Harry Von Zell
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Harry Rudolph von Zell (July 11, 1906 – November 21, 1981) was an American announcer of radio programs, and an actor in films and television shows. He is best remembered for his work on ''
The George Burns and Gracie Allen Show ''The George Burns and Gracie Allen Show'', sometimes called ''The Burns and Allen Show'', was a half-hour television situation comedy broadcast from 1950 to 1958 on CBS. It starred George Burns and Gracie Allen, one of the most enduring acts in ...
''.


Life and career


Early years

Harry von Zell was born July 11, 1906, in
Indianapolis, Indiana Indianapolis (), colloquially known as Indy, is the state capital and most populous city of the U.S. state of Indiana and the seat of Marion County. According to the U.S. Census Bureau, the consolidated population of Indianapolis and Mari ...
, the first of Iva Clara (née Gohn) and Harry Adolph von Zell's two children. Von Zell's father was a sports reporter for the
Indianapolis Star Indianapolis (), colloquially known as Indy, is the List of U.S. state and territorial capitals, state capital and List of U.S. states' largest cities by population, most populous city of the U.S. state of Indiana and the county seat, seat of ...
. The family moved to
Sioux City, Iowa Sioux City () is a city in Woodbury and Plymouth counties in the northwestern part of the U.S. state of Iowa. The population was 85,797 in the 2020 census, making it the fourth-largest city in Iowa. The bulk of the city is in Woodbury County, ...
, where von Zell graduated from high school. Later, the family moved to California, where he studied music and drama at the
University of California, Los Angeles The University of California, Los Angeles (UCLA) is a public land-grant research university in Los Angeles, California. UCLA's academic roots were established in 1881 as a teachers college then known as the southern branch of the California St ...
, and worked at a variety of jobs. After friends tricked him into singing on a radio program, he began receiving offers from radio stations, and his career in that medium began.


Announcing

Von Zell broke into show business as a singer and announcer at radio station
KMIC KMIC (1590 AM) is an English language South Asian music and spoken word formatted broadcast radio station licensed to Houston, Texas, serving the Greater Houston area. The station, which began broadcasting in 1947, is owned and operated by DAIJ ...
in
Inglewood, California Inglewood is a city in southwestern Los Angeles County, California, in the Los Angeles metropolitan area. As of the 2020 U.S. Census, the city had a population of 107,762. It was incorporated on February 14, 1908. The city is in the South Bay ...
, in the mid-1920s. In late 1926, von Zell sang on the "Times de Luxe Program" on KHJ in Los Angeles, and was eventually employed as the manager of KMTR Los Angeles, moving to KGB San Diego in January 1929. Auditioning for
Paul Whiteman Paul Samuel Whiteman (March 28, 1890 – December 29, 1967) was an American bandleader, composer, orchestral director, and violinist. As the leader of one of the most popular dance bands in the United States during the 1920s and early 1930s, ...
's radio show later that year, he was chosen from a field of 250 announcers. When that series came to an end in 1930, he headed for New York and became a CBS staff announcer, working with
Fred Allen John Florence Sullivan (May 31, 1894 – March 17, 1956), known professionally as Fred Allen, was an American comedian. His absurdist, topically pointed radio program ''The Fred Allen Show'' (1932–1949) made him one of the most popular and for ...
, Phil Baker,
Eddy Duchin Edwin Frank Duchin (April 1, 1909 – February 9, 1951), commonly known as Eddy Duchin or alternatively Eddie Duchin, was an American jazz pianist and bandleader during the 1930s and 1940s. Early career Duchin was born on April 1, 1909 in Cambri ...
and
Ed Wynn Isaiah Edwin Leopold (November 9, 1886 – June 19, 1966), better known as Ed Wynn, was an American actor and comedian. He was noted for his ''Perfect Fool'' comedy character, his pioneering radio show of the 1930s, and his later career as a d ...
. He also announced for ''
The Aldrich Family ''The Aldrich Family'', a popular radio teenage situation comedy (July 2, 1939 – April 19, 1953), was also presented in films, television and comic books. In the radio series' opening exchange, awkward teen Henry's mother called, "Hen-''reeeee ...
'', ''The Amazing Mr. Smith'',Dunning, John. (1998). ''On the Air: The Encyclopedia of Old-Time Radio''. Oxford University Press. . P. 21, 24. and ''
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. Pr ...
''. During the 1920s and 1930s, von Zell served as announcer on some 20 shows a week. His longest-running radio partnership was his nine seasons with veteran comedian
Eddie Cantor Eddie Cantor (born Isidore Itzkowitz; January 31, 1892 – October 10, 1964) was an American comedian, actor, dancer, singer, songwriter, film producer, screenwriter and author. Familiar to Broadway, radio, movie, and early television audiences, ...
. From October, 1940 to June, 1949 von Zell served as Cantor's commercial spokesperson and straight man. Then, as Cantor cast member
Dinah Shore Dinah Shore (born Frances Rose Shore; February 29, 1916 – February 24, 1994) was an American singer, actress, and television personality, and the top-charting female vocalist of the 1940s. She rose to prominence as a recording artist during ...
's solo career began to blossom, she brought von Zell in as announcer on her ''Birds Eye Open House'' program. As a young announcer, von Zell made a memorable verbal slip in 1931 when he referred to U.S. President
Herbert Hoover Herbert Clark Hoover (August 10, 1874 – October 20, 1964) was an American politician who served as the 31st president of the United States from 1929 to 1933 and a member of the Republican Party, holding office during the onset of the Gr ...
as "Hoobert Heever" during a live tribute on Hoover's birthday. Hoover was not present at this tribute. Von Zell's blooper came at the end of a lengthy summation of Hoover's career, during which von Zell had pronounced the President's name correctly several times. Some mistakenly believe Hoover was present when the incident occurred, because of a re-enactment fabricated by
Kermit Schafer Kermit Schafer (March 24, 1914 – March 8, 1979) was an American writer and producer for radio and television in the 1950s and 1960s. He is best known for his collections of "bloopers"—the word Schafer popularized for mistakes and gaffes o ...
for his ''Pardon My Blooper'' record album, a number of years later.


Music

Von Zell was the vocalist for the first recording session of
Charlie Barnet Charles Daly Barnet (October 26, 1913 – September 4, 1991) was an American jazz saxophonist, composer, and bandleader. His major recordings were "Skyliner", " Cherokee", "The Wrong Idea", "Scotch and Soda", "In a Mizz", and "Southland Shuffl ...
's musical career. A session on October 9, 1933, has von Zell singing, "I Want You, I Need You" (which was remade on October 25, 1933), as well as "What Is Sweeter (Than the Sweetness of 'I Love You')?". In 1941 von Zell sang on NBC's popular "jam session" program ''
The Chamber Music Society of Lower Basin Street ''The Chamber Music Society of Lower Basin Street'' is a musical variety radio program which began on the Blue Network on February 11, 1940. The program was created and hosted by NBC staff announcer Gene Hamilton, as a tongue-in-cheek satir ...
''. He and three other staff announcers became an impromptu
barbershop quartet A barbershop quartet is a group of four singers who sing music in the barbershop style, characterized by four-part harmony without instrumental accompaniment, or a cappella. The four voices are: the lead, the vocal part which typically carries t ...
, with von Zell offering commentary in a florid, Victorian style.


Radio comedy

As an actor, von Zell appeared on
The Joan Davis Show . ''The Joan Davis Show'' is a title applied — in some cases specifically and in other cases generically — to several old-time radio comedy programs in the United States, some of which had other distinct titles as indicated below. Comedian Joa ...
as the love interest of the character played by
Verna Felton Verna Arline Felton (July 20, 1890December 14, 1966) was an American actress, best known for providing many voices in numerous Disney animated films. She also provided the voice for Fred Flintstone's mother-in-law, Pearl Slaghoople in Hanna-Bar ...
. When he entered a room, Felton would often shout excitedly, "Why, Mr. von Zellllllllllll!" After this, von Zell headlined his own short-lived radio program, ''The Smiths of Hollywood'', which featured
Arthur Treacher Arthur Veary Treacher (, 23 July 1894 – 14 December 1975) was an English film and stage actor active from the 1920s to the 1960s, and known for playing English types, especially butler and manservant roles, such as the P.G. Wodehouse valet c ...
and Jan Ford (who would later become
Howard Hughes Howard Robard Hughes Jr. (December 24, 1905 – April 5, 1976) was an American business magnate, record-setting pilot, engineer, film producer, and philanthropist, known during his lifetime as one of the most influential and richest people in th ...
' paramour under the name Terry Moore).


Film

As a film actor, von Zell appeared in at least 28 features and in his own series of slapstick comedy shorts for
Columbia Pictures Columbia Pictures Industries, Inc. is an American film production studio that is a member of the Sony Pictures Motion Picture Group, a division of Sony Pictures Entertainment, which is one of the Big Five studios and a subsidiary of the mu ...
(1946–50). His film debut came in 1943, when he provided the offscreen narration for four entries in the ''Flicker Flashbacks'' series of silent-film satires. His face was first seen on screen in feature films of 1945. His movies included ''
The Saxon Charm ''The Saxon Charm'' is a 1948 American film noir drama film written and directed by Claude Binyon based on the novel of the same name by Frederic Wakeman Sr. and starring Robert Montgomery (actor), Robert Montgomery, Susan Hayward, John Payne (ac ...
'', ''
Dear Wife ''Dear Wife'' is a 1949 comedy film starring Joan Caulfield and William Holden. It is the sequel to ''Dear Ruth'', which was based on the Broadway play of the same name by Norman Krasna. Plot Miriam Wilkins is a teenage girl who is campaigning ...
'', ''
Son of Paleface ''Son of Paleface'' is a 1952 American Comedy Western film directed by Frank Tashlin and starring Bob Hope, Jane Russell, and Roy Rogers. The film is a sequel to '' The Paleface'' (1948). Written by Tashlin, Joseph Quillan, and Robert L. Welch ...
'', ''
Two Flags West ''Two Flags West'' is a 1950 Western drama set during the American Civil War, directed by Robert Wise and starring Joseph Cotten, Jeff Chandler, Linda Darnell, and Cornel Wilde. The opening credits contain the following statement: On December ...
'', ''USS Teakettle'', and '' For Heaven's Sake''.


Television

Von Zell worked in the early days of television, in 1931 describing boxing matches on experimental television boxing broadcasts. Nearly 20 years later, the exposure von Zell received from the Columbia comedies led to his being hired for television shows as the medium began to reach a mass audience. In early 1950, he had his first major television exposure as announcer and spokesman for
Pabst Blue Ribbon Pabst Blue Ribbon, commonly abbreviated PBR, is an American lager beer sold by Pabst Brewing Company, established in Milwaukee, Wisconsin, in 1844 and currently based in San Antonio. Originally called Best Select, and then Pabst Select, the cu ...
beer on
Jackie Gleason John Herbert Gleason (February 26, 1916June 24, 1987) was an American actor, comedian, writer, composer, and conductor known affectionately as "The Great One." Developing a style and characters from growing up in Brooklyn, New York, he was know ...
's ''
The Life of Riley ''The Life of Riley'' is an American radio situation comedy series of the 1940s that was adapted into a 1949 feature film, a 1950s television series, and a 1958 comic book. Radio The radio program initially aired on the Blue Network (later kn ...
''. In September 1951, at the beginning of the second television season of ''The George Burns and Gracie Allen Show'', he replaced the first season's announcer,
Bill Goodwin William Nettles Goodwin (July 28, 1910 – May 9, 1958),Palm Spr ...
, who had also announced for the Burns & Allen radio show for many years. Appearing under his own name (as Goodwin had), Harry von Zell continued to play the befuddled friend of the Burns family, and the show-within-a-show's announcer, until 1958, the year of
Gracie Allen Grace Ethel Cecile Rosalie Allen (July 26, 1895 – August 27, 1964) was an American vaudevillian, singer, actress, and comedian who became internationally famous as the zany partner and comic foil of husband George Burns, her straight man, ...
's retirement and the series' conclusion. Though ostensibly playing himself, the Von Zell character on the show was single; in real life, Von Zell was married with two children. During the 1958-59 television season, von Zell continued working with
George Burns George Burns (born Nathan Birnbaum; January 20, 1896March 9, 1996) was an American comedian, actor, writer, and singer, and one of the few entertainers whose career successfully spanned vaudeville, radio, film and television. His arched eyebr ...
on his short-lived 25-week
NBC The National Broadcasting Company (NBC) is an American English-language commercial broadcast television and radio network. The flagship property of the NBC Entertainment division of NBCUniversal, a division of Comcast, its headquarters are l ...
sitcom, ''
The George Burns Show ''The George Burns Show'' is a comedy television program that aired on NBC for one season ( 1958–59). The program was sponsored by Colgate-Palmolive. ''The George Burns Show'' immediately followed the eight-season run of ''The George Burns and ...
''. That same year, he wrote the teleplays for four episodes of NBC's ''
Wagon Train ''Wagon Train'' is an American Western series that aired 8 seasons: first on the NBC television network (1957–1962), and then on ABC (1962–1965). ''Wagon Train'' debuted on September 18, 1957, and became number one in the Nielsen ratings ...
'', appearing in one of them. In 1959 he joined comedian
George Gobel George Leslie Goebel (May 20, 1919 – February 24, 1991) was an American humorist, actor, and comedian. He was best known as the star of his own weekly comedy variety television series, ''The George Gobel Show'', broadcasting from 1954 to 1959 ...
, announcing for his single-season half-hour program 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 ...
. During 1960 and 1961, von Zell appeared in five episodes of the television series '' Bachelor Father'' as Frank Curtis, a good friend of Bentley Gregg (played by
John Forsythe John Forsythe (January 29, 1918 – April 1, 2010) was an American stage, film/television actor, producer, narrator, drama teacher and philanthropist whose career spanned six decades. He also appeared as a guest on several talk and variety s ...
). Von Zell appeared in the ''
Perry Mason Perry Mason is a fictional character, an American criminal defense lawyer who is the main character in works of detective fiction written by Erle Stanley Gardner. Perry Mason features in 82 novels and 4 short stories, all of which involve a c ...
'' episodes "The Case of the Ancient Romeo" (1962), and as the murderer Sidney Hawes in "The Case of the Libelous Locket" (1963). He was also cast in an episode of NBC's
western Western may refer to: Places *Western, Nebraska, a village in the US *Western, New York, a town in the US *Western Creek, Tasmania, a locality in Australia *Western Junction, Tasmania, a locality in Australia *Western world, countries that id ...
series, '' The Tall Man,'' and appeared in an episode of ''
McHale's Navy ''McHale's Navy'' is an American sitcom starring Ernest Borgnine that aired 138 half-hour episodes over four seasons, from October 11, 1962, to April 12, 1966, on the ABC television network. The series was filmed in black and white and originate ...
'' as Admiral Parker, the uncle of Tim Conway's character Ensign Parker. Von Zell's last appearance was on an episode of ''
Ellery Queen Ellery Queen is a pseudonym created in 1929 by American crime fiction writers Frederic Dannay and Manfred Bennington Lee and the name of their main fictional character, a mystery writer in New York City who helps his police inspector father solve ...
'' in 1975. Von Zell delivered the commentary on ''Celebrity Golf'', a series of half-hour, nine-hole golf matches made in 1960 with
Sam Snead Samuel Jackson Snead (pronounced English_phonology">sni:d.html" ;"title="English_phonology.html" ;"title="nowiki/>English phonology">sni:d">English_phonology.html" ;"title="nowiki/>English phonology">sni:d May 27, 1912 – May 23, 2002) was an ...
taking on such Hollywood celebrities as
Dean Martin Dean Martin (born Dino Paul Crocetti; June 7, 1917 – December 25, 1995) was an American singer, actor and comedian. One of the most popular and enduring American entertainers of the mid-20th century, Martin was nicknamed "The King of Cool". M ...
,
Jerry Lewis Jerry Lewis (born Joseph Levitch; March 16, 1926 – August 20, 2017) was an American comedian, actor, singer, filmmaker and humanitarian. As his contributions to comedy and charity made him a global figure in popular culture, pop culture ...
and
Bob Hope Leslie Townes "Bob" Hope (May 29, 1903 – July 27, 2003) was a British-American comedian, vaudevillian, actor, singer and dancer. With a career that spanned nearly 80 years, Hope appeared in more than 70 short and feature films, with 5 ...
at Los Angeles golf courses such as Woodland Hills and Lakeside Country Club. Those matches were rerun in recent years on the
Golf Channel Golf Channel (also verbally referred to as simply Golf) is an American sports television television network, network owned by the NBC Sports Group division of NBCUniversal, a subsidiary of Comcast. Founded in Birmingham, Alabama, it is currently ...
. In his later years von Zell was a commercial spokesman for Los Angeles-based
savings and loan association A savings and loan association (S&L), or thrift institution, is a financial institution that specializes in accepting savings deposits and making mortgage and other loans. The terms "S&L" or "thrift" are mainly used in the United States; simi ...
Home Savings of America. In 1976 he was one of the many leading radio announcers who participated in a television special, ''The Good Old Days of Radio''.


Death

Von Zell died of
cancer Cancer is a group of diseases involving abnormal cell growth with the potential to invade or spread to other parts of the body. These contrast with benign tumors, which do not spread. Possible signs and symptoms include a lump, abnormal b ...
November 21, 1981, aged 75, at the
Motion Picture & Television Country House and Hospital In physics, motion is the phenomenon in which an object changes its position with respect to time. Motion is mathematically described in terms of displacement, distance, velocity, acceleration, speed and frame of reference to an observer and mea ...
in
Woodland Hills, California Woodland Hills is a neighborhood bordering the Santa Monica Mountains in the San Fernando Valley region of Los Angeles, California. Geography Woodland Hills is in the southwestern region of the San Fernando Valley, which is located east of Ca ...
. Von Zell's body was cremated by the
Neptune Society The Neptune Society, Inc. is a US provider of cremation services. Its was founded in Plantation, Florida. History The Neptune Society was established in 1973 and was incorporated in 1985. In 1999, the Neptune Society announced its completion ...
and the ashes were scattered in the sea.


Radio credits

*''Stars in the Air'' - Episode: "Weekend for Three" (1952)


Bibliography

*


References


External links


Radio Advertising
*
''The Smiths of Hollywood''
at the
Internet Archive The Internet Archive is an American digital library with the stated mission of "universal access to all knowledge". It provides free public access to collections of digitized materials, including websites, software applications/games, music, ...
{{DEFAULTSORT:Von Zell, Harry 1906 births 1981 deaths American male radio actors American male television actors Male actors from Indiana People from Sioux City, Iowa Deaths from cancer in California Radio and television announcers 20th-century American male actors 20th-century American singers 20th-century American male singers