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James Wallington

Show Count: 8
Series Count: 0
Role: Old Time Radio Star
Old Time Radio
Born: September 15, 1907, Rochester, New York, USA
Died: December 22, 1972, Arlington, Virginia, USA

James "Jimmy" Wallington (September 15, 1907 – December 22, 1972) was an American radio personality.

After playing small roles in a few Hollywood films, he was the announcer for several popular radio shows in the 1940s and 1950s.

For his work on radio, Wallington has a star on the Hollywood Walk of Fame at 6660 Hollywood Blvd.

Biography 

James Wallington was born in Rochester, New York on September 15, 1907. He was the son of Lewis Eugene Wallington, of the Muskoka District, Ontario, Canada and Jane Whaley. Jimmy was married four times. His first wife was Stanislawa Butkiewicz. They were married in 1929 and divorced in Reno, Nevada on July 10, 1934. His second wife was Anita Fuhrmann. They were married on August 18, 1934 in Newark, New Jersey. Anita was one of the original members of the Radio City Rockettes. She died on May 7, 1935 in Brooklyn, New York. His third wife was Betty Jane Cooper. They were married on August 12, 1936 in Grosse Point, Michigan. His fourth wife was Erna Gilsow.

He was the announcer for several popular radio shows in the 1930s, 1940s and 1950s, including Texaco Star Theater with Fred Allen (1941-44) and Texaco Town with Eddie Cantor. As with most announcers, Wallington would announce the program's star, then read the sponsor's commercials. In addition, he was often given comedy lines. When radio shows moved to television, he continued as a television announcer in the 1950s. (see the Filmography section)

After years as a radio announcer, he became a TV star in California doing Life Insurance and other commercials. He ended his professional radio career as a Voice of America radio announcer in the Worldwide English service.

Wallington died at Arlington, Virginia on December 22, 1972.

Source: Wikipedia

Broadcast: 25th January 1952
Added: Mar 19 2010
Broadcast: October 10, 1949
Added: Oct 13 2020
Broadcast: 4th December 1945
Added: Dec 06 2008
Broadcast: April 3, 1949
Added: Jan 06 2015