Jack Lescoulie | |
|---|---|
 Jack Lescoulie circa 1954 | |
| Born | (1912-11-17)November 17, 1912 Sacramento, California, U.S. |
| Died | July 22, 1987(1987-07-22) (aged 74) Memphis, Tennessee, U.S. |
| Years active | 1933–1967 |
| Spouse | Virginia Lescoulie (?-1987) (his death)[1] |
| Children | 2 |
| Career | |
| Show | Today |
| Station | NBC |
Jack Lescoulie (November 17, 1912 – July 22, 1987) was an American radio and television announcer and host, notably on NBC'sToday during the 1950s and 1960s; a newspaper source lists his date of birth as May 17, 1912.[2] Lescoulie was also known for his voice impersonation ofcomedianJack Benny.[citation needed]
Lescoulie was born in Sacramento, California.[2] His parents were both invaudeville along with their children; Lescoulie's first public performance was at age 7. His first media job was withKGFJ inLos Angeles, when he was still in high school. The young Lescoulie helped the radio station cover the1933 Long Beach earthquake. Lescoulie has a star for his work in television on theHollywood Walk of Fame.[3]
In 1933, Lescoulie had an orchestra that broadcast on KGFJ in Los Angeles.[4]He was billed as the "Grouchmaster" onThe Grouch Club (1938–1940), a program in which people aired their complaints about anything,[3] created byNat Hiken, creator ofThe Phil Silvers Show (You'll Never Get Rich) andCar 54, Where Are You?. In the 1940s, he was morning-drive partner toGene Rayburn on WNEW radio (nowWBBR) inNew York City, before turning over his role in the team to Dee Finch. The Lescoulie and Finch pairings with Rayburn provided what are believed to be radio's first two-man morning teams.[3] While at WNEW, he also was host of the overnightMilkman's Matinee program.[5]
During World War II, Lescoulie was a war correspondent, flying in Air Force planes on bombing missions over Italy.[3]
In the Fall of 1947, Lescoulie became the "all night radio man" on theMutual Broadcasting System's New York affiliateWOR (AM). On April 12, 1948, he portrayed a mysterious newscaster in "Twelve to Five," aQuiet, Please fantasy drama which recreated an all-night request radio program so convincingly that some listeners phoned in with requests. He returned toQuiet Please June 4, 1949, in the horror drama, "Tanglefoot."[6]
On television, Lescoulie hosted one of the earliest TV game shows,Fun and Fortune (1949) which lasted only one episode, and he was an announcer onJackie Gleason'sCavalcade of Stars (1949–1952), as well as the original network announcer forThe Honeymooners (1955–1956). He continued to announce for Gleason into the mid-1960s, at which time Gleason began to exclusively useJohnny Olson.
During his long run onToday (1952–1967), Lescoulie's duties included announcing the show at the top and bottom of every hour, conducting interviews, reporting on sports, chatting with the crowd outside the studio and acting as a foil forDave Garroway's pranks. He once joked that, despite his war correspondent credentials, he was picked forToday because he thought "they were looking for a man who doesn't sleep well in the mornings."[7]
Lescoulie was nicknamed "The Saver" by Garroway for his ability to liven up otherwise dull segments.[3][8] Typical Lescoulie sketches included acting a scene fromShaw'sCaesar and Cleopatra withJayne Mansfield[9] in July, 1956, and being hit in the face with a pie byBuster Keaton in April, 1963.[10] Often, Lescoulie would act as a traveling companion for Garroway toToday's overseas visits. He co-anchored the remote portions of both the 1959 Paris trip and the 1960 Rome voyage. It was during the latter that Lescoulie took an "accidental" dive intoTrevi Fountain in front of unsuspecting pedestrians.
Lescoulie went through a brief stint as host ofThe Tonight Show for six months in 1957. AfterSteve Allen's departure fromTonight in January, NBC renamed the showTonight! America After Dark and transformed it into an interview and news program modeled afterToday. Lescoulie, and thenAl "Jazzbo" Collins, served as hosts. Lescoulie's tenure ran from January 28 to June 21, 1957.[3]
For a period starting in 1958,Today ceased live broadcasts and instead taped the afternoon before. The official explanation from NBC said the change would add flexibility in scheduling interviews, though the real reason had more to do with relieving strain on the cast.[11] When Garroway left the show in the summer of 1961, NBC announcedToday would resume its live broadcasts on July 17. Lescoulie promptly resigned, saying "I can't face those hours anymore."[12]
Lescoulie moved on to host the NBC educational children's series1, 2, 3 Go!, which was canceled on May 20, 1962.[3][13] He returned toToday that summer and stayed for another five years.
Lescoulie left the show permanently in 1967, and the role he originated was filled byJoe Garagiola,Willard Scott, andAl Roker.
Between 1938 and 1950, Lescoulie had a number of roles as a film actor, mostly uncredited, but he used the nameJoe Hartman when he acted in the aviation dramaEmergency Landing (1941).
Lescoulie also recorded voice-overs for fiveWarner Bros. Cartoons shorts:
Lescoulie appeared in oneBroadway play,Tapestry in Gray (1935-1936).[19] He also appeared in other theatrical productions, such asAchilles Had a Heel in New York City in 1935.[20]
Lescoulie died July 22, 1987, in St. Francis Hospital in Memphis, Tennessee, where he was undergoing treatment for colon cancer.[2]
