Jump to Content

Collection Guide
Collection Title:
Collection Number:
Get Items:
Kelton (Stanley M.) radio collection
PA Mss 120  
View entire collection guide What's This?
Search this collection
Collection Overview
 
Table of contents What's This?
Description
Materials generated in the course of operations of the Southern California AM radio stations KFI 640kHz (1938-1950) and KFON 1280kHz (1924-1941) -- later to become KFOX Long Beach (1941-1977) -- amassed by attorney and educator Stanley M. Kelton (1952-2015).
Background
In 1922, Earle C. Anthony was the founder and owner of what eventually became KFI, a radio station he controlled until his death in 1961. Significant materials relating to Anthony are included in the Stanley M. Kelton radio collection. Aside from being the founder of KFI, Anthony was also a composer, philanthropist, and Southern California entrepreneur who had ties and affiliations to the Los Angeles Dodgers and the Packard Automobile Corporation. Anthony was also the founder of the Los Angeles Auto Show, and was responsible for introducing neon signs to California. He personally built the first automobile in Los Angeles, which is now housed in the Peterson Automotive Museum. KFI engineer and stalwart Newcomb B. Weisenberger began working for Anthony in 1947. He is credited with being the studio engineer for the sign-on broadcast of the first regularly scheduled program on KFI-FM (105.9), and for shooting camera during the early days of KFI-TV (Channel 9). After the advent of the internet, he wrote prolifically about his radio career, focusing on his many years at KFI. Included in this collection are his personal voice recordings to his parents in 1938, as well as the training manuals, handbooks, and radio and television operating instructions (many of which he authored).
Extent
34.93 Linear Feet (11 document boxes, 8 half-size document boxes, 1 carton, 1 flat box, 13 flat oversize boxes, 1 record disc)
Restrictions
Copyright has not been assigned to the Department of Special Research Collections, UCSB. All requests for permission to publish or quote from manuscripts must be submitted in writing to the Head of Special Research Collections. Permission for publication is given on behalf of the Department of Special Research Collections as the owner of the physical items and is not intended to include or imply permission of the copyright holder, which also must be obtained.
Availability
The collection is open for research.