JOIN RUSC   |   MEMBER LOGIN   |   HELP

Harry Babbitt

Show Count: 3
Series Count: 1
Role: Old Time Radio Star
Old Time Radio
Born: November 2, 1913, St. Louis, Missouri, USA
Died: April 9, 2004, Newport Beach, Orange County, California, USA

Harry Babbitt (November 2, 1913 – April 9, 2004) was an American singer and star during the Big Band era. Born in St. Louis, Missouri, he joined the Kay Kyser band in the winter of 1936. With Kyser he recorded several hits in his rich baritone. On some novelty tunes he adopted a high-pitched falsetto.

Music career 

Babbitt sang such hits as "Three Little Fishies," "(I'd Like to Get You on a) Slow Boat to China" and "Jingle, Jangle, Jingle," but his biggest hit was the cover of Vera Lynn's "White Cliffs of Dover". He also sang the Spike Jones holiday hit, "All I Want for Christmas Is My Two Front Teeth" and did the laugh on Kyser's "Woody Woodpecker" song with vocalist Gloria Wood. He appeared as a regular on Kyser's radio program, Kay Kyser's Kollege of Musical Knowledge, and in seven movies with Kyser, including That's Right - You're Wrong (1939), Thousands Cheer (1943) and Carolina Blues (1944).

Babbitt served in the United States Navy from 1944 to 1946, then returned to Kyser's band, which he eventually left for good in 1949.

Personal life 

Babbitt retired from show business in 1964 and made money in real estate in Orange County, California. A married father of three, he died at the age of 90 in Aliso Viejo, California.

Source: Wikipedia

Kay Kyser's Kollege Of Musical KnowledgeKay Kyser's Kollege Of Musical Knowledge
Show Count: 11
Broadcast History: 1937 to 1 February 1938, 30 March 1938 to 26 June 1948, and 4 November 1948 to 29 July 1949
Cast: Kay Kyser
Director: Ed Cashman, John Cleary, William Warwick, Harry Saz
Producer: Frank O'Connor
Host: Kay Kyser
Broadcast: May 31, 1947
Added: May 29 2016