WTOG Channel 44 Station ID - 1970's

[Bill463]

Wow! So fantastic to see & hear this again!!

[WinterHaven]

I haven't heard that piece since the 1970's--bless you for posting this!!!! I LOVE IT!

[imreallyrotten]

God, that music , haven't heard that since my childhood buffet of Paul Bearer and Gordon Solie, thanks for posting it!!!

[clemmrdO]

yes thanks for this stuff,And I still love TV tothis day,However SYFY Sci-Fi or whatever this new CRAPOLA they have on your set now really is truly VACUUMS BEST....it sucks.Return to REAL TELBISION (the way Dennis the Menace would say it) just go back the way things was!!!

[bigwillietheb]

simpler times I was just a baby but they were simpler times back in the 70's

[mikeg1060]

This really got to me-- to all us Tampa Bay Area 70's kids out there. p.s.-- Anyone recall how on the Friday or Saturday Night movies on 44 they would often leave some risque bits in the films? Too regulated now but those were renegade days... I miss 'em.

[cartoonist1975]

I love this Jingle ! Don't hear sound like that no more !

[beaubrummelstones]

Excellent!

[Jupitroid]

Ah, my old neighborhood! 35 years later and I remember this station ID! The music, the footage... The human brain is an amazing thing.

Yeah, Dr Paul Bearer and Creature Feature, I lived for that show!

[SKINNMARK]

great footage , and memories , thanks man.

[ACLTony]

Star Trek, Championship Wrestling (r.i.p Gordon Solie, Jack Brisco), The Bold Ones, Space 1999, 3-Stooges, Gilligan's Island, Battle of the Planets (G-Force), Ultraman (Hayata is still alilve!), Adventures of Superman. Sunday morning before I went to Church it was Hot Fudge, Big Blue Marble, the "Tarzan" movies followed by Abbot & Costello movies. TV was simpler, fun, and much cleaner.

[letsgo395]

@ACLTony sure was brother. and it wasnt full of drama/reality shows or total brain rot material like it is today

[lazydavy67]

I remember watching wtog 44 everyday especially Creature Feature on Saturday

With Dr Paul Bearer. I missed those great times back in the 1970's in the front of the tv set.. R.I.P. Dr Paul Bearer, You were the Best Horror Host...

[FriedGames]

@lazydavy67 OMG! I still remember him. I think it was around 1 or 2pm on Saturday that he came on. Gosh I miss those days! (Side note: RIP Paul Bearer)

[saml760]

R.I.P. Dr. Paul Bearer!! he passed away in 2004. we'll miss him.

[booker80]

1996

[bigwillietheb]

actually he died on February 18, 1995

[booker80]

yeah i khow thanks

[MikeyC06]

I missed that! We had WTOG on our old CATV service when I wa a kid.

[2Catangel]

Thanks for sharing this. I loved channel 44. I loved Saturday afternoons and "Creature Feature" with Dr. Paul Bearer.

[mraellis]

This would make a good RPG town music.

[carliecurtis]

Wow. I didn't realize how deeply ingrained in my mind this little spot was. This takes me back to the days when we only had three TV stations and good old Channel 44 to watch. How I loved the summertime afternoon airing of The Monkees back in the late 70's- Those were Good Times.

[HGbunny]

Yep, channels 8, 10, 13, then 44 if you moved your rabbit ears just right, and maybe put a peice of aluminum foil shaped like a big bow tie on them!

[Flap999]

And who could forget Doctor Paul Bearer? Thanks for this memory jog!

[oceanboyfla]

wow im from tampa fla born and raised there brings back so many great meomorys im 44 years old now i miss tampa and those great days im moveing back there this year some time.

[nanpaempire]

Channel 44 had Professional Wrestling from Florida with Gordon Solie both on Saturday night and Sunday afternoon at 1pm. Remember Dusty Rhodes the American Dream?

[ACLTony]

Yes, Championship from Florida was fun to watch. My dad enjoyed it so often. Now you got me started: There was Dusty Rhodes, Jack & Jerry Brisco, Bob Roupe, Harley Race, Terry Funk, The Asassin, Rocky Johnson, Thunderbolt Patterson, Ernie "the cat" Ladd, Bob Backlund, Joe LeDuc (aka Canadian freight train), Andre The Giant, Don Serrano, Pak Song, Eddie (r.i.p) and Bob Graham, Superstar Billy Graham. Inspite of his straight edge manner, Gordon Solie was enjoyable to listen to.

[soln4suhreborn]

@ACLTony Don't forget Kevin Sullivan,you can't talk Florida wrestling without mentioning Kevin Sullivan.

[ACLTony]

@soln4suhreborn -Yes, you're right! Kevin Sullivan and also don't forget Steve Kern. My fondest memories when I hear this jingle are the many days my family and I visited the beaches. Clearwater Beach's water was actually transparent and even when you were walking chest deep you could still see your toes! We certainly enjoyed Ft. DeSoto. Anna Maria Island was another beautiful spot. Who needed Carribbean vacations when we had the best here back then. Not so anymore.

[soln4suhreborn]

@ACLTony It's amazing how something as simple as an old station ID clip can bring a myriad of memories rushing back. I'm thankful for this site and all of the users who constantly share this type of memorabilia for us all to enjoy.

[disfigurehead]

Yeah I remember Dusty Rhodes. I used to go to wrestling every week in Tampa when I lived in St Pete.

[1990hornet]

You do know that dusty is one of the commentators for FCW (Florida Championship Wrestling), the new wrestling training grounds for WWE (World Wrestling Entertainment), in Tampa. The show airs on Bright House Sports Network (channel 47 on Bright House cable in the Tampa Area)

[nanpaempire]

Thats great. Living in SF California now makes it difficult to know whats happening in Tampa/St. Pete.

I remember one time Dusty said before he was going to fight Paul Jones.... He said, Its going to be like two dogs in the ring; biting and scratchin for my power! Hilarious!

[pepe1958]

Man, this takes me back. Grew up in Winter Haven and channel 44 was one of my favorites; Dr. Paul Bearer, host of the weekend Creature Feature, lived around the corner from us, and, yes, he had a hearse in his driveway!

How eerie to see the old Sunshine Skyway Bridge; I remember the day it collapsed like it was yesterday.

[timeclock29]

I am 43,and grew up in melbourne,we got this station to. The jingle was so nice! brought back my childhood. Life in fl. in those days were GREAT! Just look at TV today, and you can see the diffrence just in the jingle. Happy,carefree,upbeat.All the things it seems our tv today misrepresents, CRIME,SEX,CRIME DRUGS ET. ETC. ETC. THANKS FOR SHOWING THIS.

[Bill463]

Yes - isn't it amazing to be seeing this again? It is like stepping into a time machine - so bittersweet!

[Bill463]

Oh my gosh - my Grandparents lived in Port Charlotte for many years - as a child I would visit from NJ and I remember this well!! ( I'm 45 now - wea re from Staten Island)

[jonestube2007]

more like 72 or 73

[ACLTony]

I remember also that the water at Clearwater Beach was LITERALLY clear.....like the Carribbean beaches on postcard photos. Wading in chest high, I could still see my toes! Not anymore.

[tealmarlin]

Even though I was born in 1983, I really think I would love to live in those days, looks so gentle and not so built up.

[mizannabelle]

Ahhhhhh...I miss the old Florida! I miss the beaches without condos, channel 44, WLCY radio station, Shock Theater, and so much more. I loved this video.

[ACLTony]

Mizanabelle, do you remember "John & Juan" from WLCY? What a riot! A straight talk DJ guy and his crazy Hispanic sidekick. Turns out that those characters were voiced by the same guy. We also had PULSE News with Hugh Smith, we had decent service from Amtrak with multiple trains stopping at Tampa Union Station, we still had prayer in public school up until about 1975, crime rate was lower, and respect between kids and teachers was so much higher. I know, I can go on and on....

[ACLTony]

Thinking about that time period makes me realize now that even with its problems, the Tampa Bay area really was "overall" a very good place to live and grow up in. I still remember watching Star Trek with my parents and sister at 7p.m on CH44 after finishing my homework and dinner. For me, it was a good way to end a school weekday. Took it for granted then, but it's so precious to me now; especially since my dad is gone. I'm gratful for the posting of this jingle. - Thanks and God Bless you!

[sims2man08]

I lived in Tampa until I was 8 years old. I love Tampa. And I have been on the Skyway like 2 or 3 times going to St. Petersburg. It is a beautiful but long bridge! :D

[masterthespian1]

Wtached this channel before we had cable. Watched Astros baseball whenever they played the Reds in '79 and '80. Watched Creature Feature on Saturday and Wild, Wild West during weekday eves.

[JeffKellySophie]

Look! The Sunshine Skyway...BEFORE. Makes me SO sad.

[fishgirl52]

what memories! i remember these! :)

[ACLTony]

I'm still amazed that these spots were done over 30 years ago and to me it feels just like a few. Thank you again, for posting.

[JeffKellySophie]

OMG I know! It's like the music came whooshing back at me, and I remember every single note in the tune! BIZARRE...I miss those days! Back when Pier 60 wasn't a circus, and you could actually park and enjoy the beach.

[therock723]

Oh my, this brings back sooooo many memories as a youth spent geeking out in St. Pete. This is the campaign I remember...

"Look who's doing more, 44, WTOG... with shows and a whole lot more". Well done, sir. And, as the other poster commented... MORE!!!!!!!!

[senrabnivek]

PLEASE, GIVE US MORE! THANK YOU