Archives West Finding Aid

Edward E. Block was born in Illinois. His education included a B.A. in literature from Yale and a M.A. in music from Columbia University. He also attended Julliard for musical training. Fluent in French, German, Italian, Swedish, Spanish, and Latin, Block served in the army during World War II, and received a Combat Infantry Badge and a Bronze Star. Throughout his career in radio, stage, and television, Ed produced dramatic, musical, news, art, and children’s shows. He taught and lectured on drama, staging, and other arts at the American Academy of Dramatic Arts. As a member, Block belonged to the Screen Actor’s Guild, American Federation of Musicians, Actors Equity Association, and the American Federation of Television and Radio Artists. In 1960, Rogan Jones, founder of International Good Music, Inc., hired Block to work at the company’s headquarters in Bellingham, WA. Block served initially as Chief Announcer for Heritage Programming, the I.G.M. department responsible for producing classical music programming 18 hours a day, 7 days a week. He directed over 30,000 announcements involving translation of vocal work and musical terms into English, and scripted and announced original commentary on music. Block later took over from conductor Alfred Wallenstein as the music and program director for I.G.M.'s Heritage Stations. Block left I.G.M. in 1962.