Galen Drake

Galen Drake (born Foster Purcell Rucker; the son of Theodore and Flora Rucker. In addition to an older sibling, he had three half-siblings who were adults when he was born.

By November 1949 he had a Monday-Friday program on ABC Radio and two Monday-Friday programs on radio station WCBS. He also had two Saturday programs on WCBS. His handling of commercials was similar to that of Arthur Godfrey. He used a "conversational, spontaneous manner" when he promoted products, working from notes rather than reading from a script.

Although HPL headquarters provided scripts for commentators, Drake said that he ad-libbed content from his own notes, using material from his 10,000-book personal library. Also known as The Galen Drake Show, the series was broadcast at 7 p.m. Eastern Time on Saturdays. Episodes featured Drake's biography of a featured guest, songs by Stuart Foster and Rita Ellis, and a debate on a current topic. Best Foods was the sponsor.

In 1959 Drake moved to WOR radio in New York City, from which his program was carried on the Mutual Broadcasting System.

Name Newspaper columnist Ben Gross publicized Drake's real name for the first time in October 1947.

The name "Galen Drake" came with the job at HPL and "was for years under complete control of The Housewives Protective League" and later CBS after it bought that entity and made HPL a CBS subsidiary.