Maurice Tarplin (April 1, 1911,
Boston, Massachusetts – May 12, 1975) was a novelist and a radio actor best known as the narrator of ''
The Mysterious Traveler'', employing a voice once described as "eerily sardonic."
Radio
Tarplin was a familiar voice as Dr. Weird on ''
The Strange Dr. Weird'' and Inspector Faraday on ''
Boston Blackie''. He was heard on numerous other shows, including ''
Valiant Lady'',
[Buxton, Frank and Owen, Bill (1972). ''The Big Broadcast: 1920–1950''. The Viking Press. . p. 249.] ''
The Shadow
The Shadow is a fictional character created by magazine publishers Street & Smith and writer Walter B. Gibson. Originally created to be a mysterious radio show narrator, and developed into a distinct literary character in 1931 by writer Walter ...
'', ''Theater Five'', ''
The March of Time
''The March of Time'' is an American newsreel series sponsored by Time Inc. and shown in movie theaters from 1935 to 1951. It was based on a radio news series broadcast from 1931 to 1945. The "voice" of both series was Westbrook Van Voorhis. ...
'' (as Winston Churchill), ''
Gangbusters
''Gang Busters'' is an American dramatic radio program heralded as "the only national program that brings you authentic police case histories." It premiered on January 15, 1936, and was broadcast over 21 years through November 27, 1957.
Histo ...
''
and various soap operas. He played Los Angeles District Attorney Richard Hanley on ''The Guiding Light''. On ''Myrt and Marge'' he played Barnie Belzer, and he was in several episodes of ''Tom Corbett, Space Cadet''.
Writing
Tarplin's novel, ''Seven Casks of Death'', was published in the June 1948 issue of ''Dime Mystery Magazine''.
Television and film
In later years, Tarplin did voiceovers for TV commercials and worked on the English language soundtracks for foreign films.
Personal life
Tarplin was married to Grace Tarplin and had two boys.
His first marriage was to Catharine Selby Flygare in 1933. This marriage produced no children and ended during World War II. She died in 2010 at the age of 100.
References
Listen to
''The Strange Dr. Weird'' (28 1944–45 episodes)
External links
{{DEFAULTSORT:Tarplin, Maurice
American male radio actors
1975 deaths
1911 births
20th-century American male actors