Dedicated to Fracus White and Tina Turner Baugh
“Fracus” “Swinus Americanus” “Don’t re-elect anybody, not
even your Mama!!” “Julia Child of the Wild” and “Do yourself a favor and take a
kid fishing”.
These are just a few of the words emanating from what then
was a three inch speaker of one of the first color televisions I had ever seen.
The year was 1972 and all I had ever viewed since 1961 was a black and white
tube that my father the Judge affectionately called,
“The Idiot Box”.
“The Idiot Box”.
Besides watching some weird interpretation’s of cowboys
called Cartwrights wearing ten gallon hats and riding horses that were too well
trained, there would be some guy on Sunday mornings shouting out of our three
inch TV speaker about the difference between pigs and humans. “Swinus
Americanus” a description of human trash, waste, and filth.
Before I could change the channel to watch the only other
thing on TV which was the local church broadcast, all of the sudden this old
man starts cooking up a storm in his kitchen and the dish was what he had
caught fishing that day. Since the Judge loved to take us boys fishing both in
the nearby pond and Chesapeake Bay, my interest was peaked about what I was now
watching on my dad’s least favorite toy…. the Idiot Box.
Next thing I know, for many, many years, to many years that
I care to remember, I would end up watching this same old man on the Idiot box.
As I grew older I began to realize just how intelligent and funny this man was.
To be honest, some of the hardest laughs I have ever had was watching this man
on TV. Simply because I could not believe he had the nerve and audacity to say
some of the things he was uttering. The man became a legend here in the south.
That legend of a Southern Sportsman was none other than,
Franc White, THE
Southern Sportsman.
Franc was a television producer, host, author, pilot, chef, restaurateur,
World War 2 Correspondent, and avid sportsman both with hunting and fishing.
Franc was also a hard nosed environmentalist who did not mind going after big
buiz to accomplish what he thought was right. This included helping to stop
commercialization on several Carolina
islands to help protect nesting sea turtles. And if you happen to be one of
those chemical plants dumping waste into what then was pristine waters of Carolina , you did not
find a friend in Franc White. Franc was ruthless on TV with his public
denouncing of such chemical plants that were polluting his favorite waters.
Franc had no problem being voicing his political opinions
either. Something Franc was not shy about at all. What ever Franc thought, he
pretty much let it spill out into the airwaves. This did not make a lot friends
in certain circles for Franc, but I don’t think he cared much. In the many
years Franc ranted and raved on television about political and environmental
issues I can not say I ever remember him being wrong. He just spoke his mind
and let the chips fall where they may.
I can’t tell you yow many times I heard Franc say, “Don’t
re-elect no one, not even your MAMA!!!!” Again, Franc may have been very vocal,
but not often wrong.
About the only thing that would seem to calm Franc down
during one of his rants was his on air companion and mascot, “Frickus”. The
love that man had for that dog was so evident on every show. Probably one of
the best relationships he ever had.
As Fate Will Have It.
When I started Jim Baugh Outdoors, we actually began as
fishing Virginia
30 years ago. After our first broadcast run on the FOX station in Richmond , the NBC affiliate
contacted us and wanted us to air in a block next to Franc White Southern
Sportsman. Of course this was an easy decision to make. For many years to come
we would broadcast in our home town of Richmond Virginia and also syndicated
throughout the Mid Atlantic states also airing next to Franc White.
This was a bit of a thrill for me because I had watched
Franc since I was about 10 years old on most Sunday mornings. When Franc would
get so political and hilarious, I actually would tape his show just to watch
later with friends and laugh our butts off. Franc was a very funny man and got
his points across with humor and in a way, eloquence.
As the years passed I was able to meet Franc on several
occasions. One such time was at a private fish and hunt club where we had been
ask to film a show. I met Franc and told him what a big fan I was and what an
honor it was that our program broadcast adjacent to his. I was extremely polite
and was happy as hell to finally really meet and talk with him.
Franc looked at me, sort of like the Judge does when he is
not happy with me. You know, like when you come back from a Dove hunt with no
birds. Yeah, that look.
Franc paused, there was silence, then he said loudly,
“I don’t #@%$#* Care!”
I shuck his hand thanked him again and left.
I had met him briefly on other occasions and he was almost
just as welcoming. Personally I loved this. To me Franc for the most part in
person was what you saw on TV. I liked that and to this day am very glad I had
the opportunity to met him.
To be fair during this time fishing shows were springing up
like to him, poison Ivey. There was now a lot of competition in the outdoor
marketplace and stations were starting to demand big bucks for air time. Back
in the day television shows like ours and his could barter with broadcasters
and negotiate air time because our programs had good ratings.
However with the advent of the infomercial stations were out
for the buck only, it was just too easy. So all of the sudden an outdoor
program that would not have to actually pay money to broadcast because of its loyal
audience, now had to cough up thousands of dollars just to air. For the most
part, this is how it still works today.
Back then the industry changed for all of us. About the time
stations were asking for the big bucks to air, Franc had already had enough. He
pushed for retirement and he had already been broadcasting for 20-24 years. The
Southern Sportsman started back when color TV’s were just coming onto the
market and Franc did a great job to swing with the changes for as many years as
he did. Kudos to Franc.
The Influence of the
Southern Sportsman
Although Fishing Virginia had aired along with The Southern
Sportsman in many markets for many years, I never thought his show had any
influence on our production at all. The fact is it did not. We always produced
a program with very high production value and we would never get into politics
the way Franc did. Our show was also post produced heavily edited and scripted.
Franc’s show the Southern Sportsman was live to tape. He would show up in the
studio with his note pad, do one take and be done with it. This of course was
not a polished show, but to me that was the appeal, and his personality just
cracked me up about every Sunday Morning.
I loved Franc.
The influence for me was his cooking on the show. Franc
appealed not only to the male sportsman but to the ladies as well. Everyone
wanted to know how Franc was going to prepare the days catch. Other similarities
were that both the Southern Sportsman and Fishing Virginia were film style shot
programs. Both shows also were heavily syndicated throughout the south for many
years.
So, for those that are too young to remember, there once was
one heck of an outdoors enthusiast, environmentalist, restaurateur, television
producer and writer named Franc White. Franc was loved by his family, many
close friends, and many thousands fans over the years.
Like other vintage television figures of the past, we will
never see the likes of Franc White again. A little bit like Johnny Carson.
Sometimes the good Lord just breaks the mold and blesses us with their talents
for just one earthly lifetime.
When my time is done and if I am lucky enough to ever get to
heaven and happen to bump into Franc White, I am sure I will hear these words.
“What the hell are you doing here?!!!”
Jim Baugh
JBO TV
Author of HOOKED
“"A life is not
important except in the impact it has on other lives."
~ Jackie Robinson
RIP Franc White July 20, 1926 - June 06, 2012
watch an old Southern Sportsman Show.
Franc
White Legacy Fund for Conservation Education, contributions c/o N.C. Wildlife
Federation at 1024 Washington St. ,
Raleigh , NC 27605
Web site for ordering books and
merchandise, Franc White
http://francwhite.com/2.html
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