Jimmy Baron
Encyclopedia
Jimmy Baron is an American disc jockey
on commercial radio. He has also acted
in several TV shows and movies from 1980 to 1985. Films include Risky Business
, The Sure Thing
, and Heart Like a Wheel
. Television work includes Facts Of Life
, Quincy
, Hart to Hart
, and M*A*S*H.
Baron was born in Chicago, Illinois. He began his radio career in Oxnard, California
in 1990 at KZTR FM as half of the Mac and Jimmy Morning Show, along with Jeff McMurray. In August of that year he moved to San Diego to produce the Stevens & Grdnic Morning Show on Y95. In March 1991 he went cross-town to produce the Dawn Patrol with Dave Rickards, Shelly Dunn, and Cookie "Chainsaw" Randolph on KGB-FM
. He left in August 1992 to move back to Chicago
, producing the legendary Jonathon Brandmeier Showgram on WLUP-FM.
He joined 99X
in Atlanta
in 1993 as part of the morning show with Leslie Fram
and Sean Demery, eventually named The Morning X. Baron stayed with the morning show through its various changes: The Morning X with Barnes, Leslie and Jimmy; The Don Miller Morning Show; The Toucher, Jimmy, and Leslie Morning Show; and Mornings with Axel, Jimmy, and Leslie. While with The Morning X from 1993 to 2003, the show won numerous national and local awards from industry and media. At one point The Morning X was one of the highest-rated morning shows on American alternative radio. Baron exited 99X in early April 2006 when he and new owners Cumulus Broadcasting could not agree on terms to a new deal. He officially announced his departure from 99X on Friday April 28.
Baron also did some work with World Championship Wrestling
during its heyday in the late 1990s, serving as a "road reporter," providing recorded "scoop" info, and co-hosting a monthly pay-per-view broadcast with Chad Damiani on DirectTV called Backstage Blast.
From August 17, 2009 to November 10, 2011, Baron co-hosted mornings with Yvonne Monet on Dave FM (WZGC Atlanta, GA). He has found minor successes in Hollywood selling two TV projects that are currently in development, one to CBS and one to Endemol USA
.
Baron began "reconnecting" with his Jewish heritage around 1998. He observes Shabbat
and keeps kosher
.
Was a vegetarian for many years until 2006 but is still active in animal rights.
Disc jockey
A disc jockey, also known as DJ, is a person who selects and plays recorded music for an audience. Originally, "disc" referred to phonograph records, not the later Compact Discs. Today, the term includes all forms of music playback, no matter the medium.There are several types of disc jockeys...
on commercial radio. He has also acted
Actor
An actor is a person who acts in a dramatic production and who works in film, television, theatre, or radio in that capacity...
in several TV shows and movies from 1980 to 1985. Films include Risky Business
Risky Business
Risky Business is a 1983 American teen comedy-drama film written by Paul Brickman in his directorial debut. It stars Tom Cruise and Rebecca De Mornay. The hit film launched Cruise to stardom.-Plot:...
, The Sure Thing
The Sure Thing
The Sure Thing is a 1985 romantic comedy directed by Rob Reiner, written by Steven L. Bloom and Jonathan Roberts and starring John Cusack, Daphne Zuniga, Viveca Lindfors, and Nicollette Sheridan...
, and Heart Like a Wheel
Heart Like a Wheel
Heart Like a Wheel is Linda Ronstadt's fifth solo album release and the last-ever of her studio projects for Capitol Records, released in late 1974. It is universally considered to be Ronstadt's all-time high watermark masterpiece recording and a pioneering blueprint of Country Rock...
. Television work includes Facts Of Life
The Facts of Life (TV series)
The Facts of Life is an American sitcom that originally ran on the NBC television network from August 24, 1979 to May 7, 1988. A spin-off of the sitcom Diff'rent Strokes, the series' premise focused on Edna Garrett as she becomes a housemother at the fictional Eastland School, a prestigious...
, Quincy
Quincy
-People:*Saer de Quincy, 1st Earl of Winchester, Norman nobleman*Roger de Quincy, 2nd Earl of Winchester, Norman nobleman*Quincy Jones , American record producer and musician-Places:France*Quincy, Cher, a commune in the Cher département in France...
, Hart to Hart
Hart to Hart
Hart to Hart is an American television series, starring Robert Wagner and Stefanie Powers as Jonathan and Jennifer Hart, a wealthy couple who also moonlighted as amateur detectives. The series was created by writer Sidney Sheldon and produced by Aaron Spelling and Leonard Goldberg...
, and M*A*S*H.
Baron was born in Chicago, Illinois. He began his radio career in Oxnard, California
Oxnard, California
Oxnard is the 113th largest city in the United States, 19th largest city in California and largest city in Ventura County, California, by way of population. It is located at the western edge of the fertile Oxnard Plain, and is an important agricultural center, with its distinction as the...
in 1990 at KZTR FM as half of the Mac and Jimmy Morning Show, along with Jeff McMurray. In August of that year he moved to San Diego to produce the Stevens & Grdnic Morning Show on Y95. In March 1991 he went cross-town to produce the Dawn Patrol with Dave Rickards, Shelly Dunn, and Cookie "Chainsaw" Randolph on KGB-FM
KGB-FM
KGB-FM is a classic rock radio station in San Diego, California. It is owned and operated by Clear Channel Communications.-History:...
. He left in August 1992 to move back to Chicago
Chicago
Chicago is the largest city in the US state of Illinois. With nearly 2.7 million residents, it is the most populous city in the Midwestern United States and the third most populous in the US, after New York City and Los Angeles...
, producing the legendary Jonathon Brandmeier Showgram on WLUP-FM.
He joined 99X
WNNX (99X)
W255CJ FM 98.9 is a radio station in Atlanta, Georgia, USA, airing a modern rock radio format branded as 99X, which originally began on full-power station WNNX FM 99.7 in 1992. Its city of license was previously Tallapoosa , which is now far beyond its current broadcast range, nearly in Alabama...
in Atlanta
Atlanta, Georgia
Atlanta is the capital and most populous city in the U.S. state of Georgia. According to the 2010 census, Atlanta's population is 420,003. Atlanta is the cultural and economic center of the Atlanta metropolitan area, which is home to 5,268,860 people and is the ninth largest metropolitan area in...
in 1993 as part of the morning show with Leslie Fram
Leslie Fram
Leslie Fram is an American radio personality on commercial radio.Her first professional job was at WABF in Fairhope, Alabama. One of the weekend shows she hosted was called "Platter Ladder"...
and Sean Demery, eventually named The Morning X. Baron stayed with the morning show through its various changes: The Morning X with Barnes, Leslie and Jimmy; The Don Miller Morning Show; The Toucher, Jimmy, and Leslie Morning Show; and Mornings with Axel, Jimmy, and Leslie. While with The Morning X from 1993 to 2003, the show won numerous national and local awards from industry and media. At one point The Morning X was one of the highest-rated morning shows on American alternative radio. Baron exited 99X in early April 2006 when he and new owners Cumulus Broadcasting could not agree on terms to a new deal. He officially announced his departure from 99X on Friday April 28.
Baron also did some work with World Championship Wrestling
World Championship Wrestling
World Championship Wrestling, Inc. was an American professional wrestling promotion which existed from 1988 to 2001. Based in Atlanta, Georgia, it began as a regional promotion affiliated with the National Wrestling Alliance , named Jim Crockett Promotions until November 1988, when Ted Turner and...
during its heyday in the late 1990s, serving as a "road reporter," providing recorded "scoop" info, and co-hosting a monthly pay-per-view broadcast with Chad Damiani on DirectTV called Backstage Blast.
From August 17, 2009 to November 10, 2011, Baron co-hosted mornings with Yvonne Monet on Dave FM (WZGC Atlanta, GA). He has found minor successes in Hollywood selling two TV projects that are currently in development, one to CBS and one to Endemol USA
Endemol
Endemol is an international television production and distribution company based in the Netherlands, with subsidiaries and joint ventures in 23 countries, including the United Kingdom, the United States, France, Mexico, Spain, Italy, Germany, Brazil, Chile, Argentina, Dominican Republic, Poland,...
.
Baron began "reconnecting" with his Jewish heritage around 1998. He observes Shabbat
Shabbat
Shabbat is the seventh day of the Jewish week and a day of rest in Judaism. Shabbat is observed from a few minutes before sunset on Friday evening until a few minutes after when one would expect to be able to see three stars in the sky on Saturday night. The exact times, therefore, differ from...
and keeps kosher
Kashrut
Kashrut is the set of Jewish dietary laws. Food in accord with halakha is termed kosher in English, from the Ashkenazi pronunciation of the Hebrew term kashér , meaning "fit" Kashrut (also kashruth or kashrus) is the set of Jewish dietary laws. Food in accord with halakha (Jewish law) is termed...
.
Was a vegetarian for many years until 2006 but is still active in animal rights.