"….IT WAS LIKE CROSSING A FIELD WITH SANDSPURS HITTING YOUR FACE…" 

WTVT's mobile unit became a source of pride for the production department as network clients became regular users of the experienced Channel 13 crew.  "The remote unit was a big part of my life, and in the 60's and 70's remotes took us out of the building into interesting places," explains Jim.  "Around '68 we really started to get cranked up with remote business and we had a lot of solid production people who cared about what they did….who didn't take instructions more than once and that made a big difference in setups."  Jim has high praise for the crewmembers who joined the station in the mid-to-late 60's including Paul Koenig, Gil Muro, Bob Simons, Jon Hoegstrom, Bruce Lockwood, and Steve Grayson.  All but Lockwood remained with the station for years and became directors. 

"Remotes put us into historical situations like the space launches and presidential campaigns," adds Jim.  "Same thing with Marooned, a feature film we worked on at the Cape for seven or eight days." 

Marooned is the big budget epic film that told the story of three astronauts trapped in earth orbit when a hurricane prevents the launch of a rescue vehicle from Cape Kennedy.  Production of the movie began in early 1969, just a few months prior to NASA's moon landing.  The WTVT mobile unit and crew were hired to provide authentic television equipment and personnel in the background as the drama unfolded.  "In one scene I'm the first one running out of the mobile unit," explains Jim.  "They had these huge airplane propellers and water pipes attached to the front of them.  When they turned them on for the hurricane effect is was like crossing a field with sandspurs hitting your face.  Gregory Peck and the cast and crew were all very nice and normal people.  To me, it was a big deal because Peck was one of my heroes." 

Jim and the WTVT color mobile were doused with high-velocity water during
the 'eye of the storm' sequence from Marooned  (1969)
 

 
"…I ALWAYS LIKED TO THINK THAT PEOPLE WERE AS INTO TELEVISION AS I WAS. 
REALISTICALLY, THAT WASN'T ALWAYS TRUE…"  

Jim floor directs for WTVT legend 'Salty Sol' Fleischman (1966)
(photo by Mike Clark)

"Ken called me into his office when I was up for my first promotion to assistant stage manager in '66," recalls Jim.  "Ken said 'you think you're ready to be an assistant stage manager?'  I said 'I'm not sure.' Ken said 'Oh, you're ready.'  Same thing happened when I got promoted to director.  'You're ready.'  After that, I didn't ask when he said I was being promoted." I think Ken and Dan had more faith in me than I did in myself."  

But moving into a managerial position meant that the casual and gregarious Jim had to temper his personal relations with people on the production staff.  "I took a hint from Dan around the time I got my first promotion," explains Jim.  "He told me that I have to somewhat distance myself from the people that I would be in charge of.  Because the day would come when I had to make a tough decision and it shouldn't be based on friendship.  That becomes very difficult if you have to admonish someone who's a friend of yours.  That doesn't mean you should be standoffish, but you don't go out and party at night.  It was decision you had to make as a manager.  Over the years, there were a few people I had to let go or take them in my office for a closed door meeting.  That didn't happen very often because you'd take steps not to let things get that far.  If it did, I felt it was my fault for letting something get too far.  If somebody was constantly screwing up or calling in sick before or after their days…I've had that happen in more recent years.  I always liked to think that people were as into television as I was.  Realistically, that wasn't always true.  Admonishing people was not part of the job I liked."