Director's Alert: Cleveland Radio & TV Legend Dies

As reported by Cleveland.com and our friends at Ohio Media Watch, Cleveland veteran broadcaster Bill "Smoochie" Gordon has died at the age of 83.

Ohio Media Watch says, "The Cuyahoga County Coroner's Office says Gordon was found dead in his Euclid apartment Thursday, and that the death is believed to be of natural causes."

According to the Plain Dealer's Michael Heaton article, "Gordon was known as 'Smoochie' for his signature sign-off, 'Stay smoochie, you rascal,' accompanied by a smooch of such gusto it could take the chrome off a bumper."

Gordon had over 50 years of broadcasting experience in radio and television. Cleveland was first introduced to Gordon in 1950, when he became a deejay for WHK AM after leaving Memphis, Tennessee.

Besides his work with WHK, Gordon co-hosted the "One O'Clock Club" with Dorothy Fuldheim on WEWS Channel 5 and had a conversational phone talk show on WERE AM/1300.

A native of Memphis, Gordon was a survivor of the battle of Bunker Hill in World War II and was also awarded a purple heart while in the Navy.

Although I never had the pleasure of working with Bill, I have heard many stories and good memories of one of Cleveland's legends. It's surely is a sad day.

Photo courtesy: The Plain Dealer

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