|
After serving two years in the Army K- 9 corps
during the Korean conflict, he returned home, got married and started a family,
enrolled at Brigham Young University, and began what became a 45 year career in
broadcasting.
"After two years in the army," he said, "I decided
I never wanted to waste another minute as long as I lived, but in retrospect,
taking on the responsibility of a family, a new career and getting a college
education all at the same time does seem a bit excessive."
Shortly after graduating with a BA in Speech, Theater Emphasis, he
found himself Program Director of KSL Radio in Salt Lake City, Utah, one of the
nation's twelve, 1A Clear Channel radio stations. Somehow, interspersed among
his broadcast duties he found time to perform with the Utah Valley Opera
Association, and become a member of the resident company of the Salt Lake,
"Valley Music Hall," where he managed to work in an entire season of
Musical Comedy. Mr. Meier appeared with such stars as Howard Keel, Dorothy
Collins, Patrice Munsel, Jose Ferrer, Mary Ann Mobley, Keith Andes, Gretchen
Wyler and John Carradine.
During rehearsals for Carousel a skinny kid with curly hair and
big horn-rimmed glasses showed up on stage. He looked terribly out of place and
a bit frightened. The oldest member of the resident company at age 37, Joe sort
of took him under his wing; gave him tips on make-up and hung out with him when
he practiced the piano in the rehearsal hall during breaks. (The young man was
pianist of concert caliber). After the season was over they went their separate
ways and didn't meet again until several years later. It was backstage at a
theater in New York. Joe was working for CBS, his young friend, John
Rubenstein, the son of Artur Rubenstein, had gone on to create the role of
Pippin on Broadway.
While Meier's broadcast career became increasingly
"administrative," he was never very far away from his typewriter,
writing several Christmas specials, a documentary on the establishment of the
U.S. Constitution and literally thousands of commercials, two of which were
Emmy winners. He wrote a 6000 word essay on the evils of the "Fairness
Doctrine," and hand delivered it to the FCC. (The doctrine was ultimately
dropped). Finally, out of frustration and a feeling he had done everything
there was to do in the broadcast industry, he took early retirement and began
the career he had always wanted to pursue…. writing.
To date Meier has written 12 books, (several of them works for
hire), and over a hundred television segments and specials. He has written 5
screenplays, two of which were Gold Award winners at the Worldfest Houston,
film festival and competition. For a complete list of Meier's published and
unpublished works {click here}.
Currently he is working on a new, "Young Grizzly
Adams"® feature film, two television specials on the Great Evolution
Scam, and a book on "The Great American Media Sellout." The film and
television work is for Grizzly Adams Productions Inc., while the book is a
labor of love and disappointment; love for the industry that occupied most of
his adult career and disappointment at the corrupt propaganda mechanism it has
become.
"Trial(s)" is his most recently published work. To read
excerpts {click here} The book presently is
available only on the internet. {click here}. Two smaller
books, "The Shroud of Turin," and "The Bible Code, The Future
and You," should be available in book stores soon.
|
