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During the early 70s, there was a Montreal tv show, "Movie Matinee with Joe Van", hosted by a former Detroit radio personality during the 50s, full name Joseph Van Doninck. He died of cancer in his suburban Montreal home in 1973, age 47. Online records indicate that he grew up in the 40s at 3437 Gladwin Avenue in Detroit...but there seems to be no such street today. Anyone know where it was, what happened??? Anyone remember him from 50s radio in Detroit?
Gladwin was one of the streets that disappeared in the replacement and expansion of Chrysler production facilities in 1990-91. It was on the east side of the city, one block east of the still existing St. Jean. The address you give would have been on the first block north of Mack.Quote:
Originally Posted by ThunderTrap
His last name suggests that he may have been of Flemish Belgian descent. That part of the east side had a significant Belgian population for many years. I had a Belgian-American aunt by marriage who grew up just a few blocks from there.
He also worked as "Joe Van" when he was here in Detroit. He was a DJ at the powerhouse station CKLW in the early '60s.
http://www.mcrfb.com/?p=12230
Well, he's in the 1940 census report living at -- indeed -- 3437 Gladwin, Detroit. The house is owned by his parents, Alfonzo [[age 44) and Mary Jane [[age 42). They were both born in Belgium, while Joseph [[age 14) and his sister, Gilberta [[age 10) were born in Michigan. The house is valued at $5,000. Alfonzo is a metal finisher in an automobile plant, and claims to have made $1,100 the previous year. He only went as far as the eighth grade. Joseph and Gilberta are both in school in 1940. The family lived at the same place in 1935. All for what it's worth. :confused: