EDGAR J. SCHERICK, 78, a television producer and programming chief at ABC from 1963-66, died Dec. 3 in Los Angeles from complications from leukemia.
The ABC Sports show Wide World of Sports was his brainchild, as was the hiring of Roone Arledge to produce the show. Arledge, of course, went on to legend status as president of ABC Sports and News and died Dec. 5 at age 71 (see page 30).
As ABC's top programming executive when the network struggled against more entrenched NBC and CBS, Scherick was responsible for putting such hits as Bewitched, The F.B.I., Hollywood Palace and television's first prime time soap opera, Peyton Place, on the air.
In later years, after leaving the network, he produced a string of theatrical and television movies and miniseries and became a staunch defender of television when the medium came under attack for violent or sexual content.
FRY GILLIS WELLS, the first female broadcaster accredited to the White House, died at Virginia's nova Fairfax Hospital of complications from pneumonia on Dec. 2. She was 94.
A lauded aviator and journalist, Wells's colorful life was distinguished by her many adventures both in the U.S. and abroad. During the 1930s, while traveling in Russia with her father, Wells worked for the New York Herald Tribune, The New York Times and Associated Press. After eloping in 1936, she and her husband, Linton Wells, began overseas radio broadcasts from Latin America for the Magic Key of RCA.
In 1963-after scouting out potential Jewish homelands for President Roosevelt and heading the U.S. Commercial Co. in West Africa-Wells went to Washington to open the Washington News Bureau for Storer Broadcasting Co. She served as Storer's White House correspondent from 1964 to 1977, becoming the first female broadcaster accredited to the White House and one of three women to accompany President Nixon to China in 1972.
Among her several awards for feats in aviation and journalism, Wells received the American Women in Radio and Television 2001 Lifetime Achievement Award, and, in 1995, Asteroid 4820 was named in her honor.
D.H. "BUCK" LONG, media executive, died at his home in Mobile, Ala., on Dec. 5. He was 73.
Long joined Jack Lewis Advertising in 1957 after serving in sales at WABB(AM) Mobile. Two years later, he moved on to CBS affiliate WKRG-1V Mobile, where he spent 40 years working up the station's ranks. He became WKRG-1V president/GM in 1986, a post he held until he retired in 1998.
Highly regarded in the industry, Long received, among other accolades, the Silver Medal given by the American Advertising Federation and was named "Alabama Broadcaster of the Year" in 1995 by the Alabama Broadcasters Association.
WILLIAM BENSON, 78, an animator who worked on The Bullwinkle Show and Casper the Friendly Ghost, died after being struck by a pickup truck in Dallas on Dec. 5.
Henson worked for Famous Studios in New York on Casper before moving to Mexico for Jay Ward Productions, where he supervised 180 animators working on The Bullwinkle Show. The show ran from 1959 to 1973. Ward was also involved with Underdog and Tennessee Tuxedo and His Tales, both Jay Ward productions.
Known as Tex, he began his career working for Disney in 1945 and, within a year, was working on Song of the South. Other Disney projects included Pecos Bill and Peter and the Wolf. He also played a major role in making the Chip 'N' Dale Disney characters as popular as they were by a relentless campaign to make them recurring Disney characters.
Henson most recently taught animation in the public school system in Dallas.
BOB STEELE, 91, an announcer for WTIC-FM Hartford, Conn., for 55 years, died in his sleep on Dec. 6.
Steele became an announcer at WTIC-FM in 1936 and, in 1943, was given the morning-drive-time slot on the station.
He most recently had a monthly Saturday-morning talk show, with his last broadcast taking place on Nov. 2.
He is survived by his wife Shirley, four sons, eight grandchildren and two great-grandchildren.
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