Rex Humbard

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Rex Humbard (born on August 13, 1919) is a well-known American television evangelist whose Cathedral of Tomorrow show was shown on over 600 TV stations at the peak of its popularity.

Starting in Akron, Ohio, Rex Humbard was one of the first evangelists (1952) to build a ministry that incorporated radio and television programming. Humbard's Cathedral of Tomorrow church in suburban Cuyahoga Falls was designed specifically to accommodate television equipment, crew, and chorus as well as seating for 5,000 people.

Humbard's television programs featured gospel music such as the poplular Cathedral Quartet. Humbard's wife, Maude Amiee, and his children were also often featured on the programs. Humbard's son "Rex Jr" succeeded his father in the ministry after the family moved to Florida in the 1980s. But Humbard's television ministry was influential in promoting an independent Christian television station in Canton, WDLI, which later became the flagship station for the Trinity Broadcasting Network.

Humbard began to build a rotating tower restaurant at his Cathedral of Tomorrow complex, which was also slated to hold a transmission tower for his planned local TV station, WCOT-TV. When Humbard was given the opportunity to go on more radio stations throughout South America to spread Christianity, construction on the restaurant tower ceased. The tower has since been purchased by a local businessman and is now used as a cellular phone tower.

The rest of Humbard's Cathedral of Tomorrow complex was purchased by television evangelist Ernest Angley, along with an FCC television broadcasting license which became WBNX-TV.

Humbard saw much greater popularity outside the US than within it as scepticism of TV evangelists grew in the late 70s and into the 80s. He was especially popular in Brazil, where he reportedly packed the giant soccer stadium in São Paulo for weeks. After 'retiring' to Florida in the 1980s, Humbard was still often seen on television broadcasts and at public appearances preaching Christianity.

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