KHJ -TV 9 (now KCAL), Los Angeles - Sign-off recorded 25 September 1982

The clip commences with a KHJ-TV public service announcement in progress. Following this is a KHJ-TV editorial about the U.S./Soviet Union nuclear arms race, delivered by VP/GM Charles Velona (who would leave the station when RKO General sold Channel 9 in 1989). After this comes a two-minute commercial for Worthington Ford, featuring Cal Worthington himself riding on his "dog", Spot, and showing off his most recent line of used car specials. The KHJ-TV sign-off that follows is of the simple type, a static station ID slide and voice-over. The clip concludes with a filmed piece, possibly produced by Channel 9, that features Ray Charles' great rendition of "America The Beautiful". SignOffsGuy apologizes for the sub-par quality of the video.

[@NicanTlacaWarrior1]

I used to stay awake at night as a kid, after my mother, sister, and father went to sleep, just to turn on KHJ at 12AM to watch this, then go right back to bed. It was my favorite thing to watch on TV in those days.

[@unique74muzik]

Old Los Angeles..a time that lives only in memory..

[@md_vandenberg]

I was 17 days old when this sign-off aired. A few years ago, I read an article about the "Max Headroom Broadcast Intrusion" incident and went down a rabbit hole of learning how television broadcasts work in greater detail. That is how I found out about station sign-offs. I love the Internet.

[@bunnybismuth]

If you haven't seen it yet you should look up the Oddity Archive's episode about signoffs.

[@MegaJustGeorge]

Every part of this video - the editorial, the ad for Cal Worthington, and Brother Ray's version of "America the Beautiful" - all of it, is perfect! Thank you for posting, my friend!

[@wifeoftim]

It brings back such memories growing up in Los Angeles.

[@mharris5047]

I wish I could get a newer used car for the prices in that ad. I paid $6K for my van in 2011 (it is a 2006), now for an equivalent five year old vehicle I am looking at about $30K! My current van is a rust bucket but we are running it as long as we can. Writing a $30K check just isn't appetizing to me.

[@TheRenard10]

One of my favorite sign offs! I'm now listening to Ray Charles singing his 1972 version of "America The Beautiful".

[@gidzmobug2323]

Mark Levin plays that version on his radio show to salute the first responders.

[@paullarue2010]

My Grandpa used to watch KHJ (KCAL) 9. "The Wraith" was showing on KCAL 9 Cinema.

[@TheBronxBunnyMan]

You had me at "CAL WORTHINGTON AND HIS DOG, SPOT!"

[@mvilla36]

If you wanna buy a truck pussy cow

[@jeffdawson2786]

Holy cow, what great footage. Thanks for the memories.

[@dariowiter3078]

KHJ-TV had just stopped showing Laurel & Hardy around mid-1982, after they showed Stan & Ollie for three years beginning in 1979(KTTV showed Laurel & Hardy in one form or another for six years: 1970-76) when this transmission was done. I had just started 8th grade at this time. 😁

[@shawnmalone9711]

Great memories of Stan and Ollie back in the day Whenever they showed Laurel and Hardy movies our family used to sit in front of the TV and the movies made us laugh. My mother taped a lot of the Laurel and Hardy movies on our VCR. The American Movie Classic channel used to show a lot of old comedy movies back in the 90s. I tried to get my son to watch them with me. He said the movies were "too old" and didn't want to see them. What's wrong with this young generation?

[@dariowiter3078]

@@shawnmalone9711 How would I know what's wrong with these newer generations? What I do know is that they are massively f*****-up thanks to their f*****-up parents with their left-wing attitudes.

[@MrSamer83]

What an awesome sign off back then of Ray Charles's ATB along with a nice montage of SoCal in the background to end the broadcast day!!! Memories!!!

[@ciabattatom521]

I never saw any reason for KHJ/KCAL to stop airing this, as well as KABC with their glorious rendition of John Gillespie MacGee Jr.'s "High Flight," once a day, even though they began broadcasting 24 hours. I still say "bring them back." Clean them up if you can, but don't change them or try to redo them. Regarding the quality of this posting... without it, I would only have my faded memory instead of being able to actually enjoy it. I am grateful and thank you.

[@gsnfan]

This is great! And the used car commercial offered some pretty decent vehicles for sale then.

[@lavontreyclarke3285]

KHJ-TV operates on Channel 9 by authority of the Federal Communications Commission in Washington DC. Throughout the broadcast day, some of the programs on Channel 9 are reproduced by means of film and videotape.

[@JENDALL714]

Wow, KHJ recognize their obligation to broadcast opposing views, you don't hear that anymore.

[@albear972]

Ohhhh! old KHJ days when I was a very young one. I always heard, "pussy cow, pussy cow, pussy cow" I guess I was a twisted minded young kid.

[@AnthonyWilliams-li5mz]

Where and what happened to this world. Where did it go?

[@KondaaKage]

Nice find!!! Been watching your videos for a while and this is nice

[@gidzmobug2323]

No reference to their radio counterpart, as was done before. Perhaps KHJ 930AM had been sold when this was posted.

[@17z483]

KLCS 28, Los Angeles - Closing recorded 28 March 2011

[@GODCONVOYPRIME]

three days from now in 1982 this commercial aired and russia was still a hot topic.

[@MarkMichaelSalin]

Thanks for "re-uploading" this :)

[@namewithheldnamewithheld2725]

I was seven years old then I lived in Baldwin park,California.

[@TheRenard10]

Where do you live now?

[@TS-ef2gv]

Cozy cow, cozy cow, cozy cow!

[@eascec8374]

Any Other Stations Used ATB by RC? I notice WFAA Dallas-Ft. Worth, TX, KNDO Yakima, WA and KTUL Tulsa, Oklahoma Has It.

[@MrSamer83]

WJLA in DC did it too

[@cloiddokich4351]

My friends sister worked for Cal Worthington ? She said his commercial Eat A Bug to sale you a FORD didn't mean a Volkswagon Bug but an actual bug ? All I could reply was Farfenugen ? Izuzu ?

[@royrowland5763]

Not to nitpick, but... This would have been perfect if it had included a few seconds of test pattern at the end. Everything else is what I craved -- LA station, editorial, Cal Worthington, and a Ray Charles "America the Beautiful" instead of the National Anthem.

[@gidzmobug2323]

No test pattern. You would have heard snow.

[@paullarue2010]

I was 8 back then.

[@paullarue2010]

I believe it's KCAL 9 now.

[@dariowiter3078]

@@paullarue2010 It has been KCAL since 1989, dude! Wake up, will ya?

[@namewithheldnamewithheld2725]

When t.v was good.

[@ricardokim544]

Chevrolet malibu 1982 price 10.000.

[@gidzmobug2323]

Who was doing the voice-overs at the time?

[@TheRenard10]

Larry Burrell

[@gidzmobug2323]

@@TheRenard10 For many things, yes--but that is not Larry Burrell doing the intro for the editorial.

[@TheRenard10]

@@gidzmobug2323 the editorial announcer was some1 else. Larry heard here did the sign off

[@TheRenard10]

Other voiceovers were Theodore Myers