Oral History Collection
| MAIN ENTRY: | Munn, Melvin |
| DATE OF INTERVIEW: | October 21 and November 19, 1981 |
| LOCATION OF INTERVIEW: | Dallas, Texas |
| INTERVIEWER: | David Murrah and Richard Mason |
| LENGTH OF INTERVIEW: | 3 hours, 10 minutes (total) |
| SCOPE AND CONTENT NOTE: | Melvin Munn discusses his past life and his work with the Life Line program in Dallas, its start, continuance and reasons for its closing. Tape 4 is a radio recording of an interview with Munn on Channel 28. |
| TAPE ONE, SIDE ONE: | Background Born in Ellis County, Texas Parents Father, Daniel P. Munn Mother, Aggie Muerhead Parents were farmers (sharecroppers) Education Public school Finished high school (1931) Work history |
| TAPE ONE, SIDE TWO | Positions (continued) KRLD Radio Positions To Life Line (1965) Origins of Life Line Started (November 10, 1958) Wayne Poucher commentator Attempts to get Munn to work for them Conversation with H. L. Hunt Assurance of Munn’s autonomy Hunt’s association with Life Line H. L. Hunt (again) HLH Products Advertising Thefts Sell out Cancelled stations carrying Life Line Life Line off the air (April 1, 1975) Life Line broadcast Production procedures Transition from master tape concept to long play records Kennedy assassination Effects on conservatism Non-profit organization Changes Sponsor Stations |
| TAPE TWO, SIDE ONE: | H. L. Hunt’s relation with Life Line Life Line (again) Organizational growth Personnel Munn’s duties Writer Publications Newspaper Keith Kathan, editor Personality Differences between broadcast and newspaper Audience Stations carrying Life Line Non-partisan Not affiliated with a particular church Religious nature Involvement with SEARCH on Mt. Ararat From Washington to Dallas Reasons Washington largely concerned with government Munn (again) College campus appearances Reception Sponsors Kent State College |
| TAPE TWO, SIDE TWO: | Blank |
| TAPE THREE, SIDE ONE: | Reading of the Sermon on the Mount |
| TAPE THREE, SIDE TWO: | The Indispensable Man Tell Me Now What I Live For Psalm 1 Psalm 23 Readings from John I Love You A Bride’s Prayer The Prayer of a Husband American for Me The Bridge Builder The Touch of the Master’s Hand L’envoi by Rudyard Kipling |
| TAPE FOUR, SIDE ONE: | Morning Magazine Melvin Munn Famous for voice on Life Line Overview of Lubbock School board meeting Financing of new schools Economic news, National House Bill for defense spending B-1 Bomber Program Other major and minor programs Stocks Southwest Airlines expansion request Commercials Weather Commercials Life Line Broadcast Crime People’s attitudes Introduction How Life Line got started Lady in Florida started idea Wayne Poucher—Church of Christ minister They joined and opened an office in Washington Started with 20 radio stations November 8, 1958—first one Munn joined in 1965 H. L. Hunt—major sponsor Munn was commentator and president Work 15 minutes a day, 7 days a week Getting subjects Theme—be self-sufficient U. S. Public debt Dedication to Southwest Collection Number of programs Commercials Reasons for discontinuing program Hunt Food Industry sold (1970) Cost of operation (1975-1976) Done their part—broadness of scope now Munn’s current work Speaking Writing President, Munn Company, Incorporated Small family corporation Map vending machines Executive Secretary for Association of American Dentists Sermon on the Mount Performs from memory Audience 1951 Kiwannis Reading aloud at parks Commercials Retirement IRA—Individual Retirement Account Effects everyone who works Why we need it Immediate tax benefits Retirement fixed income Tape ends |
| TAPE FOUR, SIDE TWO: | Blank |
| RANGE DATES: | 1930-1981 |
| BULK DATES: | 1965-1981 |