Vale Street Remley, master of radio advertising
The Australian ad industry has been saddened to hear of the passing of the great Street Remley, the master of radio advertising, who has died in Utah, where he was living with his daughter Erin and family.
Born in the US in 1937, Remley dropped out of medical school to go into the advertising business, strongly influenced by Stan Freberg. He worked at Young and Rubicam in the US for five years before transferring to Y&R Adelaide as its founding creative director.
In the early 70s Remley established Street Noise in Adelaide, which went on to receive international recognition for radio writing and production, winning more than 400 awards, including Clios, Hollywood Radio & TV, International Broadcasting, AWARD and Golden Stylus.
In 1980, Remley founded an annual radio writing workshop which has since become a template for radio courses in several countries. He sold Street Noise in 2001 to branch out into directing for TV and film.
Remley worked with and was hugely respected by the biggest creative names in the business, many of whom became good friends.
Lionel Hunt, co-founder of The Campaign Palace, told CB Australia: ”He was my best man, a best mate and the best radio commercial writer and producer this country is ever likely to see. To use his favourite expression: goddammit!”
Creative legend Jack Vaughan, who started his career at Y&R Adelaide before joining The Campaign Palace, said: “There are many things I should be grateful to Street for but the main one is that he hired me.”
Scott Whybin said Remley was the master of radio.
“He knew how people really spoke and got that audio syntax. Radio advertising was at its best when he was producing (and writing it). And God knows how many bad scripts he saved. At his best, he was the best in the world at what he did. God will laugh when he hears what Street does. Rest my friend.”
Remley was a frequent visitor to Perth in the 80s and was the featured guest at an early PADC luncheon (poster written by John Ilian, art directed by Tim Pearson).
4 Comments
Street was an amazing inspiration to anyone who had the pleasure to work with him. He obsessively pursued perfection and never settled for less. He had a mentoring spirit and such a warm heart, despite having the gruffest voice you ever heard. I‘m very sad I’ll never hear that gravel again. Rest proud and in peace Street.
Street once told me he could drop a ten ton cherry into a lake of cream the size of Perth Water much cheaper and more powerfully than any TV commercial.
As much as it was a privilege to know and work with Street, it was more to be his friend..
He was the Chairman of Judges at the inaugural PADC Awards. He was also the first live interstate presenter who the PADC flew into Perth (a function held at the long defunct Blue Note in West Perth).
No person taught me more about humility or humour in radio. Street was one of a several producers operating out of Adelaide – along with Max Pepper, Pete Best and Les Francis – who dominated the national radio production awards during the eighties and nineties.
He did more than most to launch voice actors, Roger Cardwell and Jim Berinson.
He could genuinely amplify the potency of any radio idea.
His legacy is immeasurable. God better have his own laugh track. Or Street will record it for him.
John Ilian
Street did a lot of creatives’ best work.
If they’d left it all to him, it would have been better.
I hope somebody is organising a Street Collection from which future generations can learn.
Losing him is awful but unavoidable.
Losing his legacy would be as great a tragedy, and inexcusable.
It was such a privilege to have been lucky enough to work with Street.
He left no stone unturned in the pursuit of great production. The lessons handed down to actors and creatives alike, left everyone he worked with the better for it.
Street was indeed a Master and a Genius…. So long, Doctor!