Gene was a noted choclatier, which took him to Orlando and WKIS, where he practiced both arts -- talk radio, as program director, and as a chocalate candy maker; making a huge name for himself throughout central Florida, where his family still resides.
Gene went on to CBS Radio legend WCAU-1210 (now WPHT) in Philadelphia, to Buckley Broadcasting's WOR in New York,and nationally on the WOR Radio Network, which gave birth to his incredible "Dinng Around" program in New York, then on to Boston for a brief stint at WEEI and with Jerry Williams and the stellar talk lineup at 68/WRKO.
Gene would return, this time as operations manager, to WKIS in Orlando in 1984, where he tossed his hat (almost) in the ring as a Presidential hopeful for the Libertarian Party. He pulled out just before the election, due to his feeling of lack of strong political support.
Eleven years later, Burns trekked across county as a fill-in talk host at KGO in San Francisco. From that time, the rest is history.
Gene was not about to leave. After fill-in for KGO's then stellar lineup, "Mr. Burns" as he was known to many, did 7-10 pm and became one of "The Top 25 All-Time Talk Show Hosts" in the early 2000s by "Talkers Magazine" -- an honor he would keep for years from the publication.
Gene perfected, as well as his nightly Mon-Fri airshift, "Dining Around with Gene Burns" on Saturday from 10 am to 1 pm, as well as countless remotes for charity events and for culinary and wine "delights."
Pat Thurston said it so perfectly in the story. Saturday night's impromptu "Radio Wake" was filled with many great and notable people from KGO's past and a few from the present.
To know that Gene was so unceremoniously "dismissed" along with three other Bay Area talk legends -- a word not used lightly -- was incredible. Even long-time former GM Mickey Luckoff called in to thank Ms. Thurston for being courageous and the others for showing their love and affection for Burns.
Incidentally, another favorite word of Burns, in addition to an ocassional "idiot", "moron" and more -- all ground into absolutely perfect and proper conversational English, with a hearty and wonderful laugh was the word - "Cajones". "It's shorter than saying testicular fortitude sometimes he said."
On Sunday night, KGO presented from 10 pm to 1 am, a replay of a Gene Burns program ("...never a show,, always a program.") showing his versatility, his incredible depth, a fabulous and often sharp with and much more now so missed.
"Mr. Burns" -- we continue to salute you and thank you for your huge contributions to Radio and to Life.
Sincerely,
Joe Benson
San Luis Obispo, CA
