Paul Harvey facts for kids
Quick facts for kids
Paul Harvey
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Harvey receiving the Presidential Medal of Freedom in 2005
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| Born |
Paul Harvey Aurandt
September 4, 1918 Tulsa, Oklahoma, U.S.
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| Died | February 28, 2009 (aged 90) Phoenix, Arizona, U.S.
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| Resting place | Forest Home Cemetery, Forest Park, Illinois, U.S. |
| Alma mater | University of Tulsa |
| Spouse(s) |
Lynne "Angel" Cooper Harvey
(m. 1940; died 2008) |
| Children | Paul Harvey Jr. |
| Awards | .svg){kind=small} Presidential Medal of Freedom |
| Career | |
| Show | The Rest of the Story Paul Harvey News and Comment |
| Network | ABC Radio Networks |
| Military career | |
| Allegiance |  United States |
| Service/ |
 U.S. Army Air Forces |
| Years of service | 1943−1944 |
| Battles/wars | World War II |
Paul Harvey Aurandt (September 4, 1918 – February 28, 2009) was a famous American radio broadcaster. He worked for ABC News Radio. He was known for his daily shows, News and Comment, and his popular segments called The Rest of the Story.
From 1951 until 2008, his programs reached millions of listeners every week. About 24 million people tuned in. Paul Harvey News was heard on 1,200 radio stations. It was also broadcast on 400 American Forces Network stations. His words even appeared in 300 newspapers.
Contents
Early Life and Radio Start
Paul Harvey was born in Tulsa, Oklahoma. His father, a policeman, passed away when Paul was very young. As a boy, Paul loved making radio receivers.
How Paul Harvey Started in Radio
When he was 14, Paul began working at radio station KVOO in Tulsa. He started by helping to clean up. Soon, he was allowed to read commercials and the news on air. His teacher, Isabelle Ronan, noticed his impressive voice.
He continued working at KVOO while attending the University of Tulsa. He started as an announcer and later became a program director. He also worked at other radio stations in Kansas and Oklahoma City. In 1938, he moved to KXOK in St. Louis. There, he was a roving reporter and Director of Special Events.
Paul Harvey's Career Highlights
Paul Harvey's career spanned many decades. He became one of the most recognized voices in American radio.
Serving During World War II
Paul Harvey moved to Hawaii to report on the U.S. Navy. He was returning to the mainland after the Japanese attack on Pearl Harbor. He later joined the U.S. Army Air Forces. He served briefly from December 1943 to March 1944. He then moved to Chicago in June 1944. There, he began broadcasting from the ABC affiliate WENR.
Broadcasting in Chicago
In 1945, he hosted Jobs for G.I. Joe. This program helped soldiers find work after the war. In 1946, he added The Rest of the Story as a special part of his in-depth reports.
Paul Harvey often talked about security concerns. For example, he worried about the Argonne National Laboratory. This was a nuclear research place near Chicago. To show his concern, he once entered the grounds by climbing a fence. Security guards quickly stopped him. This event was seen as a type of "participatory journalism."
Becoming a National Voice
Paul Harvey started working for ABC Radio in the late 1940s. On April 1, 1951, his show Paul Harvey News and Comment began. It aired nationwide on the ABC Radio Network. He also started a 15-minute newscast on ABC television in 1952.
Later, he hosted a separate show called The Rest of the Story. In this show, he shared interesting facts behind famous people and events. This program started on May 10, 1976. It quickly grew to six broadcasts a week. His son, Paul Harvey, Jr., wrote and produced it for 33 years. Paul Harvey and his network said these stories were always true.
In 2000, Paul Harvey signed a big contract with ABC Radio Networks. A few months later, he had vocal cord issues and took a break. He returned to the air in August 2001.
Paul Harvey was very good at moving from his news stories to reading commercials. He explained his loyalty to sponsors by saying, "I am fiercely loyal to those willing to put their money where my mouth is."
Guest Hosts and Later Years
Other people sometimes filled in for Paul Harvey. These included former US Senator Fred Thompson and his son, Paul Harvey, Jr. Other notable people like Mitt Romney and Mike Huckabee also hosted.
Paul Harvey did not host full-time after April 2008. He had pneumonia and then his wife passed away. He still voiced commercials and new episodes a few times a week. His son handled the morning shows. Three weeks after Paul Harvey's death, his News and Comment show was canceled.
Paul Harvey's Love for Aviation
Paul Harvey was also a pilot. He served in the U.S. Army Air Corps. He was a member of the Aircraft Owners and Pilots Association for over 50 years. He sometimes talked about flying on his radio show. He also helped fund the Paul Harvey Audio-Video Center. This center is at the Experimental Aircraft Association headquarters in Oshkosh, Wisconsin. He even invested in an aircraft company called Cirrus Aircraft. He is credited with inventing the term skyjack.
Paul Harvey's On-Air Style
Paul Harvey's unique style was influenced by sportscaster Bill Stern and columnist Walter Winchell. He used many special phrases that listeners loved.
Famous Catchphrases and Delivery
He often started his programs with, "Hello Americans, this is Paul Harvey. Stand by for NEWS!" He always ended with, "Paul Harvey... Good day." or "Paul Harvey... Good night."
When he reported on something important, he might say, "This day's news of most lasting significance." For funny stories, he would say, "And now from the 'For-what-it's-worth' department...." He also popularized terms like Reaganomics and guesstimate.
Paul Harvey's ability to smoothly transition from news to commercials was famous. He believed advertising was just another type of news. He only endorsed products he truly believed in. He often interviewed people from the companies he promoted.
Paul Harvey's Personal Views
Paul Harvey was friends with important figures. These included FBI Director J. Edgar Hoover and US Senator Joseph McCarthy. He supported McCarthy's efforts to identify communists in American society.
He was also a close friend of Reverend Billy Graham. Paul Harvey attended different churches throughout his life. He often quoted the Adventist pioneer Ellen G. White in his broadcasts. He received an award for his professionalism and kindness in dealing with the church.
Awards and Recognition
Paul Harvey received many honors during his career.
Major Awards and Hall of Fame Inductions
- He was elected to the National Radio Hall of Fame.
- He was inducted into the Oklahoma Hall of Fame.
- He appeared on the Gallup poll list of America's most admired men.
- He received 11 Freedom Foundation Awards.
- He also received the Horatio Alger Award.
- In 1993, he was named to the DeMolay Hall of Fame. This is a youth organization connected to Freemasonry.
In 2005, he received the Presidential Medal of Freedom. This is the highest civilian award in the United States. President George W. Bush presented it to him. Bush said Harvey's voice showed "some of the finest qualities of our country: patriotism, the good humor, the kindness, and common sense of Americans."
In 1987, he received the Order of Lincoln. This is Illinois' highest honor. In 1992, he received the Paul White Award for journalism.
Paul Harvey's Family Life
Paul Harvey was born to Harry Harrison Aurandt and Anna Dagmar Aurandt. He had an older sister, Frances.
Marriage to Lynne "Angel" Cooper
In 1940, Paul Harvey married Lynne Cooper. She was a smart and talented woman. They met when Lynne visited the radio station where Paul worked. He quickly fell in love and proposed to her. He called her "Angel" from then on, even on his radio show. They moved to Chicago in 1944.
Lynne Harvey was more than just his wife. She was also a smart business partner and producer. She helped create some of his most famous segments, like "The Rest of the Story." She was a pioneer for women in radio. She was the first producer to be inducted into the National Radio Hall of Fame. She also created a TV show called Dilemma, which was a model for modern talk shows.
Lynne Harvey passed away in May 2008 at age 92. Her death was announced by ABC radio.
Their Son, Paul Harvey Jr.
Paul and Lynne had one son, Paul Aurandt Jr., known as Paul Harvey Jr.. He helped his father with News and Comment and The Rest of the Story. Paul Jr. often filled in for his father on broadcasts. He also broadcast the morning shows after his mother passed away.
Paul Harvey's Passing
Paul Harvey passed away on February 28, 2009, at age 90. He was in a hospital in Phoenix, Arizona. His son, Paul Harvey Jr., said, "Millions have lost a friend." Former President George W. Bush also shared a statement. He called Harvey "a friendly and familiar voice in the lives of millions of Americans."
After his death, Gil Gross briefly hosted News & Comment. Then, Mike Huckabee's commentary, The Huckabee Report, took its place. A biography about Paul Harvey, Good Day! The Paul Harvey Story, was published in May 2009.
In 2013, a recording of Paul Harvey's "So God Made a Farmer" commentary was used in a commercial. It aired during the Super Bowl XLVII.
Works by Paul Harvey
- Remember These Things. Chicago: The Heritage Foundation, 1952.
- Autumn of Liberty. Garden City, New York: Hanover House, 1954.
- The Rest of the Story. Garden City, New York: Hanover House, 1956.
- Our Lives, Our Fortunes, Our Sacred Honor. Waco, Texas: Word Books, 1975.
- Paul Harvey's The Rest of the Story. Garden City, N.Y.: Doubleday, 1977. ISBN: 0-385-12768-5
- More of Paul Harvey's The Rest of the Story. New York: William Morrow, 1980, ISBN: 0-688-03669-4
- Destiny: From Paul Harvey's The Rest of the Story. New York: William Morrow, 1983, ISBN: 0-688-02205-7
- Paul Harvey's For What It's Worth. New York: Bantam Books, 1991, ISBN: 0-553-07720-1
