Bob De Haven

Inducted 2010

If ever one person best personified the “Good Neighbor” spirit of WCCO Radio, it had to be Bob De Haven.  For over 25 years he was the big, friendly, and professionally talented presence at WCCO in what was the heart of a 55-year career behind the microphone. 

De Haven launched his first WCCO program in 1943 – Friendly Time, a late-night music show sponsored by Grain Belt, the “friendly beer.”  Bob’s on-air name was “Friendly Fred.”  Soon his schedule grew to 19 programs a week, including such musical variety shows as Breakfast with Bob and Good Neighbor Time.  In 1956 he received the Minneapolis Ad Club-AFTRA award as the outstanding radio personality in the Twin Cities.  Bob worked with the likes of Cedric Adams, Howard Viken, Clellan Card, and Joyce Lamont, but his real love was the opportunity to be face-to-face with his audience and in 1958, he hosted the first-ever WCCO “Good Neighbor” tours, to Hawaii.  A prolific writer, Bob wrote two books, many short stories, and numerous columns.  Affectionately nicknamed “The Star” by his co-workers, he was also loved by a generation of listeners and sponsors alike.  He passed away in 1990, at the age of 81.