There from the start
Chuck Phillips is trying to put together a list of those people who were there at the very start of the company 40 years ago. Here is his memory dump. Can you think of more? If so, please post a comment.
THE CHIAT/DAY ORIGINAL EMPLOYEES
The folks I remember being at 1300 West Olympic Blvd. on Chiat/Day’s opening day, (October 7, 1968) were…
JAY CHIAT
GUY DAY
HY YABLONKA
TOM BURR
MEL ABERT
MEL NEWHOFF
DENNIS JUETT
DALE PENNINGTON
MARY BETH NEAL
LENORE PLOTKIN
IRENE CRAWFORD
TOM GROENER
JERRY BOX
MIKE NOONAN
VIC GAINER
NANCY SALKIN
DICKIE VASQUEZ
SID SALINGER
PAUL DECKER
BLAKE HUNTER
DORIS BELL (traffic bulldog)
HAL PAWLUK
DIETER EICHLEMAN (paste-up)
TOM PHALERT (art director)
Receptionist (name unknown)
BARBARA LOPEZ (jay's EA)
BILL MANNING (CFO)
EMILY AUSTIN (acct. grp sec.)
ME
I know there were some others (including a red-headed secretary/pal of mary beth's whose name escapes me).
Comments
Hey, Chuck, how are you? As I recall, Blake Hunter was not there -- I don't remember working with him. I'm not sure Paul Decker was there on day one either, I thought he was added right after we started -- we should check with Mel and Mel, they would remember.
Who were Nancy Salkin and Irene Crawford? Wasn't Barbara Lopez there? (Jay/Guy's secretary/assistant) -- I'm pretty sure she was there at the outset. And the young guy who did paste ups and ran the lucy machine. I want to say Gunther, but I honestly don't remember. In fact, I think there were two of them, one with a Hispanic name, I think. Sosa?
My memory is way too fuzzy....what was the name of the kindly lady who did traffic, worked with Sid Salinger? Was that Nancy? Or irene? Who was the receptionist? Wasn't there a gorgeous blond there? Or was that later?
Anyway, you did an amazing job of remembering names.
Hope all is well with you,
Mary Beth
Posted by: Mary Beth Garber | May 23, 2008 01:40 AM
mary beth helped with a few more names from opening day roster:
BARBARA LOPEZ (jay's EA)
BILL MANNING (CFO)
EMILY AUSTIN (acct. grp sec.)
DORIS ???? (traffic bulldog)
DIETER HAUSER (paste-up guy)
decker stays (he was absolutely there), blake hunter doesn't. (he came later)
Posted by: chuck phillips | May 24, 2008 07:58 PM
Good grief, Chuck...what a memory! Found this site by accident, while surfing for something entirely unrelated. I think you've got most everyone, along with Mary Beth's additions. (I think she's got them all right...she is probably thinking of Oz Sosa.) I began with FAUST/Day, before Guy and Tom Faust split, and Guy hooked up with Jay, who had previously had a small Orange County agency. Guy hired me, and I brought Doris Bell over from Carson/Roberts, where I had worked for seven years prior to Faust/Day. Also among the originals in the Production Department were Mickey Sandler and Les Slifkin. Further, in that first group was, I believe, Warren Halperin. One minor correction: Although the OFFICIAL opening of the agency was indeed October 7, 1968 and yes,the address on that date was 1300 W. Olympic Boulevard, the agency was formed and began several months earlier, and was housed in tiny cramped quarters nearby. Can't remember the exact location, but some of the others on that "originals" list probably would. To all of those still among us, a hearty and wistful "hello"!
Sid Salinger
Posted by: Sid Salinger | July 5, 2008 01:37 PM
...and, oh yes...one more:
JIM VAN NOY
Sid
Posted by: Sid Salinger | July 6, 2008 08:14 PM
...and, oh yes...one more:
JIM VAN NOY
Sid
Posted by: Sid Salinger | July 6, 2008 08:14 PM
What fun! I haven't seen or heard most of these names for 20 years or more.
Just to set the record straight I was with Faust/Day and then with Jay before the merger. I never wworked for Chiat/Day. but of course, I knew all the people who did. Did Gene McClenning work for C/D or had he already gone to Fairchild?
Posted by: Mickey Sandler | August 28, 2008 03:09 PM
I think Irene Crawford was Jay's one-person accounting department before the merger.
Posted by: Mickey Sandler | August 29, 2008 05:41 PM