There are a few radio broadcasters that stand tall, far above the others. Pete Griffin was a member of that very exclusive club. Pete was one of those on-air personalities that provided us with many laughs each morning as we started the day. Griffin has passed away at the age of 81.

Peter Griffin was an announcer with CHUM-FM in Toronto back in a time before the station played rock music. AM radio still ruled the airwaves in 1963 when Griffin was playing classical music on 104.5FM. However, the landscape of radio was about to change. FM was postured to burst onto the scene to roar past AM as the frequency of choice.

In 1971, Griffin moved to mornings on CHUM-FM, and within a year, the morning team of Pete 'n' Geets was born. Station engineer David Haydu joined Pete Griffin on the air to become Canada's first true morning team, and the dynamic duo quickly became Toronto's, and southern Ontario's favourite morning show hosts.

Pete 'n' Geets were best known for their outstanding comedy segments. Radio in those days allowed the jocks to have a great deal of freedom in terms of programming their time slots, and this pair launched themselves to the top of the ratings with a an addictive mix of Griffin's dry, straight-guy humour and Greets' zany, sometimes over-the-top on-air antics that would often have you laughing so hard your stomach muscles would seize up before your rice crispies could snap, crackle and pop.

Pete 'n' Geets were in huge demand for public appearances, as some of Toronto's leading retailers wanted the pair to endorse their products and business establishments. You may remember Pete 'n' Geets on location at Fairview Electronics for example, or speaking on behalf of Ponderosa Restaurants. If Pete 'n' Geets were selling it, people were buying it!

Geets introduced many characters to the morning show, including the popular "McTavish McRomo" and of course, "Lardette."

After leaving CHUM-FM a few years later, Pete 'n' Geets moved on to host morning shows at Toronto's Q107 and CFNY. Pete 'n' Geets worked at CFNY until 1987.

Geets can't seem to work the word "retirement" into his life, and is still working with the Evanov Radio Group. He took on a high profile as a radio personality, but his true love is the technical side of the broadcasting business. Geets later returned to CHUM to head up a division of the company's technical operation. He has assembled some of the finest broadcast studios in Canada, and once created a studio for the late John Candy.

He may have been totally over-the-top as an on-air personality, but in his other life as a radio technician, he can't be rattled. He was once working in the confined space of the CHAY-FM transmitter building in Barrie when it was hit by lightning in a violent thunderstorm. Upon his return to the office, other than insisting that the telephones were all ringing at the same time for a couple of hours, he seemed fine. Yes, he put the station back on the air before running out of the small brick transmitter building in the pounding rain storm.

Pete 'n' Geets were the very best at what they did. True professionals, true pioneers.

So long Pete. Thanks for the laughs.

Keep it going Geets! Is that the phone?

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