clearcut which is 99% sure to be the answer.  I've posted the corrected file now, so please give it another test, and I'm copying Tony so he can include this in the next
posting.

    Thanks very much for your help.

Best regards,  ----------------Adrian

From Tony Cucurullo 10/18/2000

To y'awll,
What happens to every message I receive? After I read it, I then send it to the (Web Group), Tedpz (Ted the adorable one Prezsezty), because he stores everything I write or receive. Then I send it too Fred Schutz, The Chancellor of our CBS Retirees Association, because he should have,"Editorial Rights" to protect the organization. Thence, it goes off to the WEBMASTER, that little old winemaker Les Burkhardt, (elburkey@cyberstreet.com), where he does some magic, with, Merlin the Magician, Adrian Ettlinger, (aettlinger@worldnet.att.net).
The process is tedious and involved technically. (Don't ask!) When I read your message, I also check it for vituperative language, (four letter words.....like f----), and editorial stories such as political, religious, or vicious attacks on sundry subjects.  Most of your stuff I just simply forward totally (heading included) to Les, because he them receives the address, and he can then add it to the master list.
When you send photos, I transfer them to a picture editor program, and convert them to a format that uses less space for the WEB page. I use a (JPEG) suffix. So if you would kindly, (if you can) send your photos already in the format. It would help. An example, (John Doe.JPEG) of course leave out the parentheses.  Thank you for all your contributions to date. Keep them coming. HERE IS THE WEB PAGE ADDRESS:  www.rrhistorical-2.com/retcbs
Tony C
Pray for Doris Reardon's comfort.

Note: See, the Brooklyn Transplant to Virginia does not even know how to spell y'all correctly....Les

From Harold Deppe  10/18/2000

Hi Tony
Is it possible many of the Guys don't send in because They don't have the Equipment?
I would like to hear from John Wazak ....Jim Paterson .
Its getting so that even Purnick would be of some Help
Best Regards  Harold Deppe  E. C. 49....73

From Cal Marotta 10/18/2000

When I did the Sullivan Show in the late sixty's and early seventy's, I used to hang out with George Moses and we would go for drinks after the show. One of the places we went to was Toots Shores. Several times we saw Jackie Gleason sitting at the end of the bar.  George told me it was Jackie`s private spot and if toots had word the Jackie was coming in he wouldn't let anyone sit there. I wanted to sit there one time and both George and the bartender told me to move on.    I heard this story about what happened one night just before George and I walked in. Gleason called a waiter over and told him to go to the deli and buy a container of beef stew and bring it to the men's room without stopping or talking to anyone.  The waiter did this .Gleason was waiting in one of the booths. He told the waiter to call Toots and tell him that he was sick and vomiting in the men's room.
Just as Toots walked in Gleason took a mouthful of beef stew and spit it out into the  toilet with much coughing and choking . Toots could`nt hold back and threw up next to him. After which he reached into his pocket and gave Jackie a 100 dollar bill. Gleason had bet him 100 dollars that he could make him vomit. I miss the after show action when we would stop in our favorite places for a drink and trade stories with the guys from video tape and the late news having dinner and a drink before going to work. One of the things I remember about George Moses was, he didn't own an overcoat. It could be bitter cold and all he would bring with him was a scarf. He claimed that he forgot a  coat in every bar in Manhattan. He had a different outlook on life, but he was a good and entertaining friend and he is one of the three guys that I miss. The other two are Bruno and Hank W. two guys I hung out with till the end.

A nice story about Gleason and George Moses. I did a piece on George back a ways. However he was a great guy. Did you know he Chico Claudio, Herb Schwartz
were from the photo section in the military. George was a decorated photographer. So too, was Chico. I graduated TV Workshop with him and he remained a life long friend.  His cartoons for the SLATE of 'The World Turns' would be collectors items if you could find them.
You mention Bruno, which Bruno....?               Tony

From Fred Schutz  10/18/2000

Hi Hal

Your looking for Jim Paterson and John Waszak

Spoke to Jimmy Paterson today...He's alive and well, trying to sell his house..He has a winter place in Florida and is not on the Web or has E mail  capability. I told him you are looking for him and he sends his best..

John Waszak lives in  East Haddam,CT. and use to attend luncheons on a regular basis...but in the past few years  we have lost contact with him..I don't believe he is on the Web or has E mail capability..

If you wish their addresses or phone # 's let me know and I will get them to you off line via a direct E mail.

Regards........................Freddie S.

From Adrian Ettlinger 10/19/2000

Hi Tony,

    Just in case there are a few of our group who might be curious as to just exactly why Photo Archive #2 was working on Internet Explorer and not on Netscape, I'll toss in the explanation.

    The actual files which are posted on the Web are written in a language called HTML (that stands for something, but I can't recall what).  Some of you may have looked at an HTML file, and seen that it looks much like plain text, but has interspersed throughout things that look like "<B>, </B>, <FONT>, </FONT>, etc.  That's how it defines such things as the size and style of the typeface, paragraph formatting, what image file to use and where to put it, etc.  It's a basic principle of HTML that any thing it established with a "<X>" is supposed to be terminated with a "</X>".  Well, the major part of photo index files, with the small "thumbnail" pictures, is formatted by what is called a "table", so at the beginning of that large section there is a "<TABLE>", and at the end there is supposed to be a "</TABLE>".  Well, when I converted the current photo index page into an archive, I must have accidentally deleted the "/" at the end, so that instead of "</TABLE>" it said "<TABLE>".  Obviously, we now know, the way Internet Explorer works, when it sees a second "<TABLE>", it says, "Oh, this guy's a sloppy typist, let's forgive him and assume this is the end of his
table.", but Netscape says "Hey, his guy won't tell us where his table ends, so let's punish him by not showing his table at all."  Of course, when Joe J. sent me a picture of what he was seeing, that (after it registered) showed me that what was missing was just one table, which clued me in where to look.

    On another subject, I note all the discussion about why more people don't write in.  From the number if hits the site is getting (close to 50 per day), it's obvious we have a lot of people who are just looking.  In another Internet discussion group in which I've participated, such people who listen but don't talk are called "lurkers".  It seems obvious we have a great many "lurkers" using our site.  My guess would be not everyone looks every day, but some every two or three days, so we might have as many as 100 or 150 who look in now and then, which I'd call a fairly respectable size for our audience.  But this isn't so strange.  I've found that there are people who have E-mail capability, but just don't like to write anything. In fact, the president of one of the RR historical organizations I do a site for is like that.  He reads his E-mail, but practically never will answer it by E-mail.  He'll usually make a phone call instead.

Best regards,  ---------------Adrian

From Tony Cucurullo  10/19/2000

You can subscribe to this U.S. Government site and get all thier bulletins in
the future.....
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Date:   10/19/2000 10:47:06 AM Eastern Daylight Time
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Social Security eNews
Published on October 18, 2000
Issue 9

To view this in .html go to http://www.ssa.gov/enews/last.htm

Welcome to this special edition of Social Security eNews.

Our Commissioner Kenneth S. Apfel announced today that Social Security and Supplemental Security Income (SSI) benefits will increase 3.5 percent in 2001.  This cost-of-living adjustment (COLA) is based on the rise in the Consumer Price Index for Urban Wage Earners and Clerical Workers (CPI-W) from the third quarter of one year to the third quarter of the next, as determined by the Department of Labor.

The annual COLA is one of the most critically important features of the Social Security program, stated Commissioner Apfel.  For the elderly, it guarantees that their foundation of retirement income will remain strong for as long as they live.  Social Security beneficiaries will see this year's 3.5 percent increase in January 2001.  SSI recipients will see the increase in payments received on December 29, 2000.

As a reminder, last year's COLA was 2.4 percent.  Since the COLA announcement generates significant media interest, we wanted you to hear it straight from us.  You can find a fact sheet showing the effect of the various automatic adjustments at http://www.ssa.gov/pressoffice/colafacts2000.htm.

Information about Medicare changes for 2001 can be found at http://www.medicare.gov/basics/amounts2001.asp.

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Received Oct. 22, 2000:

The stage is set and we are doing a Bulova  Watch commercial for Christmas time we are  doing this out of Studio 42 in Grand Central and on two six foot long tables and there were all sorts watches they were pushing for the Christmas season.  I forget who the lighting director was, but Billy called him out of the control room and told him that all of the lamps were far to low, and they should be raised and the LD said NO WAY so when Billy was to make his slow truck from left to right on his either 75 or 90MM lens on the old RCA pedestal he made sure he hit VERY LAMP on his move.  Needless to say Billy made his point and  all of the lamps were raised. The overtime just kept coming in.
As the great Jimmy Durante used to say I GOT A MILLION OF DEM.
Stay well old friend.  Romeo

From Tony Cucurullo 10/21/2000

MYSTERY, TRAGEDY, INTRIGUE FACT OR FICTION


During my tenure at CBS certain events played out that caused loose ends to reside in the area of the brain reserved for future inquisition.  I am sure that in most minds there are stories that are left unexplained, and  the interest in them never wanes. But, haunts the back porches of the curious Id. The world has volumes of these jalepanos' of the mind.  And, for whatever reason they remain mysteries. One would suppose that with all the technical advances in the 'forensic sciences that items like the "Shroud of Turin" could be solved, or that is there really a extra-terrestrial in the bowels of a military complex in Roswell.
I read a book, by John McDonald, that alluded to the fact that Joe Kennedy plotted the death of his son JFK.  He did this because of the prompting from the 'oil cartel, (Esso, owned by the Hunt family) that JFK was asking to have the 22% relief removed. I loaned this book to Chris Borgin, our crime reporter in local news, and he tried to follow up on it as a piece for local news. Well the book was removed from the market place and to this day I can not find another copy, and here is the strange part. Chris, lost the book and all his notes, written, and stored in his computer. Strange, heh?  Is there really a 'Scadaro Society, supposedly consisting of very powerful individuals that determine where or when events take place that will profit them?
These are some of the titillation's that fascinate me to the point of distraction. I do not have any answers to these puzzles. I thought that some of the unfinished, untold stories that abound in the halls of CBS like ghost that couldn't go home.  I won't use any of the names of our CBS family. But, here are some tidbits that Doris Reardon wouldn't put in her Journal, because they are neither confirmed nor denied, but remain in the realm of hearsay, or gossip, or seeds planted to grow into curiosity.  First let me state the privacy is the prime cause for the reluctance to revealing the details of these stories.
Did you know that there is an announcer that became a suspect in a possible violent crime? Again, Chris Borgin, and Bob Hammer allowed that they would keep an eye on his actions in CBS property. He was overheard, in a men's room
loudly profaning some woman, and threatening to kill her for her rejecting him. He never was arrested, for any action, but he was being observed.  There is also a videotape operator that was arrested for murder and beat the charge. He killed a man in the back seat of a car he was riding in. The evidence against him was not conclusive enough for conviction.  Another executive was murdered and he had only one remaining survivor that committed suicide because the family of the woman he had loved rejected him.  Dutch Schultz, the notorious gangster from the prohibition era, murdered two  family members of a CBS technician.
Not all of the mysteries are morbid and as serious. We Had a Tech. That struck it rich with gold stocks. There was also another announcer that actually performed a complete commercial, and station break on the 'Late Late Show, while his "Monica, toodled the flute. And he never missed a beat. He waltzed through that, lickety-split.  Der Bingles son blew his chance at a solo shot on Sullivan because of der-booze.  The Chairman of the Board was on a radio show, "The Hit Parade". Two ushers challenged him to a boxing match. CBS hired mostly students from Columbia University. So, in the basement of the now, "Sullivan Theatre' he flattened these two members of the boxing team.  I kinda wish that before the great switcher pulls the lever to black...... I would like one more take, to sweep under the carpet of life this dust of
illusionary intrigue.
CBS..........Most fascinating place to work.
Tony C

From Sig Meyers  10/22/2000

Ureeka!!!! I punched up Archives #2 and low and behold, up came the photographs.... Whoever fixed  it...THANKS.... I will go into my old negative files and see what I can come up with as far as photographs that I took around the factory and on remotes.... Best,  Sig Meyers

Received Oct. 23, 2000:

From Elliot Gordon  10/23/2000

Pleased with my photo in the archive. But where did it come from? I'd like to say hello to all our brothers and to wish them the best.
                                    Hugs and kisses,         Elliot Gordon

From Jim Herschel  10/23/2000

Hi Tony, I really enjoy looking at the WEB Site and hearing stories about many of the people I knew during my 29 years at CBS.  I was not an IBEW Technician but I had many many friends who were, in fact my youngest son Christopher is currently a Tech in the N.Y. Construction Shop.  I spent my entire CBS career in the Engineering Department. When I retired in 1995 I was Director of Field Audio and Video Engineering. I'd like to encourage other people like myself to join in your dialog which is a rich history of Television.  I guess most of the retirees out there would remember me as the Engineer who designed our old mobile unit fleet ( M.U.'s -1,6,7,8, 10,11 & 12 ). I also was involved in several updates to these units. I spent quite a bit of my time with many of the "characters" who brought many memorable field remotes to the viewers screens at home. It was always a blast to spend off time with these "characters" who always knew the best bars and restaurants in any city in the country. When I retired in '95 my wife and I
moved to Leesburg, Florida where I now occupy my time fishing and playing Golf.
Let's hear from other Engineering Department retirees!

Happy to hear from you. Yes, indeed they were characters. But, they were men of talent, possessing skills that bordered on arts and crafts. Glad to hear that there was tacit recognition of these people. I am sure they will be pleased to read your nice assessment of their contributions to a budding industry that they made into a vehicle for history to unfold for the world to enjoy.  Keep-em coming...................Tony

From Lee Levy  10/23/2000

Message For Your Kids
Love him or hate him, he sure hits the nail on the head with this!  To anyone with kids of any age, or anyone who has ever been a kid, here's some advice Bill Gates recently dished out at a high school speech about 11 things that they probably have not and will not learn in school. He talks about how feel-good politically correct teachings created a full generation of kids with no concept of reality and how this concept set them up for failure in the real world.

Rule 1: Life is not fair - get used to it.

Rule 2: The world won't care about your self-esteem. The world will expect you to accomplish something BEFORE you feel good about yourself.

Rule 3: You will NOT make 40 thousand dollars a year right out of high school. You won't be a vice-president with a car phone, until you earn both.

Rule 4: If you think your teacher is tough, wait till you get a boss. He doesn't have tenure.

Rule 5: Flipping burgers is not beneath your dignity. Your grandparents had a different word for burger flipping - they called it opportunity.

Rule 6: If you mess up, it's not your parents' fault, so don't whine about your mistakes, learn from them.

Rule 7: Before you were born, your parents weren't as boring as they are now. They got that way from paying your bills, cleaning your clothes and listening to you talk about how cool you are. So before you save the rain forest from the parasites of your parents' generation, try delousing the closet in your own room.

Rule 8: Your school may have done away with winners and losers but life has not. In some schools they have abolished failing grades and they'll give you as many times as you want to get the right answer. This doesn't bear the slightest resemblance to ANYTHING in real life.

Rule 9: Life is not divided into semesters. You don't get summers off and very few employers are interested in helping you find yourself. Do that on your own time?

Rule 10: Television is NOT real life. In real life people actually have to leave the coffee shop and go to work.
 
Rule 11: Be nice to nerds. Chances are you'll end up working for one.

Wholesome advice.........Tony

From Cal Marotta  10/23/2000

Tony, I just heard that Bob Hickson had a stroke and Ben Colon had a heart transplant.   I would like to get in touch with these guys. Could you post this memo on our web.  Maybe someone has some info.  A phone number or an address...cal

Received Oct. 25, 2000:

From Tony Cucurullo 10/24/2000

Tony,
     My mom asked me to ask you if you could please drop a line to my father. He really enjoys your writing and could use a little cheering up. He has been back in the hospital since last week. He had to have a blood transfusion for the leukemia and is awaiting the results of a CAT scan of his lungs.
    Also, could you send me the address for the CBS retirees web site? My e-mail at home is all screwed up and I am going to be changing providers. In the meantime, I'm not able to access my mail. If you want to, you can contact me at this address, but only for an occasional note (can't get jokes here.)
     I hope all is well with you. What about those Mets (and Yanks _ boo hiss). Give my best to Paula.      Cate

This is Tony, speaking, Al has a great many friends. Lets get those cards and
letters going to him.
Al and Isabelle Kosak
93 Old Tappan RD.
Old Tappan, NJ 07675

From Ted Perzeszty  10/25/2000

Tony,
    Just received snail mail from Al Consiglio.  He says for you to take him off your address book.  His computer has crashed and he accidently reformated the C drive which, of course, erased even the operating system.     He will be getting a new computer sometime next year and will inform you when to re-instate his address to your address book.

Regards,
Teddy

I am sorry to hear that.Why should he wait until next year, I know he has enough money to buy one now. If he is short on cash let him sell some of the tubes he stole from CBS, like the rest of us.  Besides he was a supervisor and had access to most of the overtime. But if he is really strapped, why don't we have a fund raiser for him. I will mail you a check for $.69 (sixty nine cents). If the rest of his friends contribute he should be able to buy a chalk board and some chalk. What do you say, Ted?
Always willing to help a fiend.
Tony C

From Tony Cucurullo  10/25/2000

I shall be off the e-mail for a few days. This should afford all of you a respite from the dirth of succulent, syrupy, soliloquy. I suggest you fill your time with perusing the Talmudic teachings, or the Bible or the expletive excursions of a Larry Flint novel. If you really need boring material, them read the e-mail you get that tells you that if you don't pass this on you will be subjected to all sorts of bad luck. I now automatically delete anything that has at least two forwards attached to it.
So if you don't like my message, pass this on to every one you know and have them send this to every one they know, and if they don't read this then they will be forced to kiss the frog prince.
See in a nonce....
Tony (the Frog Prince)

Received Oct. 30, 2000:

From Fred Schutz  10/29/2000This is a early announcement to alert the group that...
The "Holiday" CBS Retirees Luncheon will be held at the Swan Club In Glen Head, Long Island,New York on Wed.Dec.6, 2000. This will be our 60th get together and we invite all retirees to attend.  The formal announcement  (with details) will be posted on the net and mailed out In early  Nov. 2000

Freddie S.

From Mike Parsons  10/30/2000
I am not an ex-CBS engineer (sorry) but I am writing a book on the development of videotape editing. As the CMX was a co-development of CMX I was wondering if any of your members would like to share their thoughts/reminiscences with me. I would be most grateful as all too often technical books miss the real excitement of making something actually work!!!

Adrian Ettlinger was often credited as 'inventor' of the CMX 600 so he would he's an obvious place to start - but I would be most grateful for any assistance from your members.

Thank you all.

Best regards,

--
Mike Parsons - CEO, Elite Effects Pty Ltd
Tel: 617 5563 9377   Fax: 617 5563 9522   Mobile: 0414 29 1936
1 Labrador Plaza, 142 Brisbane Road, Labrador, QLD 4215, Australia

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