Al Radka - A Great Local Personality Legacy

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You just got home from school and it’s Channel 30 Fun Time! Or maybe Nancy Allen's Movie Matinee on Channel 24. Don’t forget the BOSS 30's #1 KYNO. If you were sophisticated, you only listened to KFIG on some new airwave called FM. We honor the late great Al Radka here at Lost Fresno whose motto was Lettuce Eat it!
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jcred
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Re: Al Radka - A Great Local Personality Legacy

Post by jcred » Wed Aug 10, 2011 6:29 pm

When I turned 5 yrs old My grandfather and Father got me on Al's morning show. I will always remember that. I was a kid in audience but they sang happy birthday to me! What a wonderful memory and a great guy especially all the Orberti olives spots.

DavidMoore

Re: Al Radka - A Great Local Personality Legacy

Post by DavidMoore » Sun Aug 14, 2011 8:38 pm

In the early sixties my family lived in Madera and Visalia, and Al Radka was on the radio all the time (we had just gotten a tv, and only watched it in the evening). That was when DJs really created their own shows,playing a variety of music (stations weren't "branded" then). We loved the group of imaginary characters he carried on imaginary "conversations" with- Mrs. Winnerbottom, Natalie Attired, etc.

DimmuWarrior
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Re: Al Radka - A Great Local Personality Legacy

Post by DimmuWarrior » Sat Dec 01, 2012 3:10 pm

AL Radka was definitely a GREAT Man, My father (Robbie Robinson) who used to woik at Channel 30 with Uncle Al, would take my Sis and I to the Channel 30 Company Picnics out at Clovis Lakes, and Uncle Al was always there entertaining like Always. Olberti Olives was Def. a Staple in our home growing up. The best time to be a kid was back in Fresno, CA In the 60sand 70s right smack dab in front of the tv for Saturday Morning and FunTime.

Big J
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Re: Al Radka - A Great Local Personality Legacy

Post by Big J » Mon Dec 10, 2012 3:32 pm

Does anyone know if any footage survived from FunTime or any of the other locally produced kids stuff? I only have the faintest memories of those days and would love to see them again, even just a clip.

Jim Bonkowski W6LFB
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Re: Al Radka - A Great Local Personality Legacy

Post by Jim Bonkowski W6LFB » Wed Apr 09, 2014 11:37 pm

I Remember Al Radka's station ID: "This is KFRE, Fresno, with 50 million milliwatts of power!" Here is how I recall the Fresno Radio Dial in 1957 - think that was the year KEAP signed on:

KMJ 580 NBC
KBIF 900 (Daytime)
KFRE 940 CBS
KEAP 980 (Daytime)
KYNO 1300 MBS
KMAK 1340
KARM 1430 ABC
KGST 1600 (Daytime)

Lost Fresno
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Re: Al Radka - A Great Local Personality Legacy

Post by Lost Fresno » Sat May 09, 2015 12:59 pm

Found this ad in an old Fresno Bee advertising Al and his work with his serious type show: "Answers and Action" (but I never saw it fortunately).
Attachments
Al-Radka-Aug-31-1970.jpg
Click to Enlarge / Fresno Bee - Aug 31, 1970

elizabird

Re: Al Radka - A Great Local Personality Legacy

Post by elizabird » Sat Nov 12, 2016 6:32 pm

Al Radka WAS Fresno, wasn't he! Our kids (and me, mom) never missed his after school stuff and always chimed in when he went into his happy olive schtick...O-b-e-r-t-i still comes to mind no matter what other brand I get. Sad to also recall that later-later we used to see Al on barstools around town, and how tenderly the bartenders would treat him no matter how obnoxious he became...I remember one time we had the kids with us at Pardinis (birthday thingie) and hustled them out so they wouldn't see "their" Al Radka in full cry in the bar. He was a super guy no matter what else he had to go through.

Lost Fresno
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Re: Al Radka - A Great Local Personality Legacy

Post by Lost Fresno » Mon Jan 22, 2018 3:51 pm

In 1965 Al made another attempt at a serious show called "Reach for the Top" but I was too focused on "Funtime" to watch it.
Attachments
al%20producers.jpg
Click to Enlarge / Reach for the Top
The_Fresno_Bee_The_Republican_Sun__Jan_10__1965_.jpg
Fresno Bee - Jan. 10, 1965

Lost Fresno
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Re: Al Radka - A Great Local Personality Legacy

Post by Lost Fresno » Fri Jun 28, 2019 10:37 am

A couple of pages from the "TV This Week (July 7-13 1956) with some ads for our old friend, Al Radka.
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radka.jpg
Click to Enlarge

Lost Fresno
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Re: Al Radka - A Great Local Personality Legacy

Post by Lost Fresno » Mon Aug 05, 2019 10:26 am

Thinking about Al's great legacy in Fresno's history, I am reminded that not only did he create quite a stir as a top football guard for the Bulldogs in the late 30's but he also began a high profile in entertainment in the early 40's. Here we see a clipping for the Fresno Bee as Al appeared in Spring Swing production. He is looking at a mirror and seeing himself as a bull. It seems that whatever Al did, the local community took notice. We still love and remember you, Al.
Attachments
The_Fresno_Bee_The_Republican_Tue__Mar_18__1941_.jpg
Click to Enlarge / Fresno Bee - March 18, 1941

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