Categories: History

The All-Night Record Man

[pictured: Stan Shaw] This salute to disk jockeys, “Stay up Stan The All Night Record Man ” was recorded by the Charlie Barnet Orchestra in July of 1939—-About 80 years ago!

Stay up Stan was a real disc jockey named Stan Shaw, host of a show on WNEW-AM 1130 in New York City during the wee hours of the morning (2-7 AM) that he called The Milkman’s Matinee. The show made its debut on 6 August 1935 and continued until Art Ford took over the time slot in 1942. Disc jockeys spinning records was a really new concept in 1935. In fact, some say the very first one was Martin Block whose Make Believe Ballroom show started on WNEW-AM in February 1935.

Bruce Caplan

Bruce Caplan is a Seattle native with very eclectic interests. Back in the 70’s he was the sponsor of a 40’s music radio show on KXA in Seattle. When he watched the movie Titanic staring Clifton Webb and Barbara Stanwyck in 1953 Caplan became fascinated with the horrible tragedy. In 1996 his book on the subject was released. It’s now in the 20th printing. A decade ago Caplan began to do a weekly radio show on KIXI. The program is called Radio Trivia and he weekly brings to his audience the best of the best of the comedies from the golden age of radio. Because of Caplan’s interest in true crime, he began a second program on KIXI called Crime Club. On this show he often discuses events with authors of books on criminal subjects and weekly plays the great radio mysteries from long ago. Bruce has lectured throughout our nation and on scores of cruises. His greatest thrill is searching through the goldmine of radio gems of mysteries and comedies from yesteryear and bringing them back to an eager audience of young and old. --- View other articles by Bruce Caplan