Paul Harvey Passes Away at Age 90

[Newsman]

Less than a year after his beloved wife died, Paul Harvey passed away today, at the age of 90.

I have two stories about him that come to mind, and two observations

My college radio professor talked about Paul Harvey having been a great voice/broadcaster..but had stayed too long in the business...that was in the 1980's...(wrong, but points to the longevity that he had, that he was still on the air more than 20 years after that.)

As I recall, Mr. Harvey once related how a man he worked with at KVOO in Tulsa (that would have been LONG ago,) had taught him that a man could wear a tie, and still be tough.

My first observation: no natonal broadcaster has, nor likely again ever will have, the seemingly unquestioned credibility to bluntly describe certain things without losing everything in law suits.

Second observation; America has lost it's greatest broadcaster.

I'll add a story shortly.


John Yates
News & Sports Director
McAlester Radio

[The Purple Fuzzy]

I really lilked to listen to him when I could.

[Newsman]

Broadcasting pioneer Paul Harvey dies at age of 90
By RUPA SHENOY, Associated Press Writer Rupa Shenoy, Associated Press Writer
1 hr 23 mins ago

CHICAGO – Paul Harvey, the news commentator and talk-radio pioneer whose staccato style made him one of the nation's most familiar voices, died Saturday in Arizona, according to ABC Radio Networks. He was 90.

Harvey died surrounded by family at a hospital in Phoenix, where he had a winter home, said Louis Adams, a spokesman for ABC Radio Networks, where Harvey worked for more than 50 years. No cause of death was immediately available.

Harvey had been forced off the air for several months in 2001 because of a virus that weakened a vocal cord. But he returned to work in Chicago and was still active as he passed his 90th birthday. His death comes less than a year after that of his wife and longtime producer, Lynne.

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

Known for his resonant voice and trademark delivery of "The Rest of the Story," Harvey had been heard nationally since 1951, when he began his "News and Comment" for ABC Radio Networks.

He became a heartland icon, delivering news and commentary with a distinctive Midwestern flavor. "Stand by for news!" he told his listeners. He was credited with inventing or popularizing terms such as "skyjacker," "Reaganomics" and "guesstimate."

"Paul Harvey was one of the most gifted and beloved broadcasters in our nation's history," ABC Radio Networks President Jim Robinson said in a statement. "We will miss our dear friend tremendously and are grateful for the many years we were so fortunate to have known him."

In 2005, Harvey was one of 14 notables chosen as recipients of the presidential Medal of Freedom. He also was an inductee in the Radio Hall of Fame, as was Lynne.

He composed his twice-daily news commentaries from a downtown Chicago office near Lake Michigan.

Rising at 3:30 each morning, he ate a bowl of oatmeal, then combed the news wires and spoke with editors across the country in search of succinct tales of American life for his program.

At the peak of his career, Harvey reached more than 24 million listeners on more than 1,200 radio stations and charged $30,000 to give a speech. His syndicated column was carried by 300 newspapers.

His fans identified with his plainspoken political commentary, but critics called him an out-of-touch conservative. He was an early supporter of the late Sen. Joseph McCarthy and a longtime backer of the Vietnam War.

Perhaps Harvey's most famous broadcast came in 1970, when he abandoned that stance, announcing his opposition to President Nixon's expansion of the war and urging him to get out completely.

"Mr. President, I love you ... but you're wrong," Harvey said, shocking his faithful listeners and drawing a barrage of letters and phone calls, including one from the White House.

In 1976, Harvey began broadcasting his anecdotal descriptions of the lives of famous people. "The Rest of the Story" started chronologically, with the person's identity revealed at the end. The stories were an attempt to capture "the heartbeats behind the headlines." Much of the research and writing was done by his son, Paul Jr.

Harvey also blended news with advertising, a line he said he crossed only for products he trusted.

In 2000, at age 82, he signed a new 10-year contract with ABC Radio Networks.

Harvey was born Paul Harvey Aurandt in Tulsa, Okla. His father, a police officer, was killed when he was a toddler. A high school teacher took note of his distinctive voice and launched him on a broadcast career.

While working at St. Louis radio station KXOK, he met Washington University graduate student Lynne Cooper. He proposed on their first date (she said "no") and always called her "Angel." They were married in 1940 and had a son, Paul Jr.

They worked closely together on his shows, and he often credited his success to her influence. She was inducted into the Radio Hall of Fame in 1997, seven years after her husband was. She died in May 2008.

[Dew-Ax-238]

I remember his famous Line

That is the rest of the story

[Sis]

His son isn't doing too badly. He's following in his father's footsteps. Even sounds a bit like his father. I know he had it handed to him, and didn't have to go through the mill to get there like his father did, but he's doing ok with it.

[almondjoy]

I love listening to Paul Harvey.  I don't think his son's doing too bad a job of following in his dad's footsteps with the show either.

[Ashlee]

Wow.  I had no idea Paul Harvey had passed away.  Man.  But, I do agree that his son has been doing a good job. 

[EricShane]

when I was little I used to say "and nowwww, for the rest of the story.." lol.. I remember him saying "this is Paul Harvery, Good Day!"