Radio

Ron Elz – Legacy

Ron Elz had radio in his blood, which accounts for his longevity in the business.

His first on-air gig was in 1954 on WTMV. He was 15 years old, and he brokered his time, selling the ads and doing the announcing work. After high school graduation he bounced around, landing the evening slot at the Storz St. Louis property, KXOK, where he took the air name “Johnny Rabbitt.”

He went to WIL in 1965 and later to WRTH.

He managed KSHE when the station switched to its progressive rock format, for which it became nationally known, and also consulted KADI when it changed from jazz to rock. In his position at WRTH, Elz is the morning drive host and also serves as operations manager.

Elz was honored as a recipient the AIR Awards Lifetime Achievement Award. ​

Harry Fender – Legacy

​Harry Fender’s radio work in St. Louis was at KXOK, for a brief period, and KMOX for over 20 years. The former star of the Ziegfeld Follies also was remembered for his “Captain 11” character on a children’s television program in the 1960s.

He began his radio career as a news commentator, later taking a stint as a talk personality on KXOK, and he moved to KMOX in 1954, where he was host of a program that aired live from the Chase Hotel six nights a week.

The program ran until 1975, and it became an automatic stop for any celebrities who were visiting the St. Louis area.

Fender used his earlier show business experience as a basis for his interviews with entertainers, many of whom had known or worked with him. In addition, in the early 50s, Fender was often called on to host “Saturday At the Chase,” a live big band program that was fed to the CBS network.

After his retirement from the daily radio grind he was frequently a guest on the Jack Carney Show.

Joe Garagiola – Legacy

​Joe Garagiola began his broadcast career in St. Louis after a nine year run as a major league baseball catcher.

​A native of The Hill neighborhood in St. Louis, Garagiola signed on to do color for Cardinals’ radio broadcasts.

​He said he had prepared for the job by practicing play-by-play announcing and accepting every speaking request he got. “I went to more meetings in Protestant churches and Jewish temples than any Catholic in history.”

​His five years on the air on KMOX and doing Cardinals’ booth work began in the 1955 season. He also handled reports from Spring Training in Florida, but NBC made an offer he couldn’t refuse and he was doing the network’s Game of the Week in 1961. He spent over 40 years in various capacities at NBC in radio and television.
​Joe Garagiola is a broadcast member of the Baseball Hall of Fame.

Bob Hardy – Legacy

​Bob Hardy is best-known for his many years of work as a newsman and program host at KMOX. He joined that station in 1960, having previously worked at WIBV and WIL. At the latter station, he served as news director from 1957 – 1960. At KMOX, Hardy wrote and produced more than a dozen major documentaries and covered political conventions from 1964 – 1992.

Many of Hardy’s broadcasts were pioneering. In 1978, he inaugurated a special weeklong live broadcast of “At Your Service” from Washington, DC., and he later served as host for the “Radio Bridge,” a monthly satellite broadcast link between St. Louis and Moscow.

KMOX and Bob Hardy received a National Headliner Award for a series featuring live broadcasts from five European capitols in five days, culminating the effort with the first live call-in show originating from Red Square in Moscow. During the Gulf War, Hardy went on special assignment in Saudi Arabia, broadcasting live via satellite.

His awards fill an entire page, ranging from a Peabody Award, 3 Missouri Associated Press awards, UPI Regional Broadcast Award, Daughters of the American Revolution Medal of Honor, and Illinois Friend of Farmer Award.

Bob Hardy worked at KMOX until 1993, when he passed away. He was, for many years, the market’s news voice.

Paul & Angel Harvey – Legacy

Paul Aurandt was a young newsman hired when KXOK signed on in 1938. A year later, Lynne Cooper began working at the station as a producer, and their subsequent marriage produced a national broadcasting empire.

The names changed slightly. On their first date he nicknamed her “Angel.” His air name was changed to Paul Harvey. After a couple other jobs, they moved to Chicago in 1944, he as a newscaster on WENR; she as his producer, editor and writer. They moved as a team to ABC Radio in 1951.

During their long career operating the “Paul Harvey News” organization, the couple maintained a farm south of St. Louis, where they installed a broadcast studio so he could continue his broadcasts while visiting the area.​

Bernie Hayes – Legacy

​Bernie Hayes’ name was closely associated with the development of ethnic radio in St. Louis, but he had a highly successful career even before coming to this market.

​He arrived in St. Louis from KSOL in San Francisco, becoming a disc jockey at KATZ, playing soul in the afternoons and jazz at night. Hayes also worked at KWK, KKSS, KIRL, WESL, KXLW and KADI in various capacities, including air shifts.

​He was the host of the first radio talk show for black audiences here and later parlayed his knowledge of the community into a prestigious job as the first African-American to be appointed news director at KWMU, the market’s major NPR affiliate.
​He also shared his knowledge of the business by teaching media courses at Webster University. In addition to over 45 years working in various media, Hayes labored tirelessly to preserve the history of Black radio and its personalities, especially those in the St. Louis area.

Listen to Bernie Hayes on KATZ, in 1966