Nelson Case | |
|---|---|
 Nelson Case in 1935 | |
| Born | (1910-02-03)February 3, 1910 Long Beach, California, United States |
| Died | March 23, 1976(1976-03-23) (aged 66) Center Bridge,Pennsylvania, United States |
| Occupations | Radio and television announcer |
Nelson Case (February 3, 1910 – March 23, 1976) was an American radio and television announcer.[1]
Case was the son of Walter and Ethel Case. His father was a newspaperman, and his mother was a driving force in the Long Beach Community Players.[2] He attendedLong Beach Polytechnic High School and first worked as an announcer on the school's radio station. One of his early ventures into entertainment came when "as a youngster in Long Beach, he sang and played the uke for a band called the Sunset Symphonic Six."[3]
He was a graduate of theCollege of William & Mary,[4] inWilliamsburg, Virginia, where he met his future wife.[5]
Although Case was best known for being an announcer on popular radio and television programs (in 1953, he was "on radio 20 times a week, on TV three"[6]), a 1941 newspaper article noted that he "covered everything from news and special events to sports."[7] His assignments included "Miss America pageants ...Davis Cup tennis matches and presidential inaugurations."[8] One of his more unusual assignments came February 6, 1936, when he described a simulated air attack on New York City. WithUnited States Army planes in the roles of bombers and defenders, Case flew in a plane to "describe the combat from the air. He [was] attached to the 'defense' squadron ..."[9]
Case's career as a professional entertainer began when, at 15, he was a pianist at radio station KFON inLong Beach, California. At 16, he started an orchestra and performed with it over KFON. In 1927, he moved to KGER (also in Long Beach) as an announcer and singer.[10] He also worked atKFI,[11]KFWB,[12] and KGFJ[13] in Los Angeles. Even after taking a position at a network, Case had a weekly program "for his baritone solo work" onKGO in San Francisco.[14]
In 1931, Case was listed as "announcer and singer with the Pacific vagabonds" on an afternoon program onWJZ-NBC.[15]
Case joinedNBC in 1931 as an announcer in San Francisco.[4] In 1934, he moved to New York City to be on the NBC staff there.[5] During his years on network radio the programs he announced for includedCriminal Casebook,[16]The Story of Mary Marlin,Marriage Club, Inc.,The Lanny Ross Show,Against The Storm, Lone Journey,Charlie and Jessie,[17]Crime Doctor,Great Moments From Great Plays,[18]N.T.G. and His Girls,[19]Ask-It-Basket,[20]Wheatenaville,[21]Johnny Presents,[22]Hercule Poirot,Lowell Thomas Show,[23]The Ford Theater,[24]The A&P Gypsies,The Adventures of the Thin Man,Big Sister,Carefree Carnival,The Carnation Contented Hour,The Coty Playgirl,The Dave Garroway Show,The Ed Sullivan Show,Exploring The Unknown,Hilda Hope, MD,Husbands And Wives,Kate Hopkins, Angel of Mercy,Life Can Be Beautiful,Mary And Bob's True Story Hour,NBC Symphony Orchestra,Orphans of Divorce,Philip Morris Playhouse,The Right Thing To Do,The Road of Life,Sky Blazers,True Story Time, andVaughn Monroe Show.[25]
Case also was announcer for musical broadcasts by bandleaders, includingWayne King,Ray Noble,Phil Spitalny andGuy Lombardo.[18]
During his years on television, the programs Case announced for includedWhat's It Worth?,Trash Or Treasure?[17]The Ford Television Theater,[24]Lowell Thomas,The Ken Murray Show,Pulitzer Prize Playhouse,Robert Montgomery Presents,[26]The Red Buttons Show,Road of Life,Omnibus,[27]Wide Wide World,State Trooper,[28]Jane Wyman Theater,[29]Sammy Kaye Show,Tic-Tac-Dough,[30]Fibber McGee and Molly,True Story,M Squad,The Arthur Murray Party,Saber of London, andModern Romances.[31] Case was also host on NBC ofSummer Playhouse 1954[32] andSneak Preview in 1956.[33]
In 1962, Case was one of six people forming Metroscope, a service that furnished recorded commentaries to local radio stations.[34]
Case became was what he called "a soft sell announcer," using a natural, conversational delivery that he said was "the opposite of the shouting, hammering type."[35] Early in his career, he responded to a newspaper's questionnaire by writing, in part:
The days when a program was introduced by stentorian blasts from the announcer are over. Nowadays he tries to be pleasant, cordial and friendly with his chatter .. both in introducing musical numbers and in giving commercial announcements.[36]
A newspaper columnist wrote, "[H]e broadcasts a feeling of sincerity unlike anyone else and his personality is broadcast to the listener and viewer who gets a feeling, 'Now, there's a guy I can trust.'"[37]
Case was active in theCivil Air Patrol, being promoted toFlight commander in 1942.[38] At one point he filled in for a sick colleague on a radio broadcast, hurried toRoosevelt Field to practice maneuvers with the CAP, then dashed back to the studio for a rehearsal and broadcast.[39]
DuringWorld War II, Case was anaviator in theUnited States Navy[40] for three years.[6] He later was a Lieutenant Commander in theUnited States Navy Reserve.[41]
In 1932, Case was elected president of a group of announcers "within the NBC headquarters in San Francisco."[42] A news brief noted, "Association officials say that they are not organized as a union but are merely grouped together to ask the network for a raise in salaries when they are given spot announcements to make."[42]
Later, in New York, organization became more official and Case became more involved. In 1947, he was elected to a one-year term on the board of directors of theAmerican Federation of Radio Artists' New York local.[43] In 1948, he was elected president of the New York local[44] and a vice-president of AFRA at the national level.[45] For 1949, he was re-elected to the New York local board[46] and re-elected president of the local.[47]
Case enjoyed writing fiction and composing music.[5] He also was described as "a great record fan."[48] When he bought ahigh fidelity sound system, he bought 130LP records to play on it.[48] He accumulated "such a tremendous collection of jazz records that record companies, compiling albums of old-time jazz, often do their research in his library."[49]
He was also a writer. In 1952, he wrote a book, History of the Brooklyn Dodgers.[50] In 1953, his article, "Can TV Commercials Be Improved?," was published in Academy Magazine.[51]
In the 1960s, Case and his wife lived on an 84-acre farm inBucks County, Pennsylvania, where he raisedAngus cattle as a hobby.[35]
Case married Sarah Lee, a descendant ofRobert E. Lee andEthan Allen. They had a daughter, Virginia Lee, and a son, Nelson Jr.[52] They were divorced in 1947.[53] His second marriage, on September 5, 1947, was to Nondas Metcalfe, an actress and writer.[54] They moved toNew Hope, Pennsylvania, in 1958 and still made their home there when he died.[55]
Case died of a heart attack March 23, 1976, inDoylestown Hospital inDoylestown, Pennsylvania. He was survived by his wife, his son, and his daughter.[55]
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