A quick Jack LaLanne story. (LaLanne passed away Sunday at the age of 96.)
He was born in SF, (raised in Oakland,) and much of his media work began in the Bay Area in the 70's at the old KGO-TV studios at 277 Golden Gate Ave. in the Tenderloin section of San Francisco.
As a kid who grew up in the Bay Area, I remember he regularly used to swim to Alcatraz, one time with a tugboat tied to his legs.
I never met LaLanne but my late father told me stories that all the exercise shtick was NOT a routine nor a gimmick. Sure, LaLanne parlayed it into a regular gig and managed to pull numerous appearances on the Tonight Show, Regis, Jay Leno, and Letterman. But it was all genuine and part of LaLanne's appeal to the common man and woman.
He was, above all, a real character. Frankly, I thought he was bullet-proof and would live well past the century mark. Just goes to show nobody's immortal.
Dang shame.
Oh man,how sad. I remember his old black and white show on ch.2 before Lucy show reruns,Happy his beautiful white German Shepard...the organ music...his deep breath sounds that reminded of my brother in law when he did pushups-funny.
ReplyDeleteAnother icon of the bay area's baby boomer golden days,gone.
Radnich laughed at the mans passing with a sarcastic "he left us too soon" What a fool Radnich must be. The man who falls on his knee's at the sight of Sal Salvatore(whatever his name is) ex GM and grovels "Oh,Mr. Salvatore, how WONDERFUL to see you!" in a way that makes real men sick to hear,is laughing at Jack LaLannes death?
ReplyDeleteI wonder if Radnich realizes how the last half of his career has created a future of many postings that will say "good riddance" when he dies?
Did Radunich really make fun of the passing of Mr. LaLanne? He’s a lot of things but classy he’s not. I still remember how he barely mentioned the passing of Pete Wilson on his stupid KNBR show. I thought, wow what a classless jerk. He worked with Mr. Wilson for several years at KRON and hardly acknowledged him or his passing so when you say he made fun of Mr. LaLanne’s passing I am not shocked nor surprised.
ReplyDeleteBlimpo Radnich couldn't swim from Alcatraz to SF or any other distance since he would sink like a ton of lard.By the way, LaLanne was also handcuff while towing that boat.
ReplyDeleteRich, Jack LaLanne's show started on KGO in the '50s (1951, according to LaLanne's Wikipedia entry). KGO's obit: http://abclocal.go.com/kgo/video?id=7915340. KTVU also aired LaLanne's show, presumably once it was syndicated nationally.
ReplyDeleteHis media work began long before the 70's. I remember watching his show as a little kid in the 60's.
ReplyDelete