Following this appearance on film, Wolfman Jack continued making sporadic appearances on the screen, including appearing on the television program Married with Children.Sadly, Wolfman Jack passed away in 1995 at the age of only 57. In addition to his daughter, he is survived by his wife, Lou Lamb Smith of Belvidere, whom he often referred to on the air as "Wolfwoman"; a son, Todd Weston Smith, and a granddaughter. His television career included guest appearances on "Hollywood Squares," "The Odd Couple," and "Married with Children," to name only a few. "It's kept meat and potatoes on the table for years for Wolfman and Wolfwoman. He was just exhausted from all he was doing,' she said, adding that the family was still mourning the loss of his mother, Rosalyn, just last month. 'I gave him every breath I had, but it was quick. And he had a habit of issuing outrageous orders, like "Get naked!" Born Robert Weston Smith in 1938, he grew up in New York City and later became a country music deejay. The Wolfman, whose real name was Robert Smith, had returned home to this northeast North Carolina town earlier in the day after a 20-day trip to promote his book, "Have Mercy," when he collapsed, said Lonnie Napier, vice president of Wolfman Jack Entertainment. He wrote his autobiography titled, "Have Mercy! OnlyInYourState may earn compensation through affiliate links in this article. Failed to report flower. General questions and FAM tours: rjarvis@onlyinyourstate.com. jockey, Wolfman Jack. Just look at this lineup - Wolfman Jack, Howard Stern, Soupy Sales, and Don Imus. Found more than one record for entered Email, You need to confirm this account before you can sign in. Latest Headlines. Advertisement. NewsX. BONUS! [21] In 2016, clips from the Wolfman Jack Radio Program were used in the Rob Zombie film 31.[22]. 0 cemeteries found in Belvidere, Perquimans County, North Carolina, USA. Perva appeared to have fallenasleep at the wheel, according to Morgan's report. to his listeners. He was 57. Todd Rundgren, the Guess Who, Leon Russell and Freddie King all wrote songs about him. He also appeared in the film's 1979 sequel More American Graffiti, though only through voice-overs. Add to your scrapbook. TimesMachine is an exclusive benefit for home delivery and digital subscribers. An email has been sent to the person who requested the photo informing them that you have fulfilled their request, There is an open photo request for this memorial. Feb. 28 (UPI) -- Firefighters in Georgia came to the rescue of a dog who fell into a storm drain and ended up stranded about 12 feet underground. ``But he still smoked his Camels. See the article in its original context from. "Wolfman Jack" died on July 1, 1995. Learn about how to make the most of a memorial. The Wolfman collapsed shortly after returning home earlier in the day. XERB was the original call sign for the border blaster station in Rosarito Beach, Mexico, which was branded as The Mighty 1090 in Hollywood, California. Feel free to join the discussion! They had 2 children together. Share this memorial using social media sites or email. He was a mere 57 years old. "It made me legitimate. He also bantered with sidekicks, engineers and celebrity callers. Feb. 28 (UPI) -- Zoo Miami in Florida confirmed a Malayan tapir briefly escaped from its enclosure Tuesday before being safely contained about an hour later. [3], Cleveland's Alan Freed had originally called himself the "Moon Dog" after New York City street musician Moondog. The station pumped out at 250,000 watts, five times the legal limit for American stations at the time, and was heard across most of the country. Smith was the daughter of famed disc jockey Robert "WolfmanJack" Smith, who died in Belvidere in 1995. Please check your email and click on the link to activate your account. "It's real American music - what rock 'n' roll originally was before people turned it around and sideways and upside down," he said in an interview in 1988. This flower has been reported and will not be visible while under review. You may not upload any more photos to this memorial, This photo was not uploaded because this memorial already has 20 photos, This photo was not uploaded because you have already uploaded 5 photos to this memorial, This photo was not uploaded because this memorial already has 30 photos, This photo was not uploaded because you have already uploaded 15 photos to this memorial. You are only allowed to leave one flower per day for any given memorial. There are no volunteers for this cemetery. Wolfman Jack was born Robert Weston Smith, in Brooklyn, New York, on January 21, 1938. At XERF, Smith developed his signature style (with phrases such as, "Who's this on the Wolfman telephone?") He was 56. It became this big mystery, 'Who is Wolfman Jack.'' Still miss him. Jim Morrison's lyrics for "The WASP (Texas Radio and the Big Beat)" were influenced by Wolfman Jack's broadcasting. 0:28. Throughfilmedinterviews with his family, friends, fans, including many celebrities, co-workers and co-stars, plus photos and historic film clips, with love and respect, wereveal the man and the myth. Wolfman Jack Dead at 57 July 1, 1995 BELVIDERE, N.C. (AP) _ Wolfman Jack, the rock 'n' roll disc jockey whose gravelly voice and trademark wolf howls made him one of the nation's most recognizable voices, died Saturday of a heart attack. He was inducted into the Radio Hall of Fame in 1996. ; the single version of the track includes a shouted talk-over introduction by the Wolfman, but on the album version, Rundgren performs that part himself. Try again later. 'He created a phenomenon just by playing black music at a time when pop music was still pretty segregated (in the United States),' said his son, Tod Weston Smith. He is also mentioned in the Grateful Dead song "Ramble On Rose". Smith left Mexico after eight months and moved to Minneapolis to run station KUXL. Enjoy the channel? Either email addresses are anonymous for this group or you need the view member email addresses permission to view the original message, You do not have permission to delete messages in this group. Love North Carolina? They didn't give our boys long enough.". He was first on the airwaves as "Daddy Jules" on Newport News, Virginia, station WYOU-AM. Feb. 28 (UPI) -- Animal control officers in New Jersey said seven sheep found running loose after an apparent slaughterhouse escape will have a new permanent home at a sanctuary. For memorials with more than one photo, additional photos will appear here or on the photos tab. If you notice a problem with the translation, please send a message to [emailprotected] and include a link to the page and details about the problem. The character was based in part on the manner and style of bluesman Howlin' Wolf. He was previously married to Lucy Lamb. His audience finally got a good look at him when he appeared in the 1969 film "A Session with the Committee", a montage of skits by the comedy troupe The Committee. Born Jan. 21, 1938 in Brooklyn, N.Y., Smith was raised in a family of pop music buffs. You have chosen this person to be their own family member. To that end, he recorded a number of programs that never aired, because the station did not come on air according to schedule. ). Edwin R. Perva Jr., 30, of Hertford was killed about 1 a.m.when his 1991 Ford ran off the road and into a ditch beforestriking a driveway culvert and going airborne for 46 feet, saidHighway Patrol Trooper K.L. Close this window, and upload the photo(s) again. Feb. 28 (UPI) -- Authorities in Maine said one bison remained on the loose Tuesday after three of the animals were seen running loose on a road Monday. Try again later. Please refresh the page or navigate to another page on the site to be automatically logged inPlease refresh your browser to be logged in, Find your bookmarks in your Independent Premium section, under my profile. Your new password must contain one or more uppercase and lowercase letters, and one or more numbers or special characters. There wasno evidence of speeding or alcohol, Morgan said. Try again. 7:22. He offered the best in blues, R&B and . Howard is the only one left now. Failed to delete memorial. The family, which runs Wolfman Jack Productions, moved to North Carolina in the mid-1980s. He invested in a troupe of midgets and a make-up artist, appearing on stage in a red Afro fright- wig, flowing cape, shades and 12-inch finger-nails. He married Lucy "Lou" Lamb in 1961, and they had two children. Rest In Peace, Joy. "I could have been Mexican, I could have been black; I could have been anything. The Wolfman insisted the money should be delivered in $20 bills in a Brinks truck to his home. In 1978, he appeared as Bob "The Jackal" Smith in a made-for-TV movie Deadman's Curve based on the musical careers of Jan Berry and Dean Torrence of Jan and Dean. Wolfman Jack. As a young teenager, he would listen to the radio in his home's basement, where he pretended to be the DJ. Join us every Halloween for the classic Wolfman Jack's Halloween Special! Continuing with this request will add an alert to the cemetery page and any new volunteers will have the opportunity to fulfill your request. ODN. ``He walked up the driveway, went in to hug his wife and then just fell over, said Napier from the radio personalitys home about 120 miles east of Raleigh. Copyright 2023 United Press International, Inc. All Rights Reserved. [2][23] He is buried at a family cemetery in Belvidere.[24]. Although his influence as a disc-jockey waned, he continued to broadcast, and had recently completed a 20-day trip to promote his new book, Have Mercy: the confession of the original party animal, about his early career and parties with celebrities. [12] In the 1980s, he did a brief stint at XEROK 80, another border-blaster station that was leased by Dallas investors Robert Hanna, Grady Sanders, and John Ryman. The disc- jockey, who achieved fleeting international fame for his part in George Lucas's 1973 teenage rites-of-passage film American Graffiti, died on Saturday night from a heart attack. Wolfman Jack also became famous for his appearances in television commercials, especially extended "infomercials," in which he hawked rock-and-roll music collections. Freed both adopted this name and used a recorded howl to give his early broadcasts a unique character. You will receive your first newsletter soon. "Some zing for your ling nuts", the Wolfman would say.[6]. Sophia Germer. [8] He was heard as far afield as the Wild Coast, Transkei, on Capital Radio 604 based there. Learn more about managing a memorial . Canadian band The Stampeders also released a cover of "Hit the Road Jack" in 1975 featuring Wolfman Jack. The family, which runs Wolfman Jack Productions, moved to North Carolina in the mid-1980s. March 1 (UPI) -- Officials at Omaha's Henry Doorly Zoo and Aquarium confirmed a cheetah briefly escaped from its enclosure, but was behind a public barrier at all times. In recent years, he made about 150 appearances a year, serving as host at a variety of events, said Lonnie Napier, Wolfman Jack's manager and the vice president of Wolfman Jack Entertainment. He is portrayed as a rival of Dr. Demento (played in the film by Rainn Wilson ). If you have questions, please contact [emailprotected]. Please reset your password. He died on 1 July 1995 in Belvidere, North Carolina, USA. Wolfman Jack was born on January 21, 1938 in Brooklyn, New York City, New York, USA. According to author Philip A. Lieberman, Smith's "Wolfman" persona "derived from Smith's love of horror films and his shenanigans as a 'wolfman' with his two young nephews. He was also responsible for engineering, producing, and assembling the band. Every nightfor over six decades, millions of people have listened to Wolfman Jack on the radio. George Lucas typecast him as a mysterious deejay in his coming-of-age film American Graffiti (1973), and the Wolfman went on to host television's . He lived on 12th Street and 4th Avenue and went to Manual Training High School in the Park Slope section. Your Scrapbook is currently empty. Did you know that Wolfman Jack is routinely considered to be one of the first shock jocks in the history of radio broadcasting and that his program was syndicated to American troops during the Vietnam War? Smith also played himself in the 1973 film 'American Graffiti,' director George Lucas's tribute to hot rods and rock 'n' roll. He was an enormously influential figure for all the jocks. Since May 1994, the Wolfman had done a Friday night show live from Washington's Planet Hollywood restaurant on Pennsylvania Avenue NW, featuring party-pleasing records from the 1960s and early 1970s such as "Shout." Please enter your email and password to sign in. Join Facts Verse as we explore why Wolfman Jacks grave is a depressing sight for fans.Wolfman Jacks Grave Is a Depressing Sight for His Fans Start your Independent Premium subscription today. Born Bob Smith in Brooklyn, he developed an interest in radio broadcasting as a youngster. The show played over the restaurant's sound system, with diners encouraged to get into the act. Save to an Ancestry Tree, a virtual cemetery, your clipboard for pasting or Print. Produced by Kroeger Media, The Classic Rock and Classic Hits shows includes the biggest Rock artists from the 70s, 80s and 90s. His trademark was his Wolfman howl and gravelly voice. Wolfman Jack on XERB Oct. 17, 1967. Make sure that the file is a photo. He had a hit on the Billboard Singles Charts in 1972 titled "I Ain't Never Seen." But I still didn't know what to do on stage. "[5], Most of the border stations broadcast at 250,000 watts, five times the U.S. limit, meaning that their signals were picked up all over North America, and at night as far away as Europe and the Soviet Union. Robert Smith (Wolfman Jack), disc-jockey: born Brooklyn, New York 1939; married (one son, one daughter); died Belvidere, North Carolina 1 July 1995. He also appeared in Part II of "American Graffiti" titled "More American Graffiti." He made more than 80 television appearances. Recordings of Wolfman Jack's old shows were reintroduced to syndication a decade after his death and remain available to local stations, through Talent Farm as of mid-2020.[14]. This memorial has been copied to your clipboard. Wolfman Jack Funeral. Two people were killed in Perquimans County on Tuesday inseparate auto accidents. You don't want to miss the spooktacular hits like Purple . In the studio, he was every bit as crazy as he sounded, with his face contorting, his eyes bulging and his hands waving wildly. The leader of the band was an anthropomorphic wolf who was modeled after Jack. He was previously married to Lucy Lamb. Museum of Broadcast Communications 360 North State Street, Chicago, IL, 60654, United States (312) 245-8200 Hours Mon Closed Tue 10am - 6pm Wed 10am - 6pm Thu 10am - 6pm Fri 10am - 6pm Sat 10am - 6pm Sun 10am - 6pm They love his outrageous persona and the great music he plays on his show. The pop star P.J. ", Wolfman Jack: The Mouth Heard 'Round the World (interview), Wolfman Jack and the gun battle in the Mexican desert, https://en.wikipedia.org/w/index.php?title=Wolfman_Jack&oldid=1136337909, Radio personalities from New York (state), Short description is different from Wikidata, Articles needing additional references from December 2022, All articles needing additional references, Articles with unsourced statements from October 2020, Creative Commons Attribution-ShareAlike License 3.0, This page was last edited on 29 January 2023, at 21:42. : Confessions of the Original Rock 'N' Roll Animal" in 1995. Missing the excitement, however, Wolfman returned to border radio to run XERB, and opened an office on Sunset Boulevard in Los Angeles in January 1966. He is portrayed as a rival of Dr. Demento (played in the film by Rainn Wilson). https://www.findagrave.com/memorial/11176976/wolfman-jack. His early influences were the DJ's of his day like Tommy Small, The Hound and Jocko. It was as Wolfman Jack, however, that he became a cult figure and icon of rock-and-roll radio. On Tuesday, October 20, 2015 at 3:22:09 PM UTC-5. I've got that nice raspy sound."[2]. We have set your language to To preserve these articles as they originally appeared, The Times does not alter, edit or update them. But few people realize that one of the most iconic figures in the music and entertainment world is laid to rest right in the North Carolina front yard of the home he shared with his beloved wife. His name came from a trend of the period, when disc jockeys took nicknames such as ``Moondog or ``Hound Dog. He enjoyed horror movies, so he took the name Wolfman. English Wolfman Jack, the rock-and-roll disk jockey whose unmistakable raspy voice and on-the-air howls brought him something of a cult following as one of America's best-known radio personalities, died yesterday at his home in Belvidere, N.C. Use Next and Previous buttons to navigate, or jump to a slide with the slide dots. This is a digitized version of an article from The Timess print archive, before the start of online publication in 1996. He made his mark as a disc jockey from 1958 to 1966, on radio station XERF (1570 AM) in Ciudad Acua, Coahuila, Mexico, just across the river from Del Rio, Texas. , when disc jockeys took nicknames such as `` Moondog or `` Hound.., I could have been Mexican, I could have been Mexican I... The wheel, according to Morgan 's report had, but it as! 3 ], Cleveland 's Alan Freed had originally called himself the `` Moon Dog '' after York! Ling nuts '', the Classic Wolfman Jack 's broadcasting one record for entered email, you to... Titled `` I could have been anything ' Wolf gave him every breath I had, it... Street musician Moondog the photos tab would say. [ 24 ] his autobiography,... This is a digitized version of an article from the 70s, 80s and.... 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