Memory and conjecture are not our friends here, Daryl Lynn. Let's stick with facts.
Wink was allowed to do a last show, which is extremely rare when a talent is being cut loose. My understanding is he resigned--- had a pilot for a TV show that looked solid, but ultimately fell through---at which point he went to KGIL.
Also, Mitch was not let go from KFWB. His friend, Tom Donahue, who had taken KMPX in San Francisco from block programming to freeform, was given the okay to do the same with then co-owned KPPC, and he needed someone in L.A. Tom convinced BMR that he'd have limited success with the new music in mono on AM, and BMR took a serious pay cut to make the move
I have a question about being terminated from a radio job. So if an air talent is called in to speak to the management, & management says that one is fired, then it works just like any other business, correct? If one is fired, then one is expected to leave right away, with very quick good-byes.
But if an air talent voluntarily resigns, then one is free to give a couple weeks' notice, then one can create a good-bye show, correct?
For example -- on the internet, there's an air check of Dr. Don Rose, a famous Philadelphia DJ, doing a good-bye show when he leaves Philadelphia for KFRC San Francisco. He says on air that they made him an offer he couldn't refuse, so he is packing up and heading out west, then he thanks everybody in his circle of friends, associates, and so forth.
For example - When Wink left KRLA in April of 1962, he thanked everyone and said that he was going to work at Dot Records as their A & R director, and that he had really enjoyed his time in radio. I was quite young, but I remember hearing that show and thinking that I would really miss Wink.
In Sept. of 1962, Jim O'Neill voluntarily resigned in the same way, with a very gracious good-bye show, thanked everyone, etc., etc.
And I heard that show.
And......I think the same thing might have happened when Sam Riddle left KRLA - although I don't remember hearing his show.
So, if Wink voluntarily resigned from KFWB, then he would be allowed a good-bye show.......but if he were fired, or they came to a "meeting of the minds and wanted to move in a different creative direction" ( a euphemism for "you're fired"), then that person usually leaves immediately.
So, Wink must have wanted to leave of his own accord. ( which disproves my conjecture that he was fired. As you say, conjecture is not our friend).
But if an air talent is fired, then they pretty much are gone without any notice. By the way, this is difficult on listeners, who are just left hanging in the lurch and have no idea what happened to a beloved entertainer. Obviously, if the listener calls the station and asks, "Hey, where is so and so, who did a cool show", then the station simply replies, "We have no comment on personnel issues", so the listener has no idea.
In Bill Earl's book, he tells the story of KRLA DJ Ted Quillen ( who migrated over from KFWB), who one day was caught telling what KRLA's General Manager John Barrett considered an off-color joke. Barrett went into the DJ booth, pulled Ted out, and told him, "that's the dirtiest thing I've ever heard on radio", and told Ted he was out. Ted was working the 9-12 midday shift, and KRLA's morning jock, Dave Hull, was still at the station. Barrett told Dave to go back in the booth and take over for Ted.
Bill Earl, who was a personal friend of Dave Hull's, heard this story directly from Dave, who gave Bill permission to write it in his book.
Dave Hull, coincidentally, was fired from KRLA later on, for playing an advance copy of a Beatles' record that wasn't supposed to be released until the next day, I think. In both these cases, the station would not comment on what happened.
. I'm sorry to sound compulsive. ( And I"m not stalking - just a nostalgic rocker here from the old days.). Thank you for any help you can provide -- Daryl.
