A Radio Legend like no other.
March 1, 2016 3:42 PM Subscribe
Charlie Tuna dies at 71 Charlie Tuna, a disc jockey known to generations of Los Angeles-area radio listeners, has died at age 71
Millions of fans are probably saying to themselves, “Sorry, Charlie.” Charlie Tuna has died. Born Art Ferguson in 1944, he began in radio at age 16 at KGFW in his hometown of Kearney, Nebraska. He spent a year as “Billy O’Day” at KLEO in Wichita and became “Charlie Tuna” at KOMA in Oklahoma City. In 1967, after nine months at WMEX in Boston, he joined KHJ in the noon-to-3 slot and moved to mornings in 1970. He later worked at KCBQ, KROQ, KKDJ/KIIS, KHJ (again), KTNQ, KHTZ/KBZT, KRLA, KODJ/KCBS-FM, KMPC, KIKF, KLAC, KBIG and KRTH. Charlie hosted several syndicated radio and television programs and from 1971 to 1996 was heard around the world daily on the Armed Forces Radio Network. He also was the announcer for several game shows and for two years was the voice of KDOC-Channel 56.
Charlie Tuna received a star on the Hollywood Walk Of Fame in 1990, the first KHJ “Boss Jock” to be so honored. In 1999, he was inducted into the Nebraska Broadcasters Hall Of Fame. Charlie died in his sleep February 19. He was 71.
Millions of fans are probably saying to themselves, “Sorry, Charlie.” Charlie Tuna has died. Born Art Ferguson in 1944, he began in radio at age 16 at KGFW in his hometown of Kearney, Nebraska. He spent a year as “Billy O’Day” at KLEO in Wichita and became “Charlie Tuna” at KOMA in Oklahoma City. In 1967, after nine months at WMEX in Boston, he joined KHJ in the noon-to-3 slot and moved to mornings in 1970. He later worked at KCBQ, KROQ, KKDJ/KIIS, KHJ (again), KTNQ, KHTZ/KBZT, KRLA, KODJ/KCBS-FM, KMPC, KIKF, KLAC, KBIG and KRTH. Charlie hosted several syndicated radio and television programs and from 1971 to 1996 was heard around the world daily on the Armed Forces Radio Network. He also was the announcer for several game shows and for two years was the voice of KDOC-Channel 56.
Charlie Tuna received a star on the Hollywood Walk Of Fame in 1990, the first KHJ “Boss Jock” to be so honored. In 1999, he was inducted into the Nebraska Broadcasters Hall Of Fame. Charlie died in his sleep February 19. He was 71.
He was best known when I was growing up in L.A. as "the guy who did mornings on 93KHJ when Robert W. Morgan was doing something else". I saw him in person once in the '70s at a charity softball game between DJs from two stations, and he was the best athlete there (I recall him hitting two home runs).
He started using the name five years after Star Kist created its "Charlie the Tuna" mascot (voiced by actor Hershel Bernardi, who our Charlie did NOT sound anything like). It impressed me that the tuna canner never made a (public) stink, but then their Charlie was kind of like a beatnik Charlie Brown and maybe they just didn't want to open that can of worms.
All I know is I knew a lot of LA radio people, and none of them ever said "Sorry, Charlie".
🎙.🎙
posted by oneswellfoop at 6:03 PM on March 1, 2016 [3 favorites]
He started using the name five years after Star Kist created its "Charlie the Tuna" mascot (voiced by actor Hershel Bernardi, who our Charlie did NOT sound anything like). It impressed me that the tuna canner never made a (public) stink, but then their Charlie was kind of like a beatnik Charlie Brown and maybe they just didn't want to open that can of worms.
All I know is I knew a lot of LA radio people, and none of them ever said "Sorry, Charlie".
🎙.🎙
posted by oneswellfoop at 6:03 PM on March 1, 2016 [3 favorites]
No matter where my father was stationed, I always had Charlie Tuna on AFRTS to keep me hip.
"This is Charlie Tuna on your radio again."
sniff
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posted by djrock3k at 7:43 PM on March 1, 2016 [1 favorite]
"This is Charlie Tuna on your radio again."
sniff
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posted by djrock3k at 7:43 PM on March 1, 2016 [1 favorite]
He started using the name five years after Star Kist created its "Charlie the Tuna" mascot (voiced by actor Hershel Bernardi, who our Charlie did NOT sound anything like).
That's exactly the info tidbit I came looking for, and naturally MeFi didn't let me down!
posted by fairmettle at 5:15 AM on March 2, 2016
That's exactly the info tidbit I came looking for, and naturally MeFi didn't let me down!
posted by fairmettle at 5:15 AM on March 2, 2016
I worked radio in the late 60s and 70s and my wannabe hero guys were larry lujack in chicago and Mister Tuna in LA.
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posted by CrowGoat at 2:17 PM on March 2, 2016
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posted by CrowGoat at 2:17 PM on March 2, 2016
Okay, the OTHER Charlie Tuna is apparently alive and well.
posted by oneswellfoop at 3:06 PM on March 5, 2016
posted by oneswellfoop at 3:06 PM on March 5, 2016
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