Fred Berney receives 2006 Stan Cawelti Award

At the conclusion of each year, MWOTRC chooses a recipient of the Stan Cawelti Award. This honor goes to the club member who has truly exemplified the highest standards of dedication, kindness, and friendliness.

Maury Cagle presents the award to Fred Berney (right).

On January 12, the evening belonged to long-time Club member Fred Berney, as he presented the program (“Radio in the Movies”) and was also awarded the 2006 Stan Cawelti Award. Maury Cagle presented the award, giving a fine tribute to Fred.

Maury highlighted Fred’s contributions to the Club: his programs and his work with the Lending Library; and also his production work with the FOTR Newark convention where Fred has video-taped the proceedings as well as doing programs, most notably, his quiz shows. Most memorable from Fred’s early days were stories that Maury related about his work in college radio, and his now legendary lunch with Joseph Cotten, where Fred offered the illustrious Mr. Cotten a spot in his college station’s radio dramas. And we all know now that Cotten priced himself right out of that opportunity!

Fred and friends at the January 2007 MWOTRC meeting.

Fred’s prowess as a producer was evident in his entertaining program, “Radio in the Movies.” He actually began with a small tribute to new Club president Michael Hayde, showing a video clip of Michael being interviewed in a special feature that accompanied a re-issue of a “Superman” episode. Michael had quite the screen presence himself as he gave his insights into the character of Jimmy Olsen.

The movie clips that Fred chose were excellent, showing the variety show format (“The Big Broadcast”); quiz shows (“Truth or Consequences”); funny movies (“The Horn Blows at Midnight.”) Movie directors were careful and quite adoring in showing the different parts of a studio: the control booth, the microphones, the sponsor’s product set-up, and always the favorite, the sound effects production area.

Maury Cagle, Fred Berney and Chuck Langdon.

It was a very entertaining program, with glimpses of so many personalities that we began to realize where the term “star-studded” came from!

-- Mark Anderson