Wally Nehrling

Wally Nehrling, also known as “Uncle Wally,” worked at WIRE radio station for three decades. Weekly, he read the Sunday comics to children on his “Funny Page Party” program in Indianapolis.

Nehrling was born July 27, 1910, in Normal, Illinois. Nehrling attended the University of Notre Dame, where his career began as a radio singer in South Bend, before becoming a radio announcer.

Nehrling first worked at stations in Gary and Fort Wayne. In 1938, he joined WIRE in Indianapolis and started at the station as a morning announcer, a title he held for nearly thirty years.

He hosted two morning shows, “Wake Up With Wally” and the “Funny Paper Party.” Every Sunday, Nehrling read the Sunday comics to children, which is how he began to gain fame and recognition.

Nehrling set himself apart from other morning announcers by taking the “Funny Paper Party” show on the road, actually visiting children’s homes and reading the comics there, which would be broadcast the following Sunday.

As well as “Wake Up With Wally” and “Funny Paper Party,” he also hosted two other shows, “Dawn Patrol” and “S’prize Party.”

Nehrling became known as “Uncle Wally” to Indiana listeners, known for his warm, folksy style which listeners recognized as one of the city’s most prominent radio personalities. Nehrling’s morning show was vastly popular and woke up two generations each morning to tune into his broadcast.

In 1946, Nehrling collaborated in a joint broadcast to raise funds to fight against polio. WIRE joined the broadcast with Reid Chapman from WISH, Joe Pierson from WFBM and Everett Howard from WIBC.

Nehrling retired from the air in 1967. However, he stayed working at WIRE for another seven years as a public service director.

Nehrling passed away on May 26, 1980, at 69 years of age. Nehrling is a member of the Indiana Broadcast Hall of Fame.

January 2025

By Lily Saylor

-Indiana Broadcast Pioneers