Local Celebrity: The Atlantic City Radio Legend, Ed Hurst
By Ryan Gerace
Ed Hurst is a long-time radio host and media personality in the Atlantic City area. His career dates back to World War II, in 1943, when he first joined the radio station WFPG as an announcer. From his humble beginnings at WFPG, Hurst went on to revolutionize radio. Hurst’s career is often linked to that of Joe Grady, longtime radio partner, friend, and co-host of their immensely popular radio show, “The Grady and Hurst Show,” which started in 1952.
Ed currently resides in Margate and fondly remembers the good old days of radio broadcasting.
“I knew this was what I wanted to do with my life from a young age” explained Hurst.
Ed Hurst got his first job as a radio host one day when he walked into WFPG studios and the program director threw him a script on a whim and asked him to read it for them. He was only a junior in high school at the time. The program director then had him ad lib for a while as another test. The station hired him on the spot right after that. While working his first job at WFPG during his junior year at high school, he was so dedicated to his job that he found his grades slipping heavily. One day, the principal called both Hurst and his father into a meeting to discuss his failing grades. An ultimatum was given to Ed where he had to choose between pursuing a career in radio or continuing on with his education. Much to his father’s chagrin, Ed chose his radio career over school. This was Ed’s calling, and the success he has garnered over his lifetime only proved that.
The dynamic duo of Joe Grady and Ed Hurst started when they received a contract offer from WPEN-AM 950 back in 1946. Joe was eight years older than Ed, but they became fast friends and partners early in their careers. Their first show together was called “The 950 Club” which was the first show to feature a live studio audience dancing to the music played by Hurst and Grady. Soon, Ed Hurst branched out and started doing television shows as well. This is how the iconic “Grady and Hurst Show” came about. This particular show was revolutionary at the time, as it had a very format which included having teens dance live on the show. The show enjoyed years of success in the tri-state area and its style even influenced Dick Clark when he started hosting the famous classic television show, “American Bandstand”.
Ed Hurst spent the majority of his career in the tri-state area, especially in Philadelphia and Atlantic City. He did briefly move down to Miami to pursue a radio career down there, but, he eventually became homesick and came back to Atlantic City. Another show that Ed Hurst was well-known for was his Atlantic City based show called “Summertime on the Pier”. This show was broadcasted from the Steel Pier on the Boardwalk in Atlantic City starting in 1958 and became a big success. The show was eventually renamed “The Steel Pier Show” and ran into the late 70s. Ed has been doing various radio shows and recently retired from doing radio broadcasting. He is 92 years old and has lived in the same Margate home for 44 years. Ed has high hopes for the future of radio, but he considers himself very lucky to have been a part of the golden age of radio broadcasting.
Ryan Gerace is a recent graduate from La Salle University with a Master’s in Strategic Communication. Born and raised in Linwood, NJ. He enjoys cooking, baking, and community events.
