Paul Harvey
Born: September 4, 1918, Tulsa, Oklahoma. Married: Lynne Cooper, June 4, 1940. Died: February 28, 2009, Phoenix, Arizona
The famous radio and television news commentator was born September 4, 1918, in Tulsa, Oklahoma, to Harry Harrison and Anna Dagmar Christensen Aurandt. At the age of three, Harvey’s father was murdered during an armed robbery. He became fascinated with radio as a boy and experimented with receivers. Impressed with his voice, his English teacher introduced him to his radio career at the age of 14. There at KVOO in Tulsa, Oklahoma, the teenager had the opportunity to read some news and do some announcing in addition to serving as a janitor.
Harvey spent three years in Salina, Kansas, as station manager at KFBI. This AM station, which started in Milford, had become because of its founder, Dr. John R. Brinkley. In Salina the station was located above the Carlisle Radio Shop. It then moved to the second floor of the Fox-Watson Theatre. KFBI later moved to Wichita and changed its call letters to KFDI. The country station is still popular with Wichita listeners.
The news commentator moved then to Oklahoma, City, Oklahoma, to work at KOMA radio. He was hired as news and special events director at KXOX radio in St. Louis, Missouri. There he met and married Lynne Cooper on June 4, 1940.
As program director at WKZO radio in Kalamazoo, Michigan, Harvey also served as the Office of War Information's news director for Michigan and Indiana. He enlisted in the U.S. Army Air Corps, but he received a medical discharge in 1944. In Chicago he shortened his name to Paul Harvey. He prepared daily news commentaries for WENR radio station. His broadcasts soon became popular in the metro area.
Harvey’s programs were aired on ABC Radio Networks. He became well known for telling "The Rest of the Story." Harvey was widely popular and received numerous awards. He was heard daily on 1,600 radio stations worldwide, reaching as many as 24 million listeners a week.
Harvey died February 28, 2009, in Phoenix, Arizona.
Entry: Harvey, Paul
Author: Kansas Historical Society
Author information: The Kansas Historical Society is a state agency charged with actively safeguarding and sharing the state's history.
Date Created: September 2014
Date Modified: September 2014
The author of this article is solely responsible for its content.
