Alex Pavlini
When I was about seven
or
eight, I had my first hero. He was an unlikely hero for a kid of
seven or eight, but that's the way it was.
It was in the late
fifties. We had just moved back to the Detroit Area, and we listened
to CBE, the CBC Radio station in Windsor, Ontario. The morning
presenter was a man named Alex Pavlini. Alex, as we referred to him
around the house, was a zany character who played everything from
classical music to pipe bands (at six-thirty AM, obviously, Alex was
of the opinion that if he was up, we should be, too), to the Weavers
(banned in the United States) to rather formal arrangements of folk
songs. Although he was in his twenties, one could be forgiven
listening to him for thinking that he was much older. He had a
decidedly British accent.
Alex did truly zany
things on air. He would sometimes pick up and strum an out-of-tune
banjo (not trying to play anything) and once, he produced a piece of
radio drama about the first Canadian satellite, which was launched
from Windsor and orbited the globe on the top of Detroit's Penobscot
Building (then the tallest building in Detroit). He would juxtapose
seemingly unrelated pieces of music.
Alex had other shows
on
the radio throughout the day. On one, he'd often read a book aloud.
One of his favourites to read was The Wind in the Willows which,
to this day, is my favourite book. I remember being sick one time
and hearing part of it read over the course of my illness. I think
it was things like that that made me hate going to school, which was
far less interesting that what I heard on the radio.
Alex
Pavlini, then, introduced me to music, and my favourite book. I
enjoyed his antics all the way up until we moved away, to San
Francisco, and then to Chicago. I didn't hear him after we
moved.
When
I was contemplating going to university, I considered Canadian
institutions. One was the University of Windsor. I wrote for their
calendar, and leafing through it, found a mention of an "Alex
Pavlini Memorial Bursary". So, Alex had died. My many efforts
have never led me to finding out what happened to him. Indeed, in
looking at the online calendar for University of Windsor a few years
ago, I discovered that they no longer have such a bursary. I expect
that they consolidated a lot of smaller bursaries or something like
that.
The
last mention of Alex I was able to find was a mention in the Guest
Book for the late Karl Haas, who broadcast from Detroit, and was
also
someone I much admired.
I would still like to know what happened to Alex Pavlini, and hope that someone reading this will know and tell me. Any of you with Detroit or Windsor connections who remember him, let me know.
12 comment(s)
I don't know your name, as it doesn't appear on your site, but I
wanted to let you know that I loved listening to Alex Pavlini like you
did. He was so sophisticated and funny. I listened when I was
18-20years years of age. His show was followed by Bob Borroughs doing
classical which I enjoyed but it was Alex Pavlini's show that was my
favorite. I don't remember him having a Brittish accent but rather a
mellow Canadian one.
I remember around 1962 or 1963 I was working at a factory the midnight
shift in Detroit, Eaton Spring, and on my way home, on early morning
CBE radio, I heard that Alex Pavllini had died. As I remember it, he
had just gone on vacation and was killed in a car accident. When I
heard this I drove to a nearby church and prayed. I was stunned my
radio idol was gone.
I'm glad you remembered him as fondly as I did. He was great. No one
has ever compared to the whimsy, humor, and musical taste of Alex
Pavllini.
Best wishes.
Posted by david chaffee on Wednesday, 23 July 2008, 0944 EDT (-0400)
David,
Thanks. There truly was something wonderful about Alex, and I'd love
to hear his voice again, though I very much doubt that such a thing is
possible, as I'm sure there is nothing archived at the CBC in Windsor.
My older sister remembers his dying in what would have to be '62, as
we were still living in the Detroit Area. I remember reading about
the memorial bursary in about '68, and being shocked. My sister
remembers my mother telling me when I got home from school. So, for
me, to be cleared up, the date being '62 or '63 is important. I think
my sister's recollections are maybe more to be trusted than mine.
Posted by Robin on Wednesday, 23 July 2008, 1037 EDT (-0400)
Alex got me through the years of my husband getting a PhD at
University of Michigan...we lived WAY OUT in Whitmore Lake, Michigan,
and without the
wit and wisdom and music that came to us from Alex at CBE Windsor, I'd
have gone stir crazy, with my 4 poor little kids lacking a sane
mom.
I remember when he commented on times when the right word wouldn't
come and there was dead air space:
"panic comes up from the toes", he said...
and one day he admitted telling a person, I think a cabbie, in
Windsor, that he was Alex Pavlini and the person said "Alex
WHO".
After Christmas, he would read aloud the entire book "The Fourth
Wise Man".
It is still available, and a recommended read. He would also
respond with
understanding and humor, to letters of appreciation that listeners
sent, and
this of course would MAKE THAT PERSON'S DAY.
We used to try to tune in Alex after we moved , l961, to Iowa State
University
but the airwaves didn't cooperate. It wasn't until several years
later that
we learned of his car accident, and it still brings sadness. If Alex
has
family, I hope that they will see this site, and know how much his
real love
for his listeners achieved.
I am so glad to learn that others enjoyed Alex's program, and I thank
you
for this site.
Posted by Leona Heitsch on Thursday, 19 February 2009, 0020 EST (-0500)
Alex' name popped into my head, this morning. No idea why.
I grew up in a Detroit suburb in the 50's and seriously enjoyed Alex'
show on CBE. I have an original vinyl recording of German
University Songs - supplemented by a modern CD. Without Alex
Pavlini, I doubt I would ever have heard of it. I was working in
Battle Creek MI - broadcasting - when I heard that Alex had been
killed in a sports car accident. Even 47 years later, I miss him.
Posted by Jack Meagher on Sunday, 12 July 2009, 0847 EDT (-0400)
Jack,
It is really amazing to see the number of people who remember Alex. I
miss him, too, all these years later. The German University Songs!
Yes, I remember! My uncle Joe loved them when he'd come from Chicago.
He had many such recordings. He was very proud of our German
heritage, especially as it manifested itself musically.
Absolutely wonderful to think how Alex played such a part in so many
lives. He was truly one of a kind. Radio became a magical thing to
me because of Alex.
Posted by Robin on Monday, 13 July 2009, 1035 EDT (-0400)
Alex was one of my favorite radio personalities too. I lived in the
Detroit area and almost always listened to CBC Windsor because I liked
the programming, especially Alex's segment. He was killed in his new
Porsche I think in 1961 or 62. I was stunned. I went to the Funeral
home where he was laid out and paid my respects.
Posted by Richard on Sunday, 6 December 2009, 1602 EST (-0500)
I believe that it was announced on CBE that Alex Pavlini was killed
near Owen Sound, Ontario while teaching his niece to drive. He had
been on a short leave from his broadcast. I remember how shocked I was
when he didn't return, as I listened to his broadcast every morning
before I went to work. Richard's estimate of the date is good, because
I left Detroit in 1963.
Posted by Russell C. Brown on Thursday, 18 March 2010, 1021 EDT (-0400)
Alex had become one of the most admired DJ's in the Detroit area. He
had, easily, more followers in Detroit, than even in his home town. I
listened to him on the way to work, in suburban Warren, Michigan. I
vividly recall one spring morning, when Alex was spinning a selection
from "The Music Man": "Seventy-Six Trombones" .
Top down, powerful radio, out in the country, I hoisted the gain to
P.A. level. It must have been audible in the next county! In taste
for music, he was my guy. He had brains; he had style, he had
polish.
He had his mid-morning show, on CBE which, I believe, was called
"Coffee Break" I ncouldn' t hear it as I was at work, but a
friend had wondered what the intro tune was. Alex'
"hangout" in Detroit, was a book store (Bookworld?) in the
Maccabees Building. They sold records, as well. One day, I stopped
there for something, and happened to ask the clerk if he knew what
Pavlini's intro music was. He replied: "ask him, he's standing
behind you".There he was in the flesh, very unlike the guy I had
pictured on the air, Short little guy, hair sort of long, and totally
unfitting the voice, which was the resonant, cultured voice we all
heard.
Naturally, I told him how pleasantly I was astonished to chance a
meeting with him, and how I was one of the multitude of his admirers.
Since he spoke of his sports car often, I asked, just what is the
car? It was a Triumph, I recall, and he pointed to it, parked outside
the store.
The news of his fatal accident came over, and I, like thousands
others, was stricken with sorrow, to the point of very wet eyes. A
chapter in my life had passed. I still recall those happy mornings,
ehere Alex kept me, and so many others company during our mornings.
For those of us, who will spend eternity in the hallowed halls of
heaven, Alex will be there, somewhere, socilaizing with us for a long,
long time.
Posted by Doug Houston on Thursday, 25 March 2010, 1350 EDT (-0400)
It never ceases to amaze me: the number of comments remembering Alex
Pavlini. It's so long ago and all. As I said originally, I was not
very old when I was listening to Alex.
I remember, as I said, hearing Alex read "The Wind in the Willows"
when I was home sick from school. The book I still read, and one that
always makes me think of Alex.
Thanks to all who've commented here, and I hope more will. I love
reading them.
Posted by Robin on Friday, 26 March 2010, 1054 EDT (-0400)
Alex Pavlini was a favorite of mine and he was killed in a car
accident near Goderich, Ontario in June 1963. He was twenty nine at
the time. The Detroit newspapers stated that he was allowing his
host's daughter drive his classic Jaguar when the accident occurred.
I had just receive by BS degree that month from Wayne State U.
He hosted Breakfast Concert weekday mornings and had a mid morning
show named Coffee Break during which he aired all sorts of music, etc.
I learned of Bud and Travis thanks to him! I do remember his daily
reading of a chapter from Moby Dick on this program. Quite an
ambitious undertaking.
I recall his last Friday on the air as he was starting his vacation.
Hi s death was a blow to all of us followers in Detroit as well as
Windsor.
He used the American Dance as the theme for his Coffee Beak show.
This was by Gliere and is included in the one and only recording I
know of for the Red Poppy Ballet; this is a vinyl record which I
still have to this day.
Posted by Russ Banush on Thursday, 10 June 2010, 1430 EDT (-0400)
Russ: Once again fond memories of Alex. I'm thinking of starting some
sort of Alex Pavlini Society, if for no other purpose than to
encourage great and zany radio, in the grand Alex tradition.
Posted by Robin on Wednesday, 30 June 2010, 1533 EDT (-0400)
See the chapter entitled "Radio Days" in illustrator and
cartoonist Bruce McCall's 1997 memoirs "Thin Ice: Coming of Age
in Canada" (ISBN 0-679-44847-0) for some insight into Alex
Pavlini's character. McCall uses only the first name in his account,
but it certainly appears to be the same person described in this blog.
Posted by a alex bryant on Tuesday, 27 July 2010, 0101 EDT (-0400)
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