Don Wilson (September 1, 1900 – April 25, 1982) was an American announcer and occasional actor in radio and television. September 1 is the 244th day of the year (245th in leap years). ... 1900 is a common year starting on Monday. ... April 25 is the 115th day of the year in the Gregorian Calendar (116th in leap years). ... 1982 is a common year starting on Friday of the Gregorian calendar. ... An announcer is a voice actor who works in television, radio and film, usually providing narrations, news updates, station identification, or an introduction of a product in television commercials or a guest on a talk show. ...

Though best known for his comedy work with Jack Benny, Wilson had a background as a sportscaster, covering the opening of the 1932 Olympics. Wilson first worked with Jack Benny on the broadcast of April 6, 1934, concurrent with a short stint as announcer on George Gershwin's series, Music By Gershwin.At 6 feet and over 200 pounds, Wilson possessed a resonant voice, a deep belly laugh, and a plump figure, all of which would become important parts of his character with Benny. Though Wilson's primary function as announcer was to read the opening and the commercial pitches notably for Jell-O and Lucky Strikes), his importance to the program was as both feed and foil to Jack and other cast members. Jack Benny (born Benjamin Kubelsky, February 14, 1894 – December 26, 1974) was a comedian, vaudeville performer, film actor, and one of the most prominent early stars of American radio and television. ... A Sportscaster is a announcer on radio or television who specialises in commentating sports events. ... There were two Olympic Games in the year 1932: 1932 Summer Olympics 1932 Winter Olympics This is a disambiguation page — a navigational aid which lists other pages that might otherwise share the same title. ... April 6 is the 96th day of the year in the Gregorian calendar (97th in leap years). ... 1934 was a common year starting on Monday (link will take you to calendar). ... George Gershwin photograph by Edward Steichen in 1927. ... A variety of pre-packaged gelatin dessert products for sale at a supermarket in the U.S. state of Wisconsin in 2004 By far the most popular use for gelatin products is as gelatin dessert, in the UK gelatin desserts are referred to as jelly, and in the US (where...

On radio in particular, Wilson's girth could be exploited, both in jokes by Benny and in audio gags, such as the amount of time it took an attendant to brush Don, or masseurs charging him by the pound. Another Wilson trademark was an occasional tendency to flub his lines, the most famous incident occurring in a 1950 broadcast. In a line that was supposed to refer to Drew Pearson, Wilson read the name as "Dreer Pooson," leading to a memorable follow-up later on in the broadcast by Frank Nelson. 1950 was a common year starting on Sunday (link will take you to calendar). ... Drew Pearson (13 December 1897 - 1969), born in Evanson, Illinois was an American journalist. ... Frank Nelson was an American born comedic actor best known for playing put upon foils on radio and television. ...

Wilson also served stints as announcer for radio comedy or variety shows starring Alan Young, Bing Crosby, Ginny Simms, and Fanny Brice as Baby Snooks. In 1936, Don Wilson was a regular on the daytime comedy Glamour Manor, opposite former Jack Benny Program regular Kenny Baker. Radio comedy, or comedic radio programming, is a radio broadcast that may involve sitcom elements, sketches or any other form of comedy found on other mediums. ... Alan Young (born 19 November television role opposite a talking horse, Mister Ed. ... Bing wooed fans with a sensuous voice, wit, and good looks. ... Fanny Brice, early Ziegfeld Follies portrait photograph Fanny Brice (October 29, 1891 – May 29, 1951) was a United States comedian, singer, and entertainer. ... 1936 was a leap year starting on Wednesday (link will take you to calendar). ...

Wilson accompanied Benny into television in 1950, remaining with him through the series' end in 1965. On television, the fat jokes were toned down only slightly, mostly because the real Wilson was not as impossibly large as the radio Wilson was described. These appearances also often involved the fictional character of Don's equally hefty, aspiring announcer son, Harlow (played by Dale White). Wilson also co-starred with Benny in Buck Benny Rides Again (1940) and voicing a caricature of himself in The Mouse That Jack Built, a 1959 Warner Brothers spoof of The Jack Benny Program directed by Robert McKimson. 1950 was a common year starting on Sunday (link will take you to calendar). ... 1965 was a common year starting on Friday (link goes to calendar). ... A fictional character is any person who appears in a work of fiction. ... 1940 was a leap year starting on Monday (link will take you to calendar). ... 1959 was a common year starting on Thursday of the Gregorian calendar. ... Warner Bros. ... Robert Bob McKimson, Sr. ...

Other film roles included small appearances as announcers or commentators in several films, providing narration for Walt Disney's Academy Award nominated short Ferdinand the Bull, and a credited appearance as Mr. Kettering opposite Marilyn Monroe in Niagara. His final on-camera appearance was in two episodes of the 1960s Batman as newscaster Walter Klondike (spoofing Walter Cronkite). Years later, he died of a stroke at the age of 82. Walt Disney Walter Elias Walt Disney (December 5, 1901 – December 15, 1966), was an American film producer, director, screenwriter, voice actor, and animator. ... Although he never won an Oscar for any of his movie performances, the comedian Bob Hope received two honorary Oscars for his contributions to cinema. ... The Story of Ferdinand (1936) is a childrens book by American writer Munro Leaf, his best-known work. ... Marilyn Monroe Marilyn Monroe (June 1, 1926 – August 5, 1962) was an American actress of the 20th century. ... Niagara (1953) 1953 Technicolor film noir motion picture directed by Henry Hathaway. ... The 1960s, or The Sixties, in its most obvious sense refers to the decade between 1960 and 1969, but the expression has taken on a wider meaning over the past twenty years. ... Batman was the title of an exceptionally popular TV series based on the comic-book character Batman that aired on ABC TV for 2 1/2 seasons from 12 January 1966 to 14 March 1968. ... Walter Leland Cronkite Jr. ... A stroke or cerebrovascular accident (CVA) occurs when the blood supply to a part of the brain is suddenly interrupted by occlusion (an ischemic stroke- approximately 90%of strokes) or by hemorrhage (a hemorrhagic stroke - approximately 10% of strokes). ...

Sources

Dunning, John (1998). On the Air: The Encyclopedia of Old-Time Radio. New York: Oxford University Press. ISBN 0195076788

External links

• Don Wilson at the Internet Movie Database