Actor Melville Ruick was born in Boise, Idaho on July 8, 1898. He studied law at the University of California, but World War I changed him from a student lawyer to a student pilot. Ruick won his wings in the Air Service, Signal Corps, two weeks before the end of the war.

During the lean years of the Depression, Ruick doubled as a bandleader and as an actor in theatrical stock. An offer came from CBS to work as a local radio announcer while Ruick was leading a dance band in Los Angeles. He later won an audition for the spot of announcer on the CBS radio show Lux Radio Theater, staying with the show for 6 years.

During World War II, Ruick returned to uniform as a captain in the USAFF, attached to the Radio Production Unit as a producer-director. After the war, Ruick reentered show business, touring with Leo Carillo in a revival of The Bad Man. While trying his luck on Broadway, Ruick received an offer to direct Paul Whiteman’s radio show for the National Guard.