Ralph Story was born Ralph Bernard Snyder on August 19, 1920 in Kalamazoo, Michigan. From an early age, Story was involved in broadcasting, working as a part time radio announcer during high school and college. Story dropped out of college to pursue a career in radio full time but his plans were put on hold when he joined the Air Force during World War II. Story served as a flight instructor and P-51 Pilot, flying 63 missions over Europe during the war.

After the war, Story resumed his career as a radio announcer and program director working in Buffalo, New York for CBS radio affiliate WGR. In 1948, Story was transferred to Los Angeles where he was assigned the duties of program director and morning DJ at KNX. Subsequently, he changed his last name from Snyder to Story after the suggestion of the station's managers.

The popular segment developed into a local program about people and places in Los Angeles called Ralph Story's Los Angeles. Ralph Story's Los Angeles was a half-hour television program broadcast on KNXT in Los Angeles from January 14th, 1964 to November 23rd, 1969. During that time, 249 programs were created from 660 segments filmed mostly in and around Los Angeles. The program immediately became the top-rated local program in Los Angeles and remained in that lofty position until its finale in 1969.

Story in Hollywood aired on KABC from 1971-1973, and featured episodes about different aspects of Hollywood, including stunt women, extras, autograph collectors and celebrity photographers.

In the 1970s, Story became the co-host of AM-Los Angeles, a morning news show that was the predecessor to Good Morning America. Story stayed in Los Angeles once the show moved to New York City. He continued working in the industry until the mid-1980s when he retired and moved with his wife to Los Olivos. In 1984, the Academy of Television Arts and Sciences awarded Story their highest honor, the Governors Award. Ralph Story died on September 26, 2006 from emphysema.