Bill Forman (radio) explained

Bill Forman (1915 – 1966) was an American radio announcer and actor. He was best known for his work as the title character on The Whistler.[1]

Early life

Forman was born Raymond L. Forman on May 26, 1915 in Mount Vernon, New York. His father was a Methodist minister. He attended Wesleyan University, where he majored in English and theatre. John Golden discovered him and cast him in a play in New York. Forman later reported having been in six flop plays that year.[2] [3] [4]

Career

Forman worked for WHBC in Canton, Ohio and then for WGAR in Cleveland, Ohio before he moved to Los Angeles to work at KMPC, where he succeeded Lou Huston, in 1942.[5] [6] During his career, Forman was known as the "dean" and for his many accents on Kay Kyser's Kollege of Musical Knowledge.[7]

Forman appeared on The Whistler starting in 1941.[8] He once stated he never missed a broadcast.[9] According to a 1990 newspaper article, he did not provide the whistling of his character.[10] He starred in the television adaptation of The Whistler which aired for one season beginning in 1954.[11] [12] [13]

Forman also announced and narrated for various radio shows. He was the narrator on the Zane Grey Show[14] and the announcer on The Phil Harris-Alice Faye Show; its predecessor, The Fitch Bandwagon;[15] Richard Diamond, Private Detective;[16] The Charlie McCarthy Show;[17] and The Tony Martin Show.[18] [19]

In addition to his work on broadcast and radio, Forman contributed vocal work to several films, including Wilbur the Lion (1947)[20] and The Pride of St. Louis (1952).[21]

Personal life and death

Forman was inducted into the military at Fort MacArthur in 1945.[22] [23]

Forman was married and had three children. He enjoyed golf, cooking, and Sherlock Holmes stories and films.[24] Forman was a friend of Frank Lovejoy.[25]

He died on April 25, 1966.[26] [27] [28]

External links

Notes and References

  1. News: 1973-04-27 . Old timers being heard again . 27 . The Wichita Beacon . 2023-03-30.
  2. News: 1955-02-27 . Star of 'The Whistler' on job 13 years . 55 . The Times . 2023-03-30.
  3. Kelsay . Bill . 1956-07-20 . The Whistler revealed . TV-Radio Life.
  4. News: 1966-04-28 . Raymond Forman . 1 . The Californian . 2023-04-05.
  5. Radio: Payroll Traffic . . May 29, 1940 . 138 . 12 . 35 .
  6. "Behind the mike". Broadcasting, Broadcast Advertising. Mar 2, 1942. 22, 9. p. 36. Via Proquest.
  7. "Music Records: Kay Kyser, Popular Bandleader, Radio Host, Dies In N. Carolina". Variety. Jul 31, 1985. 320, 1. p. 77. Via Proquest.
  8. News: 1944-11-05 . Radio voice to influence votes . 24 . The Times-News . 2023-04-05.
  9. News: 1955-08-07 . And coffee cost 5 cents . 68 . Lubbock Avalanche-Journal . 2023-04-05.
  10. News: 1990-09-09 . Now you know "Whistler' secrets . 54 . The Courier-Journal . 2023-03-30.
  11. Book: Terrace, Vincent . Television Introductions: Narrated TV Program Openings since 1949 . 2013-11-07 . Scarecrow Press . 978-0-8108-9250-7 . en.
  12. Book: Terrace, Vincent . From Radio to Television: Programs That Made the Transition, 1929-2021 . 2022-10-06 . McFarland . 978-1-4766-8836-7 . en.
  13. Book: Cox, Jim . Radio Crime Fighters: More Than 300 Programs from the Golden Age . 2015-06-14 . McFarland . 978-1-4766-1227-0 . en.
  14. Chase, Sam. "Radio: Network program reviews & analysis - Zane Grey Show". The Billboard. Oct 4, 1947. 59, 39. p. 12. Via Proquest.
  15. Book: Dunning, John . On the Air: The Encyclopedia of Old-Time Radio . 1998-05-07 . Oxford University Press . 978-0-19-977078-6 . en.
  16. News: 1953-06-27 . Crime story . 28 . The Gazette . 2023-04-05.
  17. News: 1944-09-07 . Listening in . 26 . Daily News . 2023-04-05.
  18. Herm . Radio Review: Tony Martin Show . Variety . July 8, 1953 . 191 . 5 . 24 .
  19. News: 1951-09-20 . 'Rhapsody in Blue' score on TV tonight; Cantor signs for fall radio chatter program . 28 . The Los Angeles Times . 2023-04-05.
  20. Book: Scott, Keith . Cartoon Voices of the Golden Age, Vol. 2 . 2022-10-03 . BearManor Media . en.
  21. Book: Daniel, Blum . Screen World Vol. 4 1953 . 1969 . Biblo & Tannen Publishers . 978-0-8196-0259-6 . en.
  22. Chatter: Hollywood . Variety . May 16, 1945 . 55 .
  23. News: 1945-05-16 . They tell me . 19 . The Cincinnati Enquirer . 2023-04-05.
  24. Hannah . Sara . 1952-02-08 . Who hides behind "The Whistler's" mask? . Radio-TV Life . 4.
  25. News: 1962-10-09 . Frank Lovejoy was devoted to youth . 13 . Los Angeles Evening Citizen News . 2023-04-05.
  26. News: 1966-04-27 . Forman, Raymond L. . 26 . The Los Angeles Times . 2023-04-05.
  27. News: 1966-05-01 . Funeral services... . 333 . The Los Angeles Times . 2023-04-05.
  28. News: 1966-04-27 . The 'Whistler' is dead . 10 . The Modesto Bee . 2023-04-05.

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