Bill Owen (writer and announcer)

After leaving ABC in 1990, Owen was the principal voice of superstation WWOR-TV for three and a half years and then brought back WNEW's legendary "Make Believe Ballroom" for two radio stations in New Jersey where he interviewed such stars as Tony Martin, Cyd Charisse, Kitty Kallen, Margaret Whiting, Al Martino, Les Paul, Patti Page, Julius La Rosa, Jo Stafford, Les Brown, Frankie Laine, Don Cornell, and Patty Andrews. Owen also acted in the role of "TV Announcer #2" in the film production of The Handmaid's Tale, released in 1990.

From 1982-1990, Owen was announcer for ABC-TV's World News This Morning where he contributed brief trivia items along with puzzles and quotations. That segment became the most popular part of the program and developed a cult following. In addition he appeared on the program and on "Good Morning America" as a sports anchor. His sports knowledge also led to assignments on "ABC's Wide World of Sports" and live coverage of the Olympics. In 1962 he covered the America's Cup yacht races from Newport, Rhode Island for ABC Radio from the Goodyear blimp.

In 1966 he was elevated from being the show announcer of the award-winning young people's series "Discovery" to succeeding Frank Buxton as host. He and actress Virginia Gibson ("Seven Brides for Seven Brothers") continued as hosts for five more years, traveling throughout the world.

Bill Owen, widely known as the "King of Trivia", is a writer and radio/television announcer whose career spans six decades. He served as host and announcer for the children's program Discovery in the 1960s.

Owen joined WLW radio and TV in Cincinnati, Ohio in 1957 as a staff announcer. In 1958-1960 he hosted a classical and semi-classical music radio program called "Music for You" which surprisingly beat rock stations in the ratings. Owen had an eclectic taste in music, later emceeing rock, pop, and big band formats.

While in service he met Rosemary Bobo of Gray Court, South Carolina, a high school home economics teacher, and they were married on October 1, 1955. Their three children are Carolyn, a well-known singer-musician-songwriter/artist/horse-trainer, Richard, a banking executive, and Lisa, a horse-trainer and the owner of a horse stable and riding academy.

Bill Owen was born in Grand Forks, North Dakota, on February 1, 1931. His father Owen T. Owen (born in Milbank, South Dakota on September 15, 1890) was an outstanding track star at the University of North Dakota where he graduated from law school. He held many public offices including state tax commissioner and chairman of the state's Workman's Compensation bureau.

He continues to do radio and TV commercials, the best-known being a series for the National Motor Museum Mint featuring replicas of popular cars and trucks from the past. He also appears before senior clubs with a nostalgia program about old-time radio and other memories of the 1930s and 40s.

During his years at ABC, Owen co-wrote with announcer Allan Jefferys a novel about a disc jockey titled DJ published by Popular Library. Later he collaborated with Frank Buxton on a volume initially self-published as Radio's Golden Age: The Programs and the Personalities, by Easton Valley Press. This was later greatly expanded, re-titled, and published as The Big Broadcast 1920-1950” (Viking Press, Avon paperback). It was later re-issued in 1997 in a second edition by Scarecrow Press. This was the first encyclopedia of old-time radio programs.

Owen's mother Else Rohde Owen (born in Milwaukee, Wisconsin on September 12, 1893) was the daughter of the founder of Congress Candy Company, a major manufacturer and distributor of candy. She was prominent in social activities and education. Owen's two brothers, Owen T. Owen Jr. ("Tudor") and Jack served in the United States Navy and United States Army respectively so when Owen joined the United States Air Force he completed the circle of all three branches of the military.