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Gilberts: Pete McGarvey was a real Canadian hero

Pete McGarvey, former news director of CFCO Radio did some great things during his time in Chatham as well as when he was living in Orillia.

Last week, I told you about finding a few It Happened in Kent radio scripts while going through our files. That radio show was researched and written by Pete McGarvey when he worked for CFCO-AM in the 1960s and ’70s.

In preparing last week’s column, I did some research on McGarvey. He certainly did some good things while he was in Chatham (1965-75), but his work in Orillia really amazed me.

Gilberts: Pete McGarvey was a real Canadian hero Back to video

Pete McGarvey was born James A. McGarvey, on June 29, 1927 – almost 99 years ago – in Toronto. He grew up there and got his first job writing radio scripts for the Canadian High News. He was just out of high school and radio was at peak popularity, in those days before television.

He moved to Orillia in 1947 and got a job at CFOR-AM. He spent 18 years there, rising from copywriter to assistant general manager, and changing his name to Pete along the way. That station was famous for launching the careers of many well-known........

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