WEWS-TV was the first station in Ohio and some of its most memorable programming came from independent producer Herman Spero. After graduating from Glenville High, Spero eyed a full-time career in show business having already done some radio and as one of the Cleveland Playhouse “Curtain Pullers”. He served his country in the armed forces where he also produced USO shows. After his stint in the Army, Spero worked in radio for a time and eventually started producing shows like Old Dutch Polka Review for WEWS-TV. He worked with many of the greats including Dorothy Fuldheim and Gene Carroll, producing his Giant Tiger Amateur Hour, later named after its host. But Spero will likely best be remembered for his music shows aimed at specific audiences.
Cleveland had a wide range of ethnic groups and in 1956 Polka Varieties premiered hosted by Korean War veteran and former WGAR announcer Paul Wilcox. The show featured local and national groups with Frankie Yankovic, who had done network radio, being a particular favorite. At one point Polka Varieties was syndicated to as many as 30 TV markets. A popular show, but Spero had his finger on the pulse of the still growing television audience and developed a program with an even wider appeal.
The Big Five Show wasn’t the first pop music show, but it certainly made its mark. Cleveland was a much busier city in the early sixties, with a bustling live entertainment scene. Clubs like Leo’s Casino, La Cave and other venues were bringing in national acts, as did theaters and concert halls, and Spero came up with a program that showcased some of the most important acts in the industry. Many of them were just starting out and were grateful for the exposure, and he also recognized that rock and roll was not defined by any one particular genre or, more importantly, race. Spero’s show aired a wide range of popular acts with Motown artists seeing it as an important stop once they left Detroit. Stax Records artists also found a home on the show. This was actually a pretty bold move in the days of the still growing civil rights movement, and Spero made it clear his show would be “color blind”.
When the program first went on the air in 1964 it was hosted by local disc jockeys, but soon a Canadian TV personality named Don Webster made his way to Cleveland as permanent host. By 1965 the show was also getting lots of attention for syndication, so the Big Five name wasn’t really practical. It was rechristened as Upbeat and would be seen in markets across the country. Some of the appearances have become legendary. Guitarist Jimmy Page appeared with the Yardbirds a year before he debuted Led Zeppelin. Otis Redding made his last TV appearance singing “Knock on Wood” with Mitch Ryder. Just hours later Redding would die in a plane crash enroute to Madison, Wisconsin. Chances were if a major act came through northeast Ohio, they were on Upbeat. Did the Beatles ever make an appearance? Well, technically yes, but they did not perform. Don Webster was able to air an interview with the four during their Cleveland concert stop. Upbeat was on WEWS until 1971.
Spero also produced specials including a memorable one at Lakewood’s Winton Place with the Fifth Dimension, and Ghoulardi’s last local TV appearance in an all-night movie marathon on WEWS with comedian Chuck McCann. Herman Spero left us in September 1979, with a proud reputation as one of the key players in the development of local television.