User:Aedwardmoch/Donald Stewart Jr.

Donald Stewart Jr.
Television-Radio DJ-Sports Announcer, Comedy and Speech Writer Born October 15, 1936 in Missouri USA, from an old Missouri pioneer family, he and his brother would relocate with his parents to nearby Louisville Kentucky. His education would develope there. In the early-Mid 1950's, tall for his age, and his love for sports, he would later attend The University of Kentucky in Louisville. Under a basketball scholarship. While there as a student, his main interest was in broadcasting and media studies, and served for a time as a student sportscaster and disjocky at their campus broadcast center.

Inspired By Ernie Kovacs
While intrigued by the early development of Television, he became inspired by the comedy and TV pioneer genius of Ernie Kovacs. In the development of his writing skills, he and Kovacs would send comedy ideas back and forth to one another. In the development of Kovacs's 'Back of the head' concept ideas, he came up with his famous "Blackout Scenes", whereby a visual gag would be presented, followed by a 'blackout', then followed by a visual punchline sung under the monotone singing of "Mack The Knife" by Mr. Wilder. Though many of these blackout gags would become a Kovacs classic trademark of comedy, it was many a time, a collaboration between them both. This association would later gain for himself an upcoming skill as a comedy writer.

Media Announcer
In the 1960's, he Worked at various radio and new television stations (mostly in the Mid-West and South-East) his skills as a media announcer continued to define the direction of the new media. He worked along side many pioneers of both established radio and television.

A Unique Moment of Fate
While working at a television station in The Chicago Regional Area, Stewart received a phone call from Kovacs. Having the foresight, Kovacs wanted to seriously develop a one hour comedy TV show, requesting Stewart to be one of his main team writers. Without hessitation, and to the dismay of his collegues and associates, he resigned his position overnight, and made immediate plans to interview and discuss this new venture into comedy writing in Los Angeles. As he was getting ready to meet with Kovacs, a major setback occured. The night before, Kovacs, and his wife Edie Adams had just been to a celebrity party. While leaving the event, Kovacs lost contol of his vehicle and died. With all ties severed from Chicago, he had to fend on his own.

A Comedy Writer
Inspired by Kovacs's influence, TV Program Creator, George Schlatter came up with a comedy TV format. Schlatter would call it "Laff-In". With the success of "Laff-In", Stewart approached Schladder, and collaborated with him on a comedy spin off called "Turn-On". Along with young comedy writer, Albert Brooks, and an ideal cast, they came up with a quick-witted cutting edge comedy format. In spite the provocative and inovative concepts of "Turn-On", it was way ahead of the curve, and in only one airing, it came and it went. Though it would later be a successful TV comedy format, for future shows, this was another setback in his struggling carreer.

Government Service
As the power of television and the media was becoming an acute influence in all our lives, The United States Government began to re-evaluate it's political impact as well. In getting in step with the new media, a call for media savy writers were needed. In the 1970's, Donald Stewart answered that call. Stewart would meet U.S. Government Media Consultant, Dr.Robert Monroe. Under his influence, he would excell in various aspects of media.

Ronald Reagan
Though he came into government service during The Carter Administration], working as a western regional media director for [[Action, it would be his meeting encounter with Ronald Reagon. Like Stewart, Reagan was a former sports radio announcer, and both knew similar collegues and associates from The Chicago Regional Area. Reagan liked Stewart's writing style, and they became personally aquainted. When Ronald Reagan became President of The United States, Stewart became utilized as a speech writer for The White House.

A White House Speech Writer
Most of Donald Stewart's speech writing and slogan style was a major part of Ronald Reagan and after The Reagan Admistration. He continued to be utilized as a speech writer even into The Clinton Administration and other government officals. After over 25 years of service, he resigned in late October, 1995.

A Seasoned Multi-Media Consultant
In similar likes of Dr. Robert Monroe, he began to look to the idea of being a private multi-media consultant. While he was exploring the possibility, he began to have problems with his personal health. On Feburary 8th. 1996, while he was having a medical checkup in Burbank, California, he suffered massave heart failure.

Marriage
He was married to Viola K. Kirby in 1956 and had two children from this relationaship.