(left to right) Pat Lynch on camera, Tony Williams, Dan Falzani and Bill Hart
James Tate's Headquarters
Bellevue-Stratford Hotel
1963

This is what is wonderful about our website. Last month's newsletter ran the above photo sent to us by Broadcast Pioneers board member Dick Kearney, a long-time staffer at WCAU-TV. Dick couldn't ID Tony and Dick thought it was Richardson Dilworth's Campaign Headquarters. Well, Dick was off by four years. It was 1963, not 1959 and it was the headquarters of James Tate. Tony Williams identified himself and we now know that it couldn't have been 1959 because Williams wasn't working there at that time.

Note that WCAU-TV had a live camera at James Tate's headquarters; Channel 3, owned by NBC at the time, had film. The film camera in the room's corner is unidentified. Tate won two bids for Mayor of Philadelphia. First in 1963 and again in 1967. Because of the Channel 3 film camera having the call letters, WRCV-TV, we have dated this shot as 1963. Tate became mayor in 1962, when Mayor Richarson Dilworth resigned to run for another office.

Well, that's not the end of the story. Tony had three additional photos of that evening and we share them with you now.

(left to right) Bill Hart (with his back to the camera), Bob Williams (standing on the phone),
AD Tony Williams (wearing headset) and Pat Lynch on camera
James Tate's Headquarters
Bellevue-Stratford Hotel
1963

Bob Williams was a reporter for WCAU Radio and no relation to Tony.

(left to right) AD Tony Williams (wearing headset) and Joe Sidlo on camera
Man wearing light jacket is not yet identified
James Tate's Headquarters
Bellevue-Stratford Hotel
1963

(left to right) AD Supervisor Jess Schooley (sitting on chair on stage)
Norm Faslo (wearing glasses near Jess), WCAU Radio Reporter
Bob Williams (standing on photo), WCAU Radio Reporter
Tony Williams (sitting and wearing headset), Bill Hart and
unidentified man with the beard
James Tate's Headquarters
Bellevue-Stratford Hotel
1963

Tony says:

The room was small and very crowded with supporters, radio & TV news personnel. CBS News crew (film cameraman & audio man) entered the room just prior to Tate's speech.

As a note: Joe Sidlo was the other camerman who received a National Emmy for his camera work at the CBS Masters coverage. He and Dick Kearney were requested annually for the Masters by Producer/Director Frank Chirkinian (former WCAU-TV Director). Frank passed away this past March.

My Dad worked for the Evening & Sunday Bulletin for 50 years. He started as a copy boy while in high school and worked his way up as a writer/reporter to Assistant City Editor. When Broadcast Pioneers member Harry Harris left the Bulletin to go to TV Guide (and eventually the Inquirer), my Father was chosen to take his place as the Bulletin's TV critic. He later became the Editor of the then newly created Amusements Section.

From the official archives of the Broadcast Pioneers of Philadelphia
Top Photo originally donated by Broadcast Pioneers member Dick Kearney
Bottom three photos donated by Broadcast Pioneers member Tony Williams
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