Dick Purtan

Who is Dick Purtan?

Paul Richard "Dick" Purtan is a retired American radio personality. His last radio job was as the morning radio show host on Oldies 104.3 serving the Detroit, Michigan U.S. radio market. Purtan was also a disc jockey at WKNR-AM, WXYZ-AM, CKLW-AM and WCZY-FM which became WKQI-FM in 1989. Previous to coming to Detroit at WKNR "Keener 13" in 1965, Purtan worked at WOLF-AM in Syracuse, NY and WSAI in Cincinnati; he began his radio career in his hometown of Buffalo, NY and also worked for a very short time at WBAL in Baltimore.

Purtan is well known for his philanthropic work. Each year, Purtan and his "Purtan's People" crew host a radiothon to benefit the Salvation Army's "Bed and Bread" program. Through Purtan's efforts, over 24 million dollars have been donated to the Bed and Bread program. The money has also been used to purchase additional Bed and Bread trucks which make daily deliveries of food to needy people in the Detroit area.

While in Cincinnati, Purtan gathered together $12,500 and promoted the Beatles in concert.

Purtan had a cameo role as a police detective in the movie Detroit 9000.