Halls of Fame

Danny Dark – 2006

​Having worked with Bud Connell at WFUN in Miami, Danny Dark was one of the first people Connell brought on board at KXOK in 1961, where he quickly became top-rated. Listeners knew him as “Danny Dark from Radio Park.”

Local friends remember him as the kind of guy who’d meet with them at a neighborhood tavern and tell jokes and laugh until closing time. In late 1962, Dark left KXOK for a brief stint at WIL before his stellar career took him to Hollywood to become the most dominant voice in America.

He was the voice of dozens of major companies’ commercials, the first heard on TV’s Bonanza, the cartoon voice of Superman, and the rich, baritone voice of NBC-TV for over 25 years.

Frank O. Pinion – 2009

Frank O. Pinion began his radio career as a college student working at WRTH and WSIE under his given name, John Craddock.

After a decade working in advertising agencies and his own company, he returned to St. Louis radio in 1982.

In the ensuing years he worked at KSD-FM, KUSA, WKKX, KTRS, and KFNS.

His shows featured ensembles of talent, some of whom were hired and paid out of his pocket, part of his unique arrangement of selling ads in his own shows rather than being salaried.

Pinion credited his coworkers for much of his success citing the group dynamic and creativity as one of the main reasons for his consistent high ratings.

Jim Taszarek – 2009

Jim Taszarek started his radio career as a jock at WEW and KCFM while still a student at CBC. He also worked as an announcer on KWK and KMOX, did free-lance voiceover work and worked in radio and TV sales.

He eventually rose to the position of general manager at WRTH, after which he was hired by Pulitzer to run its Phoenix radio stations. While he was manager in Phoenix, his stations won the Peabody Award for Broadcast Excellence.

Jim served on the boards of the St. Louis Ad Club, the National Association of Broadcasters and the Radio Advertising Bureau, and he mentored many people who rose to management positions in St. Louis media.

In 1996 he created TazMedia, consulting broadcast, online and print media around the world.

Dick Ulett – 2009

Dick Ulett’s air work on St. Louis radio stations began in 1966, and over the next two decades he worked at seven different stations under his own name and the airname of Tom Marshall.

Ten years into his career he built a recording studio in the basement of his Clayton home, which evolved into Clayton Studios.

He left broadcasting to run his business but remained actively involved in efforts to gather and preserve St. Louis radio history.

Through his operation of the studio, Ulett’s voice continued to be heard on radio and television spots, and dozens of spots produced at Clayton Studios went on to win local and national awards.

Jack Sampson – 2008

​He was the man behind the scenes when KXOK became a national powerhouse.

​Jack Sampson had worked with Storz Broadcasting in Kansas City and Oklahoma City prior to his St. Louis assignment. From 1963 – 1975, Sampson was KXOK’s vice president and general manager. When he came to town, the station had begun to make a run in the ratings, but the business side needed a complete overhaul.

​Within a year the station was showing a profit, and more money was put into operations and promotion. He left St. Louis to get into station ownership.

​Sampson is a member of the Kansas Broadcasting Hall of Fame.

Dan Kelly – 2008

Dan Kelly was 32 years old when he became the St. Louis Blues’ play-by-play voice. He’d already been broadcasting in Canada for 13 years.

He spent the rest of his life in St. Louis broadcasting the Blues, Cardinal baseball, Cardinal football, MU football and hosting sports call-in shows. The powerful nighttime signal of KMOX spread his work all over the US and Canada, and his popularity was reflected in the work he did outside of the market.

Kelly broadcast NFL football and NHL hockey for CBS, NHL hockey for USA Network, ESPN, CTV and the NHL Network. He was also the voice, through most of his career, of the NHL All-Star Game and the Stanley Cup Finals.