One of the Kwik Brothers

DIGGING UP DAD introduces Mike Tangi, a very likeable song-and-dance man who used jokes and jingles to gain instant rapport with everyone. He parlayed his career in advertising into a stage for making people happy and entertained millions, as a TV pitchman, for a decade.

Born into a poor Italian immigrant family, Mike Tangi used his wit and wisdom to get ahead in life. He believed rules were elastic and meant to be stretched, and put the “fun” in our dysfunctional family. Despite his career ups and downs, the loss of his young wife to cancer, and his own health issues he lived by the Golden Rule—do unto others as you would have others do unto you—even if others choose not to cooperate.

Wrapped inside the story of Mike’s life and career in television and advertising is a guide for how to treat others and live a happier and more positive life.

Chapter titles, reflective of Mike’s singular wisdom: 

It’s Showtime ♦ Study the Funny ♦ Dress for the Occasion ♦ Pursue Your Passion ♦ Fall in Love ♦ Be Nice to Everyone, Especially the Mob ♦ Put Your Toys Away ♦ Family Comes First ♦ Influence Others ♦ Stars For Charity ♦ Let’s Be Friends ♦ Double Your Fun ♦ Accept Free Gifts ♦ Make Lemonade ♦  Life’s A Crapshoot ♦ Die Laughing ♦

Mike Tangi, aka, Kwik Brothers

What made the King Kwik commercials and the Kwik Brothers so memorable?  Was it that catchy tune, easy to remember lyrics, or lavish production? What are your thoughts? 

Click to see the commercial: KingKwik1979

Do you remember your first time on the Uncle Al Show? If you grew up in Cincinnati, during 1950 to 1985, the odds are you watched and/or were on the show.

My dad, Mike Tangi, was the Uncle Al Show’s first director and producer in the early years between 1953—1963. Here are a few of my photos; share your memories, photos, and/or comments with me.

Uncle Al Show 1955

Uncle Al Show 1957

Uncle Al Show 1959

Do you remember Cincinnati’s Zoo Food & Home Show, during the 1960s and early 1970s? Mike Tangi was the show’s emcee. He was often upstaged by Angel, a Pepsi-drinking, cigarette-smoking chimpanzee, who circled the stage’s perimeters on a scooter entertaining the audience. Does it bring back fun memories? Your comments and stories are appreciated.

I’m Dennis Runyan, and have been a radio announcer in Cincinnati for over 30 years. My memories of Mike Tangi go back to my childhood, with the Uncle Al Show, and for sure, the Kwik Brothers. A special memory for me, though, was Mike’s greeting of welcome to Coney Island’s Land Of Oz as the Friendly Giant who, when you stood between his huge metal legs, would grant a wish.

This was in the early 60s, and I remember the giant, welcoming all to make a wish. Being totally blind from birth, the voice of the Friendly Giant, as well as other sounds, helped me to know where I was in the park. At the age of 10, I was dying to know how the recordings of the talking and musical things at Coney were run, so, my Mom or Dad, actually found someone who worked with the sounds, music and voices of the park, and gave me a hands-on tour. The Merry Go Round music was on a long reel of tape which ran for 4 hours, while the Friendly Giant, and several other talking items like the 2 talking trash cans, were on revolving carts, which were activated when approached, or ran continuously. When I asked about the voice of the Friendly Giant the fellow told me it was Mike Tangi, and I never forgot it. I would give anything, to find a recording of the Friendly Giant’s little speech, I can remember some of it, but have forgotten most of what he said.

Marci Tangi

I adored our father.  I think I spent most of my childhood sitting on the floor looking up at my dad and watching him tell story after story, using different voices and expressions, all to entice his audience–be it me or a room full of people.  As I got older, I found a career as a hair designer/educator, that I also embraced with the same enthusiasm as my father had created with his work.  Next thing I knew, I was enticing audiences with story after story, using differenct voices and expressions.

One of my greatest memories of my father is about his hair.  Of course, it would be his hair because I became his personal hair stylist.  In retrospect, what amazes me is that he let me cut his hair, particularly in the beginning when I wasn’t all that good.

When perming for men in the 80’s became popular, my father became a dark, handsome Italian with wavy hair instead of straight.  He loved the idea of the Wave!  Every 6 weeks he came to my salon and I permed his hair.  He loved it and everyone in the salon loved it.  While he was in my chair, he’d tell tales of great adventures, funny jokes and for 2 hours every 6 weeks he would not only bring joy to the salon but also to me.

Our father was a man of great passion, great faith and great love for life.  Or did I just describe myself?  Of course I did, because that to me is his greatest legacy–passing on to his children the art of living life to its fullest. 

As my sister embarks on this journey of “diggin-up” our dad, I can’t help but feel his presence.  He would have loved the internet, loved that people were coming together and sharing their memorie and he would have especially loved the attention.  He would have been so proud of my sister, talking non-stop about her skills as a writer and how she must have got that from his side of the family.

I would like to thank everyone for contributing their memories of our father.  I still love a great story and hearing what others thought of him reminds me to remember his life lessons.  To me he was so much more than “Patty the Plate,” “Wilma the Worm,” and the “Kwik Brothers.”

Marci Tangi
Sister, Daughter and Hair Designer/Salon Owner
Tangi’s Salon

I first met Mike when I was in high school in the early ’70s.  He was working with our company, Home City Ice, making commercials.   Remember “Ice-a-Nice!”  We were running a series of late night commercials on Bob Shreve’s TV show on weekends.  All those corny commercials–they had a way of sticking in your memory. 

Mike had a unique style in writing commercials and jingles that proved very effective.  This is a lost art today.  In my opinion, he and his advertising prowess, played a huge part in building our company successes in its early years. 

My memories of Mike were that of a fun-loving guy that loved to sing and dance.  He would come to our Christmas parties (for Home City Ice) and would find a piano someplace and before long the whole place was singing Christmas jingles.

We would go to dinners (the Precinct was one of his favorites) and it wouldn’t take long before he would have the entire bar laughing and singing to his piano ditties.  When people like Bert Ammon and Dick Kunkle and the rest of the King Kwik guys got together with Mike, there was no telling what would happen.  One thing was certain, it was the wee hours in the morning before it ended!

Cliff Riegler
Home City Ice

Mike and his family were our next door neighbors from 1966 until the year after Mary Lou’s death.  They were wonderful neighbors.  We jokingly said they invited us to their great patio parties so we wouldn’t call the cops.  They had the “Whose Who” in television at their parties.

Mike was a Cub Master at St. Antoninus while his son Michael was in Scouts.  He would play the piano at pack meetings, so the pack meetings were always a big show.  He involved all the kids in a variety of presentations.

Many summer nights were spent sitting on the front porch with Mike and Mary Lou, chatting and relaxing.  We remember sitting with them the night of the Beverly Hills fire, anxiously listening to names of victims, praying that none were familiar.

Great man.  It was a privilege to have him and Mary Lou as neighbors.

Mary Lynne & Ben Rapien

The Next Door Neighbor

There are so many things I could say about Mr. Tangi.  It would take hours, but no matter what there was always one constant.  That smile.  His smile was infectious.  And, so was his personality.  I was fortunate enough to grow up living next door to one (well I never saw them together) of the Kwik Brothers.  I can never remember Mr. Tangi without that smile.

One of my distinct memories happened on my birthday.  Although I can’t remember the exact year, it was during the Carter Administration.  I was having a party with some friends over.  We were maybe 10-11 years old.  Being a kid I used to tell my friends that I did live next to the Kwik Brothers.  We had a privacy fence between the patios.  He came by and poked his head around to say hello then realized we were having a kid’s party.  With that smile, he apologized for stopping by and of course we asked him if he wanted some cake.  He smiled and said he would be right back.  Some of my friends that weren’t from the neighborhood couldn’t believe that it was “One” of the Kwik Brothers.

Mr. Tangi came back a few minutes later with a gift.  He gave me a puppet.  But not just any puppet.  This was shaped like a Georgia peanut,dressed and a wide presidential smile.  It was a marionette.  He stayed for a bit and talked to some of the kids and showed us how to work the puppet.  Back at school, some of my classmates were talking about meeting the Kwik Brothers all week.  How cool was that for a kid in elementary school.  For someone like him, a celebrity, to take the time to stop and say hello and talk with some kids. 

Darren Cordrey

The Other Next Door Neighbor

Mr. Tangi was my next door neighbor and my best memories were at the 3rd of July block parties.  When the fireworks were over and most people thought about leaving, we would wheel out the old tuneless piano and the music would start.  Everyone would gather around as Mr. Tangi played and all would sing at the top of their voices.  All the kids sat on and around the piano and we laughed and sang late into the night.  I’m so grateful to Mr. Tangi for those memories. 

Also, even though I knew Mr. Tangi, I never met his twin brother.  I also can’t figure out if his name was Tangi how could his brother be King Kwik?  I figured it out later.

Sue Rapien Watson

As a young Videographer/Editor at Ch 64 in the late 80s, I was assigned to handle Mike’s account.  His vision, patience and attention to detail made it a pleasure to work with him.  But that’s only the surface.  It didn’t take long to become friends with Mike; he was like a surrogate father, a favorite uncle, an older brother I never had, all wrapped up in one kind, gentle, caring, fun-loving person.  Mike made working on his commercials a fun learning environment, and his effervescent personality livened up a room just by entering it. 

On one occasion, Mike explained to me how he directed the Uncle Al Show.  He not only directed the show calling camera and audio cues and the like.  He also was the voice for many of the characters on the show–live.  Having directed live TV before myself, I can assure you this is seemingly an impossible task.  Mike had two microphones, one he directed the show with, the other he could activate to perform the character voices in the show.  Essentially you have two tracks of information going through your mind simultaneously. 

One of the many silly things Mike would do around the studio is, when doing an on camera bit, we would ask him for a microphone check, and in an extremely feminine voice Mike would proclaim, “One two — one two, I’m one are you one too?”

It sounds cliche, but Mike was Mike–you got what you saw and heard and you loved it.

Dave Hoctor, Producer/Director/Editor/Videographer