Remembering Paul Harvey
Monday, Mar 2, 2009 - Posted by Rich Miller
* Paul Harvey was a big part of my life growing up in rural Iroquois County. Everybody listened to him. The kids talked about his programs at school. My parents would often debate his latest commentaries, with my mom usually on the left and my dad on the right. I loved the man’s voice when I was young, and didn’t really care so much about what he was saying, but how he was saying it. Harvey had his own, distinct style, and I just couldn’t get enough of his program.
I haven’t listened to him much since those long ago days when I was mesmerized by the radio and wanted so fervently to be a part of what Harvey and others were doing. But a little part of my own life died this past weekend with Paul Harvey…
“This is Paul Harvey.” That clarion Midwestern voice was its own time machine; it carried listeners back to radio days of yore, when a distinctive vocal performance was as important as good looks are in TV news today. The opinions Harvey expressed were old-fashioned as well: politically and socially conservative, the musings of a grandpa who’s seen it all — or, as he put it, “In times like these, it helps to recall that there have always been times like these.” It is hardly an exaggeration to say that, when Harvey died at 90, on Saturday, at his winter home in Phoenix, he took the whole history of radio with him.
* His work ethic was astounding…
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.
* “The Rest of the Story” was always a favorite of my friends at school…
His five-minute “The Rest of the Story” broadcasts featured historical vignettes with surprise endings like the story of the 13-year-old boy who receives a cash gift from Franklin Roosevelt and turns out to be Fidel Castro. Or the one about the famous trial lawyer who never finished law school (Clarence Darrow). He’d end each broadcast with his signature: “Paul Harvey. [long pause] Good day!”
* Roeper says it best…
Harvey was the one of the last dinosaurs of a dead era. Yes, he was corny and conservative and old-fashioned and unapologetically beholden to his sponsors, but the man had tons of personality.
He was also fair-minded. As Richard Corliss of Time points out in his tribute to Harvey, “The rosy sentimentalist was also a fretful conservative; he backed Joe McCarthy’s search for imaginary Communists in the State Department. But sometimes he just got fed up, reversing himself on the Vietnam war, telling Richard Nixon, ‘Mr. President, I love you, but you’re wrong.’ ”
In the early 1990s, I wrote a liberal piece about U.S. military policy–and Harvey responded with a note thanking me for the column and saying he agreed with some of the points I’d made. Virtually everyone who met him would walk away talking about his class and grace.
I certainly disagreed with many of Harvey’s opinions. I sometimes cringed at his commentaries. But as someone who kicked around the radio business for many years, I stand in awe of his accomplishments as a broadcaster, and I have nothing but great admiration for the way he conducted himself as a gentleman.
* The last word…
“My father and mother created from thin air what one day became radio and television news,” said the couple’s only child, Paul Harvey Jr., who like his parents is in the Radio Hall of Fame. “So in the past year, an industry has lost its godparents, and today millions have lost a friend.”
Your thoughts?
- Pat collins - Monday, Mar 2, 09 @ 9:46 am:
I started listening to an AM station in Milwaukee in the mid 90s. Why?
They had Paul Harvey on during my commute time. Even my daughters liked when he came on, and they usually hated listening to the news.
ABC gave him a 10 year contract when he was 82!
I think the thing that made him so successful, was that he could see the good things about most things and people, and help make you see it also.
- Porcupine - Monday, Mar 2, 09 @ 9:46 am:
I too looked forward to his Rest of the Story segments. As a kid riding along with my parents we would always hush up once we heard his booming voice on the radio. I too didn’t always agree with his politics, but I understood where the man came from in his passion and ideas, and always listened and reflected on what he had to say. He was from a bygone day, but man, I miss those days so very much.
- Concerned Observer - Monday, Mar 2, 09 @ 9:55 am:
Amen, Rich. We lost a treasure. And what’s most amazing to me is…the memories are universally positive, not just my memories, but those of everyone I talk to.
- South Side Mike - Monday, Mar 2, 09 @ 9:58 am:
There’s not much more to say. Paul Harvey was an iconic figure; you certainly learned a lot listening to his “Rest of the Story” segments. I will admit, it has been a long, long time since I heard his voice on the radio. I had really forgotten about him.
Overall, though, I was surprised that his obituary did not make the front page my newspaper or internet news sites. He was important enough to deserve that honor.
- Vote Quimby! - Monday, Mar 2, 09 @ 10:03 am:
A part of all of us is gone. I first remember hearing Paul Harvey at my grandparent’s house, and hearing his voice even recently brings back memories of them. To see what he saw: from the first commercial stations to home receivers to standard vehicle equipment to internet and satellite radio…and he never changed. And now we say to him: Good day!
- tubbfan - Monday, Mar 2, 09 @ 10:05 am:
Paul Harvey was also one of my radio heroes. I bought many of his “Rest of the Story” paperbacks when I was growing up. I stopped listening to him in the early 90’s. He was much more ornery than usual. I heard one of his reports on the renaming of Candlestick Park in San Francisco. He mentioned the new name of the park (Pac Bell Park) and then derisively commented that it sounded like the name of a South Korean general. His “America First” isolationism was representative of many listeners, but that’s what cost him at least one during that time.
- wordslinger - Monday, Mar 2, 09 @ 10:16 am:
I had an office for about eight years in the Wirtz Building on Michigan and Wacker where he recorded. Over the years, I’d run into him and his wife on occasion in the elevator, lobby and parking garage.
They were from a bygone era: always dressed very sharply and conservatively, well-mannered and gracious to everyone they met — the doorman, parking garage attendant, building maintenance, and regular schmucks like me.
When you have a chance to meet the rich, famous or powerful, you often discover that they’re not always on their best behavior away from the spotlight (case in point, another fellow building tenant, Walter Jacobson). The Harvey’s were just always very unpretentious and classy.
When my neighbor retired from the fire department, he somehow become Paul and Angel’s driver (although both of them often drove from River Forest to the city well into their 80s). Again, a bygone era: my neighbor always wore a suit and tie when he drove them (he kept the driver’s hat on the seat). He said it was a very lucrative gig, and again, they were always friendly and gracious.
Tough week for Chicago: Paul Harvey, Johnny Kerr and Norm Van Lier. Very different men, but all three in their own ways represented the virtues of hard work and commitment that Chicagoans like to ascribe to themselves.
- JonShibleyFan - Monday, Mar 2, 09 @ 10:21 am:
I can’t really add anything that hasn’t already been said. What an incredible voice, lush with kindness and sincerity.
After he delivered the payoff of an unusual or silly news item, preceded by his trademark pregnant pause, one could almost hear him smiling.
I often found myself rolling my eyes at some of his political commentary, but usually with a smile too, because his comments, at least the ones I heard, were never objectionable.
I really enjoy radio, but find the content less and less interesting and unique. Mr. Harvey’s passing may well be the last significant piece of the medium lost.
- Laborguy - Monday, Mar 2, 09 @ 10:23 am:
Paul Harvey was the Rush Limbaugh of his day only more dangerous becasue he cloaked his conservative politics in homey little stories that the everyman could understand. I am sorry for his passing but understand the damage he did as a broadcaster and commentator Please, lets not lose sight of what this man was all about. He was a leader of the Communist witch hunt of the 1950’s and layed the foundation for the Reagan Revolution of the early 1980’s.
- Jake from Elwood - Monday, Mar 2, 09 @ 10:26 am:
That voice and demeanor, the pregnant pauses, and the O.Henry-like twists in his stories delighted many, including most of the older persons in my family. A friend in the radio business marveled at his work ethic even though the Harveys apparently had a few enemies in the industry who were perhaps jealous of his success.
I always admired how seamlessly he went from a news story to an advertisement with the simple comment “Page Two”. A touch of class who will be missed.
- VanillaMan - Monday, Mar 2, 09 @ 10:35 am:
Paul Harvey was from another era. A time when men were VanillaMen; well dressed, polite, hard working, respectful and conservative. Mr. Harvey always did his best. He always went the extra mile in order to do so. He understood that being a public figure meant the need to set a good example of the principles that made him a public figure, and behaved the way he did to set that good example.
He remembered what happened to another Radio God with similar manners and skills - Arthur Godfrey. Mr. Harvey watched Mr. Godfrey’s brilliant power media career melt slowly away after Mr. Godfrey accidentally revealed himself as a fraud when his head got too big for those around him and he slipped on his radio program, revealing an ugly Godfrey no one knew.
Mr. Harvey saw this and ensured it never happened to him. Consequentially, he survived when the public switched from his media, radio, to newer media. He always stayed Vanilla enough to grow his media business, always stayed happily married to the same lovely lady her entire life, lived the moderate life everyone of his generation was taught to live, and survived them all.
- Lefty Lefty - Monday, Mar 2, 09 @ 10:40 am:
I never was a big talk-radio fan, but over the years you end up hearing a little bit of all of the big boys like Harvey. I heard one of his ultra-conservative “essays” a while back and it actually surprised me a little since it was so…wrong. He obviously put a lot of thought into his work and this piece just seemed reactionary and hurtful. So I exercised my right to turn it off.
With that said, the apparent respect and humility he showed should shine a bright light on the problem with talk radio (and cable news channels) now. It would be really nice if all the talking heads respected others’ opinions while telling them they are wrong. The shouting and scare-mongering and vilification of those with opposing views is disgusting.
- VanillaMan - Monday, Mar 2, 09 @ 10:44 am:
“The rosy sentimentalist was also a fretful conservative; he backed Joe McCarthy’s search for imaginary Communists in the State Department.”
I guess this is still news, but since the fall of the Soviet Union and the releasing of once-secret documents on both sides of the Cold War, we now know that although McCarthy was a buffoon and a fool, he wasn’t wrong about communist infiltration in the State Department.
We’ve been taught otherwise for fifty years, and when the history books are revised, I hope they will reflect these revelations.
Just as we now know that Ethel and Julius Rosenberg were Soviet spies, and that Alger Hiss was a Soviet spy, perhaps we will finally clear Joe McCarthy of the “witch hunt” history we have been unable to update until now.
And don’t forget that other historical lie we were told for almost 80 years - Sacco and Vanzetti did commit the murder they were executed for in 1920.
You see, a lot of the crap that passes for enlightened education during our time in school has been exposed as crap. We all must think outside what our professors taught us and question authority - at all time.
- Ghost - Monday, Mar 2, 09 @ 10:44 am:
As a Kid I remember his tales with surprise endings. You would get the tale headed in one direction, break for a commercial, then back on with the surprise. And of course his signature, and now you know the rest of the story. I loved these as a kid. They actually got me hooked on audio books.
- doc - Monday, Mar 2, 09 @ 10:47 am:
While McCarthy himself was rather a rat, out government was infiltrated by commies back in the 50s. Harvey was in the right then. The fact that some of the other people who were right about the problem were nasty shouldn’t have turned others from the fact that they were right as well as nasty.
That Harvey was able to break with his political cohort over Viet Nam showed that Harvey could go against the crowd when he thought they were wrong on the substance.
He’ll be missed.
- archpundit - Monday, Mar 2, 09 @ 10:49 am:
It’s hard to estimate how many times I heard him on WJBC growing up. When I’ve heard him occasionally in recent years, I’ve always pretty much ignored his message and just enjoyed the flashback to being a kid listening to him.
While conservative, one of the things I learned from him was how similar people are across the world. As nearly everyone mentions he’d have a twist at the end and the ones I remember were stories that sounded like something out of US History or recent history and turned out to be about some far off land.
Even as I’ve grown older and farther and farther away from his politics, I have to say his way of looking at politics is still something I think of quite often.
- Excessively rabid - Monday, Mar 2, 09 @ 10:50 am:
The last thing Paul Harvey did for me is sell me kitchen counters made of an architectural stone called Cambria. My better half went into orbit when she found out where I heard about the stuff, but we’ve had it five years and it’s been great. Not quite the beauty of granite, but then you don’t have to worry about spilling a puddle of olive oil on it. Good day!
- Downstate Commissioner - Monday, Mar 2, 09 @ 11:00 am:
Don’t listen to much AM radio, but have vehicle radios set to a local station that carries Paul Harvey; listen to him if in one of them at noon. Like others have said, didn’t always agree with him, but loved and respected the way he said it. What was unique about his show was “News and Comments”; right up front-news, with a personal comment. Now it is either (sometimes slanted) news or comment with maybe a little news…Truly, radio may never be the same….
- Laborguy - Monday, Mar 2, 09 @ 11:02 am:
Are you people crazy! Paul Harvey was right about Communist infiltration of our government? I am astounded by your ignorance. I really don’t know what to say, this thread is so disturbing.
- Rich Miller - Monday, Mar 2, 09 @ 11:08 am:
Laborguy, exactly one person said that. Don’t indict everyone here because you disagree with one sentence in one person’s comment.
Take a freaking breath, man.
- Vegas Taxi Driver Dot Com - Monday, Mar 2, 09 @ 11:16 am:
The work ethic of Paul Harvey and his integrity as a person was way above the norm. Paul Harvey was one of my favorites when I was growing up. Paul Harvey was a one of a kind and he will be missed.
- Just a Citizen - Monday, Mar 2, 09 @ 11:17 am:
Paul Harvey was an American icon who provided warm memories to many generations. You may not have agreed with his politics, but he stood at the summit of radio lore in our country. He will be sorely missed.
- Brian McDaniel - Monday, Mar 2, 09 @ 11:29 am:
I aired Harvey when I worked in radio back in the 80s. If you missed airing the segment at the appointed time, the phones would light up with complaints.
His best question/comment, to me, came around ‘90 or ‘91.
“If Indianapolis can drive a car 100 miles on a gallon of fuel, why can’t Detroit?”
- VanillaMan - Monday, Mar 2, 09 @ 11:34 am:
Library of Congress Political Historian John E. Haynes, a leading international specialist on the Communist Party in the U.S., has been enlightening us on what we did not know until recently.
Take a deep breath - you’ll probably need it. After decades of political history in the US and Germany, I have been humbled by what has been released since 2000 by Haynes and his staffs of scholars. Everyone has been, frankly.
The conservatives were right. ‘Gasp!’
- Rich Miller - Monday, Mar 2, 09 @ 11:38 am:
VanillaMan, move along, please.
- Phil Huckelberry - Monday, Mar 2, 09 @ 11:38 am:
Rich, thanks for this. It’s good that I wasn’t the only person thinking about this on so many levels.
My own thoughts, which I confess have more to do with family than with Paul Harvey per se, are at my blog: http://www.huckelberry.org/node/21
- wordslinger - Monday, Mar 2, 09 @ 11:40 am:
–Take a deep breath - you’ll probably need it. After decades of political history in the US and Germany, I have been humbled by what has been released since 2000 by Haynes and his staffs of scholars. Everyone has been, frankly.–
No wonder the commies won. I suppose Churchill was soft on communism as well with Philby, Burgess, MaClean…
The far right-wing wants to eviscerate FDR and rehabilitate McCarthy. Have at it — that’s the forward-looking agenda that America is looking for and wins elections.
- Rich Miller - Monday, Mar 2, 09 @ 11:41 am:
wordslinger, please move along.
- VanillaMan - Monday, Mar 2, 09 @ 11:46 am:
Was there a time when Paul Harvey was considered a liberal? A man with his longevity has obviously lived through more than a few political fads, right?
I find it difficult to believe Paul Harvey was always considered a traditional conservative. Did he merely reflect his era and age?
Gee, now I wish he was alive to ask these questions!
- Laborguy - Monday, Mar 2, 09 @ 11:48 am:
what’s wrong Rich don’t want any talk about Communists on your blog. I know a bunch of them. They are pretty harmless people. Why the Facist editing today Rich?
- Rich Miller - Monday, Mar 2, 09 @ 11:52 am:
Fascist? Kinda overreacting to being deleted, aren’t you?
- Little Egypt - Monday, Mar 2, 09 @ 12:03 pm:
For many years, spouse and I would listen to Paul Harvey in the morning on the way to work. I always enjoyed what he said, whether I agreed or not, because of the way he said it. He had a velvet calming voice matched by no other. Rich Little couldn’t even impersonate Paul. He had a work and life ethic we should all try to emulate. He was a master of vocabulary and could make any English professor shrink.
Paul Harvey is the last of the radio giants with whom I have been privileged to have shared time. Today’s radio boys and girls have their own agenda to push and don’t take the time for niceties, a “thank you for calling”, “perhaps I will consider that”, “I never thought of that”. It’s their way or no way and they often hang up on you after your first comment while they are lambasting you on public radio. Why bother participating? That’s why there really isn’t any quality on radio. I can’t even think of anyone who comes close to showing respect or common courtesy to their listeners on a regular basis. If there is anyone in radio today who would like to even attempt to fill this huge void, please step forward. America could use some common courtesy about now.
- Truthful James - Monday, Mar 2, 09 @ 12:25 pm:
Rich –
It is marvelous that across the political spectrum of your trusty contributors, there seems to be a common thread of respect for Mr. Harvey, just as he seemed to respect his listeners. He was never pompous, or surly or snide. From other comments he was no different in person.
When his beloved wife Angel died, I wondered how long he would have the energy to go on.
If you have the energy, I would suggest that you bundle the comments here and send them on to Paul Junior
- A Citizen - Monday, Mar 2, 09 @ 12:30 pm:
-L E-
“…He had a work and life ethic we should all try to emulate. …”
The last time I woke up at 3:30 A.M it was to take the wife to the hospital to deliver a baby. I’m still not rested up from that and that was 27 years ago.
- Little Egypt - Monday, Mar 2, 09 @ 12:44 pm:
A Citizen - I was watching a rerun of Larry King last night and could hardly believe when Paul Harvey said he woke up at 3:30 a.m. every morning. However, when Larry asked him about watching “reality” TV, Mr. Harvey said he had such an early bedtime that he rarely watched TV.
If I had an ounce of the talent for talking as eloquently as Mr. Harvey did and had the audience and (assuming) the finances, you can bet I’d get up at 3:30 a.m. for a similar gig. This man has left a legacy for all of us that will be unmatched, period.
Back in the early 90’s, spouse and I took both sons to Branson and spent a day at Silver Dollar City. Mr. Harvey had just finished a live radio broadcast, and he and Angel were walking back up the last hill of SDC. We didn’t meet them but I noticed that he was like a pied piper leading a flock through the gates. He wore a bright yellow blazer and took time to stop and chat with many, many people. Paul and Angel were always quite the lady and gentleman.
- A Citizen - Monday, Mar 2, 09 @ 12:57 pm:
- Little Egypt -
You are right about him, of course. But I’m still not getting up at 3:30 - I’d be so wiped out that Rich would delete me twice as much as he does already.