Clear-Com speaker station & flour; King Biscuit

derekleffew

Resident Curmudgeon
Senior Team
Premium Member
What connection does a Clear-Com speaker station have to wheat flour?
 
re: Clear-Com speaker station & flour; King Biscuit

Yes, it's obscure, but something anyone using Clear-Com (on Harrison St. in San Francisco in 1968) should know. I believe STEVETERRY is an old soundman...;) Others?
 
re: Clear-Com speaker station & flour; King Biscuit

Doesn't have to be wheat flour. Could be all-purpose flour, possibly bread flour, but probably not cake flour. No more hints until an old soundman buzzes in.
 
re: Clear-Com speaker station & flour; King Biscuit

A speaker station is known as a Biscuit.
However, that did not come from Clear-Com. The name was invented on Broadway in the 1950's, probably by Masque Sound. ...
Interesting. One of Clear-Com's early products (1973?) was the "King Biscuit" KB-100 speaker station:

proxy.php

Picture from http://www.clearcom.com/support/manual_pdfs/manuals_party_line/manual_pl_kb100.pdf . The "KB-" prefix is still in use, even for Clear-Com's latest products.

This explanation: Origin of RTS and The Biscuit - The Church Media Community seems to somewhat support Mr. Terry's claim; but a box made out of a biscuit tin is a little far-fetched, one would think.

I was (still am) trying to draw a correlation between the speaker station and the King Biscuit radio show: King Biscuit Flower Hour - Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia, sponsored by the King Biscuit Flour Co., Helena, AR.
Maybe there's no connection, but I still suspect there's a story there.:)
 
Goes well with gravy.
What doesn't go well with gravy!
Now I feel hungry.
 
I was (still am) trying to draw a correlation between the speaker station and the King Biscuit radio show: King Biscuit Flower Hour - Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia, sponsored by the King Biscuit Flour Co., Helena, AR.
Maybe there's no connection, but I still suspect there's a story there.:)


That is exactly where the King Biscuit (KB100) name came from (or so I have been told by someone who has worked for Clearcom for 25+ years)

At the time Clearcom only made beltpacks and they were approached by the King Biscuit Flower Hour and asked for a speaker box that could be used on stage.

Charlie Butten (The guy who invented the Clearcom Party line System) designed one for them and it was called the King Biscuit.

[Edit by DL: from What's Old Is New Again: Products of the Past :
Some of the early Clear-Com products are still in active use; recently the service department received a King Biscuit KB-100 (pictured and dating from the early 1970s) in for service. Charlie Butten, who co-designed the original circuitry for the Clear-Com partyline intercom, is still with the company, and he repaired the unit.
]



Next time I talk to Charlie I will see if I can get more info on the full story.

I have a KB100 on my desk. I will take a picture of it when I get a chance and post it here

***Edit*** Pictures added

I have also been told by another long term Clearcom employee that the KB100 wasnt made for the King Biscuit Flower Hour just named afer it. I will see if I can get the full story from Charlie.

proxy.php

proxy.php
 
Last edited:

Users who are viewing this thread

Back