Howard Claney

Howard Claney (born April 17, 1898)[1] was an American actor, an announcer on old-time radio, and a narrator of films.

Early years

The son of William J. Claney and Mary J. Claney,[2] he was born in the Manchester neighborhood of Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania. After graduating from Allegheny High School, he studied at Carnegie Tech.[1]

He served in the U.S. Army during World War I.[3]

Career

Claney acted on stage before he moved into radio. His Broadway credits included Lolly (1929), King Henry V (1928), Caponsacchi (1926), The Immortal Thief (1926), The Little Poor Man (1925), Macbeth (1924), Voltaire (1922), The S. S. Tenacity (1922), Don Juan (1921), Lillian (1921), Liliom (1921), and A Man of the People (1920).[4] He also worked as stage manager for the Shubert family.[5]

His career in radio began when he announced a remote broadcast of a performance of Vincent Lopez and his orchestra. His first full-time assignment was working as announcer on the Women's Radio Review.[1] Other programs for which he was the announcer included The Voice of Firestone, Log Cabin Dude Ranch, The Famous Actors Guild, Waltz Time,[6] General Motors Concerts,[7] Information Please,[8] Amanda of Honeymoon Hill,[9] American Melody Hour,[10] The American Album of Familiar Music,[9]:24 The Metropolitan Opera Auditions of the Air,[9]:228 Mr. Chameleon,[9]:233 and Stella Dallas.[9]:314

Claney narrated Vitaphone films, including the Newman Traveltalks Long Bright Land, Land of the Kangaroo, Malayan Jungle, Pearl of the East, Toradja Land, and Isles of Enchantment. He also narrated some films of the Vitaphone Pictorial Revue series.[11]

Personal life

Claney studied art at the Art Students League of New York and the Art Institute of Chicago, with additional studies in London and Paris. In the 1930s, several exhibitions highlighted his work, and he sold many painting in both oil and watercolor. His preference was painting landscapes, especially those that featured scenes from the Pittsburgh area.[5]

References
  1. Steinhauser, S.H. (October 29, 1931). "Allegheny Graduate Is Ace Of Networks". The Pittsburgh Press. Pennsylvania, Pittsburgh. p. 16. Retrieved 13 June 2019 – via Newspapers.com.
  2. "Air Personalities: Howard Claney". Spring Lake Gazette. New Jersey, Spring Lake. March 23, 1933. p. 7. Retrieved 14 June 2019 – via Newspapers.com.
  3. Ansbro, George (2009). I Have a Lady in the Balcony: Memoirs of a Broadcaster in Radio and Television. McFarland. p. 99. ISBN 9780786443185. Retrieved 13 June 2019.
  4. "("Howard Claney" search results)". Internet Broadway Database. The Broadway League. Retrieved 13 June 2019.
  5. "Announcer Is Also Painter". The Evening News. Pennsylvania, Harrisburg. January 13, 1938. p. 19. Retrieved 13 June 2019 – via Newspapers.com.
  6. "NBC Announcer Commitments" (PDF). Radio Daily. March 4, 1937. p. 6. Retrieved 15 June 2019.
  7. "'General Motors Concerts'" (PDF). Radio Daily. April 6, 1937. p. 7. Retrieved 15 June 2019.
  8. "'Information, Please'" (PDF). Billboard. May 28, 1938. p. 9. Retrieved 15 June 2019.
  9. Terrace, Vincent (1999). Radio Programs, 1924-1984: A Catalog of More Than 1800 Shows. McFarland & Company, Inc. p. 21. ISBN 978-0-7864-4513-4.
  10. "Melody Hour Foursome". The Nebraska State Journal. Nebraska, Lincoln. January 20, 1946. p. 28. Retrieved 13 June 2019 – via Newspapers.com.
  11. Liebman, Roy (2015). Vitaphone Films: A Catalogue of the Features and Shorts. McFarland. p. 161. ISBN 9781476609362. Retrieved 13 June 2019.
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