History Creator / WolfmanJack

-->--'''"Clap for the Wolfman"''', Music/TheGuessWho

The person behind Wolfman Jack was unseen by the public for many years until he made an appearance in George Lucas’ ''Film/AmericanGraffiti'' in 1973. The reveal did not stop his career, as he was syndicated to oldies stations around the world and gained success as the announcer for Creator/{{NBC}}'s late-night music show ''Series/TheMidnightSpecial''. He would go on to do more than 80 television appearances as well a few movies, but sadly collapsed from a heart attack and died at the age of 57 in 1995.

His autobiography ''Have Mercy!: Confessions of the Original Rock 'n' Roll Animal'' was published in June 1995. The Guess Who had a hit song about him ("Clap for the Wolfman"), Music/ToddRundgren named a song on ''Music/SomethingAnything'' after him, and Music/FrankZappa mentioned him in the liner notes to ''Music/TheGrandWazoo''.

A native New Yorker, he was interested in radio at a young age and was particularly a fan of Alan Freed (sometimes known as the Moondog). He worked for various radio stations in places like Virginia and Louisiana for years, playing a variety of genres and adopting various personas along the way. In the early part of TheSixties, he perfected the Wolfman character and hatched a scheme to broadcast on XERF in Ciudad Acuña, Mexico (which, with its 250,000-watt AM signal, could be heard across North America at night). While he gained an audience, the station itself was caught in a tug-of-war between its owners, criminal gangs, and [[DirtyCop corrupt police officers]], with several gun battles at the transmitter site. Fed up with this, he moved to XERB in Tijuana, another powerful "border blaster", and his mix of rowdy rock, verbal antics and raw rhythm and blues made him famous, especially with the station's proximity to Hollywood.

Wolfman Jack (born Robert Weston Smith; January 21, 1938 – July 1, 1995) was an American disc jockey. He was famous for his gravelly voice and his trademark "wolf howl".

[[quoteright:310:https://static.tvtropes.org/pmwiki/pub/images/212765_l.jpg]]
[[caption-width-right:310:''"If you do right, everything will come out right."'']]

A native New Yorker, he was interested in radio at a young age and was particularly a fan of Alan Freed (sometimes known as the Moondog). He worked for various radio stations in places like Virginia and Louisiana for years, playing a variety of genres and adopting various personas along the way. In the early part of TheSixties, he perfected the Wolfman character and hatched a scheme to broadcast on XERF in Ciudad Acuña, Mexico, which, with its 250,000-watt AM signal, could be heard across North America at night. While he gained an audience, the station itself was caught in a tug-of-war between its owners, criminal gangs, and [[DirtyCop corrupt police officers]], with several gun battles at the transmitter site. Fed up with this, he moved to XERB in Tijuana, another powerful "border blaster", and his mix of rowdy rock, verbal antics and raw rhythm and blues made him famous, especially with the station's proximity to Hollywood.

* CoolOldGuy: How many people perceive him to be, and how he is often portrayed in non-radio media.

* WolfMan: His radio persona (and hairstyle) invoked this. Though he also took inspiration from classic bluesman Music/HowlinWolf.

A native New Yorker, he was interested in radio at a young age and was particularly a fan of Alan Freed (sometimes known as the Moondog). He worked for various radio stations in places like Virginia and Louisiana for years, playing a variety of genres and adopting various personas along the way. In the early part of TheSixties, he perfected the Wolfman character and hatched a scheme to broadcast on XERF in Ciudad Acuña, Mexico, which, with its 250,000-watt AM signal, could be heard across North America at night. While he gained an audience, the station itself was caught in a tug-of-war between its owners, criminal gangs, and [[DirtyCop corrupt police officers]], with several gun battles at the transmitter site. Fed up with this, he moved to XERB in Tijuana, another powerful "border blaster",
and his mix of rowdy rock, verbal antics and raw rhythm and blues made him famous, especially with the station's proximity to Hollywood.

He was interested in radio at a young age and was particularly a fan of Alan Freed (sometimes known as the Moondog). He worked for various radio stations for years with other personas, it was when he worked for XERF-AM in Ciudad Acuña, Mexico. He gain fame after he moved to XERB-AM, another Mexican station, where his mix of rowdy rock, verbal antics and raw rhythm and blues attracted attention across North America.

* TheStoner: To the extent that when he worked at WNBC radio in New York they built him a specially-ventilated room where he could smoke. He gave it up later in life, though.

The person behind Wolfman Jack was unseen by the public for many years until he made an appearance in George Lucas’ ''Film/AmericanGraffiti'' in 1973. The reveal did not stop his career, as he gained success as the announcer for Creator/{{NBC}}'s late-night music show ''Series/TheMidnightSpecial''. He would go on to do more than 80 television appearances as well a few movies, but sadly collapsed from a heart attack and died at the age of 57 in 1995.

The person behind Wolfman Jack was unseen by the public for many years until he made an appearance in George Lucas’ ''Film/AmericanGraffiti'' in 1973. The reveal did not stop his career, as he gained success as the announcer for Creator/{{NBC}}'s ''Series/TheMidnightSpecial''. He would go on to do more than 80 television appearances as well a few movies, but sadly collapsed from a heart attack and died at the age of 57 in 1995.

The person behind Wolfman Jack was unseen by the public for many years until he made an appearance in George Lucas’ ''Film/AmericanGraffiti'' in 1973. The reveal did not stop his career, as he gained success hosting Creator/{{NBC}}'s ''Series/TheMidnightSpecial''. He would go on to do more than 80 television appearances as well a few movies, but sadly collapsed from a heart attack and died at the age of 57 in 1995.

The person behind Wolfman Jack was unseen by the public for many years until he made an appearance in George Lucas’ ''Film/AmericanGraffiti''. The reveal did not stop his career, as he gained success hosting Creator/{{NBC}}'s ''Series/TheMidnightSpecial''. He would go on to do more than 80 television appearances as well a few movies, but sadly collapsed from a heart attack and died at the age of 57 in 1995.

[[quoteright:320:https://static.tvtropes.org/pmwiki/pub/images/212765_l.jpg]]
[[caption-width-right:320:"If you do right, everything will come out right."]]

[[quoteright:335:https://static.tvtropes.org/pmwiki/pub/images/212765_l.jpg]]
[[caption-width-right:335:If you do right, everything will come out right]]

Wolfman Jack (1938-1995) , who was born Robert Weston Smith, was an American disc jockey. He was famous for his wolf howl and his gravelly voice.

The person behind Wolfman Jack was unseen by the public for many years until he made an appearance in George Lucas’ Film/AmericanGraffiti. The reveal did not stop his career, as he gained success hosting NBC’s ''The Midnight Special''. He would go on to do more than 80 television appearances as well a few movies, but sadly collapsed from a heart attack and died on July 1, 1995.

His autobiography “Have Mercy!: Confessions of the Original Rock 'n' Roll Animal” was published in June 1995. Music/ToddRundgren named a song on ''Music/SomethingAnything'' after him, and Music/FrankZappa mentioned him in the liner notes to ''Music/TheGrandWazoo''.

* AsHimself: Played himself in ''Film/AmericanGraffiti'' and ''More American Graffiti'' as well as a number of tv appearances.

* FakeRadioShowAlbum: He provided DJ bits for the ''Film/AmericanGraffiti'' soundtrack interspersed among the songs like in the movie.

* OpeningNarration: He recorded the intro to ''WesternAnimation/TheFonzAndTheHappyDaysGang''.

Wolfman Jack (1938-1995) , who was born Robert Weston Smith, was an American Disc Jokey. He was famous for his Wolf Howl and his gravelly voice.

He was interested in radio at a young age and was particularly a fan of Alan Freed (sometimes known as the moondog). He worked for various radio stations for years with other personas, it was when he worked for XERF-AM in Ciudad Acuña, Mexico. He gain fame after he moved to XERB-AM, another Mexican station, where his mix of rowdy rock, verbal antics and raw rhythm and blues attracted attention across North America.

The person behind wolfman jack was unseen from the public for many years until he made an appearance in George Lucas’ Film/AmericanGraffiti. The reveal did not stop his career as he gained success hosting NBC’s The Midnight Special. He would go on to do more than 80 television appearances as well a few movies but sadly collapsed from a heart attack and died on July 1, 1995.

His autobiography “Have Mercy!: Confessions of the Original Rock 'n' Roll Animal” was published in June 1995.

* AsHimself: Played himself in American Graffiti and More American Graffiti as well as a number of tv appearences

* CoolOldGuy: How many people perceive him to be and how he is often portrayed in non-radio media

* FakeRadioShowAlbum: He provided DJ bits for the American Graffiti soundtrack interspersed among the songs like in the movie

* InMemoriam: given this in the 2014 documentary Tenacity and Gratitude: The Frank Cotolo Story 

* LargeHamRadio: His signature was his wolf howl and gravelly voice. He even credited the voice to his success

* OpeningNarration: He recorded the intro to WesternAnimation/TheFonzAndTheHappyDaysGang

* OpeningNarration: Did recorded the intro to WesternAnimation/TheFonzAndTheHappyDaysGang

* LargeHamRadio: His signature was his wolf howl and gravelly voice. He even credited the voice to his success

The person behind wolfman jack was unseen from the public for many years until he made an appearance in George Lucas’ American Graffiti. The reveal did not stop his career as he gained success hosting NBC’s The Midnight Special. He would go on to do more than 80 television appearances as well a few movies but sadly collapsed from a heart attack and died on July 1, 1995.

AsHimself: Played himself in American Graffiti and More American Graffiti as well as a number of tv appearences

CoolOldGuy: How many people perceive him to be and how he is often portrayed in non-radio media

FakeRadioShowAlbum: He provided DJ bits for the American Graffiti soundtrack interspersed among the songs like in the movie

InMemoriam: given this in the 2014 documentary Tenacity and Gratitude: The Frank Cotolo Story 

LargeHamRadio: His signature was his wolf howl and gravelly voice. He even credited the voice to his success