[2] Born into a Jewish family that owned a neighborhood store in Indianapolis, Indiana, Cahn changed his professional name to Collins for fear of antisemitism and discrimination in his chosen field of broadcasting.

One year after he started at the 50,000-watt station, he became the Indianapolis Motor Speedway (IMS) track announcer for the south turn.

[5] Collins also anchored TVS Television Network auto racing from Trenton, Milwaukee, Langhorne, Castle Rock, and Colorado for two years.

He hosted national TV coverage of the Indianapolis 500 Festival Parade with Garry Moore, Steve Allen, and Bob Barker for Hughes Sports Network.

After tests, Collins was diagnosed with a disc pressing against his spine and underwent surgery that involved cutting through his throat.

[6] In April 1977, Collins was diagnosed at the Mayo Clinic with amyotrophic lateral sclerosis (ALS) or Lou Gehrig's disease.

After learning he had the incurable progressive paralyzing disease, Collins confided to friend and Indianapolis 500 anchor successor Paul Page that he was planning to take his own life.

Collins left an 11-minute audio tape as a suicide note that he intended to be aired during the broadcast of the 1977 Indianapolis 500.