John Rayburn
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John Rayburn

Arts & Entertainment | History | Biographies & Memoirs
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John Rayburn covered major news and sporting events for more than 60 years on radio and television. His TV newscast attained the highest Share of Audience figures of any major market TV newscast in the nation. His network credits include reports and appearances on "The Today Show," "Huntley-Brinkley News," "Walter Cronkite News," "NBC Monitor," and "NBC News on the Hour," among many others. His book, "Cat Whiskers and Talking Furniture" is a witty and warm-hearted account of historic developments over several decades of broadcasting, including recollections of Edward R. Murrow's live broadcasts from London in World War II, the heyday of Little Orphan Annie and her secret decoder badges, and the early days of live (and sometimes flub-filled) television broadcasts. His interviews during those years featured major names from the worlds of government, sports, music, movies, radio, TV, virtually all walks of life. His often humorous conversations with such individuals as Bill Stern, Ronald Reagan, Rin Tin Tin, Burl Ives, Milton Berle and Jimmy Carter are an added bonus. Many photographs are included. He has participated/performed at Old Time Radio conventions in Newark, Cincinnati, Los Angeles and Seattle, counting as personal friends many stars from the Golden Age of radio. His book, "Thrilling Days of Yesteryear: The Golden Age of Radio," includes in-depth interviews and background information on dozens and dozens of those performers. Radio was the number one form of family entertainment for a quarter century. In a dazzling step back in time Rayburn talks about the fantastic era of broadcasting in fascinating interviews with a sterling list of guests, including: Durward Kirby (Garry Moore Show), Parley Baer (original "Chester" on Radio Gunsmoke), Arthur Anderson (Let's Pretend), Carmel Quinn (Irish singer on Arthur Godfrey), Ezra Stone (Henry Aldrich), Minnie Pearl (Grand Ole Opry), Fred Foy (Announcer on The Lone Ranger), Gale Gordon (I Love Lucy, Our Miss Brooks), Charles Correll (Andy of Amos 'n' Andy), Himan Brown (Inner Sanctum, Grand Central Station), Chet Lauck (Lum of Lum and Abner), Frankie Carle (Big band leader). There are great stories about Red Skelton, Jack Armstrong, Lights Out, Quiz Kids, Little Orphan Annie, Jimmy Durante, Time Marches On, Hindenburg disaster, President Roosevelt's December 8, 1941 declaration of war against Japan and many, many more. "Don't wait. Procrastinate NOW!" That slogan for the National Procrastinator's Club provides a basis for his book. "I'm Not Resting, I'm Creating: The Power of POSITIVE Procrastination." Since the 1700s we've been plagued by Lord Chesterfield's admonition, "Never put off till tomorrow what you can do today." This text refutes that with ways to manage time without letting it manage you. The author interviewed clinical psychologists, governmental leaders and successful business people to arrive at ways and means of making the clock work more favorably for you. There are wise observations from such as da Vinci, Churchill, Einstein, Ovid, Sandburg and others. Join the "putter-offers" for success and happiness. In "The Holy Bible:True or False?," Rayburn is neither adversary nor advocate of the veracity of the Holy Bible but serves merely as a disseminator of information. This iconic on-air veteran examines the deeply rooted beliefs of the world's many religions. The primary purpose is to explore and offer material leading to better understanding concerning the myriad religions, thereby decreasing rancor regarding the differences. Among many topics the text questions whether Moses and other prominent Bible figures were actual persons or perhaps inventions of theological ideas. The content is historical, probing and speculative with acknowledgment that translations and interpretation can play major roles in misunderstanding. One of religion's major arguments concerns creationism and evolution and that, too, is discussed. The author is an award winning veteran broadcaster who reports negative and positive aspects concerning both the Old and New Testaments. "My Twill is Tasted...I mean, My TALE Is Twisted," is material with a difference...Beware! It may be harmful to your tender psyche. A WARNING! label might have been useful but we couldn't find one. In an effort to be more or less specific, let's say you'll be exposed to garbled grammar, mangled metaphors, agitated anomalies, scrambled syntax and occasional onomatopoeia. Proceed at your own risk! You may deny knowledge of spoonerisms but you know what they are even if you don't know you know it. The author is the world's foremost practitioner of this somewhat archaic aimlessness of more normal speech patterns. He issues a promissory note that you will be entertained...or else! After all, the mice of adprission is a beer magatelle! Having written his own broadcast material over the years, he has now branched out into fiction with four examples, an adventure novel, "Conspiracy: Rick O'Shea Adventure #1," with two sequels, "Duplicity: Rick O'Shea Adventure #2 and "Intrigue: Rick O'Shea Adventure #3. "Conspiracy" has locales from the prehistoric caves at Lascaux, France to a magnificent castle in the Loire Valley and on to the San Juan Mountains in Colorado and into Mexico and Guatemala. There are encounters with hi-jackers, meth makers, drug dealers, rattlesnakes and a mountain lion. "Duplicity" is a sizzling mystery involving impalement murders, security guards shot and high-level intrigue in Transylvania. Is it a reprise of the fictional Dracula or a struggle to gain control of what may be a multi-billion dollar invention or both? Rick O'Shea is a different kind of detective, more aptly defined as a "seeker" and "finder." He is joined by cohorts Helga Lange, a beautiful German lady with aerospace expertise, including a space walk, and Luther (call me Lute) Martin, a successful entrepreneur turned co-seeker. They venture forth into unknown Romanian territory and England where Bram Stoker was inspired to write about the renowned Count of vampire fame. Their search is like trying to solve a big jigsaw puzzle. Eventually, "treasures" are sought in the Channel Islands and Iceland before robbery of an armored truck reaches a climax in Canada. Award winning newsman John Rayburn brings exciting reality to the people, places and things involved in this second of a series featuring a scintillating trio of adventurers. "Intrigue" features a claim made that Russian sale of Alaska to the U.S. was not legally completed in 1867. Rick, Helga and Lute are commissioned to find the truth. Other puzzles confront them; theft of rough diamonds from a Canadian mine, a radical threat to plant bombs in the U.S. and discovery of a long hidden stash of gold in an ancient fortress. The trio uses a seaplane, helicopter and U.S destroyer in hazardous chases that take them to Alaska, Russia, the Mediterranean, Canada and India trying to resolve the dangerous difficulties. Also available on Kindle is a western novel, "Matt Draper: From Riverboat Gambler to Frontier Banker." The lead character is a former riverboat gambler turned banker, using a start-up fund of winnings and discovery of an abandoned Confederate gold cache at the end of the Civil War. Clashes with drunken cowboys aboard a train, staving off a stagecoach hold-up, a shootout with villainous holdovers from the bloodthirsty Quantrill's Raiders, saving a child from drowning, thwarting a bank robbery and working in a cattle drive threatened by a coalition of farmers are some of the ingredients that were a part of settling the west as trains and telegraph began replacing stagecoaches and Pony Express counterparts. As the years pass, the story culminates with the 1906 San Francisco earthquake. Rayburn's professional background led to constant research on myriad subjects and this carries over into his fiction. He uses actual people, places and things in a fictional way to add authenticity to the absorbing story lines. Having handled play-by-play of football, baseball, basketball, hockey, golf and other sporting activities, his book, "Sports: Fact, Fiction & Fun" is liberally sprinkled with personal observations and anecdotal material about the great and near great in the fascinating world of athletics. His book, "The Spirit of America," is a collection of interesting, informative and entertaining articles about who we are and how we got to be that way. They are heart-warming tales that explore the talents and integrity of the extraordinary individuals and events that helped shape our country. The latest entry is "Meet PEOPLE, Go PLACES, See THINGS: A Good News Odyssey." Join an exciting journey around the nation searching for fascinating people, places and things; exploring the talents and integrity of Americans in all walks of life. John and Carol Rayburn headed out in an RV fifth-wheel trailer to rediscover the principles that have kept our country strong and striving for pride and excellence. Their good news adventure produced heartwarming human interest stories illustrating the intriguing aura of our nation; the true substance and goals of individuals and communities. This is their story, but it's also your story, a story accenting the richness and diversity of our country's unsurpassed and unique heritage. Not everyone can take this kind of trip; it's the sort of undertaking that most people just dream about and this adventuresome couple count themselves extremely fortunate to have had the exceptional opportunity. This book allows this congenial, fun-loving pair to extend an invitation for everyone to come along and share their marvelous experiences. There are sad and tragic stories galore that confront us on a daily basis so it's a welcome relief to come across the good news to be found throughout the land. A Massachusetts newspaper wrote of them, "It is evident that in their quest they leave behind them the foundation to instill positive aspects, much the same as Johnny Appleseed left a fruitful trail in his wanderings." Now, you can enjoy the stimulating voyage. He has a Blog site http://bloggadocio-onairvet.blogspot.com/ where you may offer comments, and/or additional information on whatever strikes your fancy.
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