Marshall Efron (February 3, 1938 – September 30, 2019) was an American actor and humorist originally known for his work on the listener-sponsored Pacifica radio stations

WBAI WBAI (99.5 FM) is a non-commercial, listener-supported radio station licensed to New York, New York. Its programming is a mixture of political news, talk and opinion from a left-leaning, liberal or progressive viewpoint, and eclectic music. ...

New York and

KPFK KPFK (90.7 FM) is a listener-sponsored radio station based in North Hollywood, California, United States, which serves Southern California, and also streams 24 hours a day via the Internet. It was the second of five stations in the non-commerci ...

Los Angeles, and later for the

PBS The Public Broadcasting Service (PBS) is an American public broadcasting, public broadcaster and Non-commercial activity, non-commercial, Terrestrial television, free-to-air television network based in Arlington, Virginia. PBS is a publicly fu ...

television show ''

The Great American Dream Machine ''The Great American Dream Machine'' was a weekly satirical variety television series, produced in New York City by WNET and broadcast on PBS from 1971 to 1972. The program was hosted by humorist and commentator Marshall Efron. Other notable cast ...

'' (the original showcase of

Chevy Chase Cornelius Crane "Chevy" Chase (; born October 8, 1943) is an American comedian, actor and writer. He became a key cast member in the first season of ''Saturday Night Live'', where his recurring ''Weekend Update'' segment became a staple of the ...

Career

At WBAI, Efron was a frequent guest on Steve Post's &

Bob Fass Robert Morton Fass (June 29, 1933 – April 24, 2021) was an American radio personality and pioneer of free-form radio, who broadcast in the New York region for over 50 years. Fass's program, ''Radio Unnameable'', aired in some form from 1963 unt ...

's shows, along with left-wing/counter-culture figures such as

Paul Krassner Paul Krassner (April 9, 1932 – July 21, 2019) was an American author, journalist, and comedian. He was the founder, editor, and a frequent contributor to the freethought magazine ''The Realist'', first published in 1958. Krassner became a key ...

. One memorable broadcast had Efron and Krassner filling in for the vacationing Steve Post, and identifying themselves as

Columbia University Columbia University (also known as Columbia, and officially as Columbia University in the City of New York) is a private research university in New York City. Established in 1754 as King's College on the grounds of Trinity Church in Manhatt ...

students who had taken the station over as part of the

Columbia University protests of 1968 In 1968, a series of protests at Columbia University in New York City were one among the various student demonstrations that occurred around the globe in that year. The Columbia protests erupted over the spring of that year after students disco ...

. Although regular listeners were very familiar with the voices of Krassner and Efron, many listeners were not.

NYPD The New York City Police Department (NYPD), officially the City of New York Police Department, established on May 23, 1845, is the primary municipal law enforcement agency within the City of New York, the largest and one of the oldest in ...

officers responded three different times during the broadcast in response to reports from listeners who thought the "takeover" was a legitimate event. Efron also produced features such as ''A Satirical View''. Marshal Efron was the author of a number of children's works such as ''Bible Stories You Can't Forget: No Matter How Hard You Try''.''Bible Stories You Can't Forget: No Matter How Hard You Try'' (1979) by Marshall Efron, Alfa-Betty Olsen ''Dutton Juvenile'' , He also starred in the irregularly-scheduled Sunday-morning television program ''Marshall Efron's Illustrated, Simplified, and Painless Sunday School'' on

CBS CBS Broadcasting Inc., commonly shortened to CBS, the abbreviation of its former legal name Columbia Broadcasting System, is an American commercial broadcast television and radio network serving as the flagship property of the CBS Entertainm ...

from 1973 to 1977. In this show, Efron played all of the parts, including Adam, Eve, God and the Snake in

the Garden of Eden In Abrahamic religions, the Garden of Eden ( he, גַּן־עֵדֶן, ) or Garden of God (, and גַן־אֱלֹהִים ''gan-Elohim''), also called the Terrestrial Paradise, is the biblical paradise described in Genesis 2-3 and Ezekiel 28 an ...

, and the

Three Wise Men 3 is a number, numeral, and glyph. 3, three, or III may also refer to: * AD 3, the third year of the AD era * 3 BC, the third year before the AD era * March, the third month Books * ''Three of Them'' (Russian: ', literally, "three"), a 1901 n ...

in the story of

Christmas Christmas is an annual festival commemorating Nativity of Jesus, the birth of Jesus, Jesus Christ, observed primarily on December 25 as a religious and cultural celebration among billions of people Observance of Christmas by country, around t ...

Death

Efron died at the age of 81 on September 30, 2019, at the

Lillian Booth Actors Home The Lillian Booth Actors Home of The Actors Fund is an American assisted-living facility, in Englewood, New Jersey. It is operated by the Actors Fund, a nonprofit umbrella charitable organization that assists American entertainment and performi ...

in Englewood, New Jersey.

Filmography

Animated roles

* ''

The Kwicky Koala Show ''The Kwicky Koala Show'' is a 30-minute Saturday-morning cartoon produced by Hanna-Barbera Productions and Hanna Barbera Pty, Ltd. that aired on CBS from September 12 to December 26, 1981. This series is notable for being among cartoon director ...

'' (1981) - Ratso (voice) * ''

Smurfs ''The Smurfs'' (french: Les Schtroumpfs; nl, De Smurfen) is a Belgian comic franchise centered on a fictional colony of small, blue, humanoid creatures who live in mushroom-shaped houses in the forest. ''The Smurfs'' was first created and int ...

'' (1981-1982) - Sloppy Smurf (voice) * ''

Shirt Tales ''Shirt Tales'' are characters that were created in 1980 by greeting card designer Janet Elizabeth Manco and were featured on Hallmark Cards greeting cards. The characters were adapted into a 1982-1985 animated series for television, by Hanna-Bar ...

'' (1982) - (voice) * ''

The Biskitts ''The Biskitts'' is an American animated television series produced by Hanna-Barbera Productions from 1983 to 1984 and aired on CBS. The series lasted for only one season; only 13 episodes were produced. ''Shirt Tales'' replaced the show in its t ...

'' (1983) - Mooch (voice) * ''

Kidd Video ''Kidd Video'' (originally in development as ''Hot Rocks'') is an American Saturday morning live action/cartoon created by DIC Enterprises in association with Saban Productions. The series originally ran on NBC from 1984 to 1985. Reruns contin ...

'' (1984-1985) - Fat Cat (voice) * ''

The 13 Ghosts of Scooby-Doo ''The 13 Ghosts of Scooby-Doo'' is an American animated television series produced by Hanna-Barbera Productions, and the seventh incarnation of the studio's ''Scooby-Doo'' franchise. It premiered on , and ran for one season on ABC as a half-hour p ...

'' (1985) - Lousy Lizard (voice) * ''

Fluppy Dogs ''Fluppy Dogs'' is a one-hour animated television special that aired on November 27 (Thanksgiving), 1986 on ABC. It was intended to be a pilot for the third Walt Disney Television animated series, but the show was cancelled due to the special's l ...

'' (1986) - Stanley (voice) * '' The Transformers'' (1986-1987) -

Hun-Gurrr ''The Transformers'' is an American animated television series that originally aired from September 17, 1984, to November 11, 1987, in syndication based upon Hasbro's ''Transformers'' toy line. The first television series in the ''Transformer ...

(2nd Head) (voice) * ''

Snorks ''Snorks'' is an animated television series produced by Hanna-Barbera and ran for a total of four seasons (consisting of 65 episodes) on NBC from September 15, 1984, to May 13, 1989. The program continued to be available in syndication from 1987 ...

'' (1987-1988) - (voice) * ''

Time Squad ''Time Squad'' is an American animated television series created by Dave Wasson for Cartoon Network and the 10th of the network's Cartoon Cartoons. It follows the adventures of Otto Osworth, Buck Tuddrussel, and the robot Larry 3000, a trio of ha ...

'' (2002) -

Earl of Sandwich Earl of Sandwich is a noble title in the Peerage of England, held since its creation by the House of Montagu. It is nominally associated with Sandwich, Kent. It was created in 1660 for the prominent naval commander Admiral Sir Edward Montagu. ...

(voice)

Film roles

* ''Funnyman'' (1967) - Sid, Photographer * '' Pound'' (1970) - German Shepherd * ''

THX 1138 ''THX 1138'' is a 1971 American social science fiction film co-written and directed by George Lucas in his directorial debut. Produced by Francis Ford Coppola and co-written by Walter Murch, the film stars Robert Duvall and Donald Pleasence, wit ...

'' (1971) - TWA * ''

Doc DOC, Doc, doc or DoC may refer to: In film and television * ''Doc'' (2001 TV series), a 2001–2004 PAX series * ''Doc'' (1975 TV series), a 1975–1976 CBS sitcom * "D.O.C." (''Lost''), a television episode * ''Doc'' (film), a 1971 Wester ...

'' (1971) - Mexican Bartender * ''

Is There Sex After Death? ''Is There Sex After Death?'' is a 1971 mockumentary and mondo film. Plot Driving through New York City in his Sexmobile, Dr. Harrison Rogers of the Bureau of Sexological Investigation searches out luminary figures in the world of sex. According ...

'' (1971) - Vince Domino * ''

Dynamite Chicken ''Dynamite Chicken'' is a 1971 American comedy film. Described in its opening credits as "an electronic magazine of American pop culture," it presents a series of interviews, stand-up comedy, countercultural sketches, documentary segments, and agi ...

'' (1971) - Himself * ''

Bang the Drum Slowly ''Bang the Drum Slowly'' is a novel by Mark Harris, first published in 1956 by Knopf. The novel is the second in a series of four novels written by Harris that chronicles the career of baseball player Henry W. Wiggen. ''Bang the Drum Slowly'' ...

'' (1973) - Bradley * ''

Blade A blade is the portion of a tool, weapon, or machine with an edge that is designed to puncture, chop, slice or scrape surfaces or materials. Blades are typically made from materials that are harder than those they are to be used on. Historic ...

'' (1973) - Fat man * ''

Baby Blue Marine ''Baby Blue Marine'' is a 1976 American drama film set during World War II that was directed by John D. Hancock and starring Jan-Michael Vincent. The feature film was produced by Aaron Spelling and Leonard Goldberg. Plot Marion “Hedge” Hedg ...

'' (1976) - Cook * ''The Faking of the President'' (1976) - Donald Segretti * '' Why Me?'' (1978, Short) - Nesbit Spoon (voice) * ''

California Dreaming "California Dreamin'" is a song written by John Phillips and Michelle Phillips and first recorded by Barry McGuire. The best-known version is by the Mamas & the Papas, who sang backup on the original version and released it as a single in 196 ...

'' (1979) - Ruben * ''

Shogun Assassin ''Shogun Assassin'' is a 1980 ''jidaigeki'' film directed by Robert Houston. ''Shogun Assassin'' was edited and compiled from the first two films in the ''Lone Wolf and Cub'' series, using 12 minutes of the first film, '' Lone Wolf and Cub: Sw ...

'' (1980) - (voice) * ''The First Time'' (1983) - Nick Rand * '' Twice Upon a Time'' - Botch (voice) * ''

Bad Manners Bad Manners are an English two-tone and ska band led by frontman Buster Bloodvessel. Early appearances included ''Top of the Pops'' and the live film documentary, ''Dance Craze'' (1981). They were at their most popular during the early 1980 ...

'' (1984) - Cab Driver * ''

The Big Bang The Big Bang event is a physical theory that describes how the Expansion of the universe, universe expanded from an initial state of high Energy density, density and temperature. Various Physical cosmology, cosmological models of the Big Ba ...

'' (1987) - Comrade in Chief (English version, voice) * ''Talking Walls'' (1987) - Erwin * ''

The Road to Wellville ''The Road to Wellville'' is a 1993 novel by American author T. Coraghessan Boyle. Set in Battle Creek, Michigan, during the early days of breakfast cereals, the story includes a historical fictionalization of John Harvey Kellogg, the inventor of ...

'' (1994) - Bartholomew Bookbinder * ''

Cafe Society A coffeehouse, coffee shop, or café is an establishment that primarily serves coffee of various types, notably espresso, latte, and cappuccino. Some coffeehouses may serve cold drinks, such as iced coffee and iced tea, as well as other non-ca ...

'' (1995) - Moe Persky * ''

Two Family House ''Two Family House'' is a 2000 American film produced by Alan Klingenstein, based on the story of the uncle of the film's writer and director Raymond De Felitta (''Café Society'').A Piece of Eden ''A Piece of Eden'' is a 2000 film directed by John D. Hancock. It was filmed at Hancock's home and apple orchard in La Porte, Indiana. His wife wrote the screenplay. The film had a limited release in theaters before being released on video. The ...

'' (2000) - Andres * ''

Marie and Bruce ''Marie and Bruce'' is a 2004 American comedy drama film directed by Tom Cairns and starring Julianne Moore and Matthew Broderick. The story spans over one day of a couple's dysfunctional, strained relationship. It was based on the 1978 play of t ...

'' (2004) - Ed * ''

Home on the Range "Home on the Range" is a classic cowboy song, sometimes called the "unofficial anthem" of the American West. Dr. Brewster M. Higley (also spelled Highley) of Smith County, Kansas, wrote the lyrics as the poem "My Western Home" in 1872 or 1873 ...

'' (2004) - Larry the Duck (voice) * ''

Robots "\n\n\n\n\nThe robots exclusion standard, also known as the robots exclusion protocol or simply robots.txt, is a standard used by websites to indicate to visiting web crawlers and other web robots which portions of the site they are allowed to visi ...

'' (2005) - Lamp Post / Toilet Bot / Bass Drum / Microphone (voice) * ''

The Thing About My Folks ''The Thing About My Folks'' is a 2005 American comedy drama film directed by Raymond De Felitta and starring Peter Falk, Paul Reiser, and Olympia Dukakis. The screenplay by Paul Reiser focuses on the effect a terminal illness has on the marria ...

'' (2005) - Tow Truck Driver * '' Ice Age: The Meltdown'' (2006) - Start Dad (voice) * ''

Horton Hears a Who! ''Horton Hears a Who!'' is a children's book written and illustrated by Theodor Seuss Geisel under the pen name Dr. Seuss. It was published in 1954 by Random House. This book tells the story of Horton the Elephant and his adventures saving Whovil ...

'' (2008) - Wickersham Guard #1 / The Wickersham Brothers (voice) * '' City Island'' (2009) - Actor-Dog * ''

Rob the Mob ''Rob the Mob'' is a 2014 American romantic crime film directed by Raymond De Felitta and written by Jonathan Fernandez. The film stars Michael Pitt, Nina Arianda, Andy García, Ray Romano, Aida Turturro, Frank Whaley, Michael Rispoli and Joseph ...

'' (2014) - Little Anthony (final film role)

Video game roles

* ''

The Space Bar ''The Space Bar'' is a 1997 graphic adventure game developed by Boffo Games and published by Rocket Science Games and SegaSoft. A comic science fiction story, it follows detective Alias Node as he searches for a shapeshifting killer inside The ...

'' (1997) - (voice)

Theatrical roles

* ''

Much Ado about Nothing ''Much Ado About Nothing'' is a comedy by William Shakespeare thought to have been written in 1598 and 1599.See textual notes to ''Much Ado About Nothing'' in ''The Norton Shakespeare'' ( W. W. Norton & Company, 1997 ) p. 1387 The play ...

Broadway Broadway may refer to: Theatre * Broadway Theatre (disambiguation) * Broadway theatre, theatrical productions in professional theatres near Broadway, Manhattan, New York City, U.S. ** Broadway (Manhattan), the street **Broadway Theatre (53rd Stree ...

1972 - Singer

Discography

*''The Nutrino News Network'', with

Barton Heyman Barton Heyman (born January 24, 1937, in Washington, D.C. - died May 16, 1996, in Manhattan, New York City, New York) was an American actor. Heyman was a graduate of the University of California, Los Angeles where he studied theater arts. As an ...

, Dennis Longwell and

Marilyn Sokol Marilyn Roberta Sokol (born February 22, 1944) is an American actress, musician, comedian, and producer, perhaps best known for her roles as Lulu Brecht in ''Can't Stop the Music'' (1980) and as Ma Otter in '' Emmet Otter's Jug-Band Christmas'' ...

. Polydor PD-5029 (1972)

References

External links

* {{DEFAULTSORT:Efron, Marshall 1938 births 2019 deaths 20th-century American male actors 21st-century American male actors Male actors from Los Angeles American children's writers American humorists American male film actors American male stage actors American male television actors American male voice actors American radio personalities American television writers Jewish American male actors American male television writers University of California, Berkeley alumni University of California, Los Angeles alumni 21st-century American Jews