Cunningham Gets Drafted

Ed Cunningham was drafted to host the Philadelphia segment originating from WHYY-TV on the nationally aired AN AMERICAN FEAST on PBS. The program was fed for live broadcast on Saturday, December 4, 1999 at 3 pm, EST. Some of the PBS stations may have elected to air the program at a later date. Gerry Wilkinson was the Associate Producer on Ed's portion.

During the December 1999 drive, there was some live Doo Wop with the Revels, Jerry Blavat, Eddie Holman, Little Isidore and the Inquisitors and Weldon McDougal of the Larks.

The initial airing on Thursday, December 2nd, yielded over $314,000. Gerry Wilkinson coordinated the acts and songs with Ed Cunningham as local host. During the March 2000 drive, Doo Wop was done again with more local live performances featuring the previous group plus 5-3 Woodland, Danny and the Juniors, Kenny Vance (of Jay & the Americans) and the Planotones and Bunny Sigler.

FYI, Professor John B. Roberts was a co-founder of WHYY-TV.

Cunningham's Show aired October 6, 1999

Since August of 1998, our ol' buddy, Ed Cunningham has been working on his latest project, a 90 minute show about former Philadelphia Mayor Frank Rizzo. This hard-hitting program told it all. RIZZO, the eagerly awaited production from WHYY-TV history producer Ed Cunningham premiered on WHYY-TV on Wednesday, October 6 from 9 pm to 10:30. We have more details on the program, plus three screen captures from the actual air tape. For the complete script, Ed Cunningham has sent it to us. You need the Acrobat Reader in order to view it.

According to the August 11, 1999 edition of Today at WHYY, an internal electronic publication, Ed Cunningham's production of WE ARE PENN STATE, was nominated on Tuesday, August 10th for a local emmy. The program, aired as part of the December 1998 pledge drive, was nominated in the category of Outstanding Entertainment Broadcast. The Penn State program, however excellent as it was, did not win.