Re-Imagined Radio Pays Tribute To Voice Actor Frank Lovejoy (Photo) -05/05/25
VANCOUVER, Wash. – Re-Imagined Radio’s May episode celebrates Frank Lovejoy (1912 – 62), a popular voice actor heard on several early pioneering radio serial programs. “Frank Lovejoy Tribute” premieres at 1 p.m. May 19 over KXRW-FM (99.9), Vancouver, and KXRY-FM (91.1 and 107.1), Portland. Subsequent broadcasts and streams will be provided by local, regional and international broadcast partners.
Lovejoy is best known for his leading role as a streetwise reporter in “Night Beat,” a newspaper adventure drama series that aired from 1950 to 1952. He appeared on several radio science fiction and mystery series, as well as daytime soaps, and also performed in movies, on television and on the stage. All of his known appearances are listed at reimaginedradio.fm.
Lovejoy’s voice was powerful and believable. “His voice promoted a no-nonsense presence,” said John Barber, creator and host of Re-Imagined Radio and a faculty member in the Creative Media and Digital Culture program at Washington State University Vancouver. “He was an everyman.”
Lovejoy is no longer well known. This episode seeks to elevate his status by focusing on programs where he enjoyed continuing and/or starring roles: “The Blue Beetle,” “This Is Your FBI,” “Murder and Mr. Malone” and “Night Beat.”
Re-Imagined Radio premieres episodes on the third Monday of the month on community radio stations KXRW-FM and KXRY-FM. Each episode is streamed globally and is then available as a podcast and on YouTube. Previous episodes are also released on YouTube each month. Information and listening opportunities are available at reimaginedradio.fm, where all episodes are archived.
The website also features “Re-Imagined Radio EXTRA,” additional content between regular monthly episodes, presenting sound-based storytelling from different places and in different genres.
Community Partners
Re-Imagined Radio draws on community voice actors, Foley artists, musicians, sound artists and engineers. Partners include KXRW-FM, KXRY-FM, the Electronic Literature Lab at WSU Vancouver, Marc Rose of Fuse Audio Design, Rylan Eisenhauer and Holly Slocum Design, with Evan Leyden.
About Re-Imagined Radio
Barber created the program in 2013 to explore sound-based storytelling. “We select, produce and perform classic and contemporary stories across a spectrum of genres, from dramas to comedies, from oral to aural histories, from documentaries to fictions, from soundscapes to sonic journeys, from radio to sound art, using a variety of media, including performances, radio broadcasts, streaming, podcasts and social media, especially YouTube,” Barber said.
About WSU Vancouver
As one of six campuses of the WSU system, WSU Vancouver offers big-school resources in a small-school environment. The university provides affordable, high-quality baccalaureate- and graduate-level education to benefit the people and communities it serves. As the only four-year research university in Southwest Washington, WSU Vancouver helps drive economic growth through relationships with local businesses and industries, schools and nonprofit organizations.
WSU Vancouver is located on the homelands of the Cowlitz Indian Tribe and Peoples of the Lower Columbia Valley. We acknowledge their presence here. WSU Vancouver expresses its respect towards these original and current caretakers of the region. We pledge that these relationships will be built on mutual trust and respect.
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