Story, Ralph

Ralph Story was born Ralph Bernard Snyder on August 19, 1920 in Kalamazoo, Mich. In high school and at Western Michigan College, he worked part time as a radio announcer, and eventually left college to pursue a career in radio full time, first in Grand Rapids, Mich. and then Buffalo, N.Y. His radio career was interrupted when he joined the Air Force during World War II. After the war, he returned to Buffalo to work as an announcer and program director for CBS radio affiliate WGR. In 1948, CBS radio transferred him to Los Angeles. There, he served as program director and morning DJ at KNX and changed his name to Ralph Story. While at KNX, the Military Air Transport Service invited Story to visit and interview for broadcast servicemen and civilians from California stationed around the world. The result was California Around the World, broadcast on CBS radio. After a brief stint as host of the game show, What do you have in common?, Story moved to New York City to emcee The $64,000 Challenge from 1956-1958, when it was cancelled in the wake of the quiz show scandal. Story returned to Los Angeles and for the next 40 years hosted, wrote and produced for radio and television, exploring and shaping such formats as talk radio, news broadcasting, human interest and local color reporting, and the magazine show. The bulk of his broadcast career was spent at KNX radio and its sister television station KNXT, both CBS affiliates. However, Story also worked for KABC, KNBC, KCET, KCAL, and independent production companies including National General and O'Connor radio. In addition to his serialized weekly and daily programs and radio spots, Story hosted a variety of special programs, including prime-time specials, award ceremonies, and local events. He was also a prolific producer, writer and lecturer on local and California history, and prepared, but did not publish, a guidebook to Los Angeles. Story was active in civic and professional groups and was a fundraiser for Public Television stations KCET and KOCE, as well as a frequent speaker at community and educational meetings. Story is best remembered for his detailed research and his wry and witty observations about life in California and especially in Los Angeles. In 1984, the Academy of Television Arts and Sciences awarded Story their highest honor, the Governors Award. Other awards Story received throughout his career include numerous Los Angeles Area Emmys and Golden Mikes, two Directors Guild of America Awards, and many local and professional honors. Ralph Story died on September 26, 2006 after a long battle with emphysema at the age of 86 in Los Angeles, California.

From the description of Papers, 1940-2007. (University of California, Los Angeles). WorldCat record id: 38272549

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