WPIX 11 New York Action News Opening 1979

[lmnop2daj]

Scary...

[payless1981]

Hey, that's the same theme music Ch. 7 (wkbw) in Buffalo used from the 70's-mid 90's.

[yryriza]

Damn it, I wanted to see that stpry on John Wayne, but it cut off.

[fscap811]

@yryriza I can tell you the story. In 1955, John Wayne was in a movie called "The Conquerer" filmed in the Utah desert which was downwind from the area in Nevada where the U.S. government held many nuclear bomb tests. The fallout from these blasts supposedly wound in high concentration where the movie was filmed. Not only did John Wayne die from cancer, but Susan Hayward, his co-star, along with actress Agnes Moorehead and director Dick Powell also died from various forms of cancer.

[yryriza]

@fscap811 Thanks. It could be coincidence since it's only 4 people, but then again, I heard a similar story about back to the future and Parkinsons and metal exposure.

[fscap811]

@yryriza I think you misread the numbers...It was 46, not 4 so it was more than coincidence according to doctors.

[yryriza]

@fscap811 That was an error. I meant to say 46. People smoked like crazy back then like John Wayne's 6 pack a day habit. It's not as if they all got the same cancer. It maybe it played a part in a few of the cancers, but I doubt most of them were due to the nuclear testing, and as we all know Show biz people weren't the healthiest eaters back then. It's not like there was a place that had virtuously no cancer, then after the nukes a bunch get it.

[fscap811]

@yryriza Of the 220 people in the cast and crew who worked on the movie, 46 died from various forms of cancer and that was very high according to experts. Naturally, the radiation fallout was considered the reason for the high rate of cancer.

[2008ljr]

I was in that earthquake in San Francisco in 79. I was out there for the summer in 79.

[sshuffield70]

Steve Bosh made a stop in Dallas for a few years working with local legend Clarice Tinsley at KDFW (now Fox 4)

[LITEBRITE65]

Brings back a lot of memories! Thanks for posting

[nasara28]

Wow! I remember watching him in NY too!

[1981OSNY]

Steve is an anchor at KUSI channel 9 in San Diego. I remember him in the 70s/80s at WPIX - he must've followed me to the west coast LOL

[Wallyhorse]

@1981OSNY So he is still anchoring. I do remember reading years ago his real name is Jim Bosh, but he changed it to Steve to (as I remember anyway) avoid being confused with another legendary New York news anchor, the late Jim Jensen of WCBS-TV (Channel 2).

[wmbrown6]

@Wallyhorse - That was precisely the reason Bosh changed his first name (similar to Lori Saunders of "Petticoat Junction" adopting that first name to avoid confusion with co-star Linda Kaye Henning). Incidentally, Bosh preceded Rolland "Fighting the Frizzies at 11" as Jensen's 6 P.M. co-anchor at Channel 2, before going to Channel 11 to become the longest-serving co-anchor of Pat Harper (7 years, 1977-84).

[wmbrown6]

P.S. Sorry - I meant Rolland "Fighting the Frizzies at 11" Smith who was preceded by Bosh as Jim Jensen's 6 P.M. co-anchor at WCBS.

[BillHassel]

where is steve bosh????

[capricious71]

Steve BOSH!



[capricious71]

Steve BOSH!

[jacabraham]

I worked in that newsroom in the early 1980's. And I have one of those "Independent Network News" signs from the set. Rescued it when they tore up the place for a new look.

[PREGO1966]

After all these years I just realized Steve Bosh and Chris Reeve looked a lot like back then.

[chickiinboone]

Was this where Ron Burgundy got his start?

[seanfitzroy]

$140,000 in gold hijacked??? Good god, man! That’s like a whole gold bar!

[moneybelt22]

@seanfitzroy THIS IS REAL NEWS NOT KATIE CURIC

[jsb1750]

OOPS...and it's Steve Bosh, not Bill.

Good lord, most of those guys were named "Bill" as in Bill Jorgenson, Bill Beutel (of WABC), etc. So I goofed. Sue me.

[jsb1750]

Bill Bosh!

Currently, he's here in San Diego on KUSI.

[bobywade517]

I have watched a lot of news stations over the years and i have to say action news in new york and in Philadelphia are the best local news stations out there. There so good there probably better than the national news stations

[Knugabug]

Roseanne Scamardella was so scarey kids couldn't sleep watching 7.

[kcufmalsi]

This was before the liberal cancer infected the nightly news.....

[MikeChuk21]

Ah, for a world where right (and left) wingnuts didn't see partisan politics hiding around every corner.

[fatmanfiftythousand]

Sure, politicize everything. When this country is in the shape it's in because of people like you.

[kcufmalsi]

The reason why the US is in it's current funk is because of lilly white liberals like you.

[fatmanfiftythousand]

Oh, fuck off, you worthless sack of shit.

[kcufmalsi]

Blow it out your fat ass, cocksucking faggot.

[fatmanfiftythousand]

Fat cracks and libel. The conservative way.

[TimothySEnglish]

God bless the internet and YouTube... otherwise none of you would ever have the guts of the courage to say these things face to face.

[fatmanfiftythousand]

schs, are you aware of the terms "libel" and "slander"? Yes? Then rethink calling President Obama a Marxist. Because you're guilty of one or the other making such a statement.

[schs1977]

FU*K YOU

[fatmanfiftythousand]

Aww, poor baby. Don't like what you wrote, so you deleted it. Don't like what I said, so you drop an F bomb.

[UTAOUB]

This clip is good...but far too short! I want to hear the news stories!

[CanadaguyRudey]

It's 11 oclock... do you know where your children are?

[redonionsauce]

@CanadaguyRudey It was It's 10 O'clock.... Do you know where your children are?

[parriaga]

I loved this theme song!

[Orious69]

that theme song sounds like saturday night fever...btw look up the last guy and the F>M> (you know whos) on google

[goldenarmable]

Action 6 news in Phily used this theme

open

for the 1990's!

[Tamaslammer]

You are correct......

I remember that too.

But WPVI starting using this theme in the 70's.

Man this brings back the memories...

[CoastersNSich]

And they still do today...

[goldenarmable]

This music inro was also used

for Action 6 in Phily! Mid 90's

[TheJoeyD27]

Thank god for CNN

[tsntana]

Someone mentioned that this was the same newsroom used for Independent Network News program from the 1980's with signs covering up the Channel 11 logos.

So I figured I'd see if someone had a clip from 1980. Found this one from '79. Close enough. And lo and behold...

Thanks for posting this. I like the theme music.

[burbank]

That is correct. They did out these signs up for the Independent Network News Program. I was a kid and remember it. They also had a different theme song for that program, also. Glad you enjoyed it.

[ghostofdeletekey]

@tsntana, ccarrozzo75, & others: The theme music in this clip is what 6ABC - WPVI Philadelphia uses on their Action News. I wonder if it's some sort of franchise soundclip that stations buy for an intro theme... WPVI is the only station I've heard that overlaid lyrics to the track, WPIX never did as far as I can recall - I moved from NY to Philly in '92.

[novembermember]

Its where the action is.

[bmulla1560]

If you notice that the WPIX ch11 Old Action News theme the theme uses higher notes and is faster than the WPVI ch 6 notes in which the theme is slower and the notes are in a lower key

[wmbrown6]

May've been a case of the tape being sped up.

[wmbrown6]

@bmulla1560 - I've found that the cuts used by WPIX for their "Action News," which were in the exact same key as they were played here, were designated Cuts 7 (for the ending credits) and 8 (for this opening).

[orangie84]

i thought they were going to say herman munsters funeral!!

lol

[BobWXXI]

Same intro music''s been in use almost continuously since the early 70s at WKBW-TV in Buffalo. I think all the stations once owned by Capital Cities (including the ones like Channel 6 in Philly that were absorbed into ABC in the 1980s CapCities/ABC merger) still use it.

[ccarozzo75]

we in Philly can't let go of the theme song, so we still use it on our Action News!!

[NAGLFC]

What is the official name? I remember watching WPIX from Connecticut and our channel 8 news used the same theme during the same time.

[eyeh8nbc]

@ccarozzo75 Is it in stereo?

[man975dog]

@ccarozzo75 Wow. You're kidding me. They still use the music from the old Channel 11 here in NYC for Philadelphia's Action News local tv news?-That's awesome. By the way, Steve Bosh on the old ch.11 Action News here in NYC was very handsome and good-looking to me. Even now over 30 years later, I still think he's very good-looking and handsome-Yes, I am gay.

[WordUp4Life]

Today, Steve Bosh is now at KUSI-TV in San Diego (my hometown).

[godwhyisthistaken]

wow john wayne die in 79, this is so awsome a step back in time.

[mcwald20]

Sports with Jerry Girard. He used to cry out loud when the Yanks lost a game. I remember this stuff. Long time ago.

[USAGiant]

Yup. Its still used by Ch.6(WPVI-TV)the Phildelphia ABC station.

[Kiyema]

WNEP out of northeast Pennsylvania had the SAME opening music during the mid 1980s!!! How interesting!

[sebanpro]

0:35

[basspig]

I remember Bill Jorgensen from when he was on Metromedia Channel 5 out of New York. During the sixties, he anchored "The 10 o'clock News". Bill was one of the best in the biz..

Anyone got video from his days on channel 5? And the opening bumper music on that news cast was quite unique. I sure miss those days!

[burbank]

yes you are correct. This is Channel 11 in New York City WPIX TV now known as PIX 11 I beleive. The newsroom, people, and the music have chnaged. The decor of the newsroom at the time was a 1970s conventional style. Also look at the typewriter. Hope you enjoy.

[noahf67]

Not to mention those trimline phones..!

[VALENTINEproductions]

Is this channel 11 ny? Wow this is a year before i was born. Looks like their on a star trek set or something.

[orangie84]

ah ha ha ha..

I was going to say that exact same thing!

it looks like a console on the enterprise..

[CoolWhiteChick]

This theme song is still used in the Philly/South Jersey area! I heard it when staying in Atlantic City and was like...whoa! Loved that groovy "we've got the hard news"action theme song!!!

[remedave]

wow

[paperorpaper]

that was some groovy transition music

lol

[EzrinJem2]

Wow! What a blast from the past this is! I was 10 years old back then and remember my parents watching this!

[noahf67]

That was the ultimate back then: news at 10 with an Odd Couple chaser at 11!

Then Perry Mason or Twilight Zone at 11:30...

[ApricotRse]

I'm lovin' Bosh's toupe! What memories. Thanks :)

[scottyyz]

Michael Sindona- whacked by the Sicilians.

Great opener- I wonder if the full newspiece is available.

[hot96rox232]

oh my god this song is gonna stay in my head now

[noahf67]

I recall around that time twisting in WTNH-8, snowy but legible, only to

find them using the same Action News

theme and title..!

[neotheone999]

wow ..thanks for the memories...this is when NYC was off the hook in crime certainly was "life on mars" back then.

[twinstickpete]

Great post thanx!!

[soundsfromnothing]

You can actually this info on NBC evening news as well. Vanderbilt University has an online television news archive w/ clips from, CBS, NBC, ABC, CNN, FOXnews etc. You have to have realplayer & you can watch NBC for free.

(h t t p : // w w w. t v news. vanderbilt . edu)

Sorry, I had to break up the address, cause youtube won't let you post them, for some reason.

[Libitina72]

WOW!! I remember this opening I was 7 years old!!

[n0gar]

I was thinking the same thing! That music! I hated having to watch news back then, but remember it well!

[pedro0816]

Man that brings me back. Thanks for the post!

[krugin72]

It would've been great to see Thurmans last interview. Would anyone happen to have that?

[rafalweb]

Damn, what a blast from the past!!!!!

[orvgg]

Bill Jorgensen was only 52 at the time this aired in 1979... how scary is that?

[frkaz911]

Bill didn't age well. My grandmother never missed the 10 o'clock news on Channel 5, and as kids we used to make fun of Bill, calling him a "prune face", and he was only in his 40's! I understand he's still alive at age 80. Maybe he actually looks younger now.

[edkollin]

Nuclear testing killed John Wayne??

[fscap811]

Radioactive soil from the nuclear test sites from the 40's and early 50's was dumped in a desert area where the movie "The Conqueror" was subsequently filmed.  Supposedly not only John Wayne, but co-star Susan Hayward and many of the crew developed various forms of cancer. Of course, the Duke smoked 3 packs of butts a day and that could have had something to do with his double lung cancer problems.

[EarlSnohomish]

"Of course, the Duke smoked 3 packs of butts a day and that could have had something to do with his double lung cancer problems."

My money is on that.

[noahf67]

Would you by any chance happen to have one of those 10+ minute slide-n-announcer WPIX

newscasts that aired after midnight circa

1970,71,72.., with news anchor Roy Whitfield?

[todd10x]

thats old school news music right there.. action news in phila. still plays that music today.

[bjdon99]

Wasn't the gold heist they mention a John Gotti opperation?

[mistahkleen1963]

Jerry Girard on sports outrageous. They wouldn't let anyone do that stuff (or the Lloyd Lindsey Young stuff) today.

[EarlSnohomish]

Bill Jorgensen was only 52 in that video?! Does anybody here think he looks close to that age here?

[growingup15]

cool it haves the WPVI opening

[zekepig]

it just has the sound portion of that opening

[davew244]

Who could ever forget the immortal Bill Jorgensen

sign off line "Thanks for your time, this time, till next time."

That theme music is too much, extremely dated - almost porno like.

[wmbrown6]

Mr. Jorgensen's sign-off was among those parodied at the end of the newscast segment of 1974's "The Groove Tube."

[sundaeg1rl]

LOL, I was expecting Ron Burgundy then!

[asnycnow15]

bill jorgensen was on wnew[now wnyw-tv fox] metromedia channel 5 [new york] and was one of the original anchors for ch.5's 10 o'clock news when it started on 3/15/1967

[castillianwagon]

I remember watching this very news cast ! UNBELIEVABLE !

[castillianwagon]

I knew some one who knew The Franklin National Bank's President Sedona too that the mafia poisoned !

[1975tooto]

Thanx Giant!!So many memories!! I remmember as a Yankee fan being so hurt by Munsons death! I remmemeber the lineup also!! After the news the Honeymooners,and then after that swithch over to WOR-9 to watch the Benny Hill show!!

[toyotas2006]

11 was "Alive"!

[1975tooto]

What ever happened to Gerry Gerard? He was so funny!!Great Sports reporter!!

[USAGiant]

Jerry Gerard 'quit' WPIX in i think the early 1990's. Since then he never returned to doing any type of tv news.

[wmbrown6]

He left in 1995 after WPIX planned to demote him to weekend work following their hiring of Sal Marchiano. Mr. Girard died last year of throat cancer.

[dookykins]

He passed away a while ago.

[irish89055]

action news lol lol.. i see the mob was busy with heisting gold.. munson needed some more flight instruction.. and john wayne did do a location shoot in the 50's downwind of fallout to a nuke test in Utah(The Conqueror) 91 out of crew of 220 got cancer, half died including wayne..

[sophielou2k7]

2 questions? why do you have this and where did you get this clip from?

[burbank]

This was from TVARK UK. Glad you enjoyed the clip.

[stevedrums]

Oh my God!! I remember these names and faces. I was nine years old.

[Jolar70]

Did you hear those lead-ins? It WAS "action news"!

[gstrongbricks]

Its crazy how I still remember the theme music after all these years, wow!!

[paktype]

I couldn't stand Jerry Girard.

[rocky0713a]

This is the same opening that was used by WNHC TV channel 8 now WTNH in New Haven,Conn.

[davemock]

Also, WTNH used to close its newscast in the early 1980s with the piano-jazz version of the bridge (for which the tune has its "Move Closer To Your World" name), which WPIX never used in the 1976-84 period of its news (they always used the fanfare portion).

[richmjr67]

remember jerry girard....yankees crush the rangers...kingman homers 3 times for the mets but lose to the cubs at shea

[memyself2k]

I'm getting old. This is vintage New York City News.

[mrwrister]

I havent heard that theme song since the 70s but the moment it came on I remembered it note for note... simply amazing

[OldsVistaCruiser]

As posted by others, mrwrister, it's still in use on WPVI (6abc[dot]com) here in Philadelphia, and has been in use for over 35 years.

A revision done by the London Symphony Orchestra lasted five days on WPVI before viewer outrage led to the reinstatement of the original theme.

Some people have referred to "Move Closer To Your World" as "WPVI's national anthem".

[rocketpress]

That theme music brought me back.

[THeMaskedBlogCritic]

He was piloting the plane and attempting to land but had miscalculated how much power he needed to hit the runway and plowed into a bunch of trees and the plane burst into flames. He was actually alive right after the crash, but rescuers could not get him out in time and he died of asphyxiation. Very unfortunate.

[burbank]

Thanks MaskedBlog, it is sad just like the yankee who died two weeks ago in NYC when his plane crashed.

[Philflash]

I believe he was practicing touch and go landings and was somewhat inexperienced to pilot a small jet.

[glamslamcam]

Thurman Munson died in a plane crash. I don't know the specifics but he was a small plane.

[burbank]

That is ironic considering the recent plane crash killing of the other yankees player last week, dejavu :(

[monwoof11]

sad about Munson.. He was so great and a good guy too.

[burbank]

Well, I did not know him personally. I think he may have been murdered as he may have been involved in something sticky.

[monwoof11]

Ok I am interested! Give me a quick explanation of what Thurman Munson was involved in.

[wmbrown6]

That was certainly the case with Italian banker Michele Sindona. I have a memory of that whole deal.

[romerofan123]

Can you describe that story to me?

[wmbrown6]

Let me qualify that: I had a memory, but apparently not that much. Evidently, Sindona's "kidnapping" was indeed a hoax, in an attempt to avoid an upcoming fraud trial. He was poisoned to death in 1986.

[romerofan123]

Thank you Very Much

[romerofan123]

What was the fraud trial for? Or do you remember?

[wmbrown6]

Among other things, he was in on the failure of the Franklin National Bank in 1974 . . . plus other financial dealings with the mob . . . before rereading the details, I got part of his situation mixed up with Italian prime minister Aldo Moro, who was kidnapped and then murdered in 1978.

[romerofan123]

OK THX

[mannysdaman]

Bill Jorgenson anchored what is now known as FOX5 for many years. Was he let gor from Ch. 5, which is why he ended up here at 11?

[burbank]

Unsure. I think he may have left for a payment dispute. I believe he is still alive and in Florida now.

[BadGurl404]

No, I read Mr. Jogensen moved to the Carolinas.

[wmbrown6]

I myself have read that Mr. Jorgensen divides his time between the Carolinas and Florida.

[davemock]

From what I have heard, it was a salary dispute. Bob Harris also moved from WNEW-TV to WPIX during this period, though he still did morning weather at WNEW 1130 AM, which was co-owned with Channel 5. Another reporter who shifted in the exodus to WPIX was Marvin Scott, who is still with Channel 11 today, 27 years later.

[wmbrown6]

Mr. Harris' time at WNEW-TV ended at the same time as his stint with WCBS Newsradio 88, in early 1979, after he was found not to be a certified meteorologist. He first joined WPIX after the furor died down. And another ex-Channel 5'er who defected to 11 - before Jorgensen, Harris and Scott - was George Scharmen, back in 1975.

[davemock]

Thanks for the info! Always great to compare notes with a fellow fan of New York TV and radio.

[lno2k6]

Monday-August 6, 1979: interesting stuff happens during that time!

[mwhite36]

Did they ever find the wealthy Italian banker!?

[wmbrown6]

Sad to say, he ended up murdered.

[prstateofmind]

No surprise there and of course as usual it was all mob bullshit.

[musicradio77]

The theme song "Move Closer To Your World" is still in use on an ABC affiliate in Philadelphia and it is still "Action News".

[cityhawk]

I've been to Philadelphia a few times, and it does sound exactly the same between WPIX and the Philly ABC affiliate.

[glickmam]

The Philadelphia affiliate's name is WPVI-TV. It was originally named WFIL-TV, and it's where "American Bandstand" first debuted in 1952.

[frankd1965]

Theme was used by KTVU-2 in Oakland, California from 1971 to 1974.

[glickmam]

The song "Move Closer To Your World" was originally written by Al Ham for WNAC-TV in Boston, now WHDH-TV. It came to Philadelphia in 1972, when WNAC's news director moved to WPVI, taking the theme with him.

[frankd1965]

KTVU-2 in Oakland, California used this theme from 1971 to 1974. I do remember but I just wish they had VCR's in the early 1970's.

[frankd1965]

KTVU-2(TV 2 U)in Oakland, California. Used this theme from 1971 to 1974. I grew up in The San Francisco Bay Area and I also remember KGO-7 which during that decade used Lalo Schifrin theme from the 1967 Paul Newman Film "Cool Hand Luke". The music was from the road paving scene.

[wmichael1]

WPVI in Philadelphia created the Action News concept (and name) to counter another TV News concept created at Philadelphia's KYW-TV, Eyewitness News

[burbank]

I hear you. I have noticed the difference there. I like them both.