Richard E. Landrum (born March 31, 1946) is best known as a
radio
Radio is the technology of signaling and communicating using radio waves. Radio waves are electromagnetic waves of frequency between 30 hertz (Hz) and 300 gigahertz (GHz). They are generated by an electronic device called a transmit ...
and
TV broadcaster. He started his broadcasting career at the age of 16, while attending Douglas S. Freeman High School in western Henrico County (a Richmond suburb).
Career
Broadcasting
Landrum started his broadcasting career at the age of 16 while still in high school, working part-time as a news reporter for radio station
WLEE in
Richmond
Richmond most often refers to:
* Richmond, Virginia, the capital of Virginia, United States
* Richmond, London, a part of London
* Richmond, North Yorkshire, a town in England
* Richmond, British Columbia, a city in Canada
* Richmond, California, ...
under the mentorship of its vice-president and general manager
Harvey Hudson. At that time WLEE was the #1 Top 40 station in
Richmond
Richmond most often refers to:
* Richmond, Virginia, the capital of Virginia, United States
* Richmond, London, a part of London
* Richmond, North Yorkshire, a town in England
* Richmond, British Columbia, a city in Canada
* Richmond, California, ...
. Landrum stayed with WLEE for four years and moved to
WTVR AM, another Richmond radio station. That lasted about a year and he returned to WLEE. During his time with WLEE, Landrum worked with a number of Richmond broadcasters, including Harvey Hudson,
Lud Sterling,
Jess Duboy,
Jim Granger,
George Prescott and Bill Adams (the former producer of the ''
Dick Clark Radio Show'').
While assistant manager for a Little League Baseball team with Neil Kuvin, the station manager for co-owned
WXEX-TV in
Petersburg, Kuvin convinced Landrum to move to WXEX-TV. At first, Landrum was not sure he wanted to move to TV, as he really enjoyed the anonymity of radio. Kuvin finally convinced him and Landrum started his TV career as a field reporter and news photographer. Shortly thereafter, in addition to being a field reporter, he hosted the afternoon version of ''
Dialing for Dollars'' and filled in as a sports presenter on the 6:00 & 11:00 news, when needed.
Professional wrestling
During this time, at the behest of one of his friends, he attended a local professional wrestling match at the State Fair Grounds of
Virginia
Virginia, officially the Commonwealth of Virginia, is a state in the Mid-Atlantic and Southeastern regions of the United States, between the Atlantic Coast and the Appalachian Mountains. The geography and climate of the Commonwealth ar ...
at
Strawberry Hill (now
Richmond International Raceway
Richmond Raceway (RR) is a , ''D''-shaped, asphalt race track located just outside Richmond, Virginia in unincorporated Henrico County. It hosts the NASCAR Cup Series, NASCAR Xfinity Series and the NASCAR Camping World Truck Series. Known as ...
). Shortly before the matches were to start, Joe Murnick, the local promoter, approached him. Murnick explained that the announcer from
WTVR-TV
WTVR-TV (channel 6) is a television station in Richmond, Virginia, United States, affiliated with CBS and owned by the E. W. Scripps Company. Its studios are located on West Broad Street on Richmond's West End, and its transmitter is located i ...
, who usually did the ring announcing had not shown up, and asked if Lundrum would be interested in filling in for a small payment. Landrum agreed, and after the show was over he was hired as their regular weekly ring announcer.
In 1972, Landrum left WXEX-TV, as he was uncertain that he wanted to continue his broadcast career. He entered the automobile business, but still maintained his ties with wrestling as a ring announcer. In 1977, after local wrestling had moved permanently to the Richmond Coliseum, he was approached by
George Scott, who was then the booker for
Jim Crockett Promotions
Jim Crockett Promotions Inc. is a family-owned professional wrestling promotion headquartered in Charlotte, North Carolina, United States, restarted by Jim Crockett's son and Jim Crockett Jr's brother, David Crockett. Founded in 1931, the promot ...
(JCP) of
Charlotte, North Carolina
Charlotte ( ) is the most populous city in the U.S. state of North Carolina. Located in the Piedmont region, it is the county seat of Mecklenburg County. The population was 874,579 at the 2020 census, making Charlotte the 16th-most populo ...
. JCP promoted wrestling throughout the mid-Atlantic states and produced two syndicated professional wrestling TV shows (
Mid-Atlantic Championship Wrestling
Jim Crockett Promotions Inc. is a family-owned professional wrestling promotion headquartered in Charlotte, North Carolina, United States, restarted by Jim Crockett's son and Jim Crockett Jr's brother, David Crockett. Founded in 1931, the promot ...
and
World Wide Wrestling
''WCW WorldWide'' was an American syndicated television show that was produced by World Championship Wrestling (WCW) that aired from October 8, 1975, to March 31, 2001. At the time of its cancellation, ''WorldWide'' was the longest-running, uni ...
). Scott said that they wanted Landrum to audition as a promo announcer for their two TV shows and asked him to come to
Raleigh
Raleigh (; ) is the capital city of the state of North Carolina and the seat of Wake County in the United States. It is the second-most populous city in North Carolina, after Charlotte. Raleigh is the tenth-most populous city in the Southeas ...
, the following week, when they taped the promos and shows at
WRAL-TV
WRAL-TV (channel 5) is a television station licensed to Raleigh, North Carolina, United States, serving as the NBC affiliate for the Research Triangle area. It is the flagship station of the locally based Capitol Broadcasting Company, which h ...
. Landrum showed up and later said, "It was the longest and hardest afternoon" he had ever had in broadcasting. Nevertheless, he was given the job and his broadcasting career in professional wrestling started in earnest.
In 1978, Landrum took over the commentary for the revamped World Wide Wrestling (formerly Wide World Wrestling).
Johnny Weaver
Kenneth Eugene Weaver (November 17, 1935 – February 15, 2008) was an American professional wrestler and wrestling commentator in the National Wrestling Alliance, better known by his ring name, Johnny Weaver.
Career
1960s
Weaver's career spa ...
, who provided the color commentary, later joined him. Weaver was a well-known wrestler in the JCP stable. Landrum dubbed him “The Dean of Professional Wrestling” on the opening of their show one night, and that nickname stuck for the rest of Weaver’s career. Not to be outdone, Weaver started calling Landrum “The Voice”. It has often been reported that of all the announcer teams of that era, Weaver and Landrum are the most remembered for their smooth approach, their interaction with one another and their respect for their contemporaries.
In 1982, after Crockett moved its TV taping operation to
WPCQ in Charlotte, North Carolina, Landrum was let go in a cost-cutting measure. In 1983, he was approached by George Scott, who was then booking for the
World Wrestling Federation
World Wrestling Entertainment, Inc., d/b/a as WWE, is an American professional wrestling promotion. A global integrated media and entertainment company, WWE has also branched out into other fields, including film, American football, and vario ...
(WWF). Scott explained that they were looking for a third announcer. Landrum did not take much convincing, and he went to
Baltimore, Maryland
Baltimore ( , locally: or ) is the List of municipalities in Maryland, most populous city in the U.S. state of Maryland, fourth most populous city in the Mid-Atlantic (United States), Mid-Atlantic, and List of United States cities by popula ...
for an audition. He stayed with the WWF for about a year. After the WWF there was a short spell with the
International Championship Wrestling
International Championship Wrestling was an independent professional wrestling promotion based in Lexington, Kentucky that operated from 1978 until 1984. It was run by Angelo Poffo, the father of Randy Savage and Lanny Poffo, "The Genius" Lanny ...
hosting their TV shows from
Boston
Boston (), officially the City of Boston, is the state capital and most populous city of the Commonwealth of Massachusetts, as well as the cultural and financial center of the New England region of the United States. It is the 24th- mo ...
.
Legal issues
A jury convicted Landrum in June 1987 of (1) making and possessing an unregistered bomb, in violation of 26 U.S.C. §§ 5861(c), (d), (f), 5871, and (2) intercepting and disclosing the contents of wire communications, in violation of 18 U.S.C. § 2511(1)(a), (c). The conduct for which Landrum was convicted occurred during 1985 and 1986. Landrum wiretapped his ex-wife's phone and placed a bomb in the car of a man she was dating.
Landrum was sentenced on September 17, 1987, and, as part of his sentence, the district court ordered him to pay restitution to several of his victims, including $1,432 to his ex-wife, Linda Landrum, and $5,483 to her insurer, Blue Cross/Blue Shield of Virginia, for the costs of Ms. Landrum's psychological counseling.
Hearth business
In 1998, Landrum switched gears entirely and entered the retail hardware business working for a local
True Value Hardware
In statistics, as opposed to its general parameter, use in mathematics, a parameter is any measured quantity of a statistical population that summarises or describes an aspect of the population, such as a mean or a standard deviation. If a popu ...
in the
Tri-Cities area. It was here that he started the hearth business (gas logs, fireplaces, gas log stoves, etc.) for the owner. The owner retired in 2000 and turned the hearth business over to Landrum.
In May 2000, Landrum founded American Hearth and Home and has been the owner ever since. However, he has never lost touch with professional wrestling, as he makes personal appearances at wrestling shows and fanfests throughout Virginia and the Carolinas. "I love meeting and seeing the fans. They call me a ‘legend’, but I’m not sure I qualify for that," Landrum said.
See also
Jim Crockett Promotions
Jim Crockett Promotions Inc. is a family-owned professional wrestling promotion headquartered in Charlotte, North Carolina, United States, restarted by Jim Crockett's son and Jim Crockett Jr's brother, David Crockett. Founded in 1931, the promot ...
References
External links
*http://www.greensborosports.com/2009/03/10/rich-landrum-legendary-mid-atlantic-wrestling-announcerthe-voice-visits-gspn-site/
*http://www.virginiabusiness.com/edit/magazine/yr2003/jun03/lifestyles.shtml
{{DEFAULTSORT:Landrum, Rich
1946 births
American broadcasters
American radio personalities
Living people
People from Raleigh, North Carolina
People from Richmond, Virginia
Professional wrestling announcers