A Final "Good Day" for Paul Harvey -- RIP

[prberk]

Radio Legend Paul Harvey Dies
'Rest of the Story' Host Became Most Familiar Voice in American Radio
By DEAN SCHABNER
Feb. 28, 2009—


Paul Harvey, once known as the most listened to man in radio, has died at the age of 90 at a hospital near his winter home in Phoenix.

Harvey's career in radio spanned more than 70 years, and his shows "News & Comment" and "Rest of the Story" made him a familiar voice in Americans' homes across the country.

His death comes nine months after that of his wife, Lynne Cooper Harvey, whom he often called "Angel" on air, and who was also his business partner and the first producer ever inducted in the the Radio Hall of Fame.

"My father and mother created from thin air what one day became radio and television news," Paul Harvey Jr. said. "So, in the past year, an industry has lost its godparents. And, today millions have lost a friend."

From his humble beginnings as a teenager helping out cleaning up at a local radio station, Harvey went on to have his broadcasts carried by 1,350 commercial radio stations, as well as 400 stations of the Armed Forces Radio Service, and was inducted into the Radio Hall of Fame in 1990.

"Paul Harvey was one of the most gifted and beloved broadcasters in our nation's history," said ABC Radio Networks President Jim Robinson in a statement released today. "As he delivered the news each day with his own unique style and commentary, his voice became a trusted friend in American households.

"Countless millions of listeners were both informed and entertained by his 'News & Comment' and 'Rest of the Story' features, Robinson said. "Even after the passing of his loving wife Angel in May 2008, Paul would not slip quietly into retirement as he continued to take the microphone and reach out to his audience. We will miss our dear friend tremendously and are grateful for the many years we were so fortunate to have known him. Our thoughts and prayers are now with his son Paul Jr. and the rest of the Harvey family."

"Paul Harvey is, without question, one of the most influential Americans of our time," Traug Keller, then president of ABC Radio Networks said in 2000, when Harvey signed a new 10-year contract with the network. "In fact, political adviser and communications specialist Frank Mankiewicz noted that Paul Harvey's name appears most often in lists of the 10 most influential opinion-shapers of each decade since the 1930s."

Former President George W. Bush said he and former first lady Laura Bush were saddened to hear of Harvey's death. "Paul was a friendly and familiar voice in the lives of millions of Americans," Bush said in a statement released late today. "His commentary entertained, enlightened, and informed. Laura and I are pleased to have known this fine man, and our thoughts and prayers are with his family."

Bush presented Harvey with the nation's highest civilian honor, the medal of freedom, in Novmber 2005.

Harvey, a Peabody Award-winning newsman, began broadcasting on the ABC Radio Networks in 1951 with "News and Comment." In 1976 he launched "The Rest of the Story," featuring human interest stories with surprise endings.

Harvey, who was born in Tulsa, Okla., started working at a locoal radio station at the suggestion of one of his high school teachers. He started out just helping clean up, but soon was on the air himself, filling in with reading the news or commercials.

After a stint at radio station KFBI in Abilene, Kansas, he moved to KXOK in St. Louis, where he met Lynne Cooper, and they were soon married. She was credited with coming up with many of the programming innovations that became Harvey's trademarks.

Among her ideas were the concepts of including news features within hard-news broadcasts, and the humorous "kicker," which became a Paul Harvey trademark. She also developed and edited her husband's best-known feature "The Rest of the Story." In 1941, Harvey became program director for WKZO in Kalamazoo, Mich., and during World War II he served as the news director for Michigan and Indiana for the Office of War Information.

Within a year of his move to WENR Chicago, his 10 p.m. newscast became the top-rated program.

In 1946, Harvey added "The Rest of the Story" segments to his newscasts, which eventually became its own series in 1976.

In 1951, Harvey began his long association the ABC Radio Network, where he had his first national broadcast.

His wife, Lynne Cooper Harvey died in May 2008. She was 92.

I don't know how many of you on this board have ever listened to Paul Harvey's legendary daily radio "News and Comment'" shows, or his "The Rest of the Story" vignettes, but the world lost a journalist's journalist this weekend -- and a thoroughly decent man. Our loss is Heaven's gain.

He was a humble man. I am 42 years old, and I knew growing up that this man's voice was important. But it was only as an adult, when I started listening to the broadcasts myself, that I really realized how well thought-out they were. They were always straightforward and factual. His commentary was clear without being hurtful. He never "got on his soapbox" during the time I listened, even though his opinion was clear. And often he found a ray of hope within in the shadow of bad news, without being trite.

ABC News (and Disney) owe a debt of gratitude to this man, who carried their banner for so long. I wish they would have done a special about him last night. It kind of bothers me that the journalism world nearly stopped and bowed down when Tim Russert died last year, but I barely heard a whimper from them on Paul Harvey's passing. That is a shame.

Anyway, I will miss him. I will especially miss his "Good Day!" sign-off.

Paul

 

[prberk]

At least a few of his (somewhat) younger peers have chimed in....

'An Original': Ex-Colleagues Praise Paul Harvey
Iconic Broadcaster Influenced Generations in Television and Radio
March 1, 2009


His peers and followers looked up to him as an "original," "the best," the Babe Ruth or Lou Gehrig of radio.

After talk radio pioneer Paul Harvey's death late Feb. 28 at the age of 90, former colleagues and disciples in the radio world joined in an outpouring of praise for the broadcaster whose 70-year career as host of "News & Comment" and the "Rest of the Story" made his voice the most recognizable on the airwaves.

"People tuned in to Paul Harvey because they trusted Paul Harvey," said David Hinckley, radio and TV columnist for the New York Daily News. "And that was built up over more than 50 years.

"When a big event happened -- you'd be listening to the radio and there was Paul Harvey. And you'd be thinking, 'What's Paul Harvey going to say about this? How's he going to do this in a way that's different than everyone else?' And he always found a way to do it."

Harvey was famous for winning a listenership along rural byways as well as in big cities, in small-town cafes, the living rooms of World War II veterans and, in recent years, on the Internet. While he was the focus of controversy for certain polarizing stands, such as his support of the notorious demagogue and red-baiter Sen. Joe McCarthy of Wisconsin, Harvey's homespun manner and frank delivery made him a popular favorite beyond politics.

"If you think of baseball, you think of Babe Ruth, Lou Gehrig, you think of some of the modern heroes," said Fox News talk show host Sean Hannity. "When you think of radio, you think of Paul Harvey. ... There is nobody that is up to the talent level of Paul Harvey and what he does."

Born in Oklahoma in 1918, Harvey was broadcasting from Tulsa by age 14. Harvey started working at a local radio station at the suggestion of one of his high school teachers. He started out just helping clean up, but soon was on the air himself, filling in with reading the news or commercials. Harvey went on to have his broadcasts carried by 1,350 commercial radio stations, as well as 400 stations of the Armed Forces Radio Service, and he was inducted into the Radio Hall of Fame in 1990.

"I think a lot of people have tried to imitate Paul Harvey and do imitate Paul Harvey, but it doesn't quite work with somebody else doing it because he was an original," said Charles Osgood of CBS News, a former colleague of Harvey's at ABC. "I don't know a broadcaster that didn't look up to Paul Harvey, I think he taught all of us the power of the spoken word."

Al Peterson of NTS Media recalled asking Harvey about his longevity.

"A number of years ago, I said to him, 'Why do you this anymore?'" Peterson recalled. And he said, 'Because I just can't wait to get up every single day and learn something that I didn't know yesterday.'

"I don't know a broadcaster that didn't look up to Paul Harvey," Peterson added. "I think he taught all of us the power of the spoken word."

Hinckley speculated that listeners gravitated to Harvey not for a humdrum reporting of the day's events but because he offered a piquant, opinionated take on what was happening and often highlighted curiosity pieces that listeners couldn't find elsewhere.

"He made it very clear what he liked and what he didn't like," said Hinckley. "And some of those likes and dislikes were as quirky as his delivery. But people accepted them, and that was part of the package of Paul Harvey, and I'm sure part of the trust for people, too."

At the age of 82, when most broadcasters have long been off the air, Paul Harvey signed a 10-year contract with ABC Radio in 2000.

"Paul Harvey was one of the most gifted and beloved broadcasters in our nation's history," said ABC Radio Networks President Jim Robinson in a statement released Saturday. "As he delivered the news each day with his own unique style and commentary, his voice became a trusted friend in American households."

Osgood recalled Harvey's signature signoff.

"You were expecting it -- and only he would do it," said Osgood. "He would say, 'Paul Harvey ... Good day!'

"Nothing like it. He was the best."

Also, here is a link to an excellent short ABC News story about him, and yes, a chance to hear his signature sign-off one more time.... http://abcnews.go.com/Video/playerIndex?id=6982165

 

[MKCP 1985]

CNN aired a Larry King interview last night. It went on for quite a while, and at the end, Paul Harvey ad libbed a thank you to Larry's make up professional for making him look 40 years younger and sending home to his wife . . . and after delivering his punch line shook Larry King's hand and "signed off" with his trademark "good day." :lol:

I remember once hearing one of Paul Harvey's "... the rest of the story" pieces about Walt Disney. It was a story about a young Walt Disney injuring an owl and being regretful and rueful recognizing what he'd done. Supposedly, it was a life changing event for young Walt and was the motivation behind the love for animals shown in such movies as Bambi.

But I've never seen that story reported anywhere else.

Goodbye, Paul Harvey. Well done, good and faithful servant. We will miss you.

 

[Wilt Dasney]

I wasn't a regular listener, but there was definitely something enjoyable about his broadcasts. It's remarkable that he kept working so late into life.

Doug, do you recall what name he gave Walt to throw the listener off his identity until the end? "Eli" is the first thing that occurs to me, as a shortened version of his middle name.

 

[imagineer boy]

Aw, I'm going to miss him. Back in my high school days when I'd drive to school in the morning, I'd pop the radio on and he'd be doing his regular morning news segment.

 

[BigB911]

When I was 16 (1994), my grandfather became terminally ill with cancer. He had an old (late 80's) Chevy Chevette that was given to me. Because he was in the hospital, and I had a job after school, I was given permission to drive to school. Now, this Chevette was the bare bones model. I was lucky it was at least automatic. The radio had no FM band. So, not wanting to drive in total silence, I'd listen to AM and found Paul Harvey. I loved hearing his "...rest of the story" pieces. I would look forward to that final bell, get in my car, and tune in to Paul Harvey. I think it's safe to say that I was the only 16 y/o listening to Paul Harvey!:ROFLOL:

God bless you, Paul Harvey. God speed!

 

[prberk]

When I was 16 (1994), my grandfather became terminally ill with cancer. He had an old (late 80's) Chevy Chevette that was given to me. Because he was in the hospital, and I had a job after school, I was given permission to drive to school. Now, this Chevette was the bare bones model. I was lucky it was at least automatic. The radio had no FM band. So, not wanting to drive in total silence, I'd listen to AM and found Paul Harvey. I loved hearing his "...rest of the story" pieces. I would look forward to that final bell, get in my car, and tune in to Paul Harvey. I think it's safe to say that I was the only 16 y/o listening to Paul Harvey!:ROFLOL:

God bless you, Paul Harvey. God speed!

That's the same kind of story that happened to me in the eighties (from 1984 to 1988) -- only my car was a 1976 Maverick Grabber! I discovered traditional radio (not "talk" radio as we know it today -- all arguments -- but good, full-service radio, with announcers who cared about the community, and actually had something important to say rather than just taglines with their latest marketing phrase).

I actually was exposed to Paul Harvey first, though, through my driver's ed teacher. Mr. Harvey's noontime broadcast actually happened during our behind-the-wheel sessions, and he made us put the radio on that! (As opposed to leaving the radio off to drive....)

Anyhow, I became a fan, and I loved his wit even until the end.

Paul

 

[MKCP 1985]

I wasn't a regular listener, but there was definitely something enjoyable about his broadcasts. It's remarkable that he kept working so late into life.

Doug, do you recall what name he gave Walt to throw the listener off his identity until the end? "Eli" is the first thing that occurs to me, as a shortened version of his middle name.

Yesterday, AFTER I made that post, I googled "Paul Harvey, owl, Walt Disney" and found a complete transcript. It was the first time I'd seen or heard any of it since that one day I heard the story on the radio. Anyway, according to the transcript, he was described as "Walter Elias." :lookaroun

 

[ajrwdwgirl]

I wonder if prberk and I had the same driver's ed teacher or maybe it was a requirement of driver's ed teachers to listen to Paul Harvey. My driver's ed teacher was also my pre-alegbra teacher and while he made us listen to Paul Harvey in the car we watched Paul Harvey videos in pre-alg. Paul Harvey's stories were always interesting. Too bad he's gone.

 

[EPCOT Explorer]

Oh, that's horrible. My Father and I loved to listen to him.

 

[prberk]

Yesterday, AFTER I made that post, I googled "Paul Harvey, owl, Walt Disney" and found a complete transcript. It was the first time I'd seen or heard any of it since that one day I heard the story on the radio. Anyway, according to the transcript, he was described as "Walter Elias." :lookaroun

Can you post the transcript here?

I wonder if prberk and I had the same driver's ed teacher or maybe it was a requirement of driver's ed teachers to listen to Paul Harvey. My driver's ed teacher was also my pre-alegbra teacher and while he made us listen to Paul Harvey in the car we watched Paul Harvey videos in pre-alg. Paul Harvey's stories were always interesting. Too bad he's gone.

Wow, that is amazing. Or just a testament to his importance to people who really understood the value of his unique commentary...

Paul

 

[bobjl527]

I would like to share my story about Paul Harvey with all of you. Growing up in Chicago, I would always hear "The Rest of the Story" on my fathers radio tuned to WGN. Even at a very young age, I was fascinated with the sound of this mans voice.
Back in 1989, I worked at a Blockbuster Video in suburban Chicago. Mr. Harvey was a regular customer. He was always in search of one particular movie that we only had one copy of. Every time he would come in and ask for it, and every time it would be rented out. He never complained, just rented something else.
Then one day, while emptying out the returned movie drop box, there it was. The movie Mr. Harvey had been looking for. I thought to myself, "Do I dare call this man at home?" It was our company policy not to call customers at home when the movie they requested comes in. It was first come, first serve. I went against company rules and called him. He answered the phone and I explained who I was and told him his movie was in. He was so excited. "Really? I don't believe it! I'll be right there!" he said.
Less than 5 minutes later, here comes Mr. Harvey with the biggest grin on his face through the doors. "Do you really have it?" he asked. I showed him and he was thrilled. Apparently his wife had wanted to see this movie for the longest time. He tried giving me a tip, but I refused. I never saw someone so happy to rent a movie.
For the next couple of years, whenever Mr. Harvey was in the store he would ask for me. Every time without fail, just to say "hello" and shake my hand. I couldn't believe such an important man would go out of his way just to say "hi" to a young man like me.
Even though this man was a multi-millionaire, he was still so down to earth and likeable. After I left Blockbuster, I never saw him again but I had the feeling even 20 years later that he still would have known me if we bumped into each other.
I truly feel as if I lost a dear friend with his passing. Rest in peace Mr. Harvey. Thank you for letting me share this story with all of you.

 

[prberk]

What a great story, Bobjl527. That made my day. The world can definitely learn from gentlemen like that.

I wonder if he ever met Walt Disney himself. They were both midwesterners who obviously had those old-fashioned values that never lost sight of where they came from.