Jayne cuts the ribbon to a new men's room.
Backstory: Male employees used to have to go through Jayne's
film department to reach their restroom.  This 1959 photo shows
that relief came not only to the men, but to Jayne as well!

Jayne has special memories of the quirky side of WTVT.  "Pete Martinez was Spanish from head to toe," she laughs, "and included in his chores was directing the station breaks.  Our films always had a hole punched in them three seconds before a break was coming up.  The directors would say 'ready to get out,' and the projectionist would be ready to roll the commercial on another projector on the additional cue Get out.  Pete would say 'ready to went!' and then went!!  No one had the heart to correct him.

Another one of our projectionists was fired for pushing the buttons with his toes.  In spite of the fact he was pretty good at it. Then there was our assistant general manager, who was a former FBI man named Norman Bagwell who was noted for always hiking up his pants with his elbows, a trait he established when packing a pistol in his earlier job.

We had a girl in Traffic name Diane who ran for Miss Tampa and won.  Marvin Scott, the world's bravest photographer, snatched her off the stage and drove her back to the station at 90 miles per hour so we could have her live on the air for the 11 o'clock news.  They passed 'Buddy' Sugg en route and got in trouble the next day.

John Haberlan was the General Sales Manager and very funny, always asking Whats shaping? and trying to find someone who could read his writing enabling him to find out what it was he wrote to himself on a famous pinky note pad..  We all became really good friends, had parties together and went to civic events together.  

Picnics and cookouts were often enjoyed by the WTVT Staff.
Larry Reynault (left) barbeques while Jayne Boyd horses around. 

Once a year, Mr. Dodson and his wife Grace would throw a cocktail party for us.  I remember there was a bar/eatery down the street and after work a lot of us would end up there to have a relax and laugh session. We were a young group that a good time.  We were also dedicated to become the top station in the market and that ambition succeeded."

Mr. & Mrs. Gene Dodson at the opening celebration 
for Busch Gardens in Tampa (1960)