Gordon McLendon facts for kids

Gordon Barton McLendon (born June 8, 1921 – died September 14, 1986) was a very important person in radio history. People called him "the Maverick of Radio." He is famous for making the Top 40 radio format popular in the 1950s and 1960s. This format played the most popular songs over and over. McLendon also started "pirate radio" stations that broadcast from ships to countries in Europe. He was also involved in business and politics.

Early Life and Career

Gordon McLendon was born in Paris, Texas. He grew up in Oklahoma and then in Atlanta, Texas. In high school, he loved broadcasting sports and giving commentary over the school's sound system.

He went to Kemper Military Academy. He won a national essay contest judged by famous journalists. He chose to go to Yale University, where he was an editor for the Yale Literary Magazine.

During World War II, McLendon served as an intelligence officer. He later worked for a United States Armed Forces Radio station. After the war, he briefly studied law at Harvard Law School. But he left to buy a share in a radio station in Palestine, Texas, called KNET.

McLendon was married twice. First, in 1943, to Gay Noe. Later, in 1973, he married Susan Stafford, who was a writer and actress.

He was known for playing big practical jokes on his friends, even important people like President Richard Nixon. McLendon was also active in his community. He was on the board of his church and the Dallas Symphony Orchestra. He helped with charities like the March of Dimes. In the 1960s, he advised the Peace Corps on communication. He also created a special broadcasting course for minority groups.

Radio Broadcasting Innovations

Liberty Broadcasting System

McLendon, who called himself "The Old Scotchman," started the Liberty Radio Network in the 1940s. This network was famous for broadcasting Major League Baseball games across the country. At one point, Liberty was the second largest radio network in the U.S. It had over 458 stations connected to it.

Many of Liberty's baseball broadcasts were "re-creations." This meant McLendon and other announcers would describe games as if they were live, using updates they received.

One of McLendon's most famous moments was a live broadcast. On October 3, 1951, he was at the Polo Grounds in New York. He was broadcasting the final game of a play-off series between the New York Giants and the Brooklyn Dodgers. When Bobby Thomson hit a home run to win the game, McLendon famously shouted:

Bobby swings, there's a long one out there out to left! Going, going, GONE and the Giants win the pennant!

After that, he stayed silent, letting the sound of the cheering crowd fill the air. Many Americans heard this exciting moment thanks to McLendon's broadcast.

Offshore Pirate Radio Stations

Gordon McLendon also owned a ship in the North Sea. This ship was used to broadcast radio signals to Sweden and other European countries. In 1960, McLendon and his friend Clint Murchison owned Radio Nord. The Swedish government called it a "pirate radio" station. This was because it broadcast from a ship outside their country's laws.

When Radio Nord closed, the ship was brought back to Texas. Later, in 1964, it was used for a new British station called Radio Atlanta. McLendon also shared his knowledge of offshore broadcasting with Don Pierson. This led to the creation of Radio London, another famous pirate station.

U.S. Radio Stations

In 1947, McLendon and his father started radio station KLIF in Dallas, Texas. In the early 1950s, they introduced the Top 40 format there. This made KLIF very popular for many years.

The McLendon family built a large group of radio stations across the United States. Besides KLIF, they owned stations like KNUS–FM in Dallas, KOST in Los Angeles, and KILT in Houston. McLendon also started the first "all-news" radio station (WNUS in Chicago) and the "beautiful music" format on KABL in Oakland, California.

He is known for many firsts in American radio. He created the first mobile news units, which reported news from outside the studio. He also started the first traffic reports, the first radio jingles, and was among the first to share opinions on air.

In 1971, the McLendon family sold KLIF for a record price of $10.5 million. By 1979, they had sold all their broadcasting properties, which included fourteen radio and two television stations. By 1985, his wealth was estimated at $200 million.

Television Ventures

McLendon also had some involvement in television. In 1975, he sold his ABC affiliate station KCND-TV in North Dakota. This station was moved and became CKND-TV in Winnipeg, Canada. This new station eventually grew into a large media company called Global Television Network.

Movies and Theatres

Gordon McLendon also worked in the movie industry. In 1959, he helped produce and acted in two science fiction monster movies: The Killer Shrews and The Giant Gila Monster.

From 1963 to 1966, he created over 150 movie advertising campaigns for United Artists. At one point, he owned the most shares in Columbia Pictures. He was also an executive producer for the movie Escape to Victory, which starred famous actors like Michael Caine and Sylvester Stallone.

He also owned McLendon Theatres, a company that ran more than forty movie theaters, including many drive-ins.

Oil Business

McLendon's father-in-law, James A. Noe, was a former governor of Louisiana and an oil businessman. He and his partner formed the Win or Lose Oil Company. This company worked to get leases for oil rights on state-owned land. They would then sell these rights to larger oil companies, making a profit.

Author

McLendon was also a writer. He wrote a book about precious metals called Get Really Rich in the Coming Super Metals Boom in 1981. He also wrote other books, including How to Succeed in Broadcasting (1961) and Correct Spelling in Three Hours (1962).

Politics

McLendon was a conservative Democrat. In 1964, he ran for U.S. Senator against Ralph Yarborough and received 43% of the votes. During his campaign, he was joined by Hollywood stars like John Wayne.

He also tried to run for governor of Texas in 1968. However, he later withdrew from the race and left the Democratic Party. He disagreed with President Lyndon Johnson's policies regarding the Vietnam War.

Later Life and Legacy

In December 1985, McLendon was injured in an accident while cleaning a pistol. He passed away from cancer at his ranch home near Lake Dallas, Texas, on September 14, 1986. In 1994, he was honored by being inducted into the National Radio Hall of Fame.

See also

• Todd Storz
• PAMS jingles