September 4, 1976:
Children's TV Star Dwyer Dies at 48
Donald Lynn Dwyer, known to thousands of Twin Cities area children as television's "Roundhouse Rodney," collapsed and died while jogging in Brainerd, Minn., Friday morning.
His death apparently was caused by a heart attack. He was 48.
To area children growing up in the 1950s and '60s, Dwyer and his partner, Roger (Casey Jones) Awsumb, were a television institution. Viewers caused an uproar in December 1972 when WTCN-TV canceled their programs, "Lunch with Casey" and "Wake Up with Casey" after 19 years on the air.
Two years ago Dwyer put $20,000 of his own money into marketing his own "Roundhouse Show," which appeared on KTCA-TV, a public broadcast station.
"I worked with him for 20 years. We did 8,000 TV shows," Awsumb said yesterday. "He was my friend.
"Through the years he made thousands of people happy. He had done a lot lately visiting schools and churches and mental hospitals," he said. "He had a real desire to serve. The kids loved him. He's gonna be missed."
Despite his small stature – he was 5 feet tall – and a childhood bout with rheumatic fever, Dwyer was an athlete. He was an acrobat with the Ice Capades and had appeared with the troupe on the Ed Sullivan Show. He encouraged physical fitness on his TV shows.
The Crow Wing County coroner's office said an autopsy would be performed to determine more exactly the cause of death.
Dwyer was born in Pittsburgh and came to the Twin Cities in 1954. He had a degree in theater from the University of Pittsburgh and a teaching degree from Macalester College.
He is survived by his wife, Marion . . . and two children, Keith and Loren. The family prefers memorials to the Heart Fund or St. George's Episcopal Church.
Roger Awsumb Find a Grave site # is: 7151893
The services will be Monday at 7:30 P.M. at St. George's, 5224 Minnetonka Blvd., St. Louis Park.
FATHER: Edward C Dwyer
MOTHER: Suzzette M Weitershause
Children's TV Star Dwyer Dies at 48
Donald Lynn Dwyer, known to thousands of Twin Cities area children as television's "Roundhouse Rodney," collapsed and died while jogging in Brainerd, Minn., Friday morning.
His death apparently was caused by a heart attack. He was 48.
To area children growing up in the 1950s and '60s, Dwyer and his partner, Roger (Casey Jones) Awsumb, were a television institution. Viewers caused an uproar in December 1972 when WTCN-TV canceled their programs, "Lunch with Casey" and "Wake Up with Casey" after 19 years on the air.
Two years ago Dwyer put $20,000 of his own money into marketing his own "Roundhouse Show," which appeared on KTCA-TV, a public broadcast station.
"I worked with him for 20 years. We did 8,000 TV shows," Awsumb said yesterday. "He was my friend.
"Through the years he made thousands of people happy. He had done a lot lately visiting schools and churches and mental hospitals," he said. "He had a real desire to serve. The kids loved him. He's gonna be missed."
Despite his small stature – he was 5 feet tall – and a childhood bout with rheumatic fever, Dwyer was an athlete. He was an acrobat with the Ice Capades and had appeared with the troupe on the Ed Sullivan Show. He encouraged physical fitness on his TV shows.
The Crow Wing County coroner's office said an autopsy would be performed to determine more exactly the cause of death.
Dwyer was born in Pittsburgh and came to the Twin Cities in 1954. He had a degree in theater from the University of Pittsburgh and a teaching degree from Macalester College.
He is survived by his wife, Marion . . . and two children, Keith and Loren. The family prefers memorials to the Heart Fund or St. George's Episcopal Church.
Roger Awsumb Find a Grave site # is: 7151893
The services will be Monday at 7:30 P.M. at St. George's, 5224 Minnetonka Blvd., St. Louis Park.
FATHER: Edward C Dwyer
MOTHER: Suzzette M Weitershause
September 4, 1976:
Children's TV Star Dwyer Dies at 48
Donald Lynn Dwyer, known to thousands of Twin Cities area children as television's "Roundhouse Rodney," collapsed and died while jogging in Brainerd, Minn., Friday morning.
His death apparently was caused by a heart attack. He was 48.
To area children growing up in the 1950s and '60s, Dwyer and his partner, Roger (Casey Jones) Awsumb, were a television institution. Viewers caused an uproar in December 1972 when WTCN-TV canceled their programs, "Lunch with Casey" and "Wake Up with Casey" after 19 years on the air.
Two years ago Dwyer put $20,000 of his own money into marketing his own "Roundhouse Show," which appeared on KTCA-TV, a public broadcast station.
"I worked with him for 20 years. We did 8,000 TV shows," Awsumb said yesterday. "He was my friend.
"Through the years he made thousands of people happy. He had done a lot lately visiting schools and churches and mental hospitals," he said. "He had a real desire to serve. The kids loved him. He's gonna be missed."
Despite his small stature – he was 5 feet tall – and a childhood bout with rheumatic fever, Dwyer was an athlete. He was an acrobat with the Ice Capades and had appeared with the troupe on the Ed Sullivan Show. He encouraged physical fitness on his TV shows.
The Crow Wing County coroner's office said an autopsy would be performed to determine more exactly the cause of death.
Dwyer was born in Pittsburgh and came to the Twin Cities in 1954. He had a degree in theater from the University of Pittsburgh and a teaching degree from Macalester College.
He is survived by his wife, Marion . . . and two children, Keith and Loren. The family prefers memorials to the Heart Fund or St. George's Episcopal Church.
Roger Awsumb Find a Grave site # is: 7151893
The services will be Monday at 7:30 P.M. at St. George's, 5224 Minnetonka Blvd., St. Louis Park.
FATHER: Edward C Dwyer
MOTHER: Suzzette M Weitershause
Children's TV Star Dwyer Dies at 48
Donald Lynn Dwyer, known to thousands of Twin Cities area children as television's "Roundhouse Rodney," collapsed and died while jogging in Brainerd, Minn., Friday morning.
His death apparently was caused by a heart attack. He was 48.
To area children growing up in the 1950s and '60s, Dwyer and his partner, Roger (Casey Jones) Awsumb, were a television institution. Viewers caused an uproar in December 1972 when WTCN-TV canceled their programs, "Lunch with Casey" and "Wake Up with Casey" after 19 years on the air.
Two years ago Dwyer put $20,000 of his own money into marketing his own "Roundhouse Show," which appeared on KTCA-TV, a public broadcast station.
"I worked with him for 20 years. We did 8,000 TV shows," Awsumb said yesterday. "He was my friend.
"Through the years he made thousands of people happy. He had done a lot lately visiting schools and churches and mental hospitals," he said. "He had a real desire to serve. The kids loved him. He's gonna be missed."
Despite his small stature – he was 5 feet tall – and a childhood bout with rheumatic fever, Dwyer was an athlete. He was an acrobat with the Ice Capades and had appeared with the troupe on the Ed Sullivan Show. He encouraged physical fitness on his TV shows.
The Crow Wing County coroner's office said an autopsy would be performed to determine more exactly the cause of death.
Dwyer was born in Pittsburgh and came to the Twin Cities in 1954. He had a degree in theater from the University of Pittsburgh and a teaching degree from Macalester College.
He is survived by his wife, Marion . . . and two children, Keith and Loren. The family prefers memorials to the Heart Fund or St. George's Episcopal Church.
Roger Awsumb Find a Grave site # is: 7151893
The services will be Monday at 7:30 P.M. at St. George's, 5224 Minnetonka Blvd., St. Louis Park.
FATHER: Edward C Dwyer
MOTHER: Suzzette M Weitershause
