KSER’s Moskowitz dies at 61

Published 9:00 pm Saturday, August 19, 2006

EVERETT – Robert Baron, known by many in the region as radio host Madman Moskowitz, died Friday after a sudden illness. He was 61.

Baron, who lived in Seattle’s Magnolia neighborhood, entertained listeners with his shows for more than two decades. His most recent show, “Music with Moskowitz,” aired from noon to 2 p.m. Saturdays on Everett public radio station KSER (90.7 FM).

His show featured a mix of comedy routines, musical parodies and songs that were “unintentionally funny,” said Nathan Judson, who produced Baron’s radio shows and assisted him on the air as “Nathan Detroit.”

On Wednesday, Baron met with Judson at the radio station in Everett and asked him to handle Saturday’s show. He was admitted into the hospital later that day.

Judson made good on his promise. Saturday’s show became a tribute to Madman Moskowitz, he said.

“He will be sorely missed,” Judson said. “His greatest strength was his commitment to his listeners. His show was all about them; it wasn’t just something he wanted to do. It was really connected.”

When Baron wasn’t in the radio booth, he was often in the classroom. Baron recently retired after teaching math, journalism and English for more than 25 years at Alderwood Middle School.

“He was such a giving person,” Judson said. “It was his way of trying to give the world more than he took.”

Baron, who was from Pasadena, Calif., got his start in show business at a young age.

He was 10 years old when he appeared in the classic 1954 Christmas movie “White Christmas,” the last child on the right listening to Bing Crosby sing near the end of the film.

His mother was a Ziegfeld Follies dancer, and he loved show tunes.

Baron carried his eclectic taste for entertainment with him to the radio booth, coworkers said.

“He was a nice guy,” said Van Ramsey, who is the host of “Pull the String” on KSER. “He had a great sense of humor, and he was a fun guy to work with.”

The station will air “best-of” moments of Moskowitz’s shows during its next two Saturday slots, station manager Bruce Wirth said.

“He’s pretty irreplaceable,” he said. “It’s kind of hard to imagine continuing on. He was a great asset to the station.”

Reporter Scott Pesznecker: 425-339-3436 or spesznecker@heraldnet.com.