WWVA Radio 1958-62

 

Jeanne Hamm, sitting at her new Player Piano

The Price is Right

March, 1957

In March, 1957, Jeanne and Bud traveled to New York City on a college search trip with Jim, who was a sophomore at Linsly Military Institute.  While in NY, they attended the original, daily, live broadcast of the TV Show, The Price is Right, with Bill Cullen.  At that time, when one attended television programs, it was customary for audience members to provide their names, places of residence, and a brief comment.  It is my belief that the Show Producers took one look at Jeanne;s card, a woman by the name of HAMM from West Virginia, and she was immediately invited to be a contestant on the next day's program.

 

Jeanne was the Champion on that first day, and was invited back for a second day, competing for prizes with several other contestants.  Not to be undone by anyone, Jeanne was on the show for 3 days, winning furniture, a player piano, and more.

 

While Jeanne, Bud and Jim were away, Johnny stayed with Aunts Mary and Esther at their Clover Fields home, overlooking Oglebay Park and the hilltops of the West Virginia panhandle.  As the news of Jeanne's TV debut traveled home, arrangements were made for Johnny to take Pap's portable TV to school, where he and his 3rd grade class watched The Price is Right each day that week.  John recalls with joy the pride he felt for Mama and the popularity he experienced with his fellow students.

 

Jim Hamm wrote of his recollections of these events.

"It was during the Linsly March, 1957 spring break of my sophomore year in high school.  We went to Boston to look at MIT.  I think we spent several days in NY on the way back.   We went to the TV show and after it ended, someone on the stage asked for people who wanted to be on the show to stay.  The moderator took a lot of names and places people were from and then, before we left, he announced who would be on the show the next day.  Mama thought that people were chosen based on where they were from, meaning that people were chosen strategically to enhance local viewing.  The show immediately sent a notice to the Wheeling Intelligencer which probably had everyone in Wheeling glued to their TVs.

Mama won the player piano and the teak furniture that Pap turned into living room furniture.  I think it was originally an office set.  I don't remember if Mama was on one or two days that week.  In any case, her last day that week was Friday.  Since she won, she had the right to return the next day, a Monday.  We had to go to home because school started again on Monday.  Mama said she would return and went back to NY on Sunday with Ginger Hesse.  On Monday she won nothing.  She said the person who won was controlled by when someone in the back (out of sight) pressed the buzzer that ended each round of guessing.  She figured that she had satisfied the show's interest in Wheeling, and it was time for someone from some other place.

 I suspect Mama's TV debut had a lot to do with her radio show.  I don't remember the story of how that took place.  I suspect she went to the radio station (WWVA) and made a pitch.   Love, Jim"

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

"Report to the Women", with Jeanne Hamm

WWVA Radio 1958-62

 

The Price is Right preceded Jeanne's WWVA Radio show debut by a year or so.  I suspect that her TV appearance caught the eye of WWVA, providing Jeanne with the opportunity to take her enthusiasm, creativity, and shear guts on a new adventure.  Jeanne was on the air for four years or more, as her show was very popular, and she developed notoriety and a following from among her listeners.

 

Jeanne's daily routine included getting her family off to work and school, walking 1/3 mile to the bus stop, riding the several miles into the WWVA Studios in downtown Wheeling, performing her 9:30 AM program, returning home, and prepping for her next days show.  Jeanne often interviewed celebrities who were in Wheeling for performances, book tours, and for the World Famous WWVA Jamboree.  I can recall her spending hours reading and annotating questions for her next day's show.  Jeanne received $5.00 per day for her efforts.

 

As we looked at the images of Jeanne's participation in school activities at Martins Ferry High, including band and Glee Club, the school newspaper and Yearbook, and various clubs, one can surmise the range of influence that Jeanne must have had in the communities where she lived and worked.  She knew very many people and even more people knew her as an engaged and involved person.  When she went on the air, she already had a constituency; and when she went into business in the public eye with The Clothes Tree, she built on that constituency and enhanced the success of her business.  As I was growing up and closely observing how my Mother operated, I was aware that she seemed to know everyone in town, and those she did not know seemed to know her.  Whenever I mentioned The Clothes Tree in identifying who my Mother was, the mothers of my friends and acquaintances knew who Jeanne Hamm was.

 

The following are recordings of two of Jeanne's programs, digitized from the original 1958-1962 reel-to-reel audio tapes:

View a SAMPLE of a 1958 "the Price is Right" program

We're still looking on-line for one of Jeanne's actual program tapes

Part 1 of 2

Part 2 of 2

Jeanne Hamm's daily WWVA Radio Program, Report to the Women, February 18, 1959

Interview with Opera Star,

Marian Anderson

Part 1 of 2

Part 2 of 2

 

Please submit additional material for inclusion in this Website to:

john.hamm@mac.com