Walter O'Keefe

Walter O'Keefe

Walter O'Keefe (August 18, 1900 – June 26, 1983) was an American songwriter, actor, syndicated columnist, Broadway composer, radio legend, screenwriter, musical arranger and TV host.

Biography

O'Keefe was born in Hartford, Connecticut.[1] His father was actor Michael O'Keefe.[2] He attended the College of the Sacred Heart in Wimbledon, London,[citation needed] before entering the University of Notre Dame in South Bend, Indiana, in 1917.[3] At Notre Dame, he was a member of the Glee Club and a Class Poet. He graduated cum laude in 1921.

O'Keefe began as a vaudeville performer in the midwest for several years. In 1925, he went to New York City and became a Broadway performer, with his credits including The Third Little Show (1931) and Top-Notchers (1942)[4]. His other Broadway activities included writing the lyrics for Just a Minute (1928) and the music and lyrics for "The (Daring Young) Man on the Flying Trapeze" in George White's Scandals [1936] (1935).[5]

By 1937, he wrote a syndicated humor column and filled in for such radio personalities as Walter Winchell, Edgar Bergen, Don McNeill and Garry Moore. He was the long-time master of ceremonies of the NBC show Double or Nothing from 1947 to 1954[6] and was a regular on that network's Monitor series.

O'Keefe also worked in television, presiding over talk shows and quiz shows for the CBS network. Producers Mark Goodson and Bill Todman hired him for their game show Two for the Money. When the show's usual host Herb Shriner had other commitments during the summer of 1954, O'Keefe took over for three months. He was the host for the first Emmy Awards ceremony, held on January 25, 1949, at the Hollywood Athletic Club. He replaced the original host, Rudy Vallée after he left town at the last minute.

O'Keefe wrote the musical scores of several Hollywood films. He introduced the popular song "The Daring Young Man on the Flying Trapeze" in 1934, and it became permanently associated with him.

O'Keefe became addicted to alcohol, and sought treatment in Cleveland, Ohio, during the late 1960s.[7]

Personal life

O'Keefe married Roberta Robinson in 1932, and they had two children. They separated in 1950.[8]

Death and legacy

He has a star on the Hollywood Walk of Fame in the category of radio.[9] He died of congestive heart failure on June 26, 1983, at Little Company of Mary Hospital in Torrance, California, aged 82.[10]

Filmography

References

  1. ^ "New 'Three Keys' Trio Given NBC Booking". Akron Beacon Journal. August 10, 1932. p. 11. Retrieved October 24, 2024 – via Newspapers.com.
  2. ^ "Walter O'Keefe's Father Killed". The New York Times. Associated Press. September 20, 1944. p. 23. Retrieved November 15, 2025.
  3. ^ "A master of ceremonies reminisces". Hartford Courant. May 10, 1931. p. Part 6, page 1. Retrieved November 15, 2025 – via Newspapers.com.
  4. ^ "Walter O'Keefe". Internet Broadway Database. The Broadway League. Archived from the original on January 28, 2021. Retrieved November 15, 2025.
  5. ^ "Walter O'Keefe". Internet Broadway Database. The Broadway League. Archived from the original on May 19, 2018. Retrieved November 15, 2025.
  6. ^ Cox, Jim (2001). "Double or Nothing". The Great Radio Audience Participation Shows. Jefferson, NC: McFarland. p. 92. ISBN 978-0-7864-1071-2. OCLC 606599995 – via Internet Archive.
  7. ^ "sobrietytalks.com". Sobrietytalks.com. Retrieved 7 October 2017.
  8. ^ "Walter O'Keefe, Wife Separated". The New York Times. Associated Press. November 27, 1950. p. 37. Retrieved November 15, 2025.
  9. ^ "Walter O'Keefe". Hollywood Walk of Fame. Archived from the original on February 18, 2014. Retrieved November 15, 2025.
  10. ^ "Rites for radio personality Walter O'Keefe Thursday". The Daily Breeze. California, Torrance. June 28, 1983. p. 8. Retrieved November 15, 2025 – via Newspapers.com.
allikas: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Double_or_Nothing_(radio_show)