 |
Paul Harvey had a regular segment on radio called "The rest of the styory". Source: https://robertfeder.dailyherald.com/2020/04/17/wgn-radio-bring-back-paul-harveys-rest-story/ (May be subject to copyright) |
It was on the radio every weekday morning before I went to school but, because of the way the school bus ran, I rarely heard “the rest of the story”.
Paul Harvey had this syndicated spot across the continent, and it really was a feel good segment, long before the advent of “Chicken Soup for the Soul” or any of its offspring.
It is Paul Harvey’s birthday today, offering a good chance to look back at another icon of the ‘80s.
The early years
Paul Harvey was born in Tulsa, Oklahoma in 1918, and started working at a Tulsa radio station in 1933 when he was still 14. Wikipedia reveals he was eventually allowed to fill in on the air by reading commercials and the news. He continued working at that radio station while he went to the University of Tulsa. He would move on to work at stations in Wichita, Kansas; Oklahoma City; and St. Louis, Missouri.
Paul Harvey was born in Tulsa, Oklahoma in 1918, and started working at a Tulsa radio station in 1933 when he was still 14. Wikipedia reveals he was eventually allowed to fill in on the air by reading commercials and the news. He continued working at that radio station while he went to the University of Tulsa. He would move on to work at stations in Wichita, Kansas; Oklahoma City; and St. Louis, Missouri.
He then moved to Hawaii to cover the United States Navy, eventually enlisted in the United States Army Air Forces, then moved to Chicago in 1944 where he began broadcasting for an ABC affiliate. He would work his way up and go national in 1951, and debuted on television in 1952.
Things would change again for Paul Harvey in 1976.
The rest of the story
It was in 1976 that Paul Harvey debuted a separate program called “The Rest of the Story”. In it, he provided the back stories of famous people. The show premiered on May 10, 1976, and continued on until his death in 2009.
It was in 1976 that Paul Harvey debuted a separate program called “The Rest of the Story”. In it, he provided the back stories of famous people. The show premiered on May 10, 1976, and continued on until his death in 2009.
“The Rest of the Story” was on 1220 CJOC radio when I was growing up. That was the station our kitchen radio was set to and playing every morning when I got ready for school.
When I became aware of “The Rest of the Story”, I actually started writing down who the famous person was in each segment.
It was always heartwarming and uplifting. Paul Harvey also had this amazing ability to build suspense and anticipation to the climax, leading to that patented phrase “…and now for the rest of the story”.
Unfortunately, I don’t know if the timing of the show changed, or the timing of the school bus did, but it started coming literally before I could hear the rest of the story.
I asked my Mom to get the name of the celebrities, but she wasn’t able to do that.
Consequently, I never heard as many as I would have liked to.
One in particular does stand out. It was about this baby born premature. His mom didn’t know what to do, so she put the baby in a shoe box in the oven on low temperature. The baby survived and went on to become a world-famous jockey, riding some of the greatest horses of all time. His name was Willie Shoemaker.
I will always remember the big reveal at the end. It was so cool.
“The Rest of the Story” provided an uplifting boost in the morning.
The closest thing that comes to it, would be “Chicken Soup for the Soul”.
Parting thoughts
Awhile back, I was talking to a friend of mine who grew up in the Stavely-Claresholm area where I live. He was telling me a story, then paused.
Awhile back, I was talking to a friend of mine who grew up in the Stavely-Claresholm area where I live. He was telling me a story, then paused.
“Now, for the rest of the story…,” he said.
I knew exactly what he meant.
That was the power of Paul Harvey.
No comments:
Post a Comment