Paul Harvey's 'Angel' Passes
By WRTA Staff Reports/ABC Radio News
May 5, 2008, 13:38
Lynne Harvey died at her River Forest (IL) home early Saturday morning after a yearlong battle with leukemia.
Lynne, whom husband Paul called "Angel," recognized throughout her industry as "The First Lady of Radio," was one of the great broadcasting figures of the past century and the first producer ever inducted into the Radio Hall of Fame.
A director, writer and editor, she was the creative and administrative heartbeat behind the number-one-rated Paul Harvey News and Comment, which reaches tens of millions of listeners. Her guidance and ingenuity helped shape many radio and television formats widely used today, such as the concept of news features within hard-news broadcasts and the humorous "kicker," which became a Paul Harvey trademark. In the late 1940s, Lynne suggested that her husband's news program be broadcast at 10 p.m. to take better advantage of adults' leisure time and thus gain a larger audience. That time slot soon became the national broadcasting standard for radio and television news programs.
Lynne also developed and edited Harvey's best-known feature "The Rest of the Story." A pioneer in women's broadcasting, Lynne created and produced "Dilemma," a television program that became a prototype for today's talk-show genre, and also a groundbreaking syndicated television news feature that ran five days a week for 20 consecutive years.
The Harveys met in St. Louis, Lynne's hometown, at KXOK, where Paul worked as special-events director and Lynne, a Phi Beta Kappa graduate of Washington University, began her radio career reporting on educational topics. After their marriage in 1940, they began their professional partnership, with Paul in the broadcast booth and Lynne handling behind-the-scenes responsibilities.
During World War II, Paul volunteered for the Army Air Force's Air Cadets and Lynne moved to Tulsa, her husband's hometown. Working at a CBS affiliate, she became one of the nation's first women to run an entire broadcast, from 4 p.m. to midnight, five days a week, doing everything from announcing state and local news to playing records.
After the war, the Harveys moved to Chicago and radio station WENR, where their Paul Harvey News quickly grabbed the number one Chicago news rating slot. In 1951 ABC carried the program nationally, beginning its long run as America's favorite radio news program.
It was in 1968 that Lynne decided to create a television version of Paul Harvey Comments, which she syndicated on 100 stations around the country. The TV program aired from 1968 to 1988.
Besides her considerable role in broadcasting, Lynne Harvey was active in community and philanthropic endeavors, serving on numerous charitable boards, including the Infant Welfare Society, Prevent Chile Abuse America, the USO, the Illinois Mental Health Association, the Illinois Charitable Trusts and Advisory Committee, the Joffrey Ballet, and the Children's Home and Aid Society. She was also an enthusiastic contributor to various animal welfare groups.
A dedicated alumna, Lynne was also a life member of Washington University's William Greenleaf Eliot Society and was involved with the development of the University's American Culture Studies program in Arts and Sciences.
She is survived by her husband Paul Harvey and their son Paul Jr., who has become an integral part of their broadcasts.
Memorials can be made to The Lynne Harvey Foundation @ 1035 Park Ave, River Forest, Illinois 60305.
Condolences may be mailed to:
Paul Harvey News
333 N Michigan Ave Ste 1600
Chicago IL 60601-4087.
Lynne 'Angel' Harvey Biography Online at:
http://www.radiohof.org/executive/lynneharvey.html
© Copyright 2004-2005 by WRTA.com
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