Postcard Memories is a weekly series of historic postcard views and photos submitted by Marcel Rousseau.
Some were previously published by the Orillia Museum of Art and History and in the book Postcard Memories Orillia.
In the 1940s and early 1950s, very few households in Orillia had a television, so radio was still king.
Almost every Orillian listened to our local CFOR station where news was broadcast 14 times a day, starting with the local news at 6:30 a.m.
The highlight of the day for many families was the dinnertime local news at 6:15 p.m. that included any developing events of the day. Dessert would be served listening to the daily “Funeral Directory” at 6:55 p.m.
Many adults would stay up to hear the final local news of the day at 11:10 p.m. before the station signed off at midnight playing God Save The King.
Posing for the staff photo used for the 1953 CFOR Christmas Card are some of the most talented and inventive radio personalities of the day. From the left is Pete McGarvey (program and production director), Ed Richardson (accountant), John Lawson (chief announcer), Gord Smith (owner, president), Bill Bramah (announcer), Harry Smith (maintenance superintendant), George Slinn (chief engineer), Peter Rowe (chief operator), Alex Gilmour (commercial manager), Stan Larke (announcer), Vern McKinnon (salesman), Kay Burrows, Denny Payne (salesman), Russ Waters (musical director and promotion editor). Front row; Elsie Graham (traffic manager), Bridget Tueffel (night operator), Katherine Leahey (front desk receptionist) and Betty Armstrong. The building shown is the transmitter-house located at Uptergrove and built in 1950.
