Eddy McKean Born:  February 6, 1907 Died:  May 5, 1984 KFH Barn Dance Frolic KFH Wichita, KS

About The Artist The early part of Eddie's life is kind of a mystery as only a record of his death has been found to date. Eddie appears to have started working with Fred Wolcott's Californians in California in the early to mid-1930's. The band appeared in Modesto, CA at the Wintergardens. A small news blurb mentioned the band had returned from a summer season on the Russian River. It mentioned that all members were affiliated with Modesto Local No. 652 of the American Federation of Musicians (AFM). Eddie McLean was the group's director. Eddie's entertainment efforts began with some big bands. In August 1935, Fred Wolcott's Californians came to Wichita to perform at the "400 Club." At that time, the club was still new and packed to capacity for Wolcott's opening night with "...a hundred or more couples lingered outside awaiting the possibility of later admission." A 1939 promotional ad revealed that he played the drums and was a former band leader. Eddie acted as the director and master of ceremonies for the band's show. But it was his 'antics' in two of the band's specialty numbers that gave cause for the audience to "panick." One number was "The Tavern Song." Eddie does the role of a drunk and also a "distinctly different sort of rendition of Chic Sale's "The Specialist." He stayed in Wichita and was a part of the big New Year's eve gala at the 400 Club in 1935. The entertainment that night included Lorin and Mishou, an adagio and tango team; Betty and Bob, nationally known dancers; Ruth Freegard, acrobat and skater; Sally Sharon; Jack Winston's band and Eddie McKean (his role was not spelled out, but one assumes he was handling the master of ceremonies role.) The Billboard magazine included a review of the 400 Club in its April 17, 1937 issue by Pliny Castanien. The 'spot' was "furnished in the club style but operating on the ballroom plan." It was open seven nights a week then. The club danced a fine balance due to the blue laws in the state. Dancing was the main draw but there was a midnight floor show using one act and the band did the balance of the show. The club had novelty nights such as bingo, carnival, sweepstakes and dance and amateur contests. The show usually booked the top bands and was the largest buyer of such in the state. The club seated 750. It appears that KFH broadcast live from the club nightly. The night the club was reviewed, Herbie Holmes and his eleven piece band were there. Pliny wrote, "...has an unusually smooth outfit, airwaving like a million dollars, with smart accent on tunes. Uses four saxes, three brass and four rhythm. Billy Rives and Nancy Hutson were the vocalists. The band was making its third appearance at the club and breaking previous records. The 400 Club back then was owned by Joe Landwehr and was managed by Eddie McKean. It operated on admission and food revenue as Kansas laws then probited sales of liquor or gambling. Eddie joined the KFH announcing staff in mid 1937. He had been the master of ceremonies at the 400 Club in Wichita. He became a permanent member of the KFH staff. One of his first assignments was handling the Tea Time Jamboree when it first went on the air. Shortly after he started that effort, he was thrust into the sports announcing task. But with a twist. KFH wanted to provide a broadcast of the Wichita University Shockers football game with South Dakota State in Brookings, SD. A telegraphic line(s) were to be setup at the 50 yard marker and the station would have its observers transmit the information direct to the KFH studios in the York Rite building studios. Vic Pugh would then "...offer a vivid description for radio listeners, assisted by Eddie McKean." As time wore on, Eddie took on more roles and programs for KFH. Not only did he do the master of ceremonies role for the KFH Barn Dance Frolic, but he would sing on other shows under different names. He was known as "Little Bud," "The Old Timer," and "Day Dreamer." A trio of sisters were on KFH in 1939 and stirring up interest. They had come to Wichita from Blackwell, Oklahoma around 1936. There, they met Eddie McKean who helped book them into the local night clubs. After about a year of appearances on the Barn Dance show, the three sisters got a five year contract with the NBC network. They were the Dinning Sisters. Eddie would often be called up on to handle the announcing chores at special events like grocery store or theater openings. In October 1939, he promoted the J. S. Dillon and Sons grocery store over KFH in a special one hour preview event that led to large crowds on its opening day. In 1940, KFH paired him up with sports announcer Larry Stanley for a show called "Quizzer Baseball" that aired from the new Sandra Theatre in Wichita. Each Thursday night, patrons could try to capture an award on the show as questions were posed from a baseball angle. Vernon Reed, KFH Program Director, roamed the audience to get their participation. In 1942, he participated in a "radio first." He was hosting a show in the KFH Studios. The guest did not sing a note. She just stood on the stage, legs spraddled and leered at the audience. But her charisma brought down the house. Jezebel was her name and she was a cow that belonged to a Cessna emplyee who's show wasbeing aired. The article said that Jezebel did the rhumba in time with the tune "Glow Worm" all the while the audience in the studio shrieked. The jersey cow was brought to the 7th floor studio via the freight elevator. They did coax her to be milked, perhaps she was singing "In the Moooood." Eddie would leave KFH and Wichita and move to California. He began writing for folks such as Edgar Bergen and Al Pearce in the 1940's. He joined Don McNeill in a television venture and then stayed on and became a mainstay of the Breakfast Club show. While with Al Pearce, he had tried to write a tune called "I Hope, I Hope, I Hope" which was based on a famous Al Pearce radio remark. In 1946, Al Pearce was ill for a time; Eddie took over leading the program in Al's absence. Eddie passed away in May of 1984 while living in Lakeland, Florida. He was survived by his wife Lucille and two daughters - Jeri and Carol. Credits & Sources Wolcott Orchestra Opens At 400 Club; August 11, 1935; The Wichita Eagle; Wichita, KS 400 Club Party; December 31, 1935; The Wichita Beacon; Wichita, KS Additional Night Club Reviews - 400 Club Wichita, KS; Pliny Castanien; April 17, 1937; The Billboard; Cincinnati, OH Snooping With The Studios; Mike Rophone; October 10, 1937; The Wichita Eagle; Wichita, KS KFH Broadcasts W.U. Battle At So. Dakota Grid; October 17, 1937; The Wichita Eagle; Wichita, KS City News In Brief; August 26, 1934; The Modesto Bee; Modesto, CA Radio Highlights - KFH; July 13, 1939; The Wichita Eagle; Wichita, KS Singing Dinning Sisters Land 5-year Contract With Network; September 23, 1939; The Wichita Beacon; Wichita, KS Hundreds Amazed At Dillon Store; October 21, 1939; The Wichita Eagle; Wichita, KS WCPA Joins Breakfast Club Anniversary; February 1, 1964; The Progress; Clearfield, PA Who's News?; May 8, 1945; Clinton Daily Journal and Public; Clinton, IL Airglances; Mary Little; Des Moines Tribune; Des Moines, IA Jezebel First Live Cow To Appear On A Radio Program; May 4, 1942; The Wichita Eagle; Wichita, KS Always Star Time on Station KFH; January 5, 1941; The Wichita Eagle; Wichita, KS Obituary: Edward C. McKean; May 8, 1984; The Wichita Eagle; Wichita, KS

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