Herbert Arthur "Herb" Shriner (May 29, 1918 – April 23, 1970) was an American
humorist
A humorist (American) or humourist (British spelling) is an intellectual who uses humor, or wit, in writing or public speaking, but is not an artist who seeks only to elicit laughs. Humorists are distinct from comedians, who are show business e ...
actor
An actor or actress is a person who portrays a character in a performance. The actor performs "in the flesh" in the traditional medium of the theatre or in modern media such as film, radio, and television. The analogous Greek term is (), li ...
, and
television host
A television presenter (or television host, some become a "television personality") is a person who introduces, hosts television programs, often serving as a mediator for the program and the audience. Nowadays, it is common for people who garne ...
. Shriner was known for his homespun monologues, usually about his home state of
Indiana
Indiana () is a U.S. state in the Midwestern United States. It is the 38th-largest by area and the 17th-most populous of the 50 States. Its capital and largest city is Indianapolis. Indiana was admitted to the United States as the 19th s ...
. He was frequently compared to humorist Will Rogers.
Early life
Shriner was born Herbert Arthur Schriner in
Toledo, Ohio
Toledo ( ) is a city in and the county seat of Lucas County, Ohio, United States. A major Midwestern United States port city, Toledo is the fourth-most populous city in the state of Ohio, after Columbus, Cleveland, and Cincinnati, and according ...
, the son of Edith (née Rockwell) and Peter Schriner.
He moved to Fort Wayne as a small child, when his mother left his father. Shriner learned to play the harmonica as a grade school student. He formed a quintet when he was in high school; it expanded to an octet and made frequent local appearances. Shriner then performed on his own. When his lip gave out one night, he filled time by telling homespun stories. His deadpan comedy routines became more popular than his music, and soon he was entertaining audiences with stories about a fictional Hoosier hometown.
Career
Radio
In 1940, Shriner was hired by
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 ...
for occasional radio appearances, which led to a regular spot in 1942 and 1943 on the comedy-variety program ''
Camel Caravan
A camel train or caravan is a series of camels carrying passengers and goods on a regular or semi-regular service between points. Despite rarely travelling faster than human walking speed, for centuries camels' ability to withstand harsh condi ...
''. During
World War II
World War II or the Second World War, often abbreviated as WWII or WW2, was a world war that lasted from 1939 to 1945. It involved the vast majority of the world's countries—including all of the great powers—forming two opposing ...
, he served in a
United States Army
The United States Army (USA) is the land warfare, land military branch, service branch of the United States Armed Forces. It is one of the eight Uniformed services of the United States, U.S. uniformed services, and is designated as the Army o ...
special services unit and performed for two years in
USO
The United Service Organizations Inc. (USO) is an American nonprofit-charitable corporation that provides live entertainment, such as comedians, actors and musicians, social facilities, and other programs to members of the United States Armed F ...
shows for GIs in Europe. After the war, he appeared on a number of radio shows, including ''The Philip Morris Follies of 1946'' with
Johnny Desmond
Johnny Desmond (born Giovanni Alfredo De Simone; November 14, 1919 – September 6, 1985) was an American singer who was popular in the 1940s, 1950s and 1960s.
Biography Early years
Desmond was born Giovanni de Simone in Detroit, Michigan, ...
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 ...
musical revue called ''Inside U.S.A.'' The performances were panned by critics, but Shriner's monologues made it a success and carried the show for over a year. Shriner hosted ''Herb Shriner Time,'' a CBS Radio weekday program, in 1948 and 1949 with the
Raymond Scott
Raymond Scott (born Harry Warnow; September 10, 1908 – February 8, 1994) was an American composer, band leader, pianist, record producer, and inventor of electronic instruments.
Though Scott never scored cartoon soundtracks, his music is ...
Durward Kirby
Homer Durward Kirby (August 24, 1911 – March 15, 2000), sometimes misspelled Durwood Kirby, was an American television host and announcer. He is best remembered for ''The Garry Moore Show'' in the 1950s and ''Candid Camera'', which he ...
. The program was initially titled ''Alka-Seltzer Time'' (not to be confused with the later ''
Alka-Seltzer Time
''Alka-Seltzer Time'' (aka ''The Alka-Seltzer Show'') was a 15-minute radio series broadcast weekdays on both CBS Radio and the Mutual Broadcasting System (not to be confused with an earlier ''Alka-Seltzer Time'' that was renamed ''Herb Shriner ...
'' that starred
Curt Massey
Curt Massey (May 3, 1910 – October 21, 1991)DeLong, Thomas A. (1996). ''Radio Stars: An Illustrated Biographical Dictionary of 953 Performers, 1920 through 1960''. McFarland & Company, Inc. . Pp. 185-186. was a musician in the old-time radio era ...
and
Martha Tilton
Martha Tilton (November 14, 1915 – December 8, 2006) was an American popular singer during America's swing era and traditional pop period. She is best known for her 1939 recording of " And the Angels Sing" with Benny Goodman.
Tilton was born ...
). In August 1949, Shriner decided not to continue the program because it was too much work. The previously mentioned ''Alka-Seltzer Time'', with Massey and Tilton, which had been a summer replacement, continued in Shriner's place on CBS.
Television
Shriner had a five-minute comedy monologue on CBS that debuted on November 7, 1949. Philip Morris cigarettes sponsored the show, which ran from 7:55 to 8 p.m. Eastern Time. ''Herb Shriner Time'' evolved into a short-lived, fifteen-minute television show. A half-hour version on
ABC
ABC are the first three letters of the Latin script known as the alphabet.
ABC or abc may also refer to:
Arts, entertainment, and media Broadcasting
* American Broadcasting Company, a commercial U.S. TV broadcaster
** Disney–ABC Television ...
ran during the 1951-52 season. Shriner found TV success with '' Two for the Money,'' a
game show
A game show is a genre of broadcast viewing entertainment (radio, television, internet, stage or other) where contestants compete for a reward. These programs can either be participatory or demonstrative and are typically directed by a host, ...
which appeared on NBC in the 1952-53 season, then moved to CBS for three seasons. It was more of a showcase for Shriner's humor than a game show, much like ''
You Bet Your Life
''You Bet Your Life'' is an American comedy quiz series that has aired on both radio and television. The original and best-known version was hosted by Groucho Marx of the Marx Brothers, with announcer and assistant George Fenneman. The show deb ...
'', which starred Groucho Marx. ''Two for the Money'' gave Shriner an opportunity to deliver short monologues and harmonica solos. Reruns are occasionally shown even now on GSN. Seventeen-year-old
Woody Allen
Heywood "Woody" Allen (born Allan Stewart Konigsberg; November 30, 1935) is an American film director, writer, actor, and comedian whose career spans more than six decades and multiple Academy Award-winning films. He began his career writing ...
wrote jokes for Shriner's shows.
Film
Shriner's only film role was portraying hardware store owner Frank Johnson in '' Main Street to Broadway'' (1953).
Records
In 1955, Shriner launched the Herb Shriner Harmonica Orchestra with Dominic (Don Henry) Quagenti, Cham-Ber Huang, Charles Leighton, Frank (Moose) Mitkowski, Victor Pankowitz, Alan Pogson and Alan (Blackie) Schackner. They recorded "Tumbling Tumbleweeds" and "Back Home Again in Indiana" for the Columbia LP ''Herb Shriner on Stage'' (1955). After he left ''Two for the Money'' in 1956, the show continued with fellow humorist
Sam Levenson
Samuel Levenson (December 28, 1911August 27, 1980) was an American humorist, writer, teacher, television host, and journalist.
Personal life
Born in 1911, he grew up in a large Jewish immigrant family in Brooklyn, New York. He graduated from ...
. Shriner tried a variety show on CBS which lasted almost three months (replaced by '' To Tell the Truth''), and then played
nightclub
A nightclub (music club, discothèque, disco club, or simply club) is an entertainment venue during nighttime comprising a dance floor, lightshow, and a stage for live music or a disc jockey (DJ) who plays recorded music.
Nightclubs gener ...
s,
state fair
A state fair is an annual competitive and recreational gathering of a U.S. state's population, usually held in late summer or early fall. It is a larger version of a county fair, often including only exhibits or competitors that have won in th ...
s, showboats, and similar venues.
Personal life
Shriner and his wife, Eileen "Pixie" McDermott, moved with their children to Florida, returning each summer to
Angola, Indiana
Angola is a city in Pleasant Township, Steuben County, Indiana, United States. The population was 8,612 at the 2010 census. The city is the county seat of Steuben County. Angola was founded by Thomas Gale and Cornelius Gilmore on June 28, 18 ...
. Shriner invested in real estate and collected vintage automobiles. In 1970, he and his wife were killed in
Delray Beach, Florida
Delray Beach is a city in Palm Beach County, Florida, United States. The population of Delray Beach as of April 1, 2020 was 66,846 according to the 2020 United States Census. Located 52 miles (83 kilometers) north of Miami, Delray Beach is in the ...
, in one of those cars, a Studebaker Avanti, when the brakes failed. Some of his collection can be seen in the
Auburn Cord Duesenberg Automobile Museum
The Auburn Cord Duesenberg Automobile Museum is an automobile museum located in Auburn, Indiana in the United States. Opened in 1974, it is dedicated to preserving cars built by Auburn Automobile, Cord Automobile, and Duesenberg Motors Company.
...
in
Auburn, Indiana
Auburn is a city in DeKalb County, Indiana, United States. The population was 13,820 at the 2020 census. Founded in 1836 by Wesley Park (1811–1868), the city is the county seat of DeKalb County. Auburn is also known as Home of the Classics.
Hi ...
.
Shriner's children are a daughter, Indy (named after
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 ...
), and twin sons, actor, comedian and director
Wil Shriner
Wil Herbert Shriner (born December 6, 1953) is an American actor, comedian, film director, screenwriter and game show host.
Life and career
Shriner was born in New York City, New York, the twin brother of soap opera actor Kin Shriner, and the ...
(named for Will Rogers) and
soap opera
A soap opera, or ''soap'' for short, is a typically long-running radio or television serial, frequently characterized by melodrama, ensemble casts, and sentimentality. The term "soap opera" originated from radio dramas originally being sponsored ...
actor
Kin Shriner
Kin Shriner (born December 6, 1953) is an American actor, best known for his portrayal of Scott Baldwin on the ABC soap opera ''General Hospital'' and its spin-off, '' Port Charles''.
Early life
Shriner and his twin brother, actor Wil Shriner, ...