Rich Landrum

Richard E. Landrum (born March 31, 1946) is best known as a radio and TV broadcaster. He started his broadcasting career at the age of 16.

Landrum started his broadcasting career at the age of 16 while still in high school, working part-time as a news reporter for the original WLEE-AM (now WTOX) radio station under the mentorship of its vice-president and general manager Harvey Hudson. At that time WLEE was the #1 Top 40 station in Richmond. During an interview, Landrum stated, "It was quite unusual for anyone to start at a number one station. If it hadn’t been for Harvey Hudson and his faith and me, I wouldn’t have had the opportunity.".

Landrum stayed with WLEE for four years and moved to WTVR-AM, another Richmond radio station. That lasted about a year and he returned to WLEE.

During his time with WLEE, Landrum worked with a number of well-known Richmond broadcasters, including Harvey Hudson, Lud Sterling, Jess Duboy, Jim Granger, George Prescott and Bill Adams (the former producer of the Dick Clark Radio Show).

While assistant manager for a Little League Baseball team with Neil Kuvin, the station manager for WXEX-TV8 (now WRIC-TV), Kuvin convinced Landrum to move to WXEX-TV. At first, Landrum was not sure he wanted to move to TV, as he really enjoyed the anonymity of radio. Kuvin finally convinced him and Landrum started his TV career as a field reporter and news photographer. Shortly thereafter, in addition to being a field reporter, he hosted the afternoon version of Dialing for Dollars and filled in as a sports presenter on the 6:00 & 11:00 news, when needed.

During this time, at the behest of one of his friends, he attended a local professional wrestling match at the State Fair Grounds of Virginia at Strawberry Hill (now Richmond International Raceway). Shortly before the matches were to start, Joe Murnick, the local promoter, approached him. Murnick explained that the announcer from Channel 6, who usually did the ring announcing had not shown up, and asked if Lundrum would be interested in filling in for a small payment. Landrum agreed, and after the show was over he was hired as their regular weekly Richmond Ring Announcer.

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