Godspeed, Mr. Trolley

I attended college in Central New York State. I was a broadcasting major and I remember as if it was yesterday, the day I arrived on a Greyhound Bus and walked into a classroom for the orientation of the broadcasting students. At the front of the room was Doc O'Donnell and the first words out of his mouth to all these fresh faces was "There are no jobs in Broadcasting". He basically was telling us that we were wasting our time, pursuing broadcasting as a major. I, being the stubborn Italian that I am, was just more determined that I would somehow make it happen for me. I stuck it out and thrived in the environment that Doc had built for his students. He was department chair and by saying what he did, he hoped to weed out the lazy, non motivated students, leaving our scarce resources for the students who were determined to make it. I sometimes wonder if his saying that right off the bat, is what opened that door to my future and I have never forgotten him. He was one of the team that taught us the ropes, TV, Radio, Sales, Programming, Jock, Journalist, Director, Engineer. We learned it ALL and that helped us all find our nitch in the "New" career that was broadcasting.

One of the things he did in TV's infancy was play a character in a kid's program airing on the local TV channel.

He was "Mr. Trolley" on a show called "The Magic Toyshop" He wore a trolley on his head. The pictures I have seen of him are truly funny now days, but generations of children grew up with him and remember him fondly. I get the feeling that it had a lot of a Mr. Rogers feel to the show.
The fact that he had worked live television, gave him an edge that so many of the wanna be teachers just don't have.
Once you have walked the walk, you can impart wisdom and that he did that, in spades.

After graduating, I saw Doc at several reunions through the years. I remember after getting my job and going to a reunion in the mid 80's, I threw the line about no jobs in broadcasting, back in his face. He looked at me proudly and smiled a Cheshire cat smile. That's when I really knew he used it as a motivator. I also saw him at my 20th reunion, when we all came back to give Al Roker the Distinguished Alumni award. He was, even in retirement, still the same Doc that I always knew and admired.
He was scheduled to attend the Communications Reunion in October and I was just lamenting with another former student, that I would love to go to get another chance to see Doc. Unfortunately, that won't happen. Doctor Lewis B. O'Donnell died 2 days ago. He will be sorely missed by hundreds of us broadcasting alumni who are out there, working in the industry he swore we would never work in. We honor you every day, by our competence, dedication to our careers and lives. Godspeed.