This legendary radio talk show host, hosted a call in radio talk show known as 'Hot line' on various radio stations throughout his career. In Canada it was from the mid 1960s to the early 1990s. To name a few stations: CKGM, CJOR, CKO, CIMA 'majic 104am: CKST and even Television CKVU.
(Note that since I've only listened to his talk show from around 1983 and up to the early 1990s, I'm unfamiliar with his previous shows).
But he always opened his show this way:
"
And a good evening to all of you Hot liners as once again we go forward with another three hours of argument, discussion and debate...on any topic under the sun. The Hotline is the program with no false gods or sacred cows and the ones that dare you to think, want you to think and having thoughts speak out. And when I say any topic under the sun I mean precisely that. For it doesn't matter to me which or what you want to talk about is of a purely local nature, regional, provincial, state wide, national, international, philosophic, outer space or sports.
" He always answered the phone by saying "Burns' Line go ahead!"
On CJOR 600 in the 1980s his show ran from 6:30pm to 10pm(?) and the number to call was, 731-****.
One day in 1988, Pat was vacationing in Reno Nevada when CJOR announced it would change format. Micheal Levi, who was substituting for Burns' Line, made contact with Pat in Reno and asked him to comment on the surprise change of format on air. This took place on September 1, 1988. Pat mentioned he began on CJOR on May 13Th 1963. Then later to CKGM and then back to CJOR in June 1969.
Pat cut his vacation short to be back at the studio the next morning (Sept 2Th) on the Fanny Keffer show.
CJOR changed format at 12 noon that very same day and became
CHRX.
In late 1988 or Jan 1989, Pat moved his show to the All
News and Information Network, CKO (96.1 in Vancouver)
At CKO he was heard in Calgary, Edmonton, Ontario, Ottawa, Montreal,
Halifax and across Canada. He was on 6pm to 9pm and repeated at
9pm to 12. I liked the theme music opening his shows. After a
few seconds of the theme, a loud voiced announcer opened this way: "And now, from Vancouver coast to coast, the Hotline with Pat Burns! In Vancouver the number to call is 251-****! Across the country, the number to call is 1-800-663-****! That's 1-800-663-****! The Hotline! Pat Burns! On CKO!"
And while at CKO, he also substituted for Dave Abbott on CKVU TV 13 for a daily 1/2 hour current affairs talk show.
On November 11Th 1989 the All-News and Information Radio CKO shut down forever.
In late 1989 or early 1991, Pat transferred to CIMA 'Magic 104am' (AM 1040).
At Magic 104am, he broadcasted from his own studio located in the Century Plaza Hotel in downtown Vancouver. With his Broadcast Network Incorporated (BNI) - the owner and producer of the Pat Burns Hotline Program, and a satellite up-link, he was heard coast-to-coast across Canada (as far east as NewFoundland) and parts of the United States (as far south as St Louis). Some U.S. callers referred to him as the 'Larry King' of Canada.
Then one day, suddenly, his show vanished.
I believe the very last time his show was on air was in late 1991 or early 1992 (not sure). I heard this following message broadcasted in his time slot on Magic 104 AM:
"BNI, the owner and producers of the Pat Burns Hotline has
informed Magic 104 AM that the Pat Burns Hotline is no longer
available! Magic 104 AM regrets any inconveniences this may
cause to our listeners." It then offered a phone number to call
for information. I wish I would have called it to see what the information said.
The very last time I heard his voice on radio was in January of 1994 when Pat was doing radio commercials on CKWX 1130 (then a country music station).
In 1996, about 3 weeks after returning from a Salmon Arm trip where he had just given a speech, he developed pneumonia. He checked himself in hospital and passed away June 1996.
Mr. Charles McLean on AM 1040 (previously known as Majic 104AM) spoke at length about Pat on shortly after his passing. He said Pat had once married but did not give more details. This is exactly what he said: "He mentioned once he...well I knew he'd been married because told me the story how he got the job in London and so on, but I never met any of his people [relatives, brothers and sisters]".
Many callers phoned in to talk about him. Charles also mentioned a Mrs(?). Elaine Alexander who was always a big help to Pat. Another caller mentioned that Vancouver's biggest traffic jam was created the day Pat spoke at the Queen Elizabeth theatre in March 1965. And that a little known previous big meeting from Pat was in 1964.
Here are a few websites found through various search engines: Check back again for updates.
http://www.rcc.ryerson.ca/ccf/personal/hof/burns_p.html
http://www.broadcasting-history.ca/personalities/personalities.php?id=249
http://www.nsnews.com/oldnews/06219609.html
http://www.nsnews.com/backed/d0716965.html
http://www.canadianfreespeech.com/cafe/
(near the bottom of this one is perhaps the most recent photograph of Pat).
http://www3.telus.net/radiohistory/Other/Pat%20BurnsCollection.htm
http://www.westcan.org/westcan/gallery.htm#Pat%20Burns
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Pat_Burns_(broadcaster)
http://bcradiohistory.com/Other/boat.htm
http://www.bcarchives.bc.ca/bcarchives/default.aspx (search this archive for recordings of Pat Burns!)
See pages 73-75 of the book: "Top Dog! - a Fifty Year History of B.C.'s Most Listened to Radio Station [CKNW]"
See photograph #59691 no.12 at the Vancouver Public
Library - Special Collection Division: A portrait of
Pat as a North Vancouver City alderman in 1959.
Title: Across Canada / The Town Crier
from CBC
A public affairs program broadcast live (Vancouver) with host
Bob Quintrel. Open-line and radio shows in BC. Barry Clark, CKWX open-line show: Jack Webster, and Pat Burns, CJOR Hot-Line show with Doug Collins as the moderator. A discussion on the contribution of radio talk shows, etc.
year: Nov 27th 1964?
Prod. credit: excecutive producer, Harry Boyle; host, Bob Quintrel
--------------------------------
Title: This Hour Has Seven Days
from CBC
Television public affairs show hosted by Laurier LaPierre, Patrick Watson and Dinah Chrisitie. Doug Collins interviews Vancouver broadcaster Pat Burns about his leaving CJOR.
Comments from listeners
Year: 04 04 1965
from CBC
host, Laurier LaPierre; Patrick Watson; Dinah Chrisitie; reporter, Warner Troyer; Larry Zolf; Doug Collins, David Steinberg
Pat was interviewed in 1964 by someone on the CBC- TV "Seven O'Clock Show" to discuss his own Hotline show. The program made news in the Vancouver Sun the next day.
Pat recorded for RCA Victor back in the mid '60s.
Title: "My Kind of Guy".
[A commemorative radio programme,
Nov. 22 1965, on CKGM in Montreal for the 2th anniversary of the death of president J.F. Kennedy. A Eulogy with Lucien Hetu at the organ.]
ISSUE NO. CC-1028 (1OURPM 1829-1830) by RCA Victor Canada International Classica. 33 1/3 RPM.
This is available at Bibliotheque National Du Quebec and at
Bowling Green State Univ. OH. in the US.
Pat was interviewed by the legendary Jack Cullen* of CKNW in Jan, 1968. Jack played this interview on CKNW in 1996 shortly after Pat passed away. In the interview Pat mentioned to Jack that he had once recorded for RCA back in 1965.
* By the way, Jack Cullen passed away. Here are some of my listening memories: http://www.angelfire.com/ok5/jackcullen
Pat was interviewed on "Rogers Cablevision 10" in
Sept 1988 shortly after CJOR changed format. I saw the interview replayed shortly after his death.
He said his father had been mostly a chemist. But had also been a longshoremen and a taxi driver. travelled to the British Isles and settled in Great Britain and found a job at the treasury Dept. at Canadian Embassy of Veteran Affairs. When he heard that BBC was looking for a fast talking North American sport commentator, Pat tried it out. He did a live audition at a The Empire Pool and Sports Arena. He then went on to Radio/TV. More later...
UBC library holds two sound recordings from 2 of his Hotline shows from CJOR in the 1970s. Find them in UBC Library Cataloge.
Abr: Van.Times = Vancouver Times newspaper; Van.Prov. = The Vancouver Province newspaper; Van.Sun = Vancouver Sun newspaper; Van.Courier = Vancouver Courier (a community newspaper).
Spot any errors or omissions? Please let us know if you know of other important news clippings not listed here.