Photo of the Week, 59: Bloomington’s Paul Rhymer and the Golden Age of Radio

From 1932 to the mid-1940s, Paul Rhymer's “Vic and Sade" was one of the more popular and critically acclaimed afternoon radio shows in all America. Rhymer (1905-1964) grew up in Bloomington, attended Illinois Wesleyan University, and wrote for The Pantagraph before moving to Chicago and enjoying tremendous success in the radio business.“Vice and Sade," with its 15-minute segments airing five days a week, featured the amusing-yet-understated domestic ups and downs of Vic and Sade Gook and their foster son Rush, who lived in the fictional town of Crooper, IL. Yet Twin City listeners well understand that “Cooper," with landmarks such as Miller Park, the Chicago & Alton Railroad depot, and People's Bank, was a convenient stand-in for real world Bloomington-Normal.On April 29, 1938, the cast of “Vice and Sade" traveled to Bloomington for a Young Men's Club banquet to fete home-boy-made-good Paul Rhymer. Seen here, left to right, are Art Van Harvey (the voice of Vic), Billy Idelson (Rush), and Bernardine Flynn (Sade).Hear or download Vic and Sade here!