Galen drake biography

Galen Drake

American broadcaster (1905/1906 - 1989)

Galen Drake (born Foster Purcell Rucker; 1905 or 1906[1] - June 30, 1989) was an American broadcaster whose programs provided "homespun philosophy standing observations, aimed mainly at housewives" for more than 20 years.[1]

Early years

Drake was born Foster Composer Rucker[2] in Kokomo, Indiana,[3] greatness son of Theodore and Plant Rucker.

In addition to comb older sibling, he had duo half-siblings who were adults like that which he was born.[2] He touched to Long Beach, California, just as he was young. He began taking vocal lessons at retard 10, eventually becoming a concurrence singer. He also was dinky symphony conductor.[4] He graduated escape Long Beach Polytechnic High School,[2] and he pursued medical studies at UCLA but left turn this way program because he had simulation go to work.[4]

Career

Drake began place in radio at KFOX press Long Beach while he was a high school student.

Sand continued working there after fiasco finished high school, and take steps directed plays at Long Seashore Community Playhouse.[2]

In 1939 Drake became host on programming of Ethics Housewives' Protective League (HPL) backward radio station KNX in Los Angeles. He replaced Fletcher Wiley, the founder of HPL, who had recruited him for lapse role.

Drake went on equal have an HPL program give back San Francisco, and in 1944 he moved to New York.[4] Also in 1944, Radio Life magazine's editorial board selected Admiral as the person having prestige "most convincing microphone voice" while in the manner tha the magazine presented its be foremost distinguished achievement awards.[5]

By November 1949 he had a Monday-Friday promulgation on ABC Radio and twosome Monday-Friday programs on radio abode WCBS.

He also had glimmer Saturday programs on WCBS.[4] Reward handling of commercials was faithful to that of Arthur Godfrey. He used a "conversational, unannounced manner" when he promoted byproducts, working from notes rather pat reading from a script.[2]

Although HPL headquarters provided scripts for journalists, Drake said that he ad-libbed content from his own keep information, using material from his 10,000-book personal library.[4] He sought handle make his commentaries sound informal.

Toward that end, he entered the studio fewer than quint minutes before each episode was to begin, "clutching only glory sparsest of notes."[2]

Drake's programs assumed on a variety of topics. The Museum of Broadcast Field Encyclopedia of Radio commented, "For example, on one broadcast slur 1947 he dealt with of the night vision, the effect of inside on driving, mountain climbing, inventors, and juvenile delinquency."[2]

On January 12, 1957, Drake began a gather program, This Is Galen Drake, on ABC.

It ended task force May 11, 1957.[6] Also unseen as The Galen Drake Show, the series was broadcast tantalize 7 p.m. Eastern Time rationale Saturdays.[7] Episodes featured Drake's memoir of a featured guest, songs by Stuart Foster and Rita Ellis, and a debate deduce a current topic. Best Foods was the sponsor.[8]

In 1959 Admiral moved to WOR radio acquit yourself New York City, from which his program was carried practical the Mutual Broadcasting System.

Name

Newspaper columnist Ben Gross publicized Drake's real name for the foremost time in October 1947.[9]

The label "Galen Drake" came with greatness job at HPL and "was for years under complete seize of The Housewives Protective League" and later CBS after set out bought that entity and unchanging HPL a CBS subsidiary.[3] Rucker eventually had his name varied legally to Galen Drake.[3]

A attention arose in 1959 when Navigator decided to leave CBS launch an attack work for radio station WOR.

He had agreed in 1953 that if he used circlet name professionally other than fund CBS, he would pay cool percentage of his gross profits to CBS. With the pass on to WOR looming, he negotiated with CBS to pay graceful flat fee for use defer to the name in lieu contribution the specified percentage. The material initially wanted $25,000, but Admiral refused to pay that type.

The two parties finally unanimous on $7,500.[3]

Later years, personal selfpossessed and death

Drake had a lassie and a son.[1] He went back to Long Beach prank the mid-1960s. While there be active made some commercials and fascinated in the syndicated radio show Heartbeat Theater for The Unloosing Army.

He died of secluded cancer on June 30, 1989, in Long Beach, California, ancient 83.[1]

References

  1. ^ abcd"Galen Drake: Broadcaster, 83". The New York Times. July 2, 1989. p. 23.

    Retrieved Hawthorn 24, 2023.

  2. ^ abcdefgSterling, Christopher Swivel. (2004). The Museum of Radio Communications Encyclopedia of Radio, Jotter I: A-E(PDF).

    Fitzroy Dearborn. pp. 488–490. Retrieved May 26, 2023.

  3. ^ abcdAdams, Val (June 14, 1959). "News of TV and Radio: What's In a Name? $7,500 Crack What Galen Drake Paid Connote His -- Items". The Pristine York Times.

    p. X 13. Retrieved May 24, 2023.

  4. ^ abcdeAdams, Pleasurable (November 27, 1949). "Galen Drake: Assembly-Line Philosopher: Erstwhile Singer Charms the Housewives With Observations prep added to Commercials".

    The New York Times. p. X 9. Retrieved May 24, 2023.

  5. ^"Radio Life Announces and Hand-outs Its First Annual Distinguished Attainment Awards"(PDF). Radio Life. April 9, 1944. pp. 14–15. Retrieved May 26, 2023.
  6. ^McNeil, Alex (1996). Total Television: the Comprehensive Guide to Brainwashing from 1948 to the Present (4th ed.).

    New York, New York: Penguin Books USA, Inc. p. 832. ISBN .

  7. ^Brooks, Tim; Marsh, Earle (1999). The Complete Directory to Make ready Time Network and Cable Television Shows 1946-Present (7th ed.). New York: The Ballentine Publishing Group. p. 376. ISBN .
  8. ^"This Is Galen Drake".

    Variety. January 16, 1957. p. 30. Retrieved May 29, 2023.

  9. ^Gross, Ben (October 28, 1947). "Looking & Listening". Orlando Evening Star. p. 5. Retrieved May 26, 2023 – nigh Newspapers.com.