Here is a calendar of births and deaths of Canadians who were involved in old-time radio, whether they were associated with Canadian or U.S. productions. The links connected to each name in this calendar will take you to their relevant page on Wikipedia, if there is one. Remember though, that Wikipedia is editable by any user who registers, and thus may have errors. Users of Wikipedia who have thoroughly researched the life of performers may use the External Links section of a particular Wikipedia page to point you towards archival material or official pages of interest.
Periodically on this COTRA calendar, you'll find links to other info below a performer's entry, and they'll veer off in other directions. For those cases where an entry appears more than once, only its first ocurrence will be linked.
Should this calendar become out of date with the death of a performer on this page, other links here become broken, or should something jog your memory about a performer, please e-mail the web site and let me know, especially if you find links to interesting pages about these performers.
born on February 22, 1918 in Melville, Saskatchewan
died two weeks before his 82nd birthday on February 8, 2000
hockey player and team coach, as well as sportscaster for the Detroit Tigers
born on June 13, 1873 in Hamilton, Ontario
died on May 11, 1953
actress on The Radio Guild and Theatre Guild On The Air
born on July 1, 1917 in Maplewood, New Jersey
died on November 30, 2009 in Wiarton, Ontario
CBC radio and television broadcaster, creator of Farm Radio International
Note the interviews with George, one text and one audio, found when clicking on his name.
born on May 19, 1919 in Toronto, Ontario
died on January 8, 1990 in Palm Springs, California
bandleader: Saturday Night Swing Session
born on October 19, 1909 in Hamilton, Ontario
died on March 3, 1992 in London, England
announcer: BBC Radio Newsreel, London Column
Court Benson
born on November 4, 1914 in Vancouver, Brittish Columbia
died on February 5, 1995 in Mount Kisco, New York
announcer: Tennessee Jed. Also appeared many times on The CBS Radio Mystery Theater.
born on September 12, 1901 in Montreal, Quebec
died on March 7, 1975 in Hollywood, California
actor/comedian: Hollywood Hotel
born on July 29, 1924 in Toronto, Ontario
died of cancer on October 29, 2005 in Santa Monica, California
actor: The Chase and The CBS Radio Mystery Theater
The Reverend Doctor John Sutherland Bonnell
born on January 10, 1892 in Prince Edward Island
died on February 23, 1992
hosted National Vespers, and starred on Our Spiritual Life, as well as Your Life Today
founder of the concept of pastoral psychology, and author of several books on the subject
born on March 8, 1889 in Montreal, Quebec
died on April 24, 1961
conductor of Cities Service concert and Great Personalities
born on May 16, 1916 in Vancouver, Brittish Columbia
died on February 2, 1993 in London, England
actor on The Gracie Fields Show
born on November 4, 1927 in Toronto, Ontario
still alive
singer and actor on The Eddie Cantor Show
born on February 17, 1871 in St. John's, Newfoundland
died on December 22, 1948 in Long Island, New York
singer and actor on The Philco Hour
Norman Brokenshire
born on June 10, 1898 in Murcheson, Ontario
died on May 4, 1965 in Long Island, New York
announcer on Music That Satisfies and Theatre Guild On The Air
born on January 15, 1882 in St. Stephen, New Brunswick
died of throat cancer on April 4, 1941
singer on Uncle Ezra and The National Barn Dance, as well as a popular recording artist
born on May 21, 1917 in New Westminster, Brittish Columbia
died of liver cancer in Sonoma, CA on September 12, 1993
acted the leading role on Fort Laramie, as well as Chief Ed Backstrand in the early episodes of Dragnet, among other radio
born on December 7, 1910 in Calgary, Alberta
died of cancer on December 21, 1983 in Gainesville, Georgia
actor on The Screen Guild Theatre
William J. Cameron
born sometime in 1879 in Hamilton, Ontario
died August 1, 1955
commentator for The Philosophy Of Henry Ford, and Ford Sunday Evening Hour
born on September 30, 1939 in Winnipeg, Manitoba
still alive
Shakespearean actor, audio book narrator, and actor on two episodes of The CBS Radio Mystery Theater
born on October 27, 1910 in Carman, Manitoba
died of stomach cancer on January 2, 1963 in Encino, California
comedian on The Jack Carson Show, as well as The New Sealtest Village Store
born on November 18, 1926 in Windsor, Ontario
died of heart failure on July 21, 1994 in New York City
singer on Your Hit Parade
born on October 25, 1891 in Hamilton, Ontario
died two days after his 88th birthday on October 27, 1979 in Birmingham, Michigan
Catholic priest who was very controversial in his radio broadcasts
The Reverend Percy B. Crawford
born October 2, 1902 in Minnedosa, Manitoba
died suddenly on October 31, 1960
pioneering religious broadcaster, starred in Young People's Church Of The Air
born on July 18, 1911 in London, Ontario
died of prostate cancer on June 15, 2003 in Fairfield, Connecticut
starred as Ben in The Marriage on radio from 1953 to 1954
born on July 1, 1921 in Boggy Creek, Saskatchewan
died on March 25, 2007 in Edmonton, Alberta
had his own radio show with his brother Fred, calling themselves The Harmony Boys, and also appeared on The National Barn Dance and The Grand Ole' Oprey. He was known as Canada's Cowboy Troubador
Dr. Allan Roy Defoe
born on May 29, 1883
died on June 2, 1943
delivered the Dionne quintuplets, giving monthly reports on their progress: a major news event carried by radio
born on September 1, 1922 in Vancouver, Brittish Columbia
died on January 8, 2007
actress on The Screen Guild Theater and The MGM Musical Comedy Theater
Gogo De Lys
born on August 17, 1908 in Edmonton, Alberta
died on February 19, 2003
singer on Carefree Carnival, Little Ol' Hollywood, and Stoopnagle And Budd
born on June 3, 1924 in Montreal, Quebec
died on August 22, 1991
actress on Will Cather: A Look Of Remembrence
Selma
Diamond
born on August 5, 1920 in London, Ontario
died on May 14, 1985
writer for The Big Show, starring Tallulah Bankhead
Jean Dickenson
born on December 10, 1914 in Montreal, Quebec
died on January 31, 1989
singer: (Nightingale of the Airwaves) "American Album of
Familiar Music"
Gordon
R. Dickson
born on November 1, 1923 in Edmonton, Alberta
died on January 31, 2001
science fiction writer for X Minus One and Exploring Tomorrow
Ed Dmytryk
born on September 4, 1908 in Grand Forks, Brittish Columbia
died on July 1, 1999
film director: "George Fisher Interviews the Stars"
James
Doohan
born on March 20, 1920 in Vancouver, Brittish Columbia
died on July 20, 2005
actor on You Never Had It So Good and The Investigator
born on April 16, 1904 in Montreal, Quebec
died on December 2, 1983
singer on Folies De Paris and This Is Your Life
Douglass
Dumbrille
born on October 13, 1889 in Hamilton, Ontario
died on April 2, 1974
actor on The Screen Guild Theatre and The Lux Radio Theatre
Deanna
Durbin
born on December 4, 1921 in Winnipeg, Manatoba
still alive
singer on The Eddie Cantor Show
Anita Ellis
born on April 12, 1920 in Montreal, Quebec
still alive
singer on The Edgar Bergen Show, The Jack Carson Show, and The Red Skelton Show
Percy Faith
born on April 7, 1908 in Toronto, Ontario
died on February 9, 1976
conductor for The Carnation Hour and Pause That Refreshes On The Air
born on May 28, 1928 in Montreal, Quebec
died on August 23, 2006
trumpeter on Bud's Bandwagon
Reginald
Aubrey Fessenden
born on October 6, 1866 in Sherbrooke, Quebec
died on July 22, 1932
credited as the father of broadcasting
Norman Field
born on January 4, 1881 in Montreal, Quebec
died on September 11, 1956
actor on One Man's Family
born on May 1, 1916 in Quebec City, Quebec
died on August 30, 2006 in Los Angeles, California
actor on The Adventures Of Christopher London
born on October 26, 1918 in Toronto, Ontario
died four days before his 68th birthday on October 22, 1986
actor on Secret Missions and The Chase
John
Kenneth Galbraith
born on October 15, 1908 in Iona Station, Ontario
died on April 28, 2006
economist on Meet The Press and The University Of Chicago Round Table
Chris Gampel
born on February 19, 1921 in Montreal, Quebec
still alive
actor on The CBS Radio Mystery Theater and The Eternal Light
King Ganam
born on August 9, 1914 in Swift Current, Saskatchewan
died on April 26, 1994 in Carlsbad, California
Canada's king of the fiddle
born on June 8, 1912 in Calgary, Alberta
died on November 7, 1997 in Toronto, Ontario
host of the longest-running CBC music program, Gilmour's Albums
born sometime in 1909 in Kitchener, Ontario
died on April 8, 1941 after falling asleep at the wheel, and crashing into a parked trailer
one of the voices of The Lone Ranger
born Lorne Hyman Greene on February 12, 1915 in Ottawa, Ontario
died on September 11, 1987
CBC news reader, called The Voice Of Canada, or The Voice Of Doom, for his reading of war news
born on August 25, 1921 in Winnipeg, Manatoba
still alive
host of Let's Make A Deal
Arlene
Harris
born on July 7, 1898 in Toronto, Ontario
died on June 12, 1976
actress: Mrs. Higgins “Baby Snooks”; Human
Chatterbox “Al Pearce and His Gang”
Stacy Harris
born on July 26, 1918 in Big Timber, Quebec
died on March 13, 1973
actor: Jim Taylor “This is Your F.B.I.”; Carter Trent “Pepper Young’s Family”
Joy Hathaway
born sometime in 1913 in British Columbia
died on November 4, 1954
actress: Amanda Dyke Leighton “Amanda of Honeymoon Hill”
born on November 8, 1913
still alive
actress on The Adventure Of Sam Spade and Theatre Guild On The Air
born on April 6, 1884 in Toronto, Ontario
died one day after his 66th birthday on April 7, 1950
actor: “Theatre Guild On the Air”; “Cavalcade of America”
born on January 30, 1914 in Vancouver, British Columbia
died on March 21, 1992
actor: “MGM Theatre of the Air”; “U.S. Steel Hour”
born on June 27, 1862 in Whitby, Ontario
died on October 22, 1938
actress: “The Eveready Hour”
born on December 28, 1913 in Toronto, Ontario
died on October 23, 2009
actor: “Adventures In Judaism”; “Earplay”; “CBS Radio Mystery Theatre”
Al Jarvis
born on July 4, 1909 in Winnipeg, Manitoba
died on May 6, 1970
disc jockey, songwriter, Make Believe Ballroom
born on July 29, 1938 in Toronto, Ontario
died on August 7, 2005 of lung cancer
ABC news anchor, known in later life for his 17-hour coverage of the September 11th, 2001 attacks.
born on August 22, 1879 in Guelph, Ontario
died on April 20, 1959
operatic tenor
Frank Knight
born on May 10, 1894 in St. Johns, Newfoundland
died on October 18, 1973
actor, announcer: Dr. Billbert “Arabesque”; “Literary Digest”
born on January 16, 1907 in Strathroy, Ontario
died on April 25, 1995
actor: “Document A/777”, BBC
born on March 20, 1922 in Winnipeg, Manitoba
died on April 2, 2002
actor: Sergeant Muggowen “ Broadway is My Beat”
born on March 30, 1958 in Toronto, Ontario
still alive
actor: “Empire of the Air”
born on March 3, 1907 in New York City
died on May 9, 1952
actor: “New World A’ Coming”; “Lest We Forger”; “The Free Company”
born on May 29, 1894 in Toronto, Ontario
died on January 20, 1989
commedienne: “Beatrice Lillie Show”
born on July 17, 1912 in Moose Jaw, Saskatchewan
still alive
host of House Party and People Are Funny
born on June 23, 1905 in Seattle, Washington, but raised in Vancouver, British Columbia
died a week after her 78th birthday on June 30, 1983
wife and performing partner of Jack Benny
born on July 18, 1891 in London, Ontario
died on March 21, 1957
actor: “Nebbs”; “Doctor Fights”; “Abroad with the Lockharts”
born on July 16, 1903 in London, Ontario
died on April 17, 1971
saxophonist: (Guy’s brother) “Guy Lombardo and His Orchestra”; “Esso Marketer”
born on June 19, 1902 in London, Ontario
died on November 5, 1977
bandleader: (The Sweetest Music This Side of Heaven) “Lombardoland USA”
born on February 11, 1905 in London, Ontario
died on June 16, 1993
musician: (Guy Lombardo’s Orchestra) “Lady Esther Serenade”
born on April 10, 1911 in London, Ontario
died on January 22, 1994
musician: (Guy Lombardo’s Orchestra) “Lady Esther Serenade”
born on May 30, 1920 in Montreal, Quebec
died on March 24, 1985
operatic bass-baritone, The Voice Of Firestone
Paul Luther
born on December 19, 1908 in Aylesbury, Saskatchewan
died sometime in November of 1978
actor, announcer: “The Man Behind the Gun”; “Inside Story”
born on January 10, 1927 in Winnipeg, Manitoba
died on September 5, 2003
singer: “F.W. Woolworth Hour”; “Mario Lanza Show”; ”Meet Giesele”
born on January 19, 1931 in Montreal, Quebec
still alive
formerly a CBC newscaster, co-creator of The MacNeill/Lehrer Report, and currently a novelist
born on December 2, 1913 in Toronto, Ontario
died on September 24, 1985 in Bronxville, New York
actor: George Kirby “Adventures Of Topper”; Perry “Quiz” Quisinberry “Passport for Adams”
born on March 27, 1921 in Winnipeg, Manitoba
died on May 23, 1991 in Pasadena, California
actor, director, producer: “Columbia Workshop”; “Studio One”, The Sears and Mutual Radio Theater
Grace Matthews
born on September 3, 1910 in Toronto, Ontario
died on May 15, 1995
actress: Ruth Evans Wayne “Big Sister”; Margo Lane “The Shadow”
Guy Maufette
born sometime in 1915 in Montreal, Quebec
died on June 29, 2005
announcer: Worked with CBC radio, Canada’s French network
born on April 1, 1912
died a week after his 51st birthday on April 7, 1963
actor: Thomas Hyland “Crime Classics”; Aaron Saul “Point Sublime”, and also in The Lux Radio Theater.
born on May 9, 1909 in Tweedside, New Brunswick
died on March 26, 1973 in Halifax, Nova Scotia
popular fiddler and leader of Don Messer And His Islanders, playing Scottish and Irish tunes
Lee Millar
born on February 2, 1888 in Vancouver, British Columbia
died on December 24, 1941
radio actor and Disney animation voiceover artist, as well as husband of actress Verna Felton.
born on September 7 in either 1912 or 1913, in Lachine, Quebec
died on June 14, 1977
host of Folk Songs For Young Folks, as well as the composer of I Know An Old Lady Who Swallowed A Fly. He was made a member of The Order Of Canada.
Listen to samples, and buy some Alan Mills music from The Amazon MP3 Music Store.
born on March 13, 1914 in Weyburne, Saskatchewan
died on February 25, 1998 in Calgary, Alberta
writer of the Jake And The Kid series
born on August 23, 1910 in in Victoria, British Columbia
died two weeks before his 50th birthday on August 10, 1960 in Carmel, California
producer, narrator, announcer. creator of The Passing Parade.
Richard Newton
born on July 5, 1911 in Vancouver, British Columbia
died on January 13, 2006
actor on Now Hear This
born on February 11, 1926 in Regina, Saskatchewan
still alive
actor on Jive Patrol
born on April 13, 1908 in Winnipeg, Manitoba
died on June 16, 1980
singer: (The Sons of the Pioneers) “The Roy Rogers Show”
born on February 2, 1882 in Chatham, Ontario
died just before his 95th birthday on January 31, 1967
tenor: “Roxy and His Gang”
Marg Osborne
born sometime in 1927
died on July 18, 1977
female vocalist for Don Messer And His Islanders
Will Osborne
born on November 25, 1905 in Toronto, Ontario
died on October 22, 1981
bandleader, singer: “Abbott and Costello”
born on October 8, 1881 in Peterboro, Ontario
died on April 6, 1960
actor: John Marshall “Those We Love”
born on April 26, 1914 in Fort William, Ontario, now known as Thunder Bay
died on July 25, 1993
actress: “Good News of 1939”; “Mail Call”; “Lux Radio Theatre”
born in Manitoba on February 2, 1913
died in Los Angeles, California on June 17, 1986
host of many CBC radio shows, most notably The Happy Gang and Share The Wealth.
Wilfred Pelletier
born on June 30, 1896 in Montreal, Quebec
died on April 9, 1982
conductor: “Roses and Drums”; “Metropolitan Opera Auditions of the Air”
Oscar
Peterson
born on August 15, 1925 in Montreal, Quebec
died on December 23, 2007
jazz pianist on Oscar Peterson And Art Tatum
Mary
Pickford
born on April 8, 1892 in Toronto, Ontario
died on May 29, 1979
actress on Parties At Pickfair and Mary Pickford Dramas
Walter
Pidgeon
born on September 23, 1897 near St. John, New Brunswick
died two days after his 87th birthday on September 25, 1984
actor: “Hollywood Calling”; “Screen Guild Theatre”; “Lux Radio Theatre”
Doris Rich
born on May 3, 1919
died two weeks after her 52nd birthday on May 18, 1971
actress: Hannah O’Leary” Houseboat Hannah”; Miss Daisey “Portia Faces Life”
Harold
Russell
born on January 14, 1914 in North Sydney, Nova Scotia
died two weeks after his 88th birthday on January 29, 2002
world war II hero, actor: “A Salute to the D.A.V.”; “NBC University Theatre”
See our Books Page to look at the two books Harold wrote.
Ann
Rutherford
born on November 2, 1920 in Vancouver, British Columbia
still alive
actress: Blondie Bumstead “Blondie”; Connie Menihan “Eddie Bracken Show”
Mort Sahl
born on May 11, 1927 in Montreal, Quebec
still alive
The Mort Sahl Show
George Salverson
born on April 30, 1916 in St. Catherines, Ontario
died three weeks before his 89th birthday on April 9, 2005
script writer for the CBC
Joe Sawyer
born on August 29, 1906 in Guelph, Ontario
died on April 21, 1982
actor: Sergeant ‘Biff’ O’Hara “Rin-Tin-Tin”
Mack
Sennett
born on January 17, 1880 in Richmond, Quebec
died on November 5, 1960
inventor of slapstick comedy, king of silent comedy: “Hear It Now”; “Biography In Sound”
Jane Seymour
born sometime in 1898 in Hamilton, Ontario
died on January 30, 1956
actress: Mrs. Brown “Claudia and David”
born on March 22, 1931 in Montreal, Quebec
still alive
actor: “The Curse”; “No Love Lost”; “The Secretariat”
Norma
Shearer
born on August 10, 1902 in Montreal, Quebec
died on June 12, 1983
actress: “Everyman's Theatre”; “Louella Parsons”
Joe Shuster
born on July 10, 1914 in Toronto, Ontario
died on July 30, 1992 in Los Angeles, California
co-creator of Superman, with Jerry Siegel
Lister
Sinclair
born on January 9, 1921
died on October 16, 2006
Writer, Host of CBC radio's Court of Public Opinion, and Ideas,
Alexis
Smith
born on June 8, 1921 in Penticton, British Columbia
died one day after her 72nd birthday on June 9, 1993
actress: “Lux Radio Theatre”; “Stars in the Air”; “Screen Guild Theatre”
born on May 9, 1914 in Brooklyn, Nova Scotia
died on December 20, 1999
country music recording artist, with regular appearances on The Grand Ole Opry
Pick up some Hank Snow music by visiting the Amazon MP3 Store.
Ned Sparks
born on November 19, 1883 in Guelph, Ontario
died on April 3, 1957
actor: “The Grouch Club”; “The Texaco Star Theatre”
Larry Thor
born on August 27, 1916
died on March 16, 1977 in Santa Monica, California
announcer, as well as played lead role as Danny Clover in Broadway's My Beat
Dick
Todd
born on August 4, 1914 in Montreal, Quebec
died sometime in May of 1974
singer: “Avalon Time”; “Your Hit Parade”; “Rinso-Spry Vaudeville Theatre”, known as the Canadian Crosby
Louis
Turenne
born on November 26, 1933 in Montreal, Quebec
still alive
actor: “CBS Radio Mystery Theatre”
Jack L. Warner
born on August 2, 1892 in London, Ontario
died on September 9, 1978 in Hollywood, California
film studio owner”, “Warner Brothers Academy Award Theatre”
Hear Jack Warner's appearance on The Jack Benny Program, a program which also featured Fletcher Markle
Johnny
Wayne
born on May 28, 1918 in Toronto, Ontario
died on July 18, 1990
comedian: “Army Show”; “March of Time”, as well as Wayne And Shuster
Don't forget to visit our Wayne And Shuster page.
born sometime in 1918 in Glasgow, Scotland
died on March 2, 1999
pioneer of talk radio before it came to the U.S., annual Jack Webster awards presented for excellence in journalism
Bernelda
Wheeler
born on April 8, 1937 in Saskatchewan
died on September 10, 2005 in hospital at Saskatoon, Saskatchewan
worked as a disc jockey in Churchill, Manitoba
The link above takes you to an obituary for Bernelda, as there's no Wikipedia entry.
Ken Williams
born on April 12, 1914
died on February 16, 1984
actor: Brian Wells “David Harum”
Joseph
Wiseman
born on May 15, 1918 in Montreal, Quebec
died on October 19, 2009
actor: “Crime Does Not Pay”
Donald
Woods
born on December 2, 1906 in Brandon, Manitoba
died on March 5, 1998
actor: Leslie Foster “Those We Love”; “Woolworth Hour”
Fay Wray
born on September 15, 1907 in Cardston, Alberta
died on August 8, 2004
actress: Rosemary “Keeping Up with Rosemary”
born on November 19, 1919 in Scotland, raised throughout Canada
still alive
started in show business in Canada. Played Wilbur, owner of the talking horse Mister Ed, and also starred in The Alan Young Show on radio