Bob Umbach
Title
Bob Umbach
Description
Box 1 Folder 33: "This is box 1 folder 33, which is an 8x10 and a copy of the 8x10 of Bob Umbach, the broadcaster of the Atomic Boogie Hour. Any information about Bob, his dates of birth and passing may be in the interview with his daughter, which we have an interview of somewhere in our audio files. We do know that he was with WJLD from ’46 to ‘53 and then moved to WMBM in Miami. Roy Wood Sr. did suggest that the Johnston family owned WMBM as well. We do know that he passes somewhere in North Carolina; it was Asheville, North Carolina, and that may have been in the late 80s or early 90s. There was a story to the effect that Bob Umbach was very attractive to Jane Russell and that she would visit him. I heard that from more than one person although I do not recall who. Also there are pictures of Bob working with A.G. Gaston in the spelling bee contests, which were broadcast on WJLD. We will probably reach those pictures in the early 50s, late 40s, about 1950. This picture was sent to us by, it was rolled up and given to us by Ben Franklin when he came for one of his many interviews in the early 1990's."
Files
Collection
Citation
“Bob Umbach,” The Birmingham Black Radio Museum, accessed September 7, 2026, https://www.thebbrm.org/item/144.
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Cristal L
I accidently came across this article. I knew Robert "Bob" Umbach very well in Asheville, NC in the 80's. I have often wondered what became of him and owe him a debt of gratitude for everything he did for me. If I could know when he passed, his burial location, daughter's name, etc. that would be wonderful. He literally changed the course of my life in ways he could never imagine.
Thank you in advance.