Dennis Crandall

Native of Madison, Wisconsin (still rabid, drooling frothing GB Packer fan ... but love the Bucs as well. UW grad in Mass Communications in l954. Worked at a teeny station in central Wisconsin from '54 to '56, then moved back to Madison from '56 to '68 at NBC affiliate. Moved to Florida in 1968 to join Burl "Captain Mac" McCarty and Ronald J. Ebben at WDAE. Left DAE in 1976 to do talk at Clearwater's WTAN, the last two years as GM. I opened my own travel agency in 1985, sold it, and joined Lindsay Travel in Clearwater as group sales manager.

Did some talk and news at WPLP for a couple of years, then rejoined Ebben at WSUN until 1989 when I accepted the position of Public Information Officer for Largo Police. I retired two years later, but took a dive into television and did a cop show for Jones Intercable in Tampa and later, for Time Warner, in cooperation with the Hillsborough County State Attorney's Office. In between all this stuff, I found time to teach budding journalists for two years at USF in the Mass Communications Department.

I now volunteer, with my adorable wife, Sally, at Ruth Eckerd Hall, and write a monthly column for our condominium complex in east Clearwater, and am actively looking for a publisher for a childrens' book that I wrote earlier this year. Speaking of kids, we have five ... and seven grandkids.

I loved being in radio for all those years, mostly because of the many folks I am proud to call my friends. It was one helluva ride, but unfortunately, broadcasting ain't what it usta be. Thanks Heavens we still have true professionals like Tedd Webb, Jack Harris, Chris Thomas, et al.

UPDATE: March 6, 2011

I sent you a short note Sunday about the death of Dennis Crabtree, who was of course more widely known under the name of Dennis Crandall (no relation, of course). Bob Clark, former PD and morning show host at WTAN for many years (and once known as Beachcomber Bob on WLCY in the early 60s), and now an announced candidate to return as a member of the Clearwater City Commission, sent me the original notice, and the update that follows this message.

My own memory of Dennis began, oddly enough, at an Elvis concert at the old Curtis Hixon Auditorium in Tampa in the early 70's. That is where we first met, quite by accident, when he was there with (I believe) Ed Ripley who introduced us. Both were involved in program operations at WDAE when I was on-the-air at WFLA at that time. Nearly a decade later, I enjoyed the privilege of working with Dennis at WTAN where he was News Director and the host of a popular talk show. I was the control room board operator many times during his show, and worked directly with him in the News Department, until he took over as General Manager of the station, and I assumed his old job of News Director. We both lost our jobs there when the station was acquired by a new owner (Rod Brozig) in 1985 and the size and composition of the staff was reorganized. I went on to a station in Gainesville where I eventually became a student and earned my degree at the University of Florida. Dennis opened a short-lived travel agency under the name of Crandall's Countryside Travel, with an office near the Top of the World condominium complex where he lived with his wife Sally. Later he became involved with the Largo Police Department as their public relations spokesman and producer of some television programs about department activities.

Dennis, Bob Clark, Rick Morgan and I met up for lunch one day about a year and a half or so ago where we renewed old friendships and compared notes on our shared radio experiences . Sally died not long after that, which hit Dennis hard. I talked to him once or twice on the phone since, and her death seemed to take the life out of him too.

People who knew Dennis remember his friendly demeanor built around a sharp intellect that commanded respect and admiration. He was a Tampa Bay radio fixture for a generation of listeners whose lives were enriched by his knowledge and ability to communicate.

He is surely one of the profound voices in the area, that is now silent.

     Rick Crandall

Post Script - Dennis and I shared an unusual bond from his use of my name in his broadcasting career. As a consequence, when we worked together, I dropped my last name, and the radio name I had adopted over the years, to avoid any on-air confusion. I've always enjoyed the friendship that sprang forth from this unique personal and professional collaboration.