Paul Dixon

Paul Dixon was a daytime television celebrity and talk show host in Cincinnati, Ohio. He originally began his career with radio shows in New York and Chicago before being enticed to come to Cincinnati as a newscaster around 1945- he was chosen best newscaster in Cincinnati in 1947 after conducting an interview with men trapped in a collapsed building in Downtown Cincinnati.

~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~

Eventually abandoning radio news in favor of entertainment, he spent his first few years in television co-hosting a show with Dottie Mack and Wanda Lewis pantomiming to records of the day. By 1955 Dixon was picked to host a new daytime TV show geared to housewives.

Related Topics:
Dottie Mack - Wanda Lewis

~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~

"The Paul Dixon Show" premiered on Cincinnati's WLWT in 1955. The show began as a half-hour program, but later expanded to 90 minutes with co-hosts Bonnie Lou and Colleen Sharp and was also syndicated to other stations in Columbus, Dayton and Indianapolis. "Paul Baby", as he came to be known (the nickname was given him by a prop boy) had a breezy style and a sense of humor that appealed to housewives and others alike. His show reached its peak on March 11,1969, when he staged a wedding for two rubber chickens. To this day that particular episode remains a significant piece of WLWT's television history. Late Night TV host David Letterman, who grew up in Indianapolis, cites Dixon's comedic talent as inspiration for his own antics.

Related Topics:
WLWT - Bonnie Lou - Colleen Sharp - 1969 - David Letterman

~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~

Dixon published two books; the first in 1969 titled "Paul Baby: Confessions of the Mayor of Kneesville". The Following year he published an additional book, "Letters to Paul Baby", a compilation of Dixon's favorite fan mail.

~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~

Dixon suffered a heart attack in 1970, shortly after his son was killed in a car accident. Dixon himself died of a ruptured aneurism on December 28, 1974. WLWT executives continued reruns of the show until the end of the following January, but after realizing that Dixon could not be replaced, ended the show in early February 1975.

Related Topics:
1970 - 1975

~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~