“Hello America. This is Paul Harvey. Stand by…for news.”
Radio commentator and raconteur Paul Harvey died Feb. 28 at age 90 in Phoenix, Ariz.
A broadcast legend whose career spanned more than 70 years, Harvey was heard by more than 25 million listeners on the ABC Radio Networks. He hosted a syndicated program of news and commentary that was heard on more than 1,000 radio stations. Harvey also broadcast the popular “Rest of the Story” features, in which he would describe historical vignettes with surprise endings. These stories were punctuated with the phrase, “And now you know…the rest of the story.” His well-known dramatic pauses during delivery were also a staple of his work.
Harvey was inducted into the Radio Hall of Fame in 1990, and in 2005 he received the Presidential Medal of Freedom from President George W. Bush.
“Paul was a friendly and familiar voice in the lives of millions of Americans. His commentary entertained, enlightened, and informed,” President Bush said in a statement on the ABC Radio Network Web site.
Harvey was an avid pilot who served in the U.S. Army Air Corps. He had been an AOPA member for more than 50 years, and would occasionally talk about flying to his radio audience. He also was a member of the Experimental Aircraft Association, and was frequently seen at EAA AirVenture in Oshkosh, Wis. He was responsible for funding the Paul Harvey Audio-Video Center at EAA headquarters in Oshkosh. According to AOPA Pilot contributing editor Barry Schiff, Harvey coined the term “skyjack.”
Related Articles
