Byron Kane (May 9, 1923 – April 10, 1984) was a radio and film actor and producer. He was known for his collaborations withBlake Edwards and for his voice work.[1][2][3][4]
Kane was born in Vermont, but grew up in California. He'd wanted to work in radio since the time he was a child. Hanging around the studios he got to know some of the industry people, running errands for producers and directors. His debut in radio came in the summer of 1940 when, at age 17 and in between his junior and senior year of high school, he went over to theCBS Columbia Square studios late one evening and noticed people heading inside. It was very late for this many actors to be entering the studio and he realized an audition must have been taking place. Kane followed actressJane Morgan inside.
In theSummer of 1940, when CBS’Lux Radio Theatre departed from the airwaves for its annual summer vacation, head ofCBSWilliam Paley decided to fillLux’ time slot with a new series calledForecast. It ushered in an era ofpilots for public consumption.The Lux Radio Theatre was an hour-long production which aired on Monday evenings from 9-10PM eastern time. WhenForecast premiered on July 15th, it did so with two half-hour productions—The first from New York, and the second from Hollywood. This became standard as Summer progressed.
The idea was simple: Fourteen pilots over the course of eight weeks. Each coast would also produce one hour-long show. Network announcers invited listeners to write to CBS with feedback. The most popular shows were earmarked.Forecast gave rise toSuspense,Duffy’s Tavern, and eventuallyHopalong Cassidy.
Once inside, Kane found that a young director namedNorman Corwin was holding auditions for aForecast episode which hadHelen Deutsch adapting a portion ofSinclair Lewis' novelBethel Merriday. Kane read for the part of Bethel's boyfriend Charlie, to his surprise getting hired. A few days later, on August 26th, this adaptation went on live over CBS's full coast-to-coast network. Kane found himself acting oppositeLurene Tuttle,Howard DaSilva (as Mr. Keizer), and much to his surprise as Bethel (because she wasn't at the audition)Academy Award nomineeMargaret Sullavan, who'd just starred oppositeJames Stewart inThe Shop Around The Corner.Kane more than held his own.[5]
Kane narrated the shortPolly Wants a Doctor (1944).[4]
While Kane was stationed atCamp Fannin in 1943, he helped withOrson Welles's production of a radio program "to officially launch the Fifth War Loan drive."[6] Kane had been a member of Welles'sThe Mercury Theatre on the Air.[6] He worked in a war plant in 1944.[7]
Kane appeared on many radio programs during the 1940s and '50s, includingFavorite Story,Gunsmoke,The NBC University Theater,Plays for Americans,Suspense,Yours Truly, Johnny Dollar andOn Stage.[8][9][10]
Kane served as associate producer of Blake Edwards' detective television seriesPeter Gunn (1958-61); He also appeared uncredited in the show in the recurring role of Barney, the bartender.[11][12][13]
He voiced Peter Jones, a Black character, on the animated seriesThe Hardy Boys (1969).[1][14]
Beginning in 1979, Kane performed on multiple episodes ofSears Radio Theater, a radio anthology series broadcast over theCBS Radio Network and later, theMutual Broadcasting System.
Kane made his final acting appearance in Blake Edwards' comedy filmS.O.B. (1981)[15]
Kane's friends includedHal Ashby,Jeff Chandler, andSammy Davis Jr.[16][17] He was a pallbearer at Chandler's funeral in 1961.[18]
Byron Kane died inLos Angeles on April 10, 1984, two weeks after suffering a heart attack. He was 60 years old.[2]