There is no more important quality for a newscaster than the ability to be trusted. Americans trusted Edward R. Murrow when he was bringing them live stories of the Blitz in London. They trusted Walter Winchell with his rapid fire, unrelenting delivery. They trusted Gabriel Heatter when he told him that "There's good news tonight". However, now one held America's trust as long or as deeply as Paul Harvey.
Harvey's broadcast career stretched from the Golden Age of Radio during the Second World War to the Internet age. Paul lost his father, a Tulsa, Oklahoma police detective who was killed in a shootout, when he was only three. As a youngster, he constructed radio receivers and got an after school job, sweeping floors at first, at the local radio station. One of Paul's teachers, who was impressed with the young man's voice, helped him to get the job which eventually led to on-air appearances.
While attending the University of Tulsa, Paul worked as an announcer and station manager at KVOO, later moving on to Salina, Kansas, Oklahoma City, and St. Louis. While working at KXOK, he met a school teacher named Lynn Cooper who was doing a school report. Paul invited Lynne to dinner and proposed to her after a few minutes of conversation. He gave her the nickname "Angel", and they were married a year later.
Angel was an important part of the team which put together Paul Harvey's News and Commentary. Many would say that Angel was in fact the brains behind Paul Harvey's success, she was the one who encouraged their move to Chicago in 1945 to be nearer the network studios.
In 1976, Angel began producing The Rest of the Story. Historical background, little known facts and "back story" were always an important part of Paul Harvey's broadcasts, but The Rest of the Story went beyond news reporting to almost pure entertainment. In most broadcasts an important element was held back until the end, usually the name of the story's subject. Lynne Harvey was the first producer to be inducted into the Radio Hall of Fame.
During the later years of the program there were occasional substitute hosts for The Rest of the Story and News and Comment, most often Paul and Angel's son, Paul Harvey Jr., along with Doug Limerick, Gill Gross, Mitt Romney, Mike Huckabee and others. After Paul Harvey passed away in 2009, Doug Limerick was named as the permanent host of The Rest of the Story, but the show folded after three weeks.
I remember listening to Paul Harvey every day at 12:15 as a kid with my Uncle Slug in my grandpa’s sheet mettle shop and drinking beer on our break. Great memories.
Such happy memories are associated with Paul Harvey's The Rest of the Story, which I think have little to do with the content. Hearing it, evoking his signature "Good DAY!", I am back in Vienna VA or Fayetteville NC. I am not in kindergarten (never went), I am absorbed in my own little projects, my mother is nearby sewing or cleaning (4 kids) or working on something, and we are both thinking about lunch, and Paul Harvey comes on and delivers some clever story in his articulate, ironic style. It is a great memory, seemingly years of memories. I bought this disk from Otr Cat and risked testing the memory -- it was still strong, still unaffected by me now knowing that Paul Harvey was "conservative," that the world often snapped irony into tragedy. I have little memory of Harvey's son, Paul Jr., but just as well -- I find his delivery over the top, not warm and confidential like his dad. I know I am an old duffer now (this post renews my credentials), but I am grateful that Otr Cat helped me bring some fine memories closer and at hand.
I always loved Paul Harvey! During Elem school, I always walked home from Sam Houston Elem School to hear his daily broadcasts [in Midland Tx (1954 - 1960)] One day, my Dad took me downtown to meet Mr. Harvey when he was broadcasting from the studios of KCRS! I was SO THRILLED! Still remember that meeting!
Brings back decades of his humor, wit and stories. What a unique voice and cadence. Enjoyable, thought-provoking, pro-American-values with a dose of how the world and country could be improved.
Every year, around July 4th, I listen to his "Our Lives, Our Fortunes, Our Sacred Honor". He was special. And missed. This collection is great to relive hearing his unique voice and delivery.
I loved to listen to Paul back in the day. My father, when he was alive, always recorded his shows onto cassette tapes. Unfortunately those were all thrown out years ago by another relative. I was glad to see I could still "reclaim" some of those shows via OTRCat.
America will never be the same for the loss of this man! Paul Harvey was the 'heartbeat' of America for years with key insights to human behavior which no social psychologist could touch. He did this with a heart for the soul of America and wisdom seldom seen in radio communications. We need more of his kind!! He will be greatly missed for all that he offered. Do your self a favour and listen to his recording on the farmer and the birds to get an insight to his genius!
Harvey's broadcast career stretched from the Golden Age of Radio during the Second World War to the Internet age. Paul lost his father, a Tulsa, Oklahoma police detective who was killed in a shootout, when he was only three. As a youngster, he constructed radio receivers and got an after school job, sweeping floors at first, at the local radio station. One of Paul's teachers, who was impressed with the young man's voice, helped him to get the job which eventually led to on-air appearances.
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