Next Saturday will be the thirtieth Saint Jude telethon here on WEEK-TV. Over the years, the telethon has gotten larger and raised more money, but the goal has always remained the same.
In 1977, who knew the St. Jude telethon was going to end up as it has? Certainly not the people who were there at the start...
"The first one was kind of flying by the seat of our pants. We'd never done one before".
In fact, that first telethon almost didn't happen. The owners of WEEK-TV had a bad experience with another telethon and had ruled "no more".
And at that time, the station was owned by the Kansas City Southern railroad.
"Corporate owners in Kansas City did not allow telethons back then".
Jim Zerwick, a former WEEK Production manager said, "They just had a policy that they did not want to partake in them. telethons were not an appropriate thing to do".
it took the pleading of then-general manager Bill Adams to convince his bosses to let him try...
"And his answer back was, 'OK, I'll let you try it but you better not screw up," said Adams.
That first telethon was something like a long conversation with families and doctors, but it raised more than $50,000.
The telethon got a further boost when Bergner's signed on for the first time. The telethon's founder, Jim Maloof, said, "Once we found the right vehicle, Bergner's came on board, and the rest is history".
Steve Shaw, who now produces the telethon, is the official archivist.
All these tapes contain 30 years of events in telethon: Danny Thomas, founder of Saint Jude makes a personal plea. A few years later, daughter Marlo Thomas makes her own appearance.
1981..Gene Pratt promises a Memphis to Peoria run...
1991, actress Ann Jillian and Wayne Newton appear....
1994, when the telethon goes over a million dollars for the first time.
1998 -the Twin Cities become part of the telethon.
And what does Steve Shaw remember?
"The kids. You do these stories that stay with you. And, you look at these tapes, at these kids, and they never get older".
That is, after all, what all the telethons have been about...the kids of Saint Jude. The ones who survived...and those who didn't...but whose courage was an example to everyone with a heart who wants to help.
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