Jim Runyon
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Jim Runyon (January 8, 1931 – April 13, 1973) was an American radio announcer,
disc jockey A disc jockey, more commonly abbreviated as DJ, is a person who plays recorded music for an audience. Types of DJs include Radio personality, radio DJs (who host programs on music radio stations), club DJs (who work at nightclubs or music fes ...
, and sometime actor from the late 1950s to 1973. He was in plays at Cain Park in the early ‘70s Jim Runyon was loved by his radio audience and was known for playing the many love songs of the late ‘60s and early ‘70s in his evening time slot. There was many a teenaged girl listening to him every night, and falling asleep to his signature sign-off song, "Good Night My Love," and his signature closing, "from a Runyon named Jim."


Early years

Runyon was born in
Logan, West Virginia Logan is a city in Logan County, West Virginia, Logan County, West Virginia, United States, along the Guyandotte River. The population was 1,438 at the 2020 census. It is the county seat of Logan County. History What is now Logan was initially c ...
and grew up in Williamson, where his father owned a furniture store. He had an early interest in radio and started out as a janitor at a radio station in
Welch, West Virginia Welch is a city in and the county seat of McDowell County, West Virginia, United States. The population was 3,590 at the 2020 census. Welch was incorporated as a city in 1893. History Welch was incorporated in 1893 and named after Isaiah A. W ...
. When the station's regular announcer did not arrive for work one Saturday morning, Runyon convinced the station manager to let him go on the air. This worked out to be a regular air shift for him until it was learned that he was only thirteen years old. The state's Child Welfare Department intervened, and Runyon had to leave the airwaves until his fourteenth birthday. Runyon went on the air at
WBTH WBTH (1400 AM broadcasting, AM) is a radio station city of license, licensed to serve Williamson, West Virginia, United States. The station, established in 1939, is owned and operated by licensee Mountain Top Media LLC, Cindy May Johnson Managing ...
when his family moved to Williamson, where he attended high school. Runyon won a scholarship at Marshall College in
Huntington, West Virginia Huntington is a city in Cabell County, West Virginia, Cabell and Wayne County, West Virginia, Wayne counties in the U.S. state of West Virginia. The County seat, seat of Cabell County, the city is located at the confluence of the Ohio River, O ...
, but left college after six months. While attending college, Runyon worked nights for
WHTN WHTN (channel 39) is a religious television station licensed to Murfreesboro, Tennessee, United States, serving the Nashville area as an owned-and-operated station of the Christian Television Network (CTN). The station's studios are located o ...
Radio. His studies were suffering because of his full-time job, so Runyon elected to leave school in favor of his radio work.


Career

Runyon worked at several radio stations in West Virginia before serving in the
United States Marine Corps The United States Marine Corps (USMC), also referred to as the United States Marines or simply the Marines, is the maritime land force service branch of the United States Department of Defense. It is responsible for conducting expeditionar ...
during the
Korean War The Korean War (25 June 1950 – 27 July 1953) was an armed conflict on the Korean Peninsula fought between North Korea (Democratic People's Republic of Korea; DPRK) and South Korea (Republic of Korea; ROK) and their allies. North Korea was s ...
. He was initially a correspondent but became a Marine recruiter assigned to the
Miami, Florida Miami is a East Coast of the United States, coastal city in the U.S. state of Florida and the county seat of Miami-Dade County, Florida, Miami-Dade County in South Florida. It is the core of the Miami metropolitan area, which, with a populat ...
area. While in Miami as a recruiter, Runyon also became part of a Marine unit there doing radio and television
public service announcement A public service announcement (PSA) is a message in the public interest disseminated by the media without charge to raise public awareness and change behavior. Oftentimes these messages feature unsettling imagery, ideas or behaviors that are des ...
s. The unit included
Ed McMahon Edward Leo Peter McMahon Jr. (March 6, 1923 – June 23, 2009) was an American announcer, game show host, comedian, actor, singer, and combat aviator. McMahon and Johnny Carson began their association in their first TV series, the American Bro ...
, later of ''
The Tonight Show Starring Johnny Carson ''The Tonight Show Starring Johnny Carson'' is an American television talk show broadcast by NBC. The show was the third installment of ''The Tonight Show''. Hosted by Johnny Carson, it aired from October 1, 1962 to May 22, 1992, replacing ''T ...
''. Following his discharge in 1951, he went to work at
WLW WLW (700 AM broadcasting, AM) is a commercial radio, commercial news/talk radio station city of license, licensed to Cincinnati, Ohio. Owned by iHeartMedia, WLW is a clear-channel station, often identifying itself as "The Big One". Its studios ...
in
Cincinnati Cincinnati ( ; colloquially nicknamed Cincy) is a city in Hamilton County, Ohio, United States, and its county seat. Settled in 1788, the city is located on the northern side of the confluence of the Licking River (Kentucky), Licking and Ohio Ri ...
. Runyon also worked with Ruth Lyons at
WLWT WLWT (channel 5) is a television station in Cincinnati, Ohio, United States, affiliated with NBC and owned by Hearst Television. The station's studios are located on Young Street, and its transmitter is located on Chickasaw Street, both in th ...
and was the host of "Studio 2", a weekday afternoon variety series. From 1954 to 1961, Runyon worked in
Dayton Dayton () is a city in Montgomery County, Ohio, United States, and its county seat. It is the List of cities in Ohio, sixth-most populous city in Ohio, with a population of 137,644 at the 2020 United States census, 2020 census. The Dayton metro ...
at WLWD and
Columbus, Ohio Columbus (, ) is the List of capitals in the United States, capital and List of cities in Ohio, most populous city of the U.S. state of Ohio. With a 2020 United States census, 2020 census population of 905,748, it is the List of United States ...
at
WTVN WTVN (610 AM) – branded as "News Radio 610 WTVN" – is a commercial news/talk radio station licensed to Columbus, Ohio. Owned by iHeartMedia, the station serves the Columbus metro area. The WTVN studios area located in the McKinley Avenue ...
, prior to his joining station KYW in
Cleveland, Ohio Cleveland is a city in the U.S. state of Ohio and the county seat of Cuyahoga County, Ohio, Cuyahoga County. Located along the southern shore of Lake Erie, it is situated across the Canada–United States border, Canada–U.S. maritime border ...
. In 1965, he moved to WCFL in
Chicago Chicago is the List of municipalities in Illinois, most populous city in the U.S. state of Illinois and in the Midwestern United States. With a population of 2,746,388, as of the 2020 United States census, 2020 census, it is the List of Unite ...
. Runyon was the narrator (the "weeeellll" voice) of the '' Chickenman'' series which began on his program at WCFL in
Chicago Chicago is the List of municipalities in Illinois, most populous city in the U.S. state of Illinois and in the Midwestern United States. With a population of 2,746,388, as of the 2020 United States census, 2020 census, it is the List of Unite ...
in 1966; Runyon also played several parts in the show. Runyon left WCFL for WHDH in Boston. He rejoined KYW in Cleveland (now known as
WKYC WKYC (channel 3) is a television station in Cleveland, Ohio, United States, affiliated with NBC and owned by Tegna Inc. Its studios are located on Tom Beres Way (a section of Lakeside Avenue in Downtown Cleveland named after the station's lo ...
) in October 1969, taking over the morning show. He kept the position when the station became
WWWE WWWE may refer to: * WWWE (AM), a radio station (1310 AM) licensed to serve Decatur, Georgia, United States * WJZA (AM), a radio station (1100 AM) licensed to serve Hapeville, Georgia, which held the call sign WWWE from 1996 to 2023 * WTAM WTA ...
in 1972. Runyon was also the host of a weekly talent show program, The Gene Carroll Show With Jim Runyon, on
WEWS-TV WEWS-TV (channel 5) is a television station in Cleveland, Ohio, United States, affiliated with ABC. It has been owned by the E. W. Scripps Company since its inception in 1946, making it one of three stations that have been built and signed on ...
. He had been with the television program since May, 1972.


Death

Runyon announced his resignation from WWWE on March 15, 1973, because of health concerns; his health also forced him to resign from WEWS-TV. Runyon had been frequently hospitalized and told WWWE management to look for a replacement, as he doubted he would be able to return to the air. Weeks later, he died of
leukemia Leukemia ( also spelled leukaemia; pronounced ) is a group of blood cancers that usually begin in the bone marrow and produce high numbers of abnormal blood cells. These blood cells are not fully developed and are called ''blasts'' or '' ...
at the age of 42. He was survived by his wife, actress Jane Roberts, who had performed with him in '' Chickenman'', their daughter
Jennifer Runyon Jennifer Victoria Runyon (born April 1, 1960) is an American actress. She made her feature-film debut in the slasher film ''To All a Goodnight'' (1980), and went on to have supporting roles in the comedies '' Up the Creek'' (1984) and ''Ghostbust ...
(born 1960), a film and television actress, and two sons, David and Scott, from previous marriages. Runyon's memory was honored at a special
Cleveland Indians The Cleveland Guardians are an American professional baseball team based in Cleveland. The Guardians compete in Major League Baseball (MLB) as a member club of the American League (AL) American League Central, Central Division. Since , the team ...
game at
Cleveland Municipal Stadium Cleveland Stadium, commonly known as Municipal Stadium, Lakefront Stadium or Cleveland Municipal Stadium, was a multi-purpose stadium in Cleveland, Ohio. It was one of the early multi-purpose stadiums, built to accommodate both baseball and foot ...
on May 4, 1973, with proceeds going to the
American Cancer Society The American Cancer Society (ACS) is a nationwide non-profit organization dedicated to eliminating cancer. The ACS publishes the journals ''Cancer'', '' CA: A Cancer Journal for Clinicians'' and '' Cancer Cytopathology''. History The society w ...
. Two days before his death, Runyon had agreed to participate in the fund raiser to be held in May.


References


External links

* {{DEFAULTSORT:Runyon, Jim 1931 births 1973 deaths American radio DJs American male radio actors United States Marine Corps personnel of the Korean War Radio personalities from Chicago Radio personalities from Cleveland Deaths from cancer in Ohio United States Marines 20th-century American male actors Radio personalities from West Virginia 20th-century American musicians