Doug Limerick is retiring from ABC News.
He was there for 33 years, taking over the morning slot on the Information Network after Tim O’Donnell died of a heart attack 15 years ago this month. But his career went back to 1961 as a teenaged disc jockey. That was when the Boss Radio days were flowering and jocks would scream stuff into the microphone like “It’s a million-dollar weekend on WKKD! Here’s another big, big hit from Chubby Checker! Pony Time!” ensuring they talked up to the vocal at the start of the song (an art in itself).
Rock jocks of the ‘60s urgently belted out the intros, and Doug Limerick urgently belted out the news. One of his great newscasts has been preserved on the internet. He was on the air during the attack on the World Trade Center towers. Not only did he have to throw away his script, he had to watch the clock and time out to affiliate cutaways at the :02 and :04:30 marks. He had to be to the second. He made it sound easy, like every newsman can do it. Take my word for it, they can’t. Listen below. (If it doesn’t work in your browser, play it here).
But the best part of any Doug Limerick newscast was his lighter stuff. Doug would occasionally mutter a pun after completing a story and you had to be quick to catch it. He could grab you with his writing. One of his news stories stuck in my memory began: “An elk. A bull elk.” It came out of nowhere and you listened to hear where he was going with it.
He had an almost cryptic economy of words when appropriate and there was at least one newsroom that timed some of his stories. One I recall went five seconds. It was something like: “Jersey City. House. Burglar. Chimney. Stuck. Arrested. You’re listening to ABC News.” He did a 60 second daily feature called “Doug’s Limericks” and one of them consisted of nothing but single words starting with (I think) “Leaves.” Finally came the payoff—he was describing what he saw on the first day of fall.
Cheri Preston’s taking over the morning slot on the network but no one will ever take Doug Limerick’s place. He was such a joy to listen to and radio won’t be quite as good now that he’s gone.
Hi to whomever.. Just wanted to declare that I have not exited the planet yet.. 78 but feel much younger, like a 77 year old.. Miss the folks at ABC News but not the early hours and the news itself..Sorta feel like a has-been but know I was lucky to have such a long career at ABC..Wonder if anyone will ever read this? One thing more..Am seriously legally changing my name to Foghorn Leghorn( my hero).. As for now. I’mmmmm Doug Limerick, ABC News!!!!
ReplyDeleteDoug, this is so cool of you to write.
DeleteI spent 45 years in radio, the last 17 hosting a PM drive news show until I was called in on my 64th birthday and given the present of a layoff notice and two years' pay not to work anywhere. My last station was an ABC affiliate and there was a little group of us who'd listen back to your casts to hear what you did.
Wow…what a treat to read the story (10+ years later!) of Doug Limerick’s retirement! I used to work at a radio station in Grand Rapids, MI, and in the late 80’s and early 90’s, we carried ABC News. I used to love Doug’s standard intro, and loved “copying” his vocal signature for the rest of the staff. After I left in late ‘93 to move to Toronto, the staff of the GR station put together a cassette of various greetings and well wishes, and sent it off to Canada. One of the prize pieces of this vocal correspondence was a “special” greeting from Doug (though I doubt he remembers doing it!). I think it went something like this: “I’mmmm Doug Limerick! I’mmmmm Don Michael!!!!” I loved it! For a national name to take a moment to acknowledge a small town nobody like me, made my year, let alone my day! My wife just shared with me how she heard today that CBS radio news is going belly up, and it reminded me of the old ABC News radio days of yore. Almost immediately, I remembered Doug’s name (over 30 years later!), and so looked him up and found this article about his retirement in 2015. Then I saw his comment, and was delighted all over again (Foghorn Leghorn also happens to be my favorite Looney Tunes character!). And then for him to end it with “I’mmmmm Doug Limerick!”, well…that was the cherry on top, and the reason for my “title” of my comment. Doug, even though it’s been over 2 years since you left your comment, I hope that somehow you’ll see this and know that there is one other old man (I’m 67 now) who remembers you and appreciates you! God bless you as you enter into your 80’s! You will always beeeeeeee…Doug Limerick! P.S. You (or anyone who reads this) are welcome to correspond with me via email at donandmonica@gmail.com
ReplyDeleteDon, the place where I worked (and have now returned after five years off the air) loved Doug. Actually, when they interviewed me to hire me back this month, we were talking about him (we were talking about writing) and they were blown away that he actually responded to this post.
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