Inductees in TV & Radio

Karen L. Adams
Inducted in 2012

Karen L. Adams was born on the Fourth of July in the rural midwestern town of Nevada, Missouri. Upon graduating in 1975 from Missouri State University in Springfield, Missouri, she went to work in radio but quickly moved into television news.

KOAM-TV in Pittsburg, Kansas was the first stop in her television career, where she was initially hired as a reporter but later advanced to anchor and news director. Read more >
David L. Angell (1946-2001)
Inducted in 2003

David L. Angell was best known for producing Emmy Award winning shows Cheers," "Wings" and "Frasier."Born on April 10, 1946 in Providence, David Angell was the youngest of three children of Mae Cooney Angell and Henry Angell. David attended Providence College, where he studied English literature. Read more >
Walter "Salty" Brine (1918-2005)
Inducted in 1979

"Salty" Brine, 1918-2005, was the most listened to Rhode Island morning radio announcer for almost four decades. He also conducted a popular television series for children earlier in his career. Born Walter Leslie "Salty" Brine, Jr. in Massachusetts, he is remembered as a local Rhode Island character. Read more >
Vin Di Bona
Inducted in 2011

Vin Di Bona is the chief executive officer of Vin Di Bona Productions and chairman of his new enterprise, FishBowl Worldwide Media.

A four-time Emmy award-winning producer and eight-time Emmy nominee, Di Bona is the recipient of the prestigious George Foster Peabody Award for his work in documentary programming. However, it is as a pioneer in comedic reality television for which Di Bona is recognized worldwide. As the creator of America’s Funniest Home Videos (AFV), Di Bona has the distinction of executive producing the longest-running primetime entertainment show on ABC. Read more >
Susan L. Farmer
Inducted in 2010

Susan L. Farmer joins her forebears, Bishop Alexander Griswold and Anne Hutchinson as an inductee into the Rhode Island Heritage Hall of Fame. Like Hutchinson, a pioneer in many areas, including the advancement of women, Susan was a “first” as well. When elected Secretary of State in 1982, she became the first woman elected in Rhode Island to a statewide office. Read more >
David Hartman
Inducted in 1976

David Hartman, from Pawtucket, starred in The Bold Ones, and Lucas Tanner, establishing him as a top ranked television star. As anchorman on NBC's Good Morning America from 1975-1987, he also did yeoman's work behind the scenes for Jerry Lewis's telethon for Muscular Dystrophy. Read more >
Ruth Hussey (Longenecker) (1911-2005)
Inducted in 1967

Ruth Hussey of Providence became a Hollywood movie star and accomplished supporting actress after her graduation from Pembroke College. Miss Hussey began her theatrical career on the Broadway stage where she won acclaim for her performances in "State of the Union", "Goodbye Mr. Fancy", and "Desk Set". She also appeared in more than 30 films including "Flight Command", "The Great Gatsby" and "The Philadelphia Story, which won her an Oscar nomination. Read more >
Van Johnson (1916-2008)
Inducted in 1969

Van Johnson, 1916-2008, a native of Newport and graduate of Rogers High School tried selling real estate for his dad, but after a year he departed for New York, where he eventually landed a part in a Broadway musical. After his role in "Pal Joey", he was signed to a Hollywood contract by an MGM executive who saw this redheaded, freckled face Rhode Islander as the star with a long succession of outstanding roles. He did a turn on the vaudeville circuit, starred in television guest spots and numerous films. Read more >
Arthur E. Lake (1924-2009)
Inducted in 2003

Art Lake was a well-known broadcaster for WJAR for over 60 years.He began is radio announcing career 1944, while studying at Emerson College. He worked on Breakfast Tray, a show which broadcasted from the Outlet Department store in downtown Providence. He was a member of WAJR's pioneer television team in 1949. Read more >
Bruce R. Lang
Inducted in 2011

Bruce R. Lang is an American entrepreneur and former television executive, television and radio host and analyst, co-founder of two Rhode Island good government groups, Operation Clean Government and UsPAC (1991–1993). He currently hosts State of the State (TV show) on a part-time basis.

Bruce Lang, a resident of Newport, has a B. Read more >
Irving R. Levine (1922-2009)
Inducted in 1972

Irving Levine, 1922-2009, was a Pawtucket native who became one of the country's top newsmen in the radio and television fields. He gained fame as a reporter, photographer, and commentator while on overseas assignments. Read more >
Mowry Lowe
Inducted in 1974

Mowry Lowe began as a pioneering New England newscaster in 1931. As a gifted announcer and premier radio station executive, he was one of the leading communications experts in the area. Read more >
Harry McKenna (1916-1995)
Inducted in 1984

Harry McKenna, 1916-1995, was News and Public Affairs Director of WEAN radio, and as "Dean" of R.I. news correspondents he had a distinguished thirty-nine year carer as a broadcast journalist. Over nearly four decades he became a news reporting legend in Rhode island, initiating the popular, award-winning, "Radio Press Conference," which ran continuously for thirty-six years, featuring top-name interviews. Read more >
Dr. John J. McLaughlin (1927-)
Inducted in 2005

The marvelous story of Rhode Island's own John Joseph McLaughlin leads one through more twists and turns than a Rocky Point roller coaster. Born on March 29, 1927 to Augustus and Eva (Turcotte) McLaughlin, he grew up in the neighborhoods of Edgewood and Mount Pleasant. His earliest run at greatness included stints as a pharmacy soda jerk, Triggs greenskeeper and caddy, Narragansett Park racetrack money-runner and a stock boy at Shepard's department store.

After successfully negotiating Blessed Sacrament Elementary School and LaSalle Academy, John entered the seminary, was ordained a Jesuit priest in 1960, obtained Master's degree in Philosophy and English from Boston College, and ultimately received a doctorate in Communications from Columbia University. Read more >
James W. Norman
Inducted in 1989

Mr. Norman of South Kingstown, RI, was a multi-award winning Sports Information Director at the University of Rhode Island and a radio voice of the Rams for twenty-eight years. He has served as President of Word Unlimited, the Providence Gridiron Club, and the URI Ram's Club. He is a member of the Universities Athletic Hall od Fame, and is one of his Alma-Mater's most famous ambassadors. Read more >
Anthony Quinn (1915-2011)
Inducted in 2015

Anthony Quinn was born in Chihuahua, Mexico in April 1915 during the Mexican Revolution to a Mexican-Indian mother, Manuela Oaxaca, and a half-Irish father, Francesco, or Frank, whose father had immigrated from Cork, Ireland to work for the Union Pacific Railroad. When Anthony was only eight months old, his mother hid him in a coal wagon and escaped to El Paso, Texas. His father, a soldier for Pancho Villa, found them later. Poverty led the Quinns to search for work as fruit pickers in California. Read more >
Michael E. Renzi
Inducted in 2013

Mike Renzi, a master American pianist, arranger, and musical director, was raised in Providence and started piano lessons at the age of eight; the style was classical. Soon he added popular music in the style known as “the American songbook,” consisting of the compositions of such artists as George Gershwin, Cole Porter, and Johnny Mercer. He got these renditions from his mother, who loved music and seemed to know all of the popular music of the time--both words and melodies. Mike could find all of these tunes in any musical key. Read more >
Chris Schenckel (1923-2005)
Inducted in 1969

Chris Schenkel, 1923-2005, was Sports Director for the American Broadcast Corporation. He got his real start in sportscasting in Rhode Island after World War II, working at WFCI and WEAN. He did local radio and called the Thoroughbred horse races at Narragansett Park for six years. His work here was recognized by the Columbia Broadcasting Company and he became the ace sports announcer for that network. Read more >
Warren Walden (1907-1987)
Inducted in 1979

William Walden, 1907-1987, a native of Providence, was a pioneer Rhode Island radio and television sportscaster. He was also a former athlete who served for twenty years as secretary of the Tim O'Neil amateur baseball league. He was the former News Director of WJAR-TV, and a native of Providence. Walden was actively involved with many charities including the Cystic Fibrosis organization, the March of Dimes, Catholic Youth Organization, the Jimmy Fund, the American Cancer Society and St. Read more >
John A. "Jack" White, III (1942-2005)
Inducted in 2008

Jack White (1942-2005), a Pulitzer Prize-winning reporter known for his investigative skills, began his long and distinguished career at the Newport Daily News in 1969. He then became a member of the Providence Journal's reporting staff where he exposed President Nixon's underpayment of income taxes. His articles prompted Nixon to utter his infamous line, “I am not a crook,” and caused the president to pay $432,787.13 plus interest in back taxes. Read more >
James H. Woods (1947-)
Inducted in 1998

James Woods is an Emmy-winning actor, producer and voice artist. Woods has appeared in over 130 films and television series. He has won three Emmy Awards for the television movies Promise and My Name Is Bill W., and for the animated series Hercules. Read more >