Harold Peary facts for kids
Quick facts for kids
Harold Peary
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Peary in 1952
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| Born |
José Pereira de Faria
July 25, 1908 San Leandro, California, U.S.
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| Died | March 30, 1985 (aged 76) Torrance, California, U.S.
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| Resting place | Remains scattered into the Pacific Ocean |
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| Years active | 1923–1979 |
| Political party | Republican |
Harold "Hal" Peary (July 25, 1908 – March 30, 1985) was a talented American actor, comedian, and singer. He worked in radio, movies, television, and even cartoons. He is best known for playing the funny character Throckmorton P. Gildersleeve. This character first appeared on the radio show "Fibber McGee and Molly" in 1938.
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Early Life and Radio Beginnings
Harold Peary was born José Pereira de Faria in San Leandro, California. His parents were from Portugal. He started working in local radio very early, around 1923.
He had his own singing show in San Francisco. It was called "The Spanish Serenader." Later, he moved to Chicago, Illinois, in 1935 to continue his radio career.
The Great Gildersleeve Character
Gildersleeve on Fibber McGee and Molly
In Chicago, Harold Peary joined the popular radio show Fibber McGee and Molly. In 1938, he created the character of Gildersleeve. Gildersleeve was a neighbor and sometimes a rival to Fibber McGee.
The character was colorful and a bit arrogant. Peary also worked on other radio shows, like the horror series Lights Out. But Gildersleeve quickly became very popular.
Gildersleeve Gets His Own Show
Because Gildersleeve was so well-liked, people thought he should have his own show. The company that sponsored Fibber McGee & Molly helped create a test recording. Soon, the Kraft Cheese Company decided to sponsor the new show.
The character of Gildersleeve moved from the fictional town of Wistful Vista to Summerfield. He was now a bachelor and the water commissioner. He was also given a new role: guardian to his orphaned niece, Marjorie, and nephew, Leroy.
The Great Gildersleeve Radio Show
The Great Gildersleeve started on August 31, 1941. It became a huge hit for the rest of the 1940s. Peary's deep voice and funny phrases were very famous on the radio.
Lurene Tuttle and Louise Erickson played Marjorie. Walter Tetley played Leroy, and Lillian Randolph played Birdie, Gildersleeve's maid. Birdie often made fun of Gildersleeve's ego.
The show was known for its clever wordplay and funny situations. Gildersleeve was often clumsy but had a warm heart. His friend and rival was Judge Horace Hooker, played by Earle Ross.
Peary sometimes sang on the show, using his "Spanish Serenader" voice. He was also famous for his "dirty laugh." This was a funny, descending giggle that showed sarcasm or embarrassment.
Other Characters and Films
Many other characters appeared on the show. These included Peavey the druggist, Floyd the Barber, and Police Chief Gates. Peary also starred in four Great Gildersleeve movies during the 1940s.
Later Career and New Shows
Moving to CBS
In 1950, Harold Peary was offered a big deal by CBS. He had wanted to sing more on Gildersleeve and have more ownership of the show. However, NBC and Kraft were not willing to agree.
CBS was trying to get popular stars from NBC, like Jack Benny. They offered better financial terms. So, Peary decided to sign with CBS.
The New Gildersleeve
Kraft Foods owned the rights to The Great Gildersleeve. They refused to move the show to CBS. So, Gildersleeve stayed on NBC.
Willard Waterman took over the role of Gildersleeve. His voice sounded a lot like Peary's. Waterman did not use Peary's famous laugh, believing it was Peary's special trademark.
The Harold Peary Show
At CBS, Peary started a new comedy show called The Harold Peary Show. It was sometimes known as Honest Harold. Peary played a character who hosted a radio show.
The new show used some ideas from Gildersleeve. For example, Peary's character ran for mayor. The show lasted only one season, with 38 episodes.
On March 21, 1951, California governor Earl Warren honored Harold Peary. He gave Peary an award for completing his 10,000th radio broadcast. This record remains unmatched in radio history.
Films and Television Appearances
Besides the four Gildersleeve films, Peary appeared in other movies. He was in Look Who's Laughing and Here We Go Again. He also appeared in the musical comedy Seven Days' Leave.
Later, he was in the Walt Disney movie A Tiger Walks (1964). He also appeared in the Elvis Presley film Clambake (1967).
Peary worked a lot in television. He played a murderer in a 1965 Perry Mason episode. He also had recurring roles in sitcoms like Blondie and Fibber McGee and Molly.
He made guest appearances on many popular shows in the 1960s. These included The Dick Van Dyke Show, My Three Sons, The Addams Family, Petticoat Junction, and The Brady Bunch. In the 1960s and 1970s, Peary was also in many TV ads for Faygo soda.
In the 1970s, Peary became a voice actor for cartoons. He voiced Big Ben, the whale with a clock in its tail. This was for two Rudolph the Red-Nosed Reindeer productions: Rudolph's Shiny New Year (1976) and Rudolph and Frosty's Christmas in July (1979). The latter was his last acting role.
Later Work and Personal Life
After his network career, Peary worked as a disc jockey at radio station WMGM in New York City. He had a one-hour show from Monday to Saturday, starting in 1953.
He spent much of his later life doing voice acting for animated shows. He also appeared in many commercials for products like Charmin and Faygo.
Peary was a member of the Republican Party. He was also a founding member of the Hollywood Republican Committee.
Death
Harold Peary passed away on March 30, 1985. He was 76 years old. He died in California at Torrance Memorial Hospital after having a heart attack.
