'Twas the Night Before Christmas - Ray Heatherton
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Ray Heatherton (June 1, 1909—August 15, 1997) was an American singer, Broadway musical theatre performer, and a popular New York television personality in the early days of the medium.
Ray Heatherton was born in the New York City suburb of Orange, New Jersey (some sources indicate Jersey City) and was first introduced to music upon joining a boys' choir at his church. He sang with the choir until his family moved to another of the city's suburbs, the Long Island village of Floral Park.
During his high school years, he continued to find outlets for his singing talents, performing with bands at various local functions and winning a radio talent contest sponsored by the manufacturer of radio sets, Atwater Kent. His first appearance on Broadway was in The Garrick Gaieties, a revue which opened at the Guild Theatre on June 4, 1930, four days after his 21st birthday. Also in the cast were future comedy veterans Imogene Coca and Sterling Holloway. The show ran for 158 performances, closing on October 8.
Shortly afterward, Ray Heatherton's singing talents came to the attention of the era's best-known radio bandleader-songwriter, Paul Whiteman, whose instantly recognizable moniker (and the title of his 1930 film vehicle) was "King of Jazz". The star broadcaster, known for discovering and showcasing new talent, hired the young man to become a featured vocalist on his 1929–30 CBS radio program The Old Gold Hour. Heatherton continued to sing on the show, while also performing in the musical Midnight Frolics at Broadway's New Amsterdam Theatre.
Following his father's death during the difficult years of the Depression, he was temporarily forced to leave the financially-uncertain world of show business to work for the New York Telephone Company. His affection for performing, however, inspired him to continue auditioning for radio assignments and he was, eventually, able to return as a singer on numerous radio musical variety series and also found opportunities to perform in nightclubs and theater. In the late 1930s, he became a bandleader with his own orchestra which made recordings and performed at New York's Biltmore Hotel.
Heatherton appeared in the musicals Anniversary Waltz, The Desert Song and Babes in Arms, where he became the first vocalist to sing the almost-instant classic "My Funny Valentine", long before Frank Sinatra's hit recording revived it in the 1960s. Also in the cast of Babes were the Nicholas Brothers, future headliners Dan Dailey and Alfred Drake as well as former child star Mitzi Green, with whom Ray performed the "Funny Valentine" number. The show opened at the Shubert Theatre on April 14, 1937, moved to the Majestic Theatre on October 25 and closed on December 18 after a good run of 289 performances.
In 1938 Heatherton recorded two discs of songs for children on the Decca label, and in 1939 twice performed on the then-experimental medium of television, appearing on NBC's New York station W2XBS (now WNBC) in Gilbert and Sullivan's Pirates of Penzance (as Frederic) and H.M.S. Pinafore (as Ralph Rackstraw).
As World War II arrived, Ray's career in the entertainment field was interrupted by service in the U.S. Marine Corps. Before leaving, he was able to complete what would become his only film appearance, performing a song and a few lines of dialogue in low-budget studio PRC's musical Follies Girl, released on June 26, 1943.
Returning from the service, he worked in radio and began his full-time television career as the host, performer and interviewer of Heatherton House, a weekday-morning talk/variety series. Heatherton House was one of the first daytime programs on ABC's newly-opened New York flagship station WJZ (now WABC), Channel 7. The minor local-TV assignment, which was not shown on the fledgling network's other stations, only lasted from April to June 1949.
Heatherton's next TV series, however, was a more successful endeavor. In October 1949, independent station WOR Channel 9, the last of New York's seven VHF TV outlets, signed on the air. Station executives decided that one of the new venture's first showcases should be a quality children's program, and contacted Heatherton to audition as the host of a show that would appeal to the younger TV viewers. The successful audition launched the long-running show that he created and shaped with radio and TV producer-director (and future major film producer) Sandy Howard. The Merry Mailman, based upon a character performed by Heatherton on one of his 1938 children's records, debuted on WOR-TV Monday evening, October 16, 1950.
Every weekday afternoon and evening, as well as on Saturday afternoons, Ray Heatherton and his comedy assistants Chic Darrow, who played "The Topsey-Turvey Auctioneer", and Milt Moss, would entertain and inform their studio audiences and kids at home with games, songs, stories, craftmaking, hobbies, comedy, puppet skits, magic tricks, interviews with guest performers and personalities, and informational segments. As with virtually all children's shows of the 1950s and 60s, the format was structured so that the live segments were interspersed with cartoons—in this case, primarily the theatrical Terrytoons and the first made-for-TV animated series Crusader Rabbit. At the same time, Heatherton hosted other radio and TV series, including a radio edition of The Merry Mailman which was heard on the Mutual Radio Network Monday, Wednesday and Friday evenings, and Saturday and Sunday afternoons from 1953 to 1955. Heatherton's gentle personality and pleasant singing voice and endearingly cheerful and reassuring demeanor made him one of the most beloved and recognizable regional personalities.
In late 1955, Ray Heatherton fell victim to one of the excesses of the Cold War era. Along with the guilty, a number of innocent performers were accused of Communist affiliations and lost their careers. Unfounded public accusations of that nature were aimed at Heatherton by an individual from Upstate New York, resulting in the loss of sponsors and bad publicity for the station. WOR executives accepted Heatherton's word that the allegations were false and tried to keep The Merry Mailman on the air as a station-sustained program. It was not enough, however, and The Merry Mailman broadcast its final show on Friday, June 22, 1956.(Info about Mr.Heatherton hosting The WOR TV Ch.9 NYC edition of "The Merry Mailman"can be found in The NYC Kids Shows Round Up section of"TV Party.Com")
Heatherton was able to clear his name of the defamation and went on to host two more programs for WOR-TV: The Ray Heatherton Theater, a combination live-action and film musical anthology series for teens; and The Cartoon Parade, both of which were seen during the remainder of the station's 1956 season. He remained on the air for another year-and-a-half, but no longer had a daily venue—starting Saturday-Sunday, September 8-9, 1956 until Sunday, April 13, 1958, he served as the "sea captain" host-performer on the weekend evening edition of The Popeye Show on another New York independent station, WPIX Channel 11 which, along with another New York independent, WNEW Channel 5 was, during the 1950s and 60s, the station with the greatest number of "kiddie shows" on its broadcast schedule. At this point, he left television for three years and, between 1958 and 1961, drawing on his public recognition and good will he had engendered over the years, was able to launch a new career as head of public relations for Franklin National and European American Banks.
Heatherton returned to television and radio work three more times during the 1960s, 70s and 80s. On Monday, September 25, 1961, The Merry Mailman once again became a part of the lives of children in the New York City broadcast area. WPIX, Channel 11 broadcast The Merry Mailman's Funhouse weekday afternoons during the noon-12:45 period when many schoolkids came home for lunch. However, the series fell prey to creative disagreements within station management, and The Funhouse went off the air on Friday, May 31, 1963. Following intermittent job opportunities, Heatherton returned to radio in the late 1960s as the host/performer and interviewer of the nationally-syndicated talk/variety program Ray Heatherton's Breakfast Club.
Read more on Last.fm. User-contributed text is available under the Creative Commons By-SA License; additional terms may apply.
Ray Heatherton was born in the New York City suburb of Orange, New Jersey (some sources indicate Jersey City) and was first introduced to music upon joining a boys' choir at his church. He sang with the choir until his family moved to another of the city's suburbs, the Long Island village of Floral Park.
During his high school years, he continued to find outlets for his singing talents, performing with bands at various local functions and winning a radio talent contest sponsored by the manufacturer of radio sets, Atwater Kent. His first appearance on Broadway was in The Garrick Gaieties, a revue which opened at the Guild Theatre on June 4, 1930, four days after his 21st birthday. Also in the cast were future comedy veterans Imogene Coca and Sterling Holloway. The show ran for 158 performances, closing on October 8.
Shortly afterward, Ray Heatherton's singing talents came to the attention of the era's best-known radio bandleader-songwriter, Paul Whiteman, whose instantly recognizable moniker (and the title of his 1930 film vehicle) was "King of Jazz". The star broadcaster, known for discovering and showcasing new talent, hired the young man to become a featured vocalist on his 1929–30 CBS radio program The Old Gold Hour. Heatherton continued to sing on the show, while also performing in the musical Midnight Frolics at Broadway's New Amsterdam Theatre.
Following his father's death during the difficult years of the Depression, he was temporarily forced to leave the financially-uncertain world of show business to work for the New York Telephone Company. His affection for performing, however, inspired him to continue auditioning for radio assignments and he was, eventually, able to return as a singer on numerous radio musical variety series and also found opportunities to perform in nightclubs and theater. In the late 1930s, he became a bandleader with his own orchestra which made recordings and performed at New York's Biltmore Hotel.
Heatherton appeared in the musicals Anniversary Waltz, The Desert Song and Babes in Arms, where he became the first vocalist to sing the almost-instant classic "My Funny Valentine", long before Frank Sinatra's hit recording revived it in the 1960s. Also in the cast of Babes were the Nicholas Brothers, future headliners Dan Dailey and Alfred Drake as well as former child star Mitzi Green, with whom Ray performed the "Funny Valentine" number. The show opened at the Shubert Theatre on April 14, 1937, moved to the Majestic Theatre on October 25 and closed on December 18 after a good run of 289 performances.
In 1938 Heatherton recorded two discs of songs for children on the Decca label, and in 1939 twice performed on the then-experimental medium of television, appearing on NBC's New York station W2XBS (now WNBC) in Gilbert and Sullivan's Pirates of Penzance (as Frederic) and H.M.S. Pinafore (as Ralph Rackstraw).
As World War II arrived, Ray's career in the entertainment field was interrupted by service in the U.S. Marine Corps. Before leaving, he was able to complete what would become his only film appearance, performing a song and a few lines of dialogue in low-budget studio PRC's musical Follies Girl, released on June 26, 1943.
Returning from the service, he worked in radio and began his full-time television career as the host, performer and interviewer of Heatherton House, a weekday-morning talk/variety series. Heatherton House was one of the first daytime programs on ABC's newly-opened New York flagship station WJZ (now WABC), Channel 7. The minor local-TV assignment, which was not shown on the fledgling network's other stations, only lasted from April to June 1949.
Heatherton's next TV series, however, was a more successful endeavor. In October 1949, independent station WOR Channel 9, the last of New York's seven VHF TV outlets, signed on the air. Station executives decided that one of the new venture's first showcases should be a quality children's program, and contacted Heatherton to audition as the host of a show that would appeal to the younger TV viewers. The successful audition launched the long-running show that he created and shaped with radio and TV producer-director (and future major film producer) Sandy Howard. The Merry Mailman, based upon a character performed by Heatherton on one of his 1938 children's records, debuted on WOR-TV Monday evening, October 16, 1950.
Every weekday afternoon and evening, as well as on Saturday afternoons, Ray Heatherton and his comedy assistants Chic Darrow, who played "The Topsey-Turvey Auctioneer", and Milt Moss, would entertain and inform their studio audiences and kids at home with games, songs, stories, craftmaking, hobbies, comedy, puppet skits, magic tricks, interviews with guest performers and personalities, and informational segments. As with virtually all children's shows of the 1950s and 60s, the format was structured so that the live segments were interspersed with cartoons—in this case, primarily the theatrical Terrytoons and the first made-for-TV animated series Crusader Rabbit. At the same time, Heatherton hosted other radio and TV series, including a radio edition of The Merry Mailman which was heard on the Mutual Radio Network Monday, Wednesday and Friday evenings, and Saturday and Sunday afternoons from 1953 to 1955. Heatherton's gentle personality and pleasant singing voice and endearingly cheerful and reassuring demeanor made him one of the most beloved and recognizable regional personalities.
In late 1955, Ray Heatherton fell victim to one of the excesses of the Cold War era. Along with the guilty, a number of innocent performers were accused of Communist affiliations and lost their careers. Unfounded public accusations of that nature were aimed at Heatherton by an individual from Upstate New York, resulting in the loss of sponsors and bad publicity for the station. WOR executives accepted Heatherton's word that the allegations were false and tried to keep The Merry Mailman on the air as a station-sustained program. It was not enough, however, and The Merry Mailman broadcast its final show on Friday, June 22, 1956.(Info about Mr.Heatherton hosting The WOR TV Ch.9 NYC edition of "The Merry Mailman"can be found in The NYC Kids Shows Round Up section of"TV Party.Com")
Heatherton was able to clear his name of the defamation and went on to host two more programs for WOR-TV: The Ray Heatherton Theater, a combination live-action and film musical anthology series for teens; and The Cartoon Parade, both of which were seen during the remainder of the station's 1956 season. He remained on the air for another year-and-a-half, but no longer had a daily venue—starting Saturday-Sunday, September 8-9, 1956 until Sunday, April 13, 1958, he served as the "sea captain" host-performer on the weekend evening edition of The Popeye Show on another New York independent station, WPIX Channel 11 which, along with another New York independent, WNEW Channel 5 was, during the 1950s and 60s, the station with the greatest number of "kiddie shows" on its broadcast schedule. At this point, he left television for three years and, between 1958 and 1961, drawing on his public recognition and good will he had engendered over the years, was able to launch a new career as head of public relations for Franklin National and European American Banks.
Heatherton returned to television and radio work three more times during the 1960s, 70s and 80s. On Monday, September 25, 1961, The Merry Mailman once again became a part of the lives of children in the New York City broadcast area. WPIX, Channel 11 broadcast The Merry Mailman's Funhouse weekday afternoons during the noon-12:45 period when many schoolkids came home for lunch. However, the series fell prey to creative disagreements within station management, and The Funhouse went off the air on Friday, May 31, 1963. Following intermittent job opportunities, Heatherton returned to radio in the late 1960s as the host/performer and interviewer of the nationally-syndicated talk/variety program Ray Heatherton's Breakfast Club.
Read more on Last.fm. User-contributed text is available under the Creative Commons By-SA License; additional terms may apply.