Bob Barry

Radio announcers come and go. But there is only one "Beatle" Bob Barry.

Bob Barry was a broadcasting icon and one of the most popular personalities the state of Wisconsin has ever seen. He had a career of over 50 years on radio and television. At 19, the Milwaukee native took a short term sales job at WTKM radio in Hartford. And by the end of his first year he had his own show, "Badger Teen Time", and sold most of it's advertising himself.

He then moved on to Milwaukee in 1960 for short stints at WEMP and WRIT, before landing an all night show at WOKY in 1962.

Bob remained at WOKY until 1976, moving into the prime time evening slot, and eventually into the all important morning drive chair.

During this heyday in his career Bob scored his biggest koo when he was chosen to emcee the Beatles' appearance in Milwaukee, during their first U.S. tour in 1964.

But it almost didn't happen, because Barry initially turned down the opportunity.

When the promoter asked him to introduce the Beatles at the Milwaukee Arena on September 4^th 1964, Barry said during a recent interview, he asked: "What does it pay?" When he was told, "'We're not paying any of the DJs around the country,'" Barry said, he "took a pass."

But WOKY music director Arline Quier talked Barry into calling back and agreeing to do it.

That was bad luck for Eddie Doucette, a DJ at rival Top 40 station WRIT-AM, who had already agreed to emcee the show and who ended up introducing the opening acts: Jackie DeShannon, Bill Black's Combo, The Exciters and New Orleans R&B artist Clarence "Frogmouth" Henry ("Ain't Got No Home").

Barry said emceeing the show that night was "incredible." He had to stall because the band wasn't in the building and every time he mentioned one of their names, the audience would scream. The screams even blew out a tube in a tape recorder he was going to use to tape the show, (despite being told not to).

Barry did not get to meet the Beatles until the next day when he interviewed them at the Coach House Motor Inn, N. 19th St and W. Wisconsin Ave, now a Marquette University dormitory.

Barry said the band asked that the stuffed animals and presents from fans be sent to Children's Hospital, but that they kept the mail.

He later gave away their autographs to listeners. When he and the group stepped into another room for photographs, someone stole Barry's audiotape recorder containing the interview. It was later found by a nun in a pew of the chapel of the School Sisters of St. Francis on S. Layton Blvd.

Barry's adventures with the Beatles ended there. But his association with them continued, and forever after known as "Beatle Bob" he simply parlayed that special moment into an even more successful career.

Showing his versatility. when he switched to the morning drive show he reinvented his approach and developed 'Bob Barry Calls The World' as a theme, and called many celebrities, sometimes surprising them in awkward situations.

Bob was so popular in Milwaukee that one time he competed with himself, on radio and television, doing his own radio show live, while WITI-TV ran a pre-recorded interview show that he emceed. And he was so good at what he did, he was recognized four times as regional personality of the year by Billboard magazine - was honored as Milwaukee's radio personality of the year - and in 1975 was named Billboard's top radio personality in the country.

Bob finished out his on-the-air radio career with stops at WEMP, another 5 years at WOKY, then WISN, and finally in the mid-1990s, at the new Milwaukee's oldies station WZTR.

To many he was the sexiest DJ in Milwaukee. And to many others he was simply Beatle Bob. But to all of his listeners during his 50+ year career, he provided the best entertainment that radio could provide wherever he was slotted. In the morning, in the evening, and all night long.

He was inducted into the Wisconsin's Broadcasters Hall of Fame in 2001.