Dick Powell
Richard Ewing “Dick” Powell was a singer, producer, director and head of a studio during his lifetime – but is probably best known for his acting roles in a multitude of 1930 Hollywood musicals.
He was born on November 14, 1904 in Mountain View, Arkansas and later attended Little Rock College. He began his career in entertainment when he joined the Charlie Davis Orchestra as a singer and recorded a few records with the group and also by himself on the Vocalion label.
The Al Jolson Show musical variety radio program was advertised under different titles, and in March 1939, Powell took over the series from Jolson, who had left the show. During that time, the show was also titled, The Lifebuoy Program, The Rinso Program and The Tuesday Night Party.
One of his most famous radio starring roles was as Richard Rogue in the detective drama Rogues's Gallery from June 24th 1945 until 22nd September 1946. The thing that makes this detective mystery different from all the others is the appearance of an alter ego named ‘Eugor’ (Rogue spelled backward). When Rogue is knocked unconscious he emerges on ‘Cloud Number Eight’ where Eugor appears. Despite the unusual circumstances Eugor is able to impart some very useful information and is the one who prompts Rogue into reaching a final accurate conclusion.
During Powell’s radio career, from 1949 until 1953, he played the starring role in Richard Diamond, Private Detective – an NBC radio theater production. Richard Diamond was a private detective who was humorous as well as determined to catch his prey.
He also appeared in episodes of Lux Radio Theater, notably Model Wife in 1941 in which he starred with real life wife Joan Blondell, My Gal Sal in 1943 and It Started With Eve in 1944.
When Powell moved to Pittsburgh, he found success at the Enright Theater and the Stanley Theater, where he was Master of Ceremonies. Then, in 1930, Brunswick Records (who owned Vocalion at the time) was purchased by Warner Brothers. After hearing Powell’s voice and stage presence, they offered him a contract. Powell’s career took off with Warner Brothers, who cast him as a crooner in numerous films such as 42nd Street, Gold Diggers of 1933, On the Avenue and Susan Slept Here.
One of Powell’s most popular shows on television was Dick Powell’s Zane Grey Theater on CBS from 1956 until 1961. He was also successful as a director of many blockbuster movies, including The Conqueror in 1956, about warrior, Genghis Khan, and starring John Wayne as Khan.
An interesting fact about the movie was that the outside scenes of The Conqueror were filmed in St. George, Utah, near the U.S. above-ground atomic test site. Of the 220 cast and crew members, 91 developed a form of cancer by 1981. John Wayne had passed away of cancer by then – as had 46 others of the original 220 – the rate, three times higher than of an average group that size. Powell also developed lymphoma, a form of cancer that caused his death. Many at the time wondered if radioactivity was the cause.
Powell was married three times, first to Mildred Maund, then, to actress Joan Blondell with whom he had two children – Ellen and Norman (adopted). After they divorced in 1944, he married June Allyson in 1945 with whom he had two children, Pamela (adopted) and Richard Powell, Jr. Powell and Allyson were married until his death in West Los Angeles, California on January 2, 1963 – seven years after he directed The Conqueror.
Dick Powell was cremated and is interred in the Columbarium of Honor at Forest Lawn Memorial Park in Glendale, California.
Happy listening my friends,
