Art Gilmore

Arthur Wells Gilmore, known as Art Gilmore (March 18, 1912 – September 25, 2010) was an American actor and announcer heard on radio and television programs, children's records, movies, trailers, radio commercials, and documentary films. He also appeared in several television series and a few feature films.

Art Gilmore
Art Gilmore in Dragnet in 1956
Born
Arthur Wells Gilmore

(1912-03-18)March 18, 1912
DiedSeptember 25, 2010(2010-09-25) (aged 98)
OccupationActor, announcer
Years active1935–2004
Spouse(s)
Grace Gilmore
(m. 1938)

Biography

Reared in Tacoma, Washington, Gilmore attended Washington State University in 1931, where he was a member of the Chi chapter of Phi Mu Alpha Sinfonia music fraternity and a member of the Alpha Omicron chapter of Theta Chi fraternity. In 1935, he was hired to work as an announcer for Seattle's KOL Radio.[1] In 1936, he became a staff announcer for the Warner Brothers' radio station KFWB in Hollywood and then moved to the CBS-owned station KNX as a news reader.[1] During World War II, he served as a fighter-director U.S. Navy officer aboard an aircraft carrier in the Pacific Ocean.

Leaving the Navy, he decided to become a professional singer and returned to Hollywood. With a group of notable Hollywood radio stars, including Edgar Bergen, Ralph Edwards and Jim Jordan, Gilmore founded Pacific Pioneer Broadcasters in 1966.[1] At the time of his death, he was Chairman Emeritus of PPB. The organization presents the Art Gilmore Career Achievement Award four times each year to celebrities who have made notable contributions to the broadcasting and related industries.[2]

Radio

Gilmore's announcing voice became a part of many classic radio programs. Drawing his inspiration from the radio sports commentators of the 1930s, he became the announcer for Amos 'n' Andy, The Adventures of Frank Race, Dr. Christian, Sears Radio Theater, Stars over Hollywood, The Golden Days of Radio and other radio shows. It was Gilmore who introduced Herbert W. Armstrong and Garner Ted Armstrong, reminding listeners to request free religious literature at the conclusion of The World Tomorrow on radio and television.[1]

Television

With the advent of television, Gilmore heralded The George Gobel Show, The Red Skelton Show, An Evening with Fred Astaire and many others. He narrated 156 episodes of Highway Patrol with Broderick Crawford, 39 segments of Mackenzie's Raiders with Richard Carlson, and 41 episodes of Men of Annapolis.[1] His television appearances included The Mary Tyler Moore Show, Adam-12, Emergency!, Dragnet and The Waltons. He announced Ronald Reagan's "A Time for Choosing" speech in 1964 supporting Barry Goldwater for U.S. President.

Films

Gilmore was heard in films as the voice of President Franklin Delano Roosevelt in the 1942 production of Yankee Doodle Dandy, and in The Gallant Hours (1960), where he was the narrator for Japanese sequences. His dramatic voice was also heard on countless film trailers beginning in the 1940s (he narrated the trailer for the 1946 film Gilda), and on documentary films throughout the 1950s and 1960s. (He appeared on camera at the beginning of the trailer for the 1948 thriller The Big Clock.) He narrated the Joe McDoakes series of short comedies which starred George O'Hanlon, notably So You Want To Be A Detective (1948), in which he participated (with the camera as his point of view). Gilmore also served as the president of American Federation of Television and Radio Artists (AFTRA) from 1961 until 1963.[1]

Recordings

In addition to his radio-TV work, he provided the narration for many collections of recorded musical works and a large number of recordings for children. Gilmore was also active in reading textbooks for the blind and dyslexic for many years.[1]

Books

Gilmore co-authored the book Television and Radio Announcing.

Death

He died of natural causes on September 25, 2010, aged 98.[3] Gilmore was survived by his wife, Grace; daughters Marilyn and Barbara; two grandchildren; and four great-grandchildren. His nephew, Robb Weller, said that his uncle was the reason he chose to work in broadcasting.[1]

Filmography

Year Title Role Notes
1941The Lone Wolf Takes a ChanceNewsreel AnnouncerUncredited
1942SaboteurRadio BroadcasterVoice, Uncredited
1942Yankee Doodle DandyFranklin D. RooseveltVoice, Uncredited
1943Mission to MoscowCommentatorUncredited
1943Action in the North AtlanticPresident Franklin D. RooseveltVoice, Uncredited
1946Rendezvous 24Agent Thompson / NarratorUncredited
1946The Man Who DaredRadio AnnouncerUncredited
1946Deadline for MurderBit RoleVoice, Uncredited
1946Blue SkiesRadio BroadcasterVoice, Uncredited
1947BacklashRadio CommentatorVoice, Uncredited
1947Welcome StrangerRadio AnnouncerVoice, Uncredited
1947The UnsuspectedAnnouncerUncredited
1948The Strange Mrs. CraneRadio BroadcasterUncredited
1949My Dream Is YoursRadio AnnouncerUncredited
1949King of the Rocket MenNewscasterSerial, [Ch. 5], Voice, Uncredited
1949The Girl from Jones BeachNarratorVoice, Uncredited
1950Appointment with DangerNarratorUncredited
1950Tea for TwoRadio AnnouncerVoice, Uncredited
1951ValentinoNarrator at EndVoice, Uncredited
1951A Place in the SunRadio BroadcasterVoice, Uncredited
1951Sunny Side of the StreetAnnouncerUncredited
1951The Tanks Are ComingNarratorVoice, Uncredited
1952The Winning TeamRadio Sports AnnouncerVoice, Uncredited
1952The Story of Will RogersAnnouncer at Political ConventionUncredited
1952Barbed WireOpening NarratorVoice, Uncredited
1952Battles of Chief PontiacNarratorUncredited
1954It Should Happen to YouDon ToddmanUncredited
1954Creature from the Black LagoonNarratorVoice, Uncredited
1954Susan Slept HereThe OscarVoice, Uncredited
1954Rear WindowRadio AnnouncerVoice, Uncredited
1954DragnetDoctorUncredited
1954Tobor the GreatAirport AnnouncerVoice, Uncredited
1955UnchainedNarratorVoice, Uncredited
1955City of ShadowsRadio BroadcasterVoice, Uncredited
1955Francis in the NavyLieutenant HopperUncredited
1955WiretapperNarratorVoice
1955Three Stripes in the SunPublic Address AnnouncerVoice, Uncredited
1955The Court-Martial of Billy MitchellRadio BroadcasterVoice, Uncredited
1956The KillingNarratorVoice, Uncredited
1956A Cry in the NightTelevision AnnouncerVoice, Uncredited
1956The BossRadio BroadcasterVoice, Uncredited
1956RodanNarratorEnglish version, Voice, Uncredited
1957Fear Strikes OutBroadcasterVoice, Uncredited
1958The Narcotics StoryNarratorVoice
1958Suicide BattalionCaptain HendryUncredited
1960Who Was That Lady?Television AnnouncerUncredited
1960The Gallant HoursNarrator: Japanese SequencesVoice
1962To Kill a MockingbirdTrailer NarratorVoice, Uncredited
1963The Nutty ProfessorNarratorVoice, Uncredited
1963Johnny CoolRacetrack AnnouncerVoice, Uncredited
2001MoonbeamsThe Moon(final film role)

References

  1. McLellan, Dennis (2 October 2010). "Art Gilmore dies at 98; announcer was a familiar voice on radio, TV, movie trailers". LA Times. Retrieved 29 May 2011.
  2. "About us". Pacific Pioneer Broadcasters. Retrieved 19 July 2016.
  3. Bruce Weber (October 2, 2010). "Art Gilmore, the Voice of Coming Attractions, Dies at 98". The New York Times. Retrieved 2010-10-03. Art Gilmore, whose disembodied voice, introducing television shows and narrating hundreds (if not thousands) of movie trailers, was a trademark of Hollywood's self-salesmanship from the 1940s through the 1960s, died Sept. 25 in Irvine, Calif. He was 98.
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