Charles Correll

From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia
This article is about the elder Charles Correll. For his son, the TV director, see Charles Correll (director).
Charles Correll
Charles and Alyce Correll
Correll and his wife, Alyce, 1937.
Born
Charles James Correll

(1890-02-02)February 2, 1890
Peoria, Illinois, U.S.
DiedSeptember 26, 1972(1972-09-26) (aged 82)
Chicago, Illinois, U.S.[1]
Occupation
  • Radio comedian
  • actor
  • writer
Years active1921–1962
Known forAndy of Amos 'n' Andy
Spouse(s)
Marie Janes
​
​
(m. 1927; div. 1937)​

Alyce McLaughlin
​
​
(m. 1937; died 1972)​
Children6

Charles James Correll (February 2, 1890 – September 26, 1972) was an American radio comedian, actor and writer, known best for his work for the radio series Amos 'n' Andy with Freeman Gosden. Correll voiced the main character Andy Brown, along with various lesser characters.

Biography[]

Career[]

Correll was born in Peoria, Illinois. He worked originally as a stenographer and a bricklayer. He met Gosden in Durham, North Carolina while working for the Joe Bren Producing Company.[2] Both Correll and Freeman vacationed at Lake Geneva, Wisconsin during the 1930s and would broadcast Amos 'n' Andy from there.[3] From 1928 to 1934, the team never had a vacation away from their radio show.[4] To celebrate the 30th anniversary of Amos 'n' Andy, the broadcast of March 19, 1958 was done by Correll and Gosden using their real voices and calling each other by their real names; this had never been done for the program before.[5]

During 1961–1962, Gosden and Correll provided the voices for the animated series Calvin and the Colonel for American Broadcasting Company-TV.[6]

Last years[]

Correll died during 1972 in a Chicago hospital after a heart attack. At the time of his death he was retired and living in Beverly Hills, California, just a few blocks away from his radio partner, Freeman Gosden.[3][7][8]

Personal life and family[]

Correll's first marriage to Marie Janes ended with divorce on May 26, 1937; the couple had been married for ten years and did not have any children.[9][10] On September 11, 1937, in Glendale, California, he married Alyce McLaughlin, a former dancer;[11] they had six children, Dorothy, Charles, Barbara, John, and Richard.[3] On July 5, 1954, John Correll, his seven-year-old son, died of what seemed to be an accidental poisoning.[12] An autopsy determined the young boy died of an acute kidney infection.[13] A baby girl born to the couple during 1939 died when she was less than a day old.[14]

His son, Charles Correll, Jr. became an actor and a director. Another son, Richard Correll also became an actor, remembered best as the character Richard Rickover of Leave It to Beaver and also produced and directed the television situation comedy Family Matters.

Political views[]

Correll supported Barry Goldwater in the 1964 United States presidential election.[15]

Legacy[]

The comedy team was named to the Radio Hall of Fame during 1962;[16] Correll was symbolized by a star shape on the Hollywood Walk of Fame for his radio work during 1969.[17] During 1977, Correll was inducted in the National Association of Broadcasters Hall of Fame along with Gosden.[18]

References[]

  1. ^ Cox, Jim, ed. (2002). Say Goodnight Gracie: The Last Years of Network Radio. McFarland and Company. p. 224. ISBN 0-7864-1168-6. Retrieved 16 September 2010.
  2. ^ Dunning, John (1998). On the Air: The Encyclopedia of Old-Time Radio (Revised ed.). Oxford University Press, USA. p. 32. ISBN 0-19-507678-8. Retrieved 10 June 2010. 32 Amos 'n' Andy 1919 Gosden and Correll went to work for the Joe Bren Producing Company Correll signed on in Peoria and was sent to Durham, N.C. where he met Gosden.
  3. ^ Jump up to: a b c "Correll, Of Amos And Andy Shows, Dies". The Milwaukee Journal. 27 September 1972.
  4. ^ "Amos 'n' Andy Are Show Business Historians". Ottawa Citizen. 15 November 1952. Retrieved 16 September 2010.
  5. ^ "On The Airwave". The Miami News. 16 March 1958. p. 83. Retrieved 16 September 2010 – via Newspapers.com. open access
  6. ^ Terrace, Vincent (2011). Encyclopedia of Television Shows, 1925 through 2010. McFarland & Company, Inc. ISBN 978-0-7864-6477-7. P. 154.
  7. ^ "Famous 'Andy' Dies At Age 82". Gadsen Times. 27 September 1972. Retrieved 16 September 2010.
  8. ^ "Charles Correll Dies". The Capital. 27 September 1972. p. 3. Retrieved 8 January 2017 – via Newspapers.com. open access
  9. ^ "Too Much Caviar Wrecks Andy's Home". Daytona Beach Morning Journal. 27 May 1937. Retrieved 16 September 2010.
  10. ^ Private Lives. Life. 14 June 1937. Retrieved 8 March 2011.
  11. ^ "Jokes At Matrimony But Lands At Altar". Sarasota Herald-Tribune. 12 September 1937. Retrieved 16 September 2010.
  12. ^ "Son Of 'Andy' Of Radio Fame". St. Petersburg Times. 6 July 1954. Retrieved 16 September 2010.
  13. ^ "Death of Actor's Son Attributed to Infection". Reading Eagle. 5 August 1954. Retrieved 16 September 2010.
  14. ^ "'Andy's' Daughter Dies". The Pittsburgh Press. 6 January 1939. Retrieved 11 October 2010.
  15. ^ Critchlow, Donald T. (2013-10-21). When Hollywood Was Right: How Movie Stars, Studio Moguls, and Big Business Remade American Politics. ISBN 9781107650282.
  16. ^ "In Radio Hall Of Fame, 14 Men, Kate Smith". Daytona Beach Morning Journal. 9 June 1962. Retrieved 16 September 2010.
  17. ^ "Charles Correll Star". Hollywood Walk of Fame. Archived from the original on 2011-06-17. Retrieved 28 September 2010.
  18. ^ "Broadcasting Hall of Fame". National Association of Broadcasters. Retrieved 28 September 2010.

External links[]

Retrieved from ""