More About "Big Jim" Willams

By John Mehno - January, 2002

Like Rege and Art Pallan, BIG JIM WILLIAMS was hired away from WWSW by KDKA in the 1950s.

Jim was something of a utility man at KDKA, logging plenty of air time on weekends and as a fill-in for vacationing talent. He also did some work at KDKA-TV.

He joined the regular daily schedule in November of 1965 in the wake of the changes that followed Rege's departure for Los Angeles. Art Pallan moved into the morning show, Bob Tracey took over in mid-days and Jim took the daily 2 to 4 spot that Tracey had vacated. For a time, he and Tracey staged a fake feud, which was a popular radio staple in those days.

In the spring of 1967, KDKA decided to put Clark Race in afternoon drive time and Jim took over the evening show. He inherited the traditions in that shift, which included premiering the new "Sound Survey" every Monday and playing a half hour of oldies at 7 each night.

KDKA adjusted its format midway through 1968 and dropped the concept of Top 40 music. As part of that change, Jim Williams and Jim Horne traded shifts, with Jim Williams moving to the overnight show.

Jim remained there until the summer of 1969 and was KDKA's last full-time all-night disc jockey. The station introduced talk from midnight to 6 a.m. and hired Jack Wheeler to fill the slot.

Jim left broadcasting and managed a Barnhill's Ice Cream Parlor in Pittsburgh's South Hills. He, Jack Bogut and Ed Schaughency were among the investors in that business.

Jim died of a heart attack at age 51 in 1974.

    

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