Lohman
L.A. radio personality Al Lohman, one half of the popular "Lohman & Barkley" comedy show that entertained local auds for more than two decades as well as a national aud in various TV appearances, died Sunday Oct. 13 in Rancho Mirage, Calif., from complications of bladder cancer. He was 69.
Lohman teamed with Barkley in 1961 to entertain KFI-AM listeners with a cast of comical, mythical characters from a soap opera town they dubbed Pine City. Duo stayed together until 1986. Barkley died of cancer in 1997 at age 61.
During their shared career, Lohman and Barkley also made frequent appearances on such national television programs as "The Ed Sullivan Show" and "Hollywood Squares." They also made stage, nightclub and movie appearances, had their own NBC network gameshow, "Name Droppers," and had a syndicated comedy-variety show in the mid-1970s. The received two local Emmy Awards.
A year before they broke up, the duo also received a star on the Hollywood Walk of Fame.
He first worked at a station in his native Iowa while in college, then came a two-year stint in the Army, during which he worked in Armed Forces Radion while stationed in Panama. After that came a deejay gig in Omaha. He later worked at stations in Denver and Dallas as well as WABC-AM in New York before being hired by Barkley, the new program director at KLAC, for the morning duty in 1962.
When the station was sold the next year, the duo were fired but tried out as a team and were rehired. When KLAC went to an all-talk format in 1967, the duo moved to KFWB; when that station went to all news a year later, they found a permanent home at KFI. The broke up suddenly in 1986 when Barkley called in his resignation, taking everyone -- including his comedy partner -- by surprise.
Lohman later worked at KRLA and then again at KFI with Gary Ownes; he hosted morning shows for KCMJ-AM in Palm Springs in the 1990s. He also did voiceover work.
Lohman is survived by his wife of 44 years, Maryann; a daughter; and a sister.
Family requests donations be made to the American Cancer Society.
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