COVERSTORY
Entertainment icon , Pat O ’ Brien , was born into the entertainment industry . His mother was in an all-girl band after WWII and played all over the Midwest . She was an accomplished piano player and played with all the big bands that came through South Dakota and surrounding states . Being very talented herself , Pat ’ s mom put him on stage to tap dance at the age of three . Her drummer was a dance teacher and taught Pat well . Pat found himself attracted to the attention , the attraction to his talents , and the thrill of the game . He fell head over heels in love with the business and never looked back !
When Pat was work age , he landed his first job at John Morrell & Company Meat Packing for $ 80 a week shoveling hamburger . Pat related that to being like shoveling bubble gum . After a summer of that , his dad intervened and told him he thought he needed a better job that didn ’ t require him to lift anything . Pat continued on with his talents . He was tap dancing at band concerts , state fairs , and recitals . One day , Pat met a man named Mort Henkin , who was the owner of a Sioux Falls , South Dakota , television station . Mr . Henkin hired 18-year-old Pat O ’ Brien , and the next thing Pat knew , he was on air doing stories about things like worms on farms and mosquitos . It was then Pat was bitten by the bug , not the mosquitos , but the bigger bug – entertainment .
Pat attended the University of South Dakota , where he met one of the biggest influences of his life , Dr . Bill Farber . Dr . Farber became his mentor . Dr . Farber encouraged Pat to go into
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