Long before Ed Schultz and Shadoe Stevens became national celebrities on radio, others from the state had already achieved star status through this popular medium.

In the 1930s, '40s, and early '50s, radio was the vehicle through which most people in North Dakota received their daily information and entertainment. Celebrities born in North Dakota played leading roles in almost every phase of radio broadcasts during the years that radio ruled supreme.

Soap operas - Arthur Peterson of Mandan became a superstar of daytime radio when the popular series "The Guiding Light" debuted on NBC on Jan. 25, 1937. Peterson played the lead role of the widowed Rev. John Ruthledge, who ministered to his congregation at the Church of the Good Samaritan in Five Points, Ill.

The "guiding light" referred to a lamp Ruthledge had in his study that always remained lit for his parishioners and anyone seeking comfort. The show originated in Chicago, and, when the producers decided to move the location to Los Angeles in 1946, Peterson resigned his role to remain in Chicago.

He also played lead roles in many other daytime serials such as "Bachelor's Children," "Girl Alone" and "The Story of Mary Marlin."

n Drama - Virginia Bruce (real name Helen Briggs) of Fargo was the co-star of six popular movie dramatizations on Lux Radio Theater, directed by Cecil B. DeMille, during the late '30s and early '40s.

In 1948, she became the host and star of her own anthology show, "Make Believe Town." This CBS series centered on boy-girl relationships in Hollywood and ran until 1951.

n Comedy - Ann Sothern (real name Harriet Lake) of Valley City began her movie career in 1927. Her big breakthrough in the film industry came when she landed the title role of Maisie in 1939. Sothern played Maisie Ravier, "a brassy showgirl from Brooklyn who wins her battles with a flashy smile and quick wits."

The movie was so popular it sparked a series of eight more Maisie films starring Sothern. Director DeMille featured Sothern on Lux Radio Theater on Nov. 24, 1941, based on her fourth film of the series - "Maisie Was a Lady."

On July 5, 1945, CBS began running Maisie on radio with Sothern in the lead role. In 1947, she took two years off to star in several films and raise her infant daughter, Tisha Sterling. Sothern resumed her radio role of Maisie in 1949, and the show ran until Dec. 26, 1952.

n Human Interest - Dave Elman (real name David Kopelman) was born in Park River, but raised in Fargo. Elman was called "the man of 100,000 hobbies" because of his many interests. In 1928, he was hired by WHN, a large radio station in New York City. Soon thereafter, CBS put him under contract to write, produce, direct, and perform on several of their shows.

In 1937, he approached NBC, the biggest network on radio, with the idea for a new show. On his proposed show, ordinary people would become advocates about their unusual hobbies, which were judged by an invited celebrity. NBC liked the idea, and, since the popular comedian Jack Benny was about to take a vacation, they could replace his program with Elman's new show called "Hobby Lobby."

Elman's new program debuted on Oct. 6, 1937, and it was an immediate hit. "Hobby Lobby" was on the air until 1948 when Elman decided to pursue a new endeavor - teaching hypnosis to doctors and dentists.

n Music - Three individuals from North Dakota hosted their own music shows on national radio: Tommy Tucker, Peggy Lee and Lawrence Welk. Band leader Tucker (real name Gerald Duppler) was born in Souris.

Early in 1936, Tucker's band received an engagement to appear on the popular "Fibber McGee and Molly" show.

During the later '30s, Tucker and his band were often featured on radio shows, and, in 1939, they became the regular featured band on the weekly "Pot O' Gold" show on NBC. In 1945, he became host of his own radio program, "Sing for Your Supper with Tommy Tucker."

This was followed with another show called "30 Minutes in Hollywood."

Lee (real name Norma Engstrom) was born in Jamestown. Her radio career was launched at WDAY in Fargo in the early 1940s. After becoming the lead female vocalist for Benny Goodman's band, Lee was a featured vocalist on the radio programs "The Bob Crosby Show," "The Bing Crosby Show" and "Meet Me at Parkys."

During the later '40s, she was the hostess of "Rhapsody in Rhythm" and "The Chesterfield Supper Club." In 1951, Lee was the star of "The Peggy Lee Show."

In 1949, bandleader Welk, from Strasburg, had his own syndicated radio show on ABC called "The Lawrence Welk High Life Revue."

n News - Arnold Eric Sevareid, from Velva, was hired by CBS newsman Edward R. Murrow to be a news journalist for his network in 1939. Sevareid was sent to Europe to cover the hostilities leading up to World War II.

In 1946, he reported on the founding of the United Nations and remained with CBS (radio and television) until his retirement in 1977.

(Note: Most of the information for this article comes from my own limited resources. It is likely I have missed some people, born in the state, who made major contributions in old-time radio. Please let me know about individuals not covered in this article. In the near future, I would also like to write an article about North Dakotans who have made a name for themselves on national radio since the mid-1950s. I appreciate any information readers have in helping me assemble that article.)

(Written by Curt Eriksmoen and edited by Jan Eriksmoen. Reach the Eriksmoens by e-mail at cjeriksmoen@cableone.net.)