Ray Briem
Died
Dec. 12, 2012
of cancer in Malibu, CA
Late-night radio listeners all over Los Angeles tuned into Ray Briem’s show to hear that familiar voice debate liberal politicians and callers, and interview celebrities from the golden age of Hollywood. Briem, who had a brief stint as a nationally syndicated host, retired in 1994 after 27 years on the graveyard shift at KABC-AM. Briem consistently drew the highest ratings of any overnight talk show in Southern California, routinely attracting about 15% of the available audience. He was a self-described protege of Joe Pyne, the legendary in-your-face host of a radio talk show. “Sometimes I don’t sleep well and I’ll get up and turn him on,” listener David Shook told The Times in 1994. “Then, a lot of times, it kind of stirs me up and I’ll stay up quite a while listening to it. Raised in Ogden, Utah, Briem was a junior-high student when he and a few friends came up with a 15-minute concept called “The Adventures of Vivacious Vicky,” which they convinced the town’s tiny radio station to air. Within the year, he was hired as host of his own “Music From Madhouse Manor” show. He entered the military in 1949, but that didn’t postpone his career in radio. He was stationed in New York and, in addition to his short-wave-radio communications duties, he was assigned to take his remote gear out twice a week to ritzy Manhattan nightspots and host live shows with premier dance bands, among them orchestras led by Glenn Miller, Guy Lombardo, Count Basie, Duke Ellington and the Dorsey brothers. During the Korean War, Briem hosted an Armed Forces Network radio show from Salt Lake City. It was called “Hometown Mailbag” and was very popular among homesick GIs stationed in Korea and Japan. That attracted the attention of Seattle’s King Broadcasting, which ultimately lured him to the Pacific Northwest. He briefly hosted a local TV show called “Seattle Bandstand,” modeled after Dick Clark’s “American Bandstand.” Among the national acts that made appearances on “Seattle Bandstand” were the Four Freshmen, the De Castro Sisters, the Platters and the Diamonds.
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Five thoughts about Ray Briem
i am 62 and i don't think there has been a day gone by that ray briem voice has not been in my head.
started listening in my very early 20's.
ray was the catalyst in forming my conservative values. his no nonsense, but compasionate, views on life and politics was very refreshing. never met or talked to ray but to this day i still love and thank him for all those wonderful years.
does he deserve a star, hell yes.
god bless you ray.
tom grande
I was in my early 20s in the 70s and i remember a soothing a bomming voice.
Back then the soviet union was a threat and he would at times speak to there talk spokesman ,it gave a perspective to what happens without the freedom of speech.Hey Mister Briem, thanks for keeping me up some late knights good listening.Walk of fame is for those who should be remembered and thats you too.
Ray got me interested in Apple Computor .i bought 10 shares I don't know when. Last year, I had to have lots
Of dental work done . I sold my 84 shares to pay for my dental work. If I hadn't listened to Ray ...........?..
In 1995, I attended a ceremony where
the City of L.A. presented Ray with an award. At the end, I went to the parking lot & Ray was there. I spoke to him & while we were talking, a parking attendant came up to us & said , "Well look at the two movie stars, if it isn't Paul Newman & Angie Dickenson." We both got quite a chuckle out of that,
Ray Briem kept me company at night while a stayed up hearing him on KABC radio talk show at night I was 15 years old in the 70's and a latch key kid while my mother worked at night he kept me company and got me hooked on ham radio, I'm 54 now and a ham operator there will never be a great man like Ray Briem on talk radio. In God's speed Ray is with the Angels.
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