KUAM's Founder Harry Engel, Part 3

The Inception of KUAM

As Intercontinental Services began to retain more and more stations, Harry Engel was launched into the lifestyle of a jet-setter. Any particular day found him either at one of his remote, exotic stations - or en route to it.

Friend and author James Ramsey Ullman wrote of Engel's extensive schedule: "he does his best to be on his assorted continents simultaneously. A not untypical Engelian week would involve some schedule as Monday in Bermuda, Tuesday in Lisbon, Wednesday and Thursday (he's slowing up here) in Nairobi, Friday in Karachi, Saturday in Hong Kong, with the day off on Sunday for a round of golf in Manila."

It was on one such red-eye flight, from Washington to Ventura in late 1952 or early 1953, that Engel read and re-read a magazine article, possibly given to him by fellow broadcaster Henry Kaiser in Honolulu. The article detailed the post-war years in the Marianas Island chain ... and specifically Guam. In his own words, "suddenly it dawned on me: here was a place with real opportunity. Or, to put it another way, there's no competition here."

An indeed, there wasn't. Records showed that as far back as March of 1930, an unknown commercial broadcasting representative had travelled to Guam to seek a site for the construction of a radio station ... but nothing had come of it.

Twelve years later, while Harry was recuperating in Army hospitals, Guam labored under Japanese rule. It was the only American territory occupied by the Japanese, from late 1941 through the mid-1944. Throughout these years the island remained radio-free.

Following the liberation of Guam by American forces in July and August of 1944, the island finally received its first taste of radio - but it certainly wasn't the commercial, entertainment-oriented programming the rest of the world was experiencing. For nearly ten years the sole source of radio programming on Guam was US Army KU51/US Navy KU5Q, operated by the Pacific Ocean Network arm of the Armed Forces Radio Service. Although it did offer a sampling of some of the U.S. commercial network programming of the time (with the commercials removed), this was broken up with a great deal of military-centric fare; shows with titles such as G.I. Journal, Mail Call, Jubilee, and G.I. Jive.

A mobile broadcasting truck from US Army KU51/US Navy KU5Q, circa 1950.

Regardless of the quality of the programming, Guam was listening. A 1953 survey conducted by Engel showed that in each village of the island, between 35 to 55% of the populace owned radios, tuned to the one AFRS station.

Furthermore (and this particular fact intrigued Engel), the audience was completely captive, because most residents simply left their radios running 24 hours a day. They were afraid to turn them off for fear that the island's high humidity would ruin the units. Said Engel, "Just think of it: 70,000 people and all they can do is listen to me all the time."

An early 1954 radio trade ad that drove Engel's point home.

Harry launched into action. He returned to Washington to consult with the Federal Communications Commission, and discovered that he would be granted a commercial monopoly on Guam if he could raise the $50,000 the FCC required for a private station. Additionally, he would require clearances from the Army, Navy, and the Department of the Interior, which governed the island.

Harry contacted West Coast partner Phil Berg to propose the raising of funds for this venture. He then travelled to Guam to clear red tape and conduct feasibility studies to justify the cost. He found his work cut out for him. A variety of problems reared their head from many quarters.

However, despite the pitfalls, Harry remained optimistic in his feasibility study:

"...a period of one year be anticipated for clearance of abstacles (sic) on this end. You will not be dealing with statesiders but with Guamanians and the process is considerably slower. Also the Government here is in its embryonic stage and cannot support you as readily as agencies in the states."

"The golden day of easy money is gone in the Pacific and in Guam in particular. The advent of taxes in this area destroyed all possibilities of accumulating quick money. This, plus the unrest fostered by the presence of the military in the controversy over civilian rule, has discouraged a great deal of American capital and money as a result is tight.

Two shots of Marine Drive, Guam in 1953: (l) Agana and (r) Asan

"To submit a photograph of the business areas would be impracticle (sic) because, as known in the States, they are non-existant. Tamuning has a line of stores on Marine Drive similar to a small town in the States but even they sit one behind the other and in a very erratic line down the road."

Two notable department stores on Guam in 1953: (l) Townhouse/J&G and (r) Sears Roebuck

"(Guam) has for the most part a thin layer of soil in its lowlands. We have found that although there is constant moisture in the land that coral is a poor susbstance for a ground. Blank spots result in transmission and it is attributable to the ground system under our towers."

"Being venturesome by nature it may sound strange for me to be throwing such negativisms up for your consideration. But you requested that I treat this as though it was my station and all of these facts and the accompanying attitudes are of paramount importance.

"Now, in spite of all these hazards, a radio station can, and will be built in Guam. But it will be built by a group who see all of the pitfalls and obstacles and still, in spite of everything, go ahead and get the job done. It will take money, time, and an unholy amount of patience. BUT IT CAN BE DONE!!!"

Engel's optimism did the trick. In less than a year, the $50,000 capital was raised and the red tape was cleared. Harry scouted the island for an ideal location to broadcast from. Initially Mount Santa Rosa, Adelup Point, Nimitz Hill, and Mount LamLam were all considered as locations. Finally, a decision was made to set up shop near the center of the island in Ordot. A target date for March 1954 was set for the premiere of KUAM.

KUAM's Founder Harry Engel, Part 2

KVEN and Expansion

This is a continuation. Click here for Part 1 of the story.

Harry's extensive recuperation coincided with the majority of World War II. In 1945, he moved to Ventura, California and began selling radio advertising for station KVEN, a station he would eventually become sales manager, and later owner of. It would be the first of many stations that he would eventually oversee.

Harry quickly proved himself an effective salesman, often relying on his Army veteran status to help drive sales. He also developed a healthy relationship with the California Highway Patrol, who became accustomed to seeing his car zipping up and down Highway 101 on sales calls. No doubt he relied on his salesman's tactics to sweettalk himself out of the occasional speeding ticket as well.

It was at KVEN that he befriended several men who would later become instrumental in his career. The station's general manager Mort Werner would later go on to join NBC as the producer of the "Today" show, and the first successful run of "The Tonight Show" with original host Jack Parr. He became senior VP for programming and talent in 1962. Under his watch over the next 10 years, NBC would produce several runaway hits including "Bonanza" and "Laugh-In" and "I Spy", the first series to feature a black actor in a prominent role.

Mort Werner

Werner is also fondly remembered by fans of "Star Trek" as the man who single-handedly saved that show at its inception. When producer Gene Roddenberry showed NBC execs his pilot episode (starring Jeffrey Hunter), they turned it down as "too cerebral" for the television audience. However, Werner argued the merits of the fledgling series, and Roddenberry was given an unheard-of second chance ... and funds to produce a second pilot episode. The show was retooled and recast (with William Shatner replacing Hunter). That pilot sold ... and the rest is history.

Decades later, in the late 1970's, it was Werner that would lure old friend and former employee Harry Engel to Maui to run radio stations there.

From KVEN, Harry Engel's business holdings would expand across the country. One of his more unique ventures was as owner of legendary Los Angeles hot dog stand Tail of the Pup. A Hollywood landmark in the unique shape of a giant hot dog, the restaurant would later make appearances in many movies and TV series, including Brian De Palma's Body Double, Steve Martin's L.A. Story, George Benson's video Give Me the Night, and the 1986 Danny DeVito/Bette Midler comedy Ruthless People.

Judge Reinhold from Ruthless People.

The Tail of the Pup, formerly owned by Harry Engel,

can be seen behind him.

In the early 1950's, Harry formed Intercontinental Services, Ltd. on East 46th street in his home city of New York, with sales offices in Los Angeles and San Francisco. The company concentrated primarily on the purchase and operation of smaller radio and television stations worldwide. It was through this venture that would eventually lead Harry to founding Guam's first commercial radio and TV station.

Click here for Part 3 of the story.

KUAM's Founder Harry Engel, Part 1

The Early Years

It is impossible to discuss the founding of KUAM without delving into the life of its creator, Harry M. Engel Jr. His tale is a fascinating and sometimes tragic one, involving adventures around the globe that often intersected with history in the most unusual ways.

Harry was born in New York on August 12th, 1914 to well-to-do parents. His father Harry Sr., a native New Yorker, ran Engel Hess & Co., a purchaser for specialty stores and an artificial flower and feather manufacturer. He also served as Vice President of the Associated Flower and Fancy Feather Manufacturers of America. Harry Sr. loved driving Cadillacs - a passion that would later be adopted by young Harry.

His mother Violet Polstein Engel operated high-fashion dress shops. An immigrant of Finnish and Russian heritage, Violet fully played the part of a New York socialite; her portrait hung at the World's Fair, and she was an expert bridge player.

Harry's sister Marie was a year older. Although they were born to Jewish parents, they were baptized when Harry was 9, fulfilling his mother's wish that he not grow up as "a typical Park Avenue Jew".

Harry's family was impacted by the stock market crash of 1929, but they were better able than most to weather the depression that followed. In his teens, young Harry and family were tended to by no less than four servants - an elderly Hungarian cook named Johanna, Giovanni the Italian butler, and Irish maids Dahlia and Christine.

In the 9th grade, Harry ran away from home and wound up in the National Guard. In civilian life he worked as an automobile repairman. On January 27th, 1941 in Red Bank, New Jersey he enlisted in the Army as a Private assigned to Field Artillery. In the next year and a half, as the nation geared up to enter World War II, Harry was promoted to Sergeant.

On November 28th 1942, Harry was struck with a horrendous tragedy that would have a profound impact on the rest of his life.

While on weekend leave from the Army transport ship USAT Dorchester in Boston, he went to the Cocoanut Grove nightclub on Piedmont Street. The club was packed that night, with about 1,000 patrons, many of them off-duty military personnel.

Just after 10 PM, 16-year-old busboy lit a match to better see what he was doing while screwing in a lightbulb. The match caught artificial palm frond decorations hanging in the ceiling. Moments later, the entire club was ablaze.

Throngs of panicked people attempted to flee the club, but were effectively trapped by the its single set of revolving doors. 492 people died in the next few hours; amongst them famed cowboy movie star Buck Jones and scores of young off-duty soldiers.

The Cocoanut Grove nightclub fire, Nov. 28 1942

The Cocoanut Grove fire shocked the nation, and would eventually lead to sweeping fire code and safety standards reform across the country. To date, it remains the deadliest nightclub fire in U.S. history.

Harry barely escaped with his life, and was badly burned over a majority of his body. He spent the remainder of World War II recuperating in Army hospitals. He eventually underwent 45 operations related to the fire, and for the rest of his life wore a glove on his left hand to hide the significant scarring there.

In an equally bizarre twist of fate, it is quite possible that the Cocoanut Grove fire contributed to actually saving Harry's life.

As he began his long recovery, the USAT Dorchester shipped out without him. Five months later, it was torpedoed and sunk by a German U-Boat in the frozen waters of the North Atlantic. Of the 904 people aboard, only 230 survived.

Click here for Part 2 of the story.

Special thanks to Harry M. Engel III, Runa Magowan and Justin Engel

The Mission of this Blog

There are two rather distinct and separate subjects in this world that I can speak as one of the few authorities on.

One is the minutae of playing a Renaissance Festival King. If you came to this blog looking for some insight on that, sorry to disappoint. There are plenty of pics and articles in many other places online, content both from myself and others. And maybe I'll start a separate blog on that someday.

The other subject I am extremely knowledgable on - as the title of this blog suggests - are the founding and early formative years of Guam's very first commercial radio and television station, KUAM. As of this writing, the station is a few months away from celebrating its 56th year on the air.

However, there is surprisingly little organized information online about its founding. Most of the knowledge exists solely in the minds of the people that lived through it, and those who learned it from them.

I am one of the latter. I have a wealth of information, pics, video, and articles from KUAM's early years. I worked at KUAM on and off for nearly two decades - so long in fact, that I became the station's unofficial historian.

For many years, I have attempted various means of organizing and storing this information online, in the hopes that it will outlast me and be passed on. In the exciting new world of blogging (well, new for me, anyway!), it is my hope that I will finally accomplish that task. I will occasionally enlist the help of others - primarily those people who lived it - and full credit will be given to them for their invaluable contributions.

So pardon my dust while I get things organized around here!