Page 99 - Winterling's Chasing the Wind

The biggest news stories in 1962 were related to Cuba’s Dictator Fidel Castro turning
Cuba into a Communist nation. A failed invasion at the Bay of Pigs by Cuban exiles in
August was followed by the buildup of Russian bases in Cuba. When it was learned
that there were nuclear-armed missiles there that threaten the United States, President
Kennedy warned Russian Premier Nikita Khrushchev that the U.S. would not allow
offensive weapons in Cuba. In October, the gravity of the situation was brought home
to me when I was stopped by a freight train on Atlantic Blvd. that was southbound
loaded with tanks and artillery. That evening, our News Anchor Jim Waldrup
attempted to clarify the situation but concluded his report by saying, “I placed a call to
the White House, but they still haven’t returned my call!”

In November 1963, I was at my desk in the Newsroom when the Associated Press
teletype bell started ringing 10 bells. Next, the Bulletin was printed that John F.
Kennedy was shot and they were driving him to Parkland Hospital in Dallas. About 15
minutes later it stated that the President was dead!

A few days later, the family was watching the scene in Dallas where handcuffed Lee
Harvey Oswald was being taken from the courtroom toward the jail. Suddenly, Jack
Ruby, a well-known restaurant owner who frequently visited the building, lunged
towards Oswald and fired two or three fatal shots at the suspect.

Starting at a TV station with no prior experience, I had to learn about the time signals
given by the Floor Director’s hand. His fingers told me the number of minutes left.
Crossing the forearms meant only one-half minute longer, and winding the hand meant
less than 10 seconds left, and the hand slicing across the throat meant cut or stop.
Everything had an allotted time so that commercials, station breaks, and network
programs inserted on time. The network was received by coaxial cable. Occasionally,
construction or other impedance would interrupt the cable. In this case, the TV screen
would display a notice “Trouble on the Cable” or something similar.

I also had to learn about the need for applying facial makeup. For men, it was to hide
what was called “5 o’clock shadow”, the dirty face look by whiskers on a man’s face.
Since all of the facial skin had to match in appearance to the camera, I had to apply Max
Factor pancake to the entire face, then apply powder to reduce the shine. I always
washed it off immediately after the show, but a few of our staff left it on for the late
evening show.
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