Victor Jory
Victory Jory was born in Canada in 1902 and began to box and wrestle when he spent time in the Coast Guard. Later, he secured parts in many Hollywood movies, including Gone With the Wind, in which he played the surly, cruel overseer at Tara. He was also seen on Broadway and in television episodes.
Victory Jory had a brief career in radio. When he auditioned for the show, Dangerously Yours, which later became Matinee Theater, he had just come from acting success in the blockbuster film, Gone With the Wind, and had promised to suspend his film career for a chance to star in the radio show.
Although Jory wasn’t cast in the original production during 1942, by 1944 he was chosen to be a part of the cast. Jory proved his remarkable versatility and developed a loyalty to the sponsor, Vick Chemical Company.
In October 1944 the series changed its name to Vicks Matinee Theater with a view to extending the type of stories. Jory now appeared as a regular actor on the dramatic anthology, Matinee Theater. Other stars in the popular radio show included Gertrude Warner, Jackson Beck and Martin Gabel.
Victor Jory was part of the War Chest Radio Series during the 1940s. It was a radio program that featured professionals and experts who discussed day nurseries for working women’s children, war prisoner aid, USO, hospital services and other wartime subjects.
This Community Chest program also encouraged charitable contributions and when America entered the war, the program shifted to feature more programs that concentrated on military activities and services. Jory, Ralph Bellamy and Dean Jagger were among the stars featured to narrate the messages.
Other radio series that Victory Jory appeared in included Suspense, Family Theater, CBS Radio Workshop, Theater of Romance and Adventures of Ellery Queen.
Christmas on the Starship Argo was a radio show created by Jim Fergusson that highlighted his 50-year radio career. Fergusson gave special thanks to Victory Jory and the rest of the cast for taking part in this undertaking, which took several years to complete.
In the beginning of his career, Jory was cast on Broadway and early films as the romantic lead, but later found himself playing the roles of villain. He played in many films and television shows and also wrote two plays.
Victory Jory’s family consisted of two children, Jon and Jean. For 31 years, Jory helped to construct the Actor's Theater of Louisville, Kentucky and left that position to serve as professor of drama at the University of Washington in Seattle.
Jory’s entertainment contributions earned him a star on Hollywood’s Walk of Fame. He passed away on February 12, 1982.
Happy listening my friends,
