Jerry Holzinger, flag-pole sitter & talk show host

Jerry Holzinger began his radio career in 1956 after local radio personalities encouraged him to leave his public relations gig for radio. He worked at KWIQ/Moses Lake, and in 1957 he was at KTIX, a pop-standards station at 1590 on the dial in Seattle.

After leaving KTIX, Holzinger perched himself on a pole near the Boeing plant and vowed to stay up there until someone handed him another radio job. Holzinger accepted an offer from KLYK/Spokane (1959). A year later, Jerry was back in Seattle hosting afternoon movies on KTVW 13. His shift often ran from 11 am to 4 pm, depending on the KTVW 13 budget. Holzinger spent February 1962 to May out of work. In May, he landed a great job at KEX in Portland. After a day or so, bags packed, Holzinger was ready to move to Portland. He got the news — KEX had been sold. Jerry was out of work again.

Emmett Watson noted in a column in the Seattle P-I: One afternoon after a long day of job hunting, Holzinger came home to an excited wife and young son. They were talking about owning their own radio station. Holzinger chimed in, “Finally, I will have a job.” Sudden silence. The pair announced “Oh, we hadn’t planned on using you.”

He moved to KLSN FM in August 1962 to host a jazz show on weekends. Holzinger was introduced as KOL’s morning personality when Goodson-Todman purchased the station in 1962. Game show owners restaffed the station with personality, upgrading from “standard and popular,” (a less specific description than radio now uses) to something close to top-40. Holzinger pushed the limit on talk. He was transferred to the allnighter where his semi-talk format was more tolerated.

In 1965 he was midmorning personality at KFKF, Bellevue. Holzinger was bounced from KFKF in December 1966. He attempted a talk show on KTW AM & FM after that. This lasted about six months. June 1967 – Emmett watson column: Jerry Holzinger, one of the lively record jockeys, has resigned from KTW, “and THAT,” he says, “is news in itself. Since when did I ever quit any place — usually I get fired!” Holzinger starts July 3 as a moderator (him?? moderator???), commentator (more like it), deejay (of course) on Channel 13. JULY 1967 – Emmett Watson column: Not a Stranger: Jerry (“Mr. Controversy”) Holzinger quietly moved into his new post at Channel 13 on the afternoon of July 3. The “warm-up,” which suggests real havoc may come later, was observed by a station employee who reported the following: He came in kind of slowly, breathing a little heavily, ready for action. There was just a little bickering with the cameraman, and he called the director a few choice names—in general, he was fairly insulting to anyone around. He was scheduled to make a “guest” appearance on the Penny Hreha show. He pointed out that his own brand of brilliance had not been allotted quite enough time. So at sign-off time of the Penny Hreha show, he was still going strong. To keep things moving, he bumped through the unscheduled “My Little Margie” hour. Having advised Penny’s audience that “things are changing” on Channel 13, he decided to keep her on—–after all, it is her show. When Channel 13 manager Jim Agostino was asked for comments on the new programming schedule, he turned a bit green, yelled to program director Buck Harmon, “Hey, who’s Jerry Holzinger?”

In 1969 he was at KOOD, “the Golden Sound” as it changed from KFHA “farm and home,” 1480 AM. The fast-talking pipesmoker, full name Allen Jerry Holzinger, had an educated background — political science, journalism, and pharmacy, not all from college; lots of night school lectures. He served in WWII and Korea. He held an Actors Equity card from his appearances at Gene Keene’s Cirque Theater, in the Broadway district. He died in 1980.