Video Vault: WMJI's Jimmy Malone was once a real estate agent, sold insurance in 1984

CLEVELAND - While searching through a series of stories on part-time performers done by WEWS reporter Paul Orlousky in 1984, I found WMJI’s Jimmy Malone but it wasn’t the Malone we all know from morning radio.

In the video in our player, this Jimmy Malone was selling insurance and real estate plus moonlighting as a stand-up comic. It looks as if the highlight of his workdays back then was checking bathroom water pressure.

But it wouldn’t be too long after this story aired that Malone would team up with radio veteran John Lanigan to entertain Clevelanders, and make us laugh for the next 27 years and counting.

According to WMJI’s website , it was during one of Malone’s shows at the now-defunct Cleveland Comedy Club downtown that Lanigan saw Malone doing his "Knuckleheads in the News" routine. That routine turned into a recurring gig on Lanigan’s popular show in 1985 and then a full-time job in 1991.

Malone’s contribution to our community goes deeper than entertaining us, he also provides scholarships to young people in our town through his golf tournament .

Enjoy a look back at Jimmy Malone in 1984.