Age: Two years younger than God
Sex: Male
Eyes: Blue
Hair: Salt & Pepper(Getting Grayer Every Day!!!)
Height: 6 ft
Weight: 185 lbs
Avocations:
I am a Disc Jockey, photographer, artist, writer, satellite installer & computer guru.
I have sailed Hobie Cats for the last 20 years, though I did take a few years off because my now X-wife said, "sell it"......"or else!!!"I am not sure what the "or else" meant....., but if you have ever been married....you will understand that!!! I have seen purchased a 36ft Watkin's Cutter ( See Sailing )
I play tennis & golf, but I haven't hit a golf ball in a year. I am a gourmet cook. There was an article published in the "Atlantic City Press" November 10, 1991, entitled "Any Chef Can Shine with this Bachelor's Secrets". A cookbook, though yet unpublished, is part of a manuscript I wrote (See Bio).
I enjoy games (though NEVER in dealing with the opposite sex), especially Backgammon,or Trivial Pursuit, or Risk, or Space Fantasy like Privateer, or Wing Commander, or Freelancer ( It's the Space Cadet in me! ), or puzzle related role playing computer games, like Eye of the Beholder or Myst!
Vocations:
Radio Personality / Disc Jockey
Direct TV Satellite installer
Computer Guru
My Life...or lack of it. An exercise in creative writing!
I was born in Frackville, Pa, a small town in the anthracite coal region of Schuylkilll county to Lois Portz Murphy, a June Taylor dancer hopeful, and Walter Alison Murphy, USAF Captain & B-24 pilot recently returned WWII, after spending a brief period in a Romanian prison camp in Bucharest after being shot down in the raid on the Ploesti oil fields.
As was the custom in those days, they married and settled down to the white picket fence and years of a "Leave It to Beaver" or "Ozzie & Harriet" existence. I guess that sort of blew Moms dancing career and Dads dreams of becoming an airline pilot. I was an only child, & an only grandchild. My grandparents on my Mother's side, Dutch & Jen Portz, spoiled me rotten.It shows! Now I spoil myself rotten. My grandparents on my Father's side almost totally ignored me. ( I finally went to see my grandfather Roy Murphy, last year on his 100th birthday, after not talking to him for 12 years. I got ticked off at him the night of my father's funeral, when he said,"You realize the Murphy name dies with you, you have to get married & have kids!" He passed away in 2002 at 103.There is always hope....maybe he left me a legacy of long life?!?)
I was the smart aleck little genius that always got beat up by the neighborhood bully, but managed to get into the clique with the cheerleaders and "in crowd" by being their best friend, chauffeur, & a brother they never had. It was an enviable position, but a frustrating one for an adolescent with raging hormones. I immersed myself in James Bond 007 novels by Ian Fleming. Hey,even President Kennedy read them. They were based a little more in reality than the movies that came later. I hated them.
I graduated from the last graduating class of Frackville High School 10th in my class with a letter in track, a tie for the record in the pole vault, a best actor award, and honors in art. I went on to Penn State University, matriculating in Electrical Engineering. I almost flunked out during my freshman year because I was majoring in partying, with a minor in mixology & bartending. I hated the pocket protector engineering geeks, & vowed not to become one. I finally graduated with a Bachelor of Arts degree in Journalism & Advertising. My most notable contributions to Penn State were extracurricular. I was Dorm House President, Editor of the East Hall's Paper, a member of the Men's Residence Council Supreme Court, a member of the Journalism School Student-Faculty Advisory Board, WDFM FM Radio staff member, & FROTH humor magazine Art Director. My legacy to Penn State, was getting Bridget W. to pose nude in FROTH, the humor magazine. I don't know how I ever talked her into it? ( She since found this reference on line & scolded me for blowing her chances at the Senate...I've since removed the last name to protect the guilty.We did a photo layout article with the premise "What if Ralph Ginsburg was elected as the new Penn State Prexy". ( Ralph Ginsburg, if you don't know your Psychedelic Sixties history was among other things, the editor of Screw Magazine! ) My bare bottom can still be seen on the last page of that issue, wearing nothing but La Crosse gear. It is immortalized in the Penn State Room of the Pattee Library. If you are ever at Penn State, check it out. The issue was Spring 1970, with a turkey on the cover. It's the next to last page. I'm the one with the curly brown mini afro, & the "Up Yours" sign!
After graduation, I had dreams of Madison Avenue, a Pierre Cardin suit, a very dry martini (shaken, not stirred) in one hand, and gorgeous blond supermodel twins,one under each arm. It was not to be, well at least the twins part ( Hey, I can dream, can't I?!? ) At the insistence of my then girlfriend, Dottie Miller, I answered an ad for photographer for a newspaper at the Jersey Shore in Wildwood by the Sea, En Jay. I had vacationed there as a child. After all what was better than a vacation with pay. It is the only option, when you get sand in your shoes. I was hired as a graphic artist & photoengraver. After three months with the paper, I was asked to take over a bar & restaurant column. I didn't consider myself a very good writer, but was so intimidated by the patriarch of the newspaper, Mr. Bailey, that I was afraid to say NO. I wrote the column called "Through a Looking Glass" (The glass bottomed beer stein kind) & later "Scott Murphy's Nitelife" for five years. I worked my way up to Advertising Director on the strength of the advertising that the column generated. I was looking for new challenges, but every stone I overturned had a sales job under it!
I then got a opportunity I couldn't refuse. A local printer offered me a one third interest in an entertainment tabloid newspaper as Creative Director & Publisher, for no investment other than my talent, and the commitment to work my ass off. "The Entertainment News" was born. They bailed out after a year, and I bought them out. I ran the paper for five years at a profit, then folded it. ( I couldn't find any help or a staff with a work ethic, Cest La Vie! ) I then became staff photographer for the Sundance Discoteque. I had pictures published in "The Philadelphia Journal" ( The page 3 pinup), in "Philadelphia Magazine", & by UPI (a young lady on a skateboard with groceries under one arm, being towed by her pet Malmut. A beautiful dog.....the Malmut, not the young lady!)
Both of my parents passed away within a year of one another during that period. Being an only child, and looking back on it in retrospect, I guess it was pretty hard on me. I took some time off, & wrote an 800 page two volume manuscript called "The Bachelor's Survival Manual - Volume One - Things Your Father Never Taught You" and "The Bachelor's Survival Manual - Volume Two - Things Your Mother Should Have Taught You" It was a tongue in cheek compendium of helpful hints like "Don't wash your white underwear with your new maroon sweatshirt". In case you don't know, if you do your underwear comes out a gorgeous shade of. The guys in the Health Club would have a few things to say about that, I'm sure!!! It was completed in 1984...........I sent inquiry letters out to a ton of publishers. I could have papered my walls with the rejection slips. Although most of the friends who read it, thought it was GREAT, I couldn't get a publisher to read it. It was the old Catch 22. My question was how could the reject something they hadn't even seen. Okay, I didn't try hard enough. As usual I gave up too soon! I wasn't exactly pounding the New York City streets looking for a publisher! Then the whole Aids thing happened. That idea went out the window. I plan to offer chunks of it on this web site,..........someday.
Since I was running out of money, I took a job as Co-op Advertising manager again with the the "Gazette-Leader". While selling advertising for the paper, I was offered a job as afternoon DJ for WCMC radio. Since everyone always said, "You have a voice that ought to be in radio!", I took he job. It was a Top 40 station playing Madonna to pubescent teenagers. After to years the station was sold to Bear Broadcasting, and became the top Rock & Roll station in South Jersey. I was then playing Classic Rock & Roll to pubescent adults.
I was the only DJ offered a full time "on air" time slot, but was moved to "overnights". Since I have always felt that there was a vampyre in my ancestry , I jumped at the chance. I have always wanted to stay up all night, and sleep all day anyway. And I still do.
While at WZXL, South Jersey's Rock & Roll, I initiated the Nitecall 75 minute Freeride, a call-in request hour (actually an hour & 15 minutes). Contrary to popular belief, it was the only time we actually played requests. I also premiered a show called "South Jersey's Own", showcasing & interviewing undiscovered talent. Gee, wonder if any of those guys ever made the bigtime? Nah, they would have written. Yeah, right!
During that time we hosted a "Couch Potatoes Super Bowl Party" contest. The teachers of Lower Cape May Regional High School won the contest. There was a statuesque blue eyed blonde Aerobics Instructor/English Teacher, Carol Farkus at the party, who wasn't really into the Superbowl, & talked with me about photography & rock & roll. She seemed to know what I was thinking before I thought it. Three months later we were engaged. Three months after that, we were married. Three years more, we were divorced. After we were married a year, she said, "Find a real job!" Being madly in love, I listened. Since I had a strong background in sales & electronics, I joined the management trainee program for Tandy Corporation/Radio Shack.I became a manager in nine months. Nine years later Tandy & I were divorced. There is a pattern here.
Now I am back in radio as "On Air Talent" & self employed....DJing at partys, weddings, & clubs; & working on computers & installing satellite dishes on the side. I do a weekly oldies show called The Starlight Ballroombased on the Rock & Roll era at Wildwood's famous dancehall landmark The Starlight Ballroom. It burned down in 1974 in a spectacular fire. The Starlight Ballroom Radio Show is a Fabulous 50's & Sensational 60's Oldies Show on Oldies 94 Slammin Gold It's available on the Internet. Go to the link & Listen Live. I get e-mails from all over the world!!!! During the Summer months I did a unique Saturday night show called "FRAT PARTY with Murf the Surf",my own eclectic mix of 80's & 90's Rock & garage band 60's with lines from the movie classic National Lampoon's "Animal House". ( That seemed like a syndication idea for sure. I also fill in as "Murf the Surf, THE VETERAN COSMIC ROCKER on 98.7 WWZK, KRock. My favorite feature is called "Cosmic Connections" with The Veteran Cosmic Rocker, highlighting the legends of Rock & Roll. The prime example, The Yardbirds, Jimmy Page, Eric Clapton, Jeff Beck, Cream & Led Zep.......A Cosmic Connection !!!
Radio doesn't pay much, when your in market #144 , but it's a blast to do. I Love Classic Rock & Roll & Oldies!!!
I just finished my first book!!! Check it out!!!"Fun with Oldies"
My Job
... DJ Extraordinaire ... Freelance Entrepreneur ... Bum
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