Wally Butterworth
Encyclopedia
Hebert Wallace “Wally” Butterworth (1901- February 24, 1974) was an American radio announcer and host of variety and quiz shows.
Born in Philadelphia, Butterworth aspired to be a singer from an early age. He took singing lessons and after graduating from Swarthmore High School
as president of his class, went on two successful singing tours in Canada
and the eastern United States.
Butterworth auditioned for the role as an announcer for NBC
radio in New York City
in the early 1930s. He got the job and was stationed in Chicago, Illinois. He covered the Chicago Civic Opera, the Symphony, football games and livestock parades. After a stint in the Navy, he was hired as the announcer of Vox Pop
, but in 1936, co-host Jerry Belcher left the program, and Butterworth took over as host. In 1939, the show moved from NBC radio to CBS radio
.
His work on Vox Pop led Butterworth to host and create other quiz programs, some of his own design. This continued from the late 1930s until the early 1960s. Butterworth lost a lawsuit against General Electric
over a contract for a television quiz show he felt was directly modeled after one of his radio programs.
The lawsuit between Butterworth and GE lead him to become politically active. He broadcast a radio program in Atlanta on which he opposed the NAACP convention and attacked blacks, non-Christians and Catholics. The show was cancelled after two weeks, and the resulting lawsuit he filed against the radio station ended unsuccessfully. Around 1961, the Georgia
offshoot of the Ku Klux Klan
, the National Knights of the Ku Klux Klan used recordings narrated by Butterworth to spread its pitch. Butterworth also organized the Defensive Legion of Registered Americans in 1962.
Butterworth died in Pennsylvania
on February 24, 1974.
Born in Philadelphia, Butterworth aspired to be a singer from an early age. He took singing lessons and after graduating from Swarthmore High School
Swarthmore High School
Swarthmore High School was a four-year public high school in Swarthmore, Pennsylvania serving the Boroughs of Swarthmore and Rutledge.Swarthmore established its own independent school district when Swarthmore Borough incorporated in 1893. The Swarthmore and Rutledge School Districts merged in 1955...
as president of his class, went on two successful singing tours in Canada
Canada
Canada is a North American country consisting of ten provinces and three territories. Located in the northern part of the continent, it extends from the Atlantic Ocean in the east to the Pacific Ocean in the west, and northward into the Arctic Ocean...
and the eastern United States.
Butterworth auditioned for the role as an announcer for NBC
NBC
The National Broadcasting Company is an American commercial broadcasting television network and former radio network headquartered in the GE Building in New York City's Rockefeller Center with additional major offices near Los Angeles and in Chicago...
radio in New York City
New York City
New York is the most populous city in the United States and the center of the New York Metropolitan Area, one of the most populous metropolitan areas in the world. New York exerts a significant impact upon global commerce, finance, media, art, fashion, research, technology, education, and...
in the early 1930s. He got the job and was stationed in Chicago, Illinois. He covered the Chicago Civic Opera, the Symphony, football games and livestock parades. After a stint in the Navy, he was hired as the announcer of Vox Pop
Vox Pop (radio)
Vox Pop was a popular radio program of interviews, quizzes and human interest features, sometimes titled Sidewalk Interviews and Voice of the People...
, but in 1936, co-host Jerry Belcher left the program, and Butterworth took over as host. In 1939, the show moved from NBC radio to CBS radio
CBS Radio
CBS Radio, Inc., formerly known as Infinity Broadcasting Corporation, is one of the largest owners and operators of radio stations in the United States, third behind main rival Clear Channel Communications and Cumulus Media. CBS Radio owns around 130 radio stations across the country...
.
His work on Vox Pop led Butterworth to host and create other quiz programs, some of his own design. This continued from the late 1930s until the early 1960s. Butterworth lost a lawsuit against General Electric
General Electric
General Electric Company , or GE, is an American multinational conglomerate corporation incorporated in Schenectady, New York and headquartered in Fairfield, Connecticut, United States...
over a contract for a television quiz show he felt was directly modeled after one of his radio programs.
The lawsuit between Butterworth and GE lead him to become politically active. He broadcast a radio program in Atlanta on which he opposed the NAACP convention and attacked blacks, non-Christians and Catholics. The show was cancelled after two weeks, and the resulting lawsuit he filed against the radio station ended unsuccessfully. Around 1961, the Georgia
Georgia (U.S. state)
Georgia is a state located in the southeastern United States. It was established in 1732, the last of the original Thirteen Colonies. The state is named after King George II of Great Britain. Georgia was the fourth state to ratify the United States Constitution, on January 2, 1788...
offshoot of the Ku Klux Klan
Ku Klux Klan
Ku Klux Klan, often abbreviated KKK and informally known as the Klan, is the name of three distinct past and present far-right organizations in the United States, which have advocated extremist reactionary currents such as white supremacy, white nationalism, and anti-immigration, historically...
, the National Knights of the Ku Klux Klan used recordings narrated by Butterworth to spread its pitch. Butterworth also organized the Defensive Legion of Registered Americans in 1962.
Butterworth died in Pennsylvania
Pennsylvania
The Commonwealth of Pennsylvania is a U.S. state that is located in the Northeastern and Mid-Atlantic regions of the United States. The state borders Delaware and Maryland to the south, West Virginia to the southwest, Ohio to the west, New York and Ontario, Canada, to the north, and New Jersey to...
on February 24, 1974.