The Jim Craine Show

The Jim Craine Show

Mischief Night Memories, Halloween Events, and Atlantic City Horse Farm Stories with Les Saltzman

Jim Craine broadcasts a Mischief Night edition from the Pleasantville Music Shop, swapping Halloween memories with caller Hal Marzolf before welcoming Ballyrose horse farm owner Les Saltzman, an old Atlantic City friend, for stories of growing up on St. Charles Place and remembering Steel Pier emcee Gene Hart's late wife, Sarah.

A Mischief Night Saturday at Pleasantville Music

Jim Craine opens the broadcast live from the Pleasantville Music Shop on the Black Horse Pike in Pleasantville, New Jersey, calling it the Mischief Night edition of the show. He plays "Clementine," a track from his brand-new album that premiered on YouTube earlier in the week, and invites listeners to search his name to hear the full record. Craine promises stories about Mischief Night, a tradition he says has mostly faded, and gives out the call-in number so listeners can share their own Halloween memories. He mentions his guest for the day, Les Saltzman, who will join at the bottom of the hour to talk horses and his connection to getting Craine his start at BBS Radio. Craine also notes the sunny, pleasant weather along the coast, joking about a sudden thunderclap sound effect, and warns listeners about possible coastal flooding before sending the show to its first sponsor segment.

Dr. Boris Reads The Sponsor List

Jim Craine hands the microphone to his recurring Dracula-styled character, Dr. Boris, who runs through the show's sponsor list in his spooky October voice. Dr. Boris plugs the Pleasantville Music Shop's All Treats, No Tricks sale, where visitors get a free lollipop, and credits Copiers Plus in Egg Harbor Township and owner Bobby Matthews for their printing and business services. He praises The Maplewood Inns' three locations in Hammonton, Vineland, and Mays Landing as serving the finest Italian food around, then highlights two South Jersey bed and breakfasts, the Dr. Jonathan Pitney House in Absecon, which he suggests may be haunted, and The Colonial Inn in Smithville. Dr. Boris closes by urging listeners to sponsor the show themselves and reminding everyone that next Saturday is Halloween. Craine returns as himself, joking that he stretched the bit out, reads off the call-in number again, and previews his guest Les Saltzman along with a request for listeners' favorite Halloween costumes and candy.

Craine's Picks And A Call From Hal

Jim Craine runs through his weekly Craine's Picks, pointing listeners to area Halloween events. He plugs the Funny Farm in Mays Landing, run by Laurie, for haunted hayrides and hand-feeding rescued animals, Storybook Land on the Black Horse Pike for its family Halloween activities, and the Smithville Inn's Smithville Witches afternoon. A longtime high school friend, Hal Marzolf, calls in from California, and the two swap memories of favorite costumes, Hal recalling a store-bought Superman outfit and Craine his own Touché Turtle costume. Craine then tells a Mischief Night story about driving his yellow 1968 Pontiac Firebird with the top down up Pacific Avenue with friend Johnny Rothman, racing near 100 miles an hour before a police officer he knew, Johnny Bacharach, pulled them over and let them go with a wink for the occasion. Craine reflects that the old Mischief Night traditions of egging, soaping windows, and toilet-papering houses were harmless fun that rarely happens anymore, thanks Hal for calling, and sends the show to the next sponsor break.

The Godfather Pitches Maplewood Inns

Craine turns the microphone over to The Godfather, his Marlon Brando-voiced character, who pitches The Maplewood Inns' holiday catering deals across Hammonton, Vineland, and Mays Landing, crediting Jimmy Italiano with carrying on his father's restaurant legacy and wishing him and his wife a happy anniversary. Back as himself, Craine fills time waiting for Les Saltzman's call by reminiscing further about Mischief Night, recalling a police officer named Johnny Bacharach near Albany Avenue, and talking about moving to Smithville after marrying his wife, Joanne, an artist who works alongside him at the Pleasantville Music Shop, where the couple has now been married 35 years. He describes childhood Halloweens at his old house on Lighthouse Lane near the inlet, where he and his father wired a gutted television with a hidden CB radio and microphone so Craine could startle trick-or-treaters at the gate by demanding, "What do you want?" before finally introducing his guest, Les Saltzman.

Les Saltzman Talks Ballyrose And Gene Hart

Les Saltzman, owner and operator of the Ballyrose horse farm in Florida and an old friend who helped Craine land his spot on BBS Radio, joins the show by phone. The two recall a local newspaper columnist named Sonny, who Saltzman says always had an eye for new local talent, and Saltzman updates listeners on Ballyrose, where the family keeps six horses on the property while managing roughly 35 overall. Craine and Saltzman mark the recent death of Sarah Hart, widow of longtime Steel Pier emcee Gene Hart, recalling that the couple met when she performed as a diving horse rider and that their daughter, Lauren Hart, sings "God Bless America" at Flyers games because of her father's Steel Pier connections. Saltzman then recounts growing up at St. Charles and Pacific Avenue, where his family ran the Commodore and Clinton hotels, moving between the unheated Commodore in summer and the heated Clinton in winter, and recalls childhood mini-golf tournaments behind the Globe Theatre that earned the winner extra money to spend at Taber's Toyland.

Jokes, A Neil Diamond Cover, And A Sign-Off

After the interview, Craine airs a retro jingle for The Maplewood Inns and returns with a string of one-liners, including gags about Viagra slogans, a coffee table mistaken for an original Van Gogh, and getting "Heinz sight" from rubbing ketchup in his eyes. He performs "Until It's Time for You to Go," a Neil Diamond cover from his new album "A Tribute to the Classics," available on YouTube under his own name. Craine thanks listeners for tuning in from the Pleasantville Music Shop, inviting them to stop in and meet him and his wife, Joanne, and reminds everyone about the shop's All Treats, No Tricks sale and his offer to autograph CDs. He previews next week's Halloween-themed show with impressionist Jeff DeHart as his guest, thanks the show's sponsors, and closes the broadcast quoting Red Skelton's line "good night and God bless" before the outro theme plays.

The Jim Craine Show

A Freezing Forecast, Hurricane Season Oddities, and Bob Uecker Memories with Jim Eberwine

Jim Craine broadcasts from Pleasantville Music Shop on a cold, rainy Saturday and phones longtime South Jersey weatherman Jim Eberwine to talk hurricane season, the winter outlook, and a few laughs about ballplayer Bob Uecker.

A Chilly Start At Pleasantville Music

Jim Craine opens the Saturday broadcast from Pleasantville Music Shop on the Black Horse Pike, apologizing for a late start caused by the cold, rainy weather moving through Atlantic City. He gives a shout-out to a young piano student named Ethan, whose father is tuning in for the first time, and reads out the BBS call-in number for listeners. Craine notes the day has turned chilly after the morning rain, with temperatures expected to drop into the mid-40s overnight. He teases the hour's main guest, longtime South Jersey television weatherman Jim Eberwine, promising he will join the show at the bottom of the hour to talk forecasting and whether snow might be on the way this winter. Craine also previews a segment called Craine's Picks and a batch of new jokes, then hands the show over to his recurring sponsor-reading character, Dr. Boris, whose spooky October voice is about to run through the week's paid supporters.

Dr. Boris Reads The Sponsor List

Speaking in Dr. Boris's spooky October voice, Craine runs through the show's sponsor list, thanking Pleasantville Music Shop, Copiers Plus and the Bob Matthews family, and the Maplewood Inns in Vineland, Hammonton, and Mays Landing for their food. He also credits the Dr. Jonathan Pitney House in historic Absecon and the Colonial Inn as fine bed-and-breakfast sponsors, joking that staying at a bed and breakfast feels like staying home. Dr. Boris urges listeners to be treaters rather than trick-or-treaters by supporting South Jersey's small businesses, then hands the microphone back to Jim Craine, who admits he enjoys the character but misses doing his old John Wayne bit. Craine sends greetings to friends Les Saltzman in Florida and Hal Marzell, laments having no baseball team left to root for this October, and updates listeners on the clearing, colder weather before promising more jokes, guests, and Craine's Picks still to come in the hour.

The Godfather Pitches Maplewood While Waiting On The Guest

Craine's recurring Godfather character takes the mic to pitch the Maplewood Inns' three South Jersey locations, praising their catering for weddings and anniversaries and their salad, bread, and classic Italian dishes, then signs off wishing listeners buona sera and bon appétit. Back as himself, Craine tells a string of jokes about alien abduction and swimming with sharks, then gives shout-outs to Copiers Plus in Egg Harbor Township, the Black Cat restaurant run by the Fallavollita family in Absecon, and his friend Mike Alton down in Florida. Still waiting for Jim Eberwine to call in, Craine fills time describing Pleasantville Music Shop itself, explaining that his father-in-law, Gaston Ragno, opened it in 1938 and that it remains the last mom-and-pop music shop on the East Coast, selling pianos, instruments, sheet music, and vinyl. He plugs his own recordings, including a new album, and plays "The Lady Is a Tramp" with the Steel Pier Remembered Big Band to keep listeners entertained while the phone connection comes through.

Jim Eberwine Joins For Cold Fronts And Hurricanes

Jim Eberwine, the longtime South Jersey television weatherman Craine calls his resident forecaster, finally reaches the show by phone, joking that he is freezing after the cold front behind the week's rain. The two discuss freeze warnings spreading from the north and an unusually busy hurricane season out near Guam, with Eberwine ticking off a procession of storms named Rachel, Simon, and Trudy, plus Hurricane Isaias, which he says caused the previous Sunday's heavy rain and the area's earlier derecho. Craine asks whether the early cold snap hints at a rough winter, and Eberwine explains that an extremely cold forecast usually brings little snow because the air arrives too dry, while a winter that sits on the fence between cold and mild is more likely to deliver a real snowstorm when the temperature contrasts line up. He recalls Craine's past snowstorms, including one that let him run ice capades in his own driveway, and notes he has consulted the Farmers' Almanac for clues about the season ahead.

Tidal Flooding, Baseball, And A Uecker Story

Eberwine forecasts a minimal tidal flooding event for Monday and Tuesday from a low-grade nor'easter forming off Cape Hatteras, much weaker than the flooding that blew sewer covers off Fire Road a week and a half earlier. Craine gripes about a local road-raising project near Station Avenue and jokes that the ocean always wins in the end. The two commiserate over a baseball season with the Dodgers and Phillies both eliminated, agreeing to root for the Brewers in honor of broadcaster Bob Uecker, and Craine tells a long, fond story about seeing Uecker catch at Connie Mack Stadium as a boy, plus Uecker's famous Johnny Carson line about catching knuckleballs by waiting for the ball to stop rolling. Craine thanks Eberwine, noting he is Absecon's emergency manager and a proud Marine, and promises to have him back around Veterans Day alongside Purple Heart recipient Marco Polo Ciminera and Craine's own drummer, Ray Nunzi, a veteran who saw Bob Hope perform at Tuy Hoa.

Craine's Picks And A South Jersey Sign-Off

After thanking Eberwine and playing the Maplewood Inn jingle, Craine runs through his Craine's Picks for the coming week: a free Corvette show in Smithville on October 18th, the Hero Walk and Run on the Ocean City Boardwalk honoring John Elliott, a young man killed by a drunk driver, and the Absecon Lighthouse's haunted house walking tours and paranormal investigations starting October 24th. He also plugs the Mays Landing Fall Fest on October 24th and reminds listeners about Danny Steelman's book, "One Summer Dream," discussed with Craine the previous week. Craine points listeners to the free Shore Local newspaper, available at Pleasantville Music Shop, for more area events, and mentions a possible appearance next week by Bill Mumy from Lost in Space. He closes the hour performing "Up a Lazy River" with the Steel Pier Remembered Big Band, tells one last joke, thanks the BBS Radio Network and its sponsors, and signs off in his familiar style, wishing listeners good night and God bless.

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The Blister Brothers' 1978 Row to Florida and Longport Lifeguard Memories with Danny Steelman

Jim Craine phones Danny Steelman, co-author of the real-life 1978 row from Longport to Florida that earned him and lifeguard partner Kelly O'Neill the nickname "the Blister Brothers," for stories behind the new book One Summer Dream: More Than Miles.

A Sunny Saturday At Pleasantville Music Shop

Jim Craine opens the show live from Pleasantville Music Shop on the Black Horse Pike, apologizing for starting late because he got stuck in traffic picking up lunch. He plays "Beyond the Sea" and welcomes listeners to the Saturday afternoon show on BBS Radio, thanking longtime friend Hal Marzell and cheering for the Dodgers. He notes the shop has been run by his wife's family since 1938, started by her grandfather Gaston, and talks up the store's guitars, pianos, keyboards, lessons, vinyl records, and instrument rental program for area schools. Craine sends prayers to Florida and the East Coast ahead of an approaching hurricane he struggles to pronounce, warning that the weather is about to turn rough locally too. He teases the day's main guests, Danny Steelman and Kelly O'Neill, two former lifeguards who once rowed an old lifeguard boat to Florida, promising a very interesting story once the phone connection comes through.

Dr. Boris Delivers The Sponsor Roundup

In character as Dr. Boris, the show's official October mascot, Craine runs through the Saturday sponsor list in a spooky voice recorded for BBS Radio's two-to-three Central time slot. He urges listeners to support small businesses starting with Pleasantville Music Shop, calling it the last mom-and-pop music store left on the East Coast. He praises The Maplewood Inns in Hammonton, Vineland, and Mays Landing for their Italian food, thanks the Bobby Matthews family at Copiers Plus for their printing work in South Jersey, and highlights two Absecon-area bed and breakfasts, the Dr. Jonathan Pitney House, which he says has a widow's walk and may be haunted, and The Colonial Inn in Smithville. Dr. Boris jokes that breakfast makes a bed and breakfast better than being just a room number at a hotel, and closes by wishing everyone a beautiful Halloween before handing the show back to Jim Craine, who jokes about how enthusiastically Dr. Boris threw himself into the bit this week.

The Godfather Plugs The Maplewood Inns

Craine turns the microphone over to another recurring character, the Godfather of Atlantic City, who delivers a gravelly-voiced pitch for The Maplewood Inns' three South Jersey locations. He credits Jimmy Taglia, described as a skilled guitar player, with running the Hammonton restaurant for his father's legacy, and praises the garlic bread, salad, and full Italian spread at all three inns. The Godfather reminds listeners that Christmas and Hanukkah are approaching and mentions gift card deals available through the restaurants' website. He signs off wishing listeners buonasera and buon appetito, teasing the upcoming story of the Blister Brothers, Danny Steelman and Kelly O'Neill, before Craine returns to compliment the bit and admit his guest still has not been connected on the phone. Craine fills the gap with more talk about Pleasantville Music Shop, noting it has operated on the Black Horse Pike since his wife's grandfather Gaston founded it in 1938, and repeats the store's phone number and website for listeners wanting rentals or vinyl.

Danny Steelman Recalls A Rainy Night's Idea

Danny Steelman finally joins by phone from a Stockton University author event to discuss his book, "One Summer Dream: More Than Miles," about rowing an old lifeguard boat from Longport down the Intracoastal Waterway to Florida in 1978 with his neighbor and fellow lifeguard, Kelly O'Neill. Craine, whom Steelman greets as "Mr. Loud," recalls training with the pair in the same heavy wooden boat and asks what pushed them to attempt the trip. Steelman says the idea began as a joke on a rainy night at the O'Neill house, when Kelly suddenly announced he was doing it and asked who would come along. Steelman's brother Mike briefly agreed but was not truly committed; Steelman, a Longport lifeguard who already spent his days rowing a small boat without an engine, found himself talking himself into it. Once he mentioned it to Kelly a week later, Kelly was instantly "all in," turning one friend's offhand dream into a real plan the two lifeguards would actually carry out together.

Bally's Backing And A Storm Offshore

Steelman explains that with no money to finance the trip, he called around Atlantic City's three casinos hoping one would sponsor the voyage as a way to promote the city as it emerged from its early gambling-era doldrums. After days of being hung up on, he reached Bally's executive Bill Weinberger's secretary and landed a meeting; Weinberger wrote a check without asking for sponsorship, telling Steelman only to remember who he was and act like a gentleman. The two lifeguards left Longport about a week after Labor Day, sent off by friends and the Atlantic City press, and made it only as far as Sea Isle City the first night. Steelman recalls the boat carried no life jackets and no cell phone, just a radio that played cassettes, so the pair never learned that Hurricane Irma was offshore until afterward. He also recounts getting banned from Pinky Kravitz's radio show after running up an expensive ship-to-shore radio bill calling in while "a little rowdy."

A Book, A Reunion, And A Bye-Bye Song

Steelman says he wrote all of "One Summer Dream" himself without telling Kelly O'Neill in advance, choosing to frame it as his personal memoir rather than a jointly negotiated account, and thanks Stockton University for hosting the authors' event. Craine notes he still has the Blister Brothers handshake photo from the men's return and plans to post it alongside the interview. The two reminisce about Craine's own loud porch concerts at the O'Neill house, which earned him the nickname "Mr. Loud," and about filling in for Pinky Kravitz dozens of times over the years. Steelman says the book is sold mainly through Amazon and Barnes & Noble, and Craine promises to keep plugging it for Christmas. After the call, Craine airs a Maplewood Inns jingle, performs "Hello Again" from his upcoming holiday album, tells a Halloween joke about a turtle costume, previews a possible appearance next week by Kathy Garver, and signs off in his usual style, wishing listeners good night and God bless.

The Jim Craine Show

Merrill Kelem, a retired officer with the Atlantic City Police Department has lived an interesting life. In addition to his career in law enforcement he found himself as a part of Frank Sinatra's inner circle. He also worked as a part of Frank Sinatra, Jr.'s organization until Sinatra, Jr.'s passing.

Sinatra Bodyguard Stories and Atlantic City Memories with Merrill Kelem

Jim Craine broadcasts from the Pleasantville Music Shop on a rainy Saturday and phones his longtime friend Merrill Kelem, a former Atlantic City police officer who worked as one of Frank Sinatra's bodyguards. The two trade stories about the Rat Pack, Caesars and Resorts, a benefit softball game, and the Atlantic City lifeguards and police they knew.

Rainy Saturday Opening and Dr. Boris Sponsors

Jim Craine opens the afternoon from the Pleasantville Music Shop on a rainy Saturday in southern New Jersey, greeting listeners and noting that the Halloween season is in full swing. He calls up his character Dr. Boris to read the sponsor list in a spooky voice, thanking Pleasantville Music Shop, The Maplewood Inns, Copiers Plus, and the Dr. Jonathan Pitney House and The Colonial Inn bed and breakfasts. Craine then turns to small business, urging listeners to support the local companies that sponsor the show. He mentions the shop's back-to-school instrument rentals for area schools, its vinyl records that can be played in the store, and a planned Toys for Tots show at ACIT in Mays Landing on December 5th, where people bring a toy to attend. He also points to the Birdcage restaurant in Atlantic City and a website, pleasantvillemusic.com, for more information. The rain and flooding from the previous week are on his mind as he teases the main guest coming up later in the hour.

The Godfather Pitches Maplewood Inns

The Godfather, another of Craine's recurring characters, takes the microphone next for a comic pitch for The Maplewood Inns in Hammonton, Vineland, and Mays Landing. In a gravelly voice, he praises the veal parmesan, chicken parmesan, ravioli, and spaghetti, and says the restaurants can cater a prom or host a wedding. He jokes that listeners can take a wife for an anniversary or a girlfriend to dinner, but never on the same night. He gives the inns three thumbs up and closes with a sign-off wishing listeners a good time and bon appétit. Craine returns to note that the show airs Saturdays from two to three Central time on the network, then introduces the guest, Merrill Kelem. He describes Kelem as a former Atlantic City police officer who was one of Frank Sinatra's bodyguards alongside his partner, Bobby, and calls him an old friend and one of his best pallies. Kelem is reached by phone from Ventnor, where he is looking out over the boardwalk on a dull, dingy day.

Kelem Recalls Joining Sinatra's Circle

Kelem, a Philly boy with family property near the Inlet, recalls thirty-one and a half years as an Atlantic City police officer. He says he got into Sinatra's circle through a buddy, Larry, who was a valet at the time, and that Skinny coached him on how to act around the boss: let him get comfortable around you, but never get comfortable around him. Kelem first met Sinatra at Caesars that same year, a month after gambling passed in Atlantic City. He says his work began in March 1977 at the Valley Forge Music Fair, where he ran the warehouse for the souvenir business, shipping and ordering merchandise, and that this earned their trust. He says Resorts opened the first week of April, over Easter weekend in 1978, and the hospital gala at Convention Hall that weekend was a highlight. Craine recalls ushering at Convention Hall and seeing Sinatra's steel-blue eyes, while Kelem notes he and Bobby may be the only ones alive in that photo.

Pie Fights and the Red Eyes, Blue Eyes Game

Craine asks Kelem to set the record straight about Pete Maggio, whom Craine remembers as Sinatra's driver. Kelem insists Maggio met the singer but never drove him, saying the only men who drove Sinatra were Kelem, Bobby, and Ritchie Ayub. The talk drifts to pie fights, and Kelem jokes that Sinatra loved banana cream pie, which the crew once used to hit Morty Storm square in the face. Craine remembers going backstage at The Sands, where Jilly stopped him at the door until Craine said he was there with Merrill. The centerpiece is a benefit softball game called Red Eyes, Blue Eyes, which Kelem dates to 1980 and says was for Wills Eye Hospital. Tommy Lasorda, coming down from a Dodgers game in Philadelphia, asked umpire Joe West to throw him out so he could reach Atlantic City by 11:30, and West staged it as an argument. Kelem says the game ended in an 18-18 tie when it was called, and he still keeps the Galliano bottle from that day.

Frank Jr., Nancy, and Atlantic City Lifeguards

Kelem calls Frank Sinatra Jr. his brother from another mother, and says a book about him is 99 percent nonsense, so listeners should not waste their money. Craine, who says working with Frank Jr. was one of the biggest things in his career, asks whether Kelem has been in touch with Nancy, and Kelem says they talk now and then, usually at the holidays. Craine says he would love to have Nancy on the show. The conversation turns to Atlantic City's lifeguards and police: Kelem recalls the best T-shirts and sweatshirts worn by Norman Draper, Sir Charles, and the police department's Jimmy McGettigan and Re-Re Goodman, while Craine praises Jimmy Sarkos, who is doing a great job. Craine also tells of a night when his friend Johnny Rothman chased him up to the Inlet with the lights on, until they said goodbye at Vermont Avenue.

One for My Baby and a Red Skelton Goodbye

Before the call ends, Kelem says he expects to be around for the Toys for Tots show on December 5, and Craine promises to bring the whole band. The two agree to save other stories, including one about someone called Bullethead, for a return visit. After a commercial break, Craine plays his trio's version of One for My Baby (and One More for the Road), recalling that he was at Sinatra's last show at The Sands and once shook the singer's hand. He previews next Saturday's guest, Danny Steelman, and the Blister Brothers, the Beach Patrol rowing pair Steelman and Kelly O'Neill who took a lifeguard boat up the Inland Waterway to Florida for charity. Craine points listeners to Steelman's book One Summer Dream and Cynthia Branigan's The Last American Diving Horse, and to jimcraine.com. He closes in the style of Red Skelton, wishing listeners good night and God bless, and plays his bye-bye song.

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Sugar Sugar, Tracy, and Steel Pier Diving Horse Stories with Ron Dante

Jim Craine broadcasts through an East Coast nor'easter from the Pleasantville Music Shop and phones Ron Dante, the voice behind The Archies' Sugar Sugar and The Cuff Links' Tracy, for stories about the Brill Building, the Happy Together Tour, and a lifetime of hits.

A Nor'easter Saturday At The Music Shop

Jim Craine opens the show from the Pleasantville Music Shop as a nor'easter floods the East Coast, joking that the weather will not stop the fun. He notes it is four minutes past two on a soggy Saturday and quotes his old mentor Bob Weems, the man who inspired him to get into radio, saying "we must have weather, whether or not." Craine previews the day's main guest, Ron Dante, the voice behind The Archies and the song Tracy, and promises plenty of laughs despite the storm. He teases his signature performance of the song More before diving into the show's recurring bits, starting with a trip to the spooky-voiced sponsor segment hosted by his own alter ego, Dr. Boris, who will run through the week's advertisers and a round of Halloween jokes before the guest interview begins later in the hour.

Dr. Boris And The Sponsor Roundup

In the voice of Dr. Boris, Craine runs through his sponsor list with mock-spooky flair, plugging back-to-school instrument rentals at Pleasantville Music Shop, printing and vehicle-wrap work at Copiers Plus in Egg Harbor Township, Italian dinners at The Maplewood Inns in Vineland, Hammonton, and Mays Landing, and stays at the Dr. Jonathan Pitney House and The Colonial Inn bed and breakfasts. Dr. Boris closes with a poultrygeist joke before Craine returns to announce that a planned Lassie event in Quakertown with his friend John Provost and wife Laurie is likely off due to the flooding. He shouts out Beachcomber Coins & Collectibles in Egg Harbor Township, urges listeners to pick up The Shore Local newspaper, and notes Pleasantville Music now stocks vinyl records. Craine previews next Saturday's guest, Murl Kellum, a former bodyguard to Frank Sinatra and Don Rickles, and reminds listeners about the shop's Toys for Tots Christmas show planned for December 12th at ACIT in Mays Landing.

The Godfather Plugs The Maplewood Inns

Craine hands the microphone to another recurring character, the Godfather of the Boardwalk, for a comic pitch on behalf of The Maplewood Inns. In a gravelly Brando-style voice, the Godfather praises the veal parmesan, chicken parmesan, and clams casino at the Hammonton, Vineland, and Mays Landing locations, crediting owner Jimmy and his family for the warm hospitality. He jokes that listeners can bring a wife or a girlfriend to dinner, just never both on the same night, and calls the Maplewood Inns a proud sponsor after fourteen years on the air. Craine returns to close the bit with a couple of quick Halloween one-liners, including a joke about a hat and a bra and one about warlocks having no children, before checking in on whether his phone guest has been connected yet and reminding listeners that suggestions for future guests can be sent through bbsradio.com while the search for Ron Dante continues.

Ron Dante Joins By Phone

Ron Dante finally comes on the line, and Craine apologizes for calling him at seven in the morning his time before catching up on the road. Dante explains that the summer's sixty-five-date Happy Together Tour went so well that promoters booked next year's dates before the tour even ended, with a lineup close to this year's mix of acts. He tells Craine about an upcoming show with the 1910 Fruitgum Company and Peter Noone, tentatively in Schenectady on November 17th, though he admits he needs to check the exact date. The two swap memories of Steel Pier, where Craine says he watched Peter Noone draw fainting fans four times between the mid and late 1960s; Dante laughs that his own audiences do not faint but do know every word. Craine mentions hearing The Mills Brothers cover Happy Together and asks about Dante's Funhouse album, autographed photos, and vinyl, which Dante says are all available through Amazon while his website is being rebuilt.

From The Detergents To Sugar Sugar And Tracy

Dante traces his career back to Staten Island, where he rode a ferry, bus, and subway to reach the Brill Building and eventually auditioned for producer Don Kirshner, who signed him to his first contract. His first hit came with the novelty group The Detergents on Leader of the Laundromat, a parody of The Shangri-Las' Leader of the Pack, which sent him on the road with the Dick Clark Caravan of Stars in 1965 alongside Herman's Hermits, Little Anthony and the Imperials, and Freddy Cannon. He explains how songwriters Paul Vance and Lee Pockriss, who also wrote Leader of the Laundromat, later called him in to record a demo of Tracy, layering roughly twenty vocal tracks of his own voice; the demo sold as-is and became a hit under the name The Cuff Links, charting in the top ten the same week Sugar Sugar, his song with The Archies, sat at number one. He also recalls the weekly Song of the Week featured on the Archie cartoon.

Steel Pier Diving Horses And A Warm Sign-Off

After thanking Dante and promising to feature his photo on the show's website, Craine closes the interview and plays his own rendition of Irving Berlin's Always, a song he says Berlin wrote for his wife in fifteen minutes. He then tells the story of his father, Bill Schilling, a Navy veteran of Okinawa who wheeled injured servicemen out to Steel Pier's Marine Ballroom to hear the big bands and later won a Kay Kyser look-alike contest at the Hollywood Canteen. Craine recalls his own decade caring for Steel Pier's diving horses, Powderface and Gamal, insisting the animals were never mistreated and were watched over constantly by the ASPCA, and he recommends Cynthia Branigan's book The Last American Diving Horse. He mentions friend Les Saltzman's Ballyrose horse farm in Florida and notes the pier itself is now for sale for eighty-five million dollars. Craine closes the broadcast in the style of Red Skelton, wishing listeners good night and God bless.

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Steel Pier Memories, Smithville Italian Fest Plans, and The Association's Story with James Yester (Jim Yester of the Musical sunshine pop group called the Association)

Jim Craine broadcasts from the Pleasantville Music Shop ahead of the Smithville Italian Festival and talks with longtime friend Jim Yester, founding member of The Association, about the band's 61-year history, its biggest hits, and life on the road.

A Pre-Taped Saturday From Pleasantville

Jim Craine opens the show explaining this is a pre-recorded broadcast since he'll be performing the next day at the Smithville Italian Festival. He broadcasts from the Pleasantville Music Shop, noting the perfect southern New Jersey weather and previewing the day's main event: a phone conversation with Jim Yester, a founding member of The Association. Craine then turns to his recurring sponsor bit, introducing his character Dr. Boris in a spooky voice to read through the sponsor list, opening with Pleasantville Music Shop's 87 years in business, followed by Copiers Plus in Egg Harbor Township and its owner Bobby Matthews, The Maplewood Inns of Hammonton, Vineland, and Mays Landing, and the Dr. Jonathan Pitney House and Colonial Inn bed and breakfasts in Absecon and Smithville. Dr. Boris reads out the show's call-in number and signs off, handing the show back to Craine, who confirms the timing of the broadcast and previews more news about the Smithville festival before the interview begins.

Smithville Italian Festival Preview

Craine spends time detailing his own gig the next day at the Smithville Italian Festival, where he and his band, the Atlantic City All-Stars, play from 11:30 to 4:30, admission free. He names the players joining him: Tony DeLuca on piano, accordion, and cornet, Andy Lawless on bass, Ray Nunzi on drums, and Johnny Guida. Craine promises food vendors selling sausage, onions, and peppers, plus beer and wine, and urges listeners to come find him. He circles back to promoting Pleasantville Music Shop itself, describing its Black Horse Pike location, its 87 years serving the Jersey Shore, its rental programs for local schools, and its new fall back-to-school push. Craine mentions that CD sales in the shop benefit the Marine Mammal Stranding Center in Brigantine, run by Bob Schoelkopf and Sheila Dean, who care for seals, turtles, and dolphins at their museum on Brigantine Boulevard, before setting up the interview with Jim Yester.

The Godfather Plugs Maplewood Inns

Before bringing on his guest, Craine introduces another recurring bit, handing the microphone to his Marlon Brando-voiced character The Godfather, who delivers a comic pitch for The Maplewood Inns locations in Hammonton and Vineland. The Godfather praises the veal parmesan, chicken parmesan, and clams casino, jokes that listeners should bring a wife or girlfriend but never both on the same night, and notes the restaurants cater parties as well. He gives the Maplewood Inns his mock approval and reminds listeners that The Jim Craine Show airs Saturdays from two to three Central time on bbsradio.com. Craine returns to close the bit and announces that Jim Yester is finally ready to join the show by phone, teasing a bit about wanting to sing a parody of Never My Love with Dr. Boris before getting serious and welcoming his old friend onto the air for the main interview segment of the broadcast.

Jim Yester Recalls The Association's Origins

Craine welcomes Jim Yester, a friend since 1967 when Craine first saw The Association at the Steel Pier, and the two joke warmly before Yester explains that the band is celebrating its 61st year, having formed on February 10th, 1965. Yester, who grew up in Burbank, credits his father, a professional accordion and keyboard player who arranged the Everybody's Favorites songbook series, for his own musical start. He describes the Troubadour's Monday night Hootenanny sessions in Hollywood, where musicians between groups gathered to sing folk standards, eventually forming a thirteen-man group called The Men. After personality conflicts, six members walked out to Terry Kirkman's apartment and became The Association that same day, nearly naming themselves The Aristocrats before Kirkman's girlfriend found the word "association" in the dictionary. Yester recalls the group's early residency at The Ice House folk club in Pasadena before their first hit sent them on the road.

Behind Along Comes Mary, Never My Love, and Cherish

Yester walks Craine through the stories behind three of The Association's signature songs. Along Comes Mary, he says, became their breakthrough single after their Ice House run. He recalls that Never My Love arrived when songwriting brothers the Addrisi Brothers showed up at the band's shared West LA house, rowing an imaginary boat with a guitar paddle before playing the song live, and Yester notes it remains the second most-played song in BMI's catalog. Terry Kirkman, he says, wrote Cherish after a publisher initially objected that the title word was too archaic, a story the band turned into a running joke about having their cake and eating it too. Craine mentions slow dancing to Cherish at the Melody Lounge in Atlantic City and recalls backing Yester at Lucy the Elephant, while Yester also touches on his brother's stint in The Lovin' Spoonful, replacing bandmate Zal before the two later became a production team behind Pat Boone's Red Sails in the Sunset.

Ed Sullivan Memories and a Warm Sign-Off

Yester tells Craine that the current lineup includes original member Jules, drummer Bruce Pictor since 1985, returning member Paul Holland, bassist Joe Lamanno, and keyboardist Gary Swan, and that the band recently played the Nixon Center in Newnan, Georgia. He recalls appearing on The Ed Sullivan Show more than once, praising Sullivan as a gentleman who insisted every performance be sung live rather than lip-synched. He and Craine also discuss this year's Happy Together Tour alongside the Cowsills and The Vogues, and Craine mentions mutual friend Cathy Rich, Buddy Rich's daughter, and her big-band arrangement of Ding-Dong! The Witch Is Dead. Craine thanks Yester warmly, promising to host him again at the music shop, before signing off with a Maplewood Inns spot and playing Without Love, a song his friend Billy Crashner of Longport wrote for him, which he dedicates to his wife Joanne. Craine closes with his usual Red Skelton farewell and the show's theme song.

The Jim Craine Show

A 9/11 Tribute, Hitchcock's Birds, and Dennis the Menace Memories with Jeannie Russell

Jim Craine broadcasts from the Pleasantville Music Shop on the 25th anniversary of September 11th, honoring local figures Victor Saracini and John O'Neill, before welcoming Jeannie Russell, who played Margaret on Dennis the Menace, for stories about Lassie, Alfred Hitchcock's The Birds, and a lifetime in classic Hollywood.

A 9/11 Tribute Opens The Show

Jim Craine opens the show from the Pleasantville Music Shop on a Saturday afternoon, marking the 25th anniversary of September 11th before turning to entertainment. He asks listeners for prayers for Victor Saracini, a local man who attended Atlantic City High School and worked at the White House Sub Shop before becoming the pilot of the first plane hit that day. Craine also remembers his friend John O'Neill, an FBI agent and fellow graduate of Holy Spirit High School who had just been hired as head of security for the World Trade Center towers and helped get people out before losing his life. He adds a note of relief about another friend, Mike Angie, a former Atlantic City lifeguard who worked on the 60th floor and escaped safely. Craine says watching the tribute broadcasts the day before stayed with him, and he wants listeners to never forget.

Sponsors, Dr. Boris, and the Music Shop

Craine turns to his sponsors in the voice of Dr. Boris, a recurring comic character who plugs the Pleasantville Music Shop's back-to-school instrument rentals on the Black Horse Pike. He thanks Copiers Plus in Egg Harbor Township for its printing and machine service, then praises The Maplewood Inns of Hammonton, Vineland, and Mays Landing, run by Jimmy Taliano, calling them Godfather approved and joking that listeners can bring a spouse or a girlfriend there, just not on the same night. Craine also recommends the Dr. Jonathan Pitney House, a bed and breakfast in Absecon dating to 1855 and run by the Fitzgerald family, which he says is reportedly haunted, along with The Colonial Inn in historic Smithville. He reminds listeners to mention the show when they visit and to support small businesses over big chains, reads off the call-in number, then closes the bit with Dr. Boris promising trick-or-treat is coming soon before handing things back to himself as host.

Shop News, Birthdays, and Comic-Con Plugs

Craine shifts to shop talk, noting that Pleasantville Music now sells vinyl records, rents instruments to local schools, and houses a 1914 upright Steinway. He plugs a coming album of Bobby Darin and Neil Diamond covers alongside his existing Steel Pier Remembered Big Band record, which sends part of its ten-dollar price to the Marine Mammal Stranding Center in Brigantine, run by Bob Schoelkopf and Sheila Dean, open to visitors on Sundays. He mentions a Comic-Con at the Philadelphia Expo Center in Oaks, Pennsylvania, featuring Lost in Space's Bill Mumy and Sound of Music actress Angela Cartwright. Craine sings a Rocky-style happy birthday to his friend Hal Marzell in Chino Hills, California, and shouts out Sarasota listener Billy Melfi, a first-time listener he jokingly calls Mickey Mouse's brother. He also notes the Steel Pier remains open through the season and plugs the Birdcage Restaurant in Atlantic City before closing the segment with a Halloween pun about a ghost chicken and an eggs-orcist.

Jeannie Russell On Lassie, Dennis the Menace, and Dinah Shore

Craine welcomes Jeannie Russell, thanking mutual friend Laurie Jacobson for arranging the call, and asks how she got her start. Russell explains that her father was a singer and her mother a musician who brought the family to Hollywood, and that a casting knock at the door meant for her younger brother, wanted for a small hand-holding shot on the Lassie set, led the whole family into extra work and a lasting friendship with the Provosts. She recalls a speaking role opposite Dorothy Malone in a Death Valley Days episode called The Watch, and Craine calls her part of real television history alongside Stanley Livingston, Barry, and Peterson, praising the warmth still visible in reruns of Dennis the Menace. Russell credits strong writers for that warmth and agrees the Wilsons were kind to work with. She also recalls filming a Chevrolet commercial on Dinah Shore's soundstage alongside Nat King Cole and Tuesday Weld, and singing on the soundtrack of Disney's Babes in Toyland at about age ten.

Hitchcock's The Birds and a Show-Business Family

Russell tells Craine she later became a chiropractor, running her own Los Angeles-area practice for forty-three years before retiring; Craine notes his own chiropractor, former lifeguard partner Steve Boso, still treats him. She then describes working with Alfred Hitchcock on The Birds, recalling a strange one-on-one interview in his office where she did all the talking while he mostly stared, followed by a set where his assistant director handled communication and a rig that placed a mechanical stuffed bird on her shoulders for the schoolyard scene. Russell mentions a recent appearance with Jerry Mathers and the Provost family at a Cherry Blossom Festival in Missouri, and notes that her twenty-five-year autograph-signing partnership with Jay ended with his passing. She also recalls her late brother, Bryan Russell, who played the older son opposite Billy Mumy in Red Skelton's The Clown Affair, the younger brother in Bye Bye Birdie, and appeared in Safe at Home! with Mickey Mantle and Roger Maris and in How the West Was Won before his death a decade earlier.

Music, the Italian Festival, and a Warm Sign-Off

Craine wraps the interview warmly, offering to help Russell get a signed-photo request out and promising an open invitation to return, before playing a Maplewood ad and performing his own rendition of Sinatra's Summer Wind. He returns to promoting Pleasantville Music's rent-to-own instrument program and its trial deal of four free months after one paid month, then previews next Saturday's Atlantic City All Stars performance at the Knights of Columbus Italian Festival in Smithville, now in its fourteenth year, describing the food, bocce games, and free parking. He plugs the Shore Local newspaper, recalls growing up near the Absecon Lighthouse where his mother once worked as ticket taker, and reminds listeners they can adopt a seal to support the Marine Mammal Stranding Center. After two Halloween jokes about a summarized Frozen and arguing skeletons, Craine previews next week's guest, Jim Yester of The Association, thanks listeners for tuning in, and signs off in the words of Red Skelton, wishing everybody a good night and God bless.

The Jim Craine Show

Guests: Jon Provost and Frank Ferrante

Labor Day Memories, Lassie History, and Groucho Marx Magic with Jon Provost and Frank Ferrante

Jim Craine marks Labor Day weekend and his own birthday from the Pleasantville Music Shop with phone conversations featuring Jon Provost, who played Timmy on Lassie, and Frank Ferrante, the acclaimed performer behind An Evening with Groucho.

A Birthday Show From Pleasantville Music Shop

Jim Craine opens the show from the Pleasantville Music Shop, acknowledging technical difficulties from the previous week and welcoming listeners to Labor Day weekend. The announcer introduces him as Atlantic City's singing lifeguard, marking 51 years in show business. Craine runs through his sponsor list in character, including a Dr. Boris voice promoting Halloween season for the shop's 85th year in business, along with Copiers Plus in Egg Harbor Township, the Maplewood Inns of Hammonton, Vineland, and Mays Landing, and the Dr. Jonathan Pitney House and Colonial Inn bed and breakfasts. He previews the hour, naming Jon Provost, who played Timmy on Lassie, and Frank Ferrante, known for his stage tribute to Groucho Marx, as the guests still to come. Before turning to business, the studio surprises Craine with a birthday performance, and the announcer wishes him well on behalf of BBS Radio TV as the show returns to its regular flow.

Local News, Music Shop, and Birthday Countdown

Craine spends a long stretch promoting the Pleasantville Music Shop and the community around it, reminding listeners that school is back in session and urging families to rent instruments through the shop's trusted rental program at pleasantvillemusicshop.com. He mentions that the store sells vinyl records and offers lessons on every instrument. Turning personal, he notes that his birthday falls on Tuesday, when he turns 73, and that he plans to spend Labor Day swimming in the ocean with two of his former lifeguard partners, recalling his 25 years as an Atlantic City lifeguard. He plugs the Shore Local newspaper and gives a shout-out to his friend Danny Steelman, whose book Once Upon a Summer Dream recounts a lifeguard-boat trip to Miami with Kelly O'Neal as the self-styled Blister Brothers. Craine also discusses his forthcoming Steel Pier Remembered big band album, featuring Bobby Darin and Neil Diamond tributes, with proceeds benefiting the Marine Mammal Stranding Center in Brigantine, which cares for seals, dolphins, and sea turtles.

Jon Provost Joins to Talk Lassie History

Craine welcomes Jon Provost, who played Timmy on Lassie, calling in from the West Coast. Provost explains that he started the show in 1957 and stayed through 1964, appearing in 249 half-hour episodes, at a pace of roughly 34 to 36 episodes a year when only three television channels existed. He recalls that Cloris Leachman played his television mother for only half a season before June Lockhart and Hugh Reilly took over as his parents, with Jon Shepodd also appearing early on. Provost notes that Lassie still airs in reruns across more than 60 countries and on multiple channels in the United States. He and Craine also talk cars, with Provost confirming he still owns and rallies his first car, a 1967 Lotus Elan. Provost gently corrects a piece of folklore, explaining that Timmy never actually fell down a well, despite it being one of the most persistent myths associated with the show.

A Historic Reunion in Quakertown

Provost and Craine turn to an upcoming public appearance at the historic Red Lion Inn in Quakertown, Pennsylvania, on Sunday, September 27th, starting at noon. Provost explains that the inn, built around 1746, predates the American Revolution and holds a direct connection to Lassie's origins: author Eric Knight reportedly wrote the short story that became the 1938 book Lassie Come-Home while working at a typewriter in the inn's rooms, accompanied by his own collie. Provost says the $65 ticket includes lunch, a question-and-answer session, and access to his books, pet products, and materials from his wife Laurie Jacobson, who appeared on the program the previous week. He adds that fellow collies are expected to attend alongside fans. Provost also shares a bit of dog-history trivia, noting that trainer Rudd Weatherwax, who bred and trained every Lassie since the early 1940s, also worked with Toto from The Wizard of Oz and the dog who played Old Yeller.

Frank Ferrante Calls In From California

Craine's second phone guest is Frank Ferrante, the performer behind An Evening with Groucho, reached from a tent in Alameda, California, where he is preparing his circus-themed show. Ferrante mentions he is sitting near fellow performer Joan Baez, who is also part of the production, and Craine asks him to pass along a greeting. Craine relays an update on his friend Bill Marks, Harpo Marx's son, who is recovering at home with round-the-clock nursing care and reportedly already teasing the nurses the way his father used to. Ferrante confirms his upcoming stop at the Surflight Theatre in Beach Haven, New Jersey, on Friday, September 11th at 6 p.m., calling it a two-act comedy with music that he has performed for more than 40 years, and admits he has never played that part of the Jersey Shore before. Craine floats an idea for a future project at Resorts Casino's old screening room, pairing a Marx Brothers film screening with a question-and-answer session involving Ferrante and Bill Marks.

Marx Brothers Memories and a Birthday Send-Off

The two swap favorite Marx Brothers moments, with Craine reciting a line from Go West in which Groucho jokes that Don Ameche has not yet invented the telephone since the scene is set in 1870, a bit he says he replayed for Bill Marks. Ferrante praises the sharpness of the writing and recalls one of his favorite theater memories, watching A Night at the Opera with a thousand people at the Orpheum Theatre in Los Angeles, where the audience applauded the opening credits naming Margaret Dumont and writers Kaufman and Ryskind before the film even began. With Craine's birthday two days away, Ferrante closes by performing Groucho's signature farewell song, Hello, I Must Be Going, as a birthday gift live on the air. Craine thanks both guests warmly before wrapping the broadcast with a Maplewood Inn commercial, a plug for the September 19th Atlantic City Allstars show at the Smithville Inn, and a spin of his own recording of Mack the Knife with the Al Raymond Orchestra.

The Jim Craine Show

Beatlemania Memories, Classic Television Stories, and a Lifetime of Show Business. Memories with Laurie Jacobson

Summary

Atlantic City, Steel Pier, and a Show-Business Life

Jim Craine opens the episode with his characteristic mix of music, jokes, sponsor acknowledgments, and stories from a career he says has lasted 51 years. Broadcasting from Pleasantville Music in New Jersey, he reflects on growing up around Atlantic City entertainment and spending a decade working at the Steel Pier. He recalls seeing performers ranging from rock acts to major big bands and describes how those years shaped his love of live entertainment. He also promotes an upcoming Steel Pier Alumni Reunion and invites former performers, dancers, employees, and fans to attend. The opening portion of the program establishes the episode as a nostalgic celebration of classic show business, local history, and the people who kept those traditions alive.

Music, Local Business, and Community Connections

Throughout the show, Jim mixes entertainment with support for local businesses and community institutions. He promotes Pleasantville Music, its vinyl selection, back-to-school instrument rentals, and the value of introducing children to music. He also gives sponsor mentions to local restaurants, printing services, and lodging businesses, while using comic voices and recurring sound effects as part of the presentation. Jim recounts how a nun at his grammar school recognized his singing ability and helped introduce him to harmony and performance. He also emphasizes the importance of supporting small businesses and describes his own music shop as part of that local tradition. These segments reinforce the program's blend of neighborhood radio, personal history, and old-school variety-show energy.

Jim Craine's Beatles Memory and the Sound of Beatlemania

Before Laurie Jacobson joins the program, Jim recounts seeing the Beatles in Atlantic City in 1964. He says he attended because of his work connection to the Steel Pier and remembers Jackie DeShannon appearing before the Beatles and local disc jockey Hy Lit introducing the group. According to Jim, the audience became so loud that hearing the music was difficult, even though he had a good view from the balcony. He remembers "Twist and Shout" as the opening song and describes the intensity of the screaming as a defining feature of the experience. He also recalls A Hard Day's Night and Help! playing at the Steel Pier movie theater and jokes that he heard the films so often he could practically act them out. His memories provide a firsthand, highly personal perspective on the cultural force of Beatlemania.

Laurie Jacobson on Comedy, Robin Williams, and Classic Performers

Laurie Jacobson joins Jim for a conversation that moves through comedy history, classic performers, pets, and entertainment memories. She says she studied in a comedy-improv workshop led by Harvey Lembeck and describes being around young comedians before they were widely known, including Robin Williams and several names that are garbled in the source transcript. Jim responds with his own story of meeting Robin Williams at the Sands Hotel Casino and remembers Williams as extraordinarily quick at improvisation. Laurie adds that Williams was also kind, gentle, sweet, and fun. Their exchange expands into memories of classic comedians, television performers, and former child stars with whom Laurie has remained connected through the years. The tone is affectionate and nostalgic, with both speakers emphasizing the personalities behind famous performances.

Shea Stadium, St. Louis, and the Peak of Beatlemania

Laurie clarifies that she did not attend the Beatles' 1965 Shea Stadium concert because she lived in St. Louis and was about 12 years old at the time, but she did see the Beatles in St. Louis in 1966. She describes the Shea concert as a turning point that exposed how unprepared concert technology was for stadium-sized rock audiences. In her telling, fans could barely see or hear the band, creating pressure for later advances in large-scale sound and video presentation. She discusses her book Top of the Mountain and explains that its title comes from a recollection involving concert promoter Sid Bernstein and the idea that Shea represented the peak of Beatlemania. Jim and Laurie also discuss the later Shea appearance, John Lennon's controversial "more popular than Jesus" remark, and the extraordinary scale of the crowd. Together, their stories frame the Beatles not just as a musical act but as a catalyst for changes in live entertainment culture.

Classic Television, TV Dinners, and the Lassie Legacy

The conversation closes with Laurie's work preserving memories of classic television. She discusses TV Dinners, a book built around former child stars, their biographies, photographs, and favorite recipes, describing it as a collection that can reconnect baby boomers with their childhood television years. Laurie also talks about her husband, the actor who played Timmy in Lassie, and an upcoming visit to a historic tavern connected in her account with Eric Knight and the writing of Lassie Come-Home. Jim responds enthusiastically, recalling past interviews with classic television figures and expressing interest in bringing more of Laurie's friends and clients onto the program. The episode ends with Jim returning to local-business promotion, the Steel Pier Alumni Reunion, big-band music, and a closing theme that promises more stories, songs, laughter, and memories on the next show.

The Jim Craine Show

Steel Pier Stories: Tony Catanoso, Atlantic City Memories and the Alumni Reunion

Summary

Steel Pier at the Center of the Conversation

The episode is anchored in Jim Craine’s long connection to Atlantic City and Steel Pier, where he says he worked from 1963 to 1973 in jobs ranging from game barking to running the diving bell and caring for the diving horses. He uses those memories to introduce guest Tony Catanoso, whom he identifies as the current owner and operator of Steel Pier. Their conversation blends personal history with the modern-day operation of the pier. Craine repeatedly describes Steel Pier as formative to his career in entertainment and broadcasting. He also promotes an upcoming Steel Pier alumni reunion for former employees, performers, Tony Grant participants, Ed Hurst participants, and longtime fans of the pier.

Tony Catanoso on Today’s Steel Pier

Tony Catanoso describes a busy summer day at Steel Pier with families enjoying the attractions. He discusses the pier’s food outlets, games, rides, helicopter operation, bars, event spaces, and large climate-controlled observation wheel. Catanoso says the wheel is 227 feet tall with 40 gondolas and explains that it can operate in both warm and cooler weather. He also describes weddings, engagements, gender reveals, bar mitzvahs, reunions, corporate outings, and other private events held at the facility. The Ocean Reef Bar, Sandbar, wheel deck, beach access, and views of Atlantic City are highlighted as distinctive parts of the current pier experience.

A Family Business and a Long Operating History

Catanoso explains that his family came from North Wildwood and that his own path into amusements began through an insurance agency that wrote amusement insurance. He says those contacts led to go-kart projects and eventually to an arrangement at Steel Pier in 1992. According to Catanoso, the family’s lease was repeatedly extended and the property was ultimately sold to them in 2011. He says the family is now in its 36th summer operating Steel Pier and believes they are the longest-running operators in the pier’s history. Catanoso describes the role as being a torchbearer for an iconic brand and says the stories and memories shared by visitors remain a meaningful part of operating the attraction.

Atlantic City Memories, Woodstock, and the Moon Landing

Craine uses the interview to revisit several moments from his youth and early working life. He recalls being scheduled at Steel Pier during the Woodstock period and explains that taking a day off in those days could mean losing a seasonal job. He also tells a vivid story about working the diving bell during the moon landing, when the pier was crowded and his boss told him to announce to everyone that people were on the moon. Craine remembers the crowd cheering and connects that memory with the many entertainers who appeared at Steel Pier. Elsewhere in the episode, he talks about attending the Beatles in Atlantic City in 1964, leaving shortly after “Twist and Shout” because of the volume, and remembering the city’s rich entertainment history.

The Alumni Reunion and Diving-Horse Legacy

A major focus of the program is the Steel Pier alumni reunion scheduled for August 23. Craine says former workers, performers, divers, Tony Grant alumni, Ed Hurst participants, and fans are invited, and he mentions several people he hopes will attend. He discusses the history of the diving horses and says a woman who wrote The Last American Diving Horse will be present and selling her book. He also mentions former diving-horse performer Terry McDevitt and describes plans to raise funds connected with the Marine Mammal Stranding Center. The segment emphasizes the reunion as a way to preserve stories from earlier eras of Steel Pier while bringing those communities together again.

South Jersey Events, Music, and Community Promotion

Beyond the featured interview, Craine fills the episode with South Jersey community announcements, sponsor mentions, music-shop promotion, jokes, and live music. He congratulates the Atlantic City Beach Patrol on winning the South Jersey Lifeguard Championships and promotes an upcoming Beach Patrol alumni gathering. He also mentions events at Gardner’s Basin, Wheaton Village, the Ocean City Music Pier, and the Smithville Italian Festival, while repeatedly encouraging listeners to support local businesses. Pleasantville Music Shop serves as the live setting for the broadcast, and Craine discusses its long history, instruments, vinyl, lessons, guitar service, and his own recordings. The episode closes with upcoming guest teases, an invitation to subscribe through BBS Radio TV, and a closing theme centered on music, memories, laughter, and returning for the next show.