Place of Birth: Hazelwood, Pennsylvania, USA
Regis Cordic
Cordic was born in the Hazelwood neighborhood of Pittsburgh and attended Central Catholic High School. He started in radio as a staff announcer and substitute sportscaster at WWSW-AM.[1] When morning host Davey Tyson left the station in 1948, Cordic was one of a number of staffers given the opportunity to replace him. At first a straightforward announcer, Cordic began introducing comedy to his program—first in subtle ways, such as reading a sports score for "East Overshoe University" along with the real scores, and later by adding a repertory company of supporting comic characters. The morning show, renamed Cordic & Company, became the most popular in Pittsburgh. In 1954, Cordic & Company moved to KDKA (AM) on Labor Day, one of the first times that an American radio station had hired a major personality directly from a local competitor. Popular Bette Smiley had decided to retire from her full-time KDKA wake-up show Radio Gift Shoppe of the Air and move to a Sunday-only condensed version on WCAE in August 1954 in order to raise her young son Robbie. Cordic's immediate predecessor in the morning slot was the Ed and Rainbow show, featuring Ed Schaughency with Elmer Waltman cast in the role of Rainbow, the janitor. Waltman was dropped, and Schaughency was moved to the afternoon with a show called Schaughency's Record Cabinet. Schaughency lasted less than two years in that role before he was replaced by Art Pallan, who also came over from WWSW. Schaughency took on a new role as a news reader and moved back to mornings, delivering the newscasts during Cordic & Company. The show's ratings continued to grow until, at some points, it had an 85 share—meaning that 85% of all radios in Pittsburgh were tuned to Cordic & Company while it was on. By the end of his tenure in Pittsburgh, Cordic was reportedly earning $100,000 a year, a huge sum for a radio host at the time.
Movie | Cast | Year |
---|---|---|
The Immigrants | Somers | 1978 |
The Mouse and His Child | The Clock (voice) | 1977 |
Detroit 9000 | Dr. Horace Cooley | 1973 |
Indict and Convict | Yacht Club Bartender | 1974 |
The Secret Identity of Jack the Ripper | Self - Announcer | 1988 |
Puff, the Magic Dragon | Bald Doctor | 1978 |
Gulliver's Travels | (voice) | 1979 |
The Meanest Men in the West | 1978 | |
John Hus | Cardinal Anthony | 1977 |
Woman of the Year | Editor Clayton | 1976 |
Target Risk | Mr. Ryan | 1975 |
Ritual of Evil | The Sheriff | 1970 |
Standing Tall | Hodges | 1978 |
Newman's Law | Clement | 1974 |
The Golden Gate Murders | Father John Thomas | 1979 |
Panic in Echo Park | Dr. Gavin O'Connor | 1977 |
The Face of Fear | Dr. Landsteiner | 1971 |
Intimate Strangers | Simpson, Rest Home Director | 1977 |
Death Takes a Holiday | TV Announcer | 1971 |
The Wild Party | Mr. Murchison | 1975 |
Obsession | Newscaster | 1976 |
The Man With the Power | Personage | 1977 |
Travis Logan, D.A. | 1971 | Series | Cast | Year |
Columbo | Lewis | 1971 |
Kung Fu | 1972 | |
The F.B.I. | Daniel Austin | 1965 |
The Bionic Woman | 1976 | |
The Scooby-Doo/Dynomutt Hour | (voice) | 1976 |
Quincy, M.E. | 1976 | |
The Streets of San Francisco | 1972 | |
Mannix | 1967 | |
The Hardy Boys / Nancy Drew Mysteries | 1977 | |
Medical Center | 1969 | |
Gunsmoke | Reverend | 1955 |
The Transformers | Menasor | 1984 |
Night Gallery | Doctor (as Regis J. Cordic) | 1970 |
Wonder Woman | Professor Eidleman | 1975 |
Emergency! | 1972 | |
Cannon | 1971 | |
Get Smart | 1965 | |
Ironside | 1967 | |
The Waltons | 1972 | |
Kolchak: The Night Stalker | Dr. Peel | 1974 |
The Monkees | 1966 | |
Switch | Dr. Dane Cranston | 1975 |
The All-New Super Friends Hour | 1977 | |
McCloud | 1970 | |
The Sixth Sense | 1972 | |
Toma | 1973 | |
The Manhunter | 1974 | |
The Mary Tyler Moore Show | Marc Williams (as Regis J. Cordic) | 1970 |
Famous Classic Tales | 1970 | |
The Outsider | 1968 | |
Logan's Run | 1977 | |
Nichols | Tyler | 1971 |
Gunsmoke | Marshal Halstead | 1955 |
Gunsmoke | Sheriff Crane | 1955 |
Gunsmoke | Sheriff Grimes | 1955 |
The Six Million Dollar Man | Host | 1974 |
Rich Man, Poor Man - Book II | Dr. Lassiter | 1976 |
The Name of the Game | Chairman Walt | 1968 |
The Six Million Dollar Man | Space Explorer | 1974 |
The Rockford Files | Dr. Evan Stuart (as Regis J. Cordic) | 1974 |
Monty Nash | Ambassador Reynolds | 1971 |
Space Ghost and Dino Boy | Moltar (voice) | 1966 |
The Critical List | Chairman | 1978 |
Quincy, M.E. | Judge | 1976 |
The Incredible Hulk | 1977 | |
Columbo | Deputy Commissioner | 1971 |