Karl Weber (actor)

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Karl Weber
Karl Weber as Gary Bennett 1945.jpg
Weber as Gary Bennett in 1945
Born(1916-03-17)March 17, 1916
Columbus Junction, Iowa
DiedJuly 30, 1990(1990-07-30) (aged 74)
Boston, Massachusetts
NationalityAmerican
Alma materCornell College
University of Iowa
OccupationActor
Spouse(s)Marjorie
Children1 daughter
2 sons

Karl Weber (March 17, 1916 – July 30, 1990) was an actor in the era of old-time radio.

Early years[]

A native of Columbus Junction, Iowa,[1] Weber attended Cornell College[2] and was a graduate of the University of Iowa.[3] He had three brothers and two sisters.[4]

Stage[]

Before going into radio, Weber acted with Shakespearean troupes in the Midwest. In the late 1940s, he helped to found the New Stages off-Broadway group in New York City.[3] His Broadway credits include The Land of Fame and Lady Behave.[5]

Radio[]

Weber's roles in radio programs included those shown in the table below.

Program Role
Alias John Freedom John Freedom[6]
The Doctor's Wife Dr. Dan Palmer[4]
Dr. Sixgun Dr. Ray Matson [7]
Girl Alone John Knight[7]:131
Inspector Thorne Inspector Thorne[7]:164
Lorenzo Jones Verne Massey[8]
Nona from Nowhere Vernon Dutell[7]:257
The Romance of Helen Trent Brett Chapman[9]
The Second Mrs. Burton Brad Burton[7]:299
The Strange Romance of Evelyn Winters Gary Bennett[7]:319
When a Girl Marries Phil Stanley[7]:351-352
Woman in White Dr. Kirk Harding[7]:258

Television[]

Weber played Arthur Tate in Search for Tomorrow.[4]

Film[]

Weber portrayed FBI agent Charlie Reynolds in Walk East on Beacon (1952).[10]

Commercials[]

In the mid-1960s, Weber was featured in commercials for Avis Rent a Car. The company spent $6 million on the campaign in its first year.[1] He also made commercials for Lyndon B. Johnson's and Nelson A. Rockefeller's campaigns for president.[3]

Other activities[]

In 1968-1969, Weber was president of New York's chapter of the Screen Actors Guild. He also used his talent to record more than 200 books for the American Foundation for the Blind.[3]

Personal life[]

Weber met his wife, Marjorie, when they were students at Cornell College. They had a daughter, Lynn, and two sons, Christopher and Mark.[2]

Death[]

Weber died of congestive heart failure in Boston, Massachusetts, on July 30, 1990. He was 74. His survivors included a daughter, two sons, four grandchildren, two great-grandchildren, two brothers and a sister.[3]

References[]

  1. ^ Jump up to: a b Lowry, Cynthi (March 12, 1967). "Ex-Actor Revolutionizes TV Commercials". The Salt Lake Tribune. Utah, Salt Lake City. Associated Press. p. 97. Retrieved September 11, 2016 – via Newspapers.com. open access
  2. ^ Jump up to: a b Kish, Frances (September 1953). "Man About the House". Radio-TV Mirror. 40 (4): 54–55, 78. Retrieved 12 September 2016.
  3. ^ Jump up to: a b c d e "Karl Weber; Longtime Radio Actor". Los Angeles Times. August 6, 1990. Retrieved 11 September 2016.
  4. ^ Jump up to: a b c Hall, Gladys (July 1956). "Karl Weber -- Family Man". TV Radio Mirror. 45 (2): 50–51, 71–73. Retrieved 12 September 2016.
  5. ^ "Late Train Launched Acting Career For Karl Weber Leading In CBS "Nona From Nowhere" Drama". The Sherbrooke Telegram. February 2, 1950. Retrieved 12 September 2016.
  6. ^ Green, Nat (February 20, 1943). "Takes on Talent: Chicago". Billboard. p. 7. Retrieved 12 September 2016.
  7. ^ Jump up to: a b c d e f g h Terrace, Vincent (1999).Radio Programs, 1924-1984: A Catalog of More Than 1800 Shows. McFarland & Company, Inc. ISBN 978-0-7864-4513-4. P. 101.
  8. ^ Jones, Belle (August 1953). "Somewhere I'll Find Him". Radio-TV Mirror. 40 (3): 84. Retrieved 12 September 2016.
  9. ^ "The Romance of Helen Trent". Radio-TV Mirror. 41 (6): 43. May 1954. Retrieved 12 September 2016.
  10. ^ Herzberg, Bob (2006). The FBI and the Movies: A History of the Bureau on Screen and Behind the Scenes in Hollywood. McFarland. p. 165. ISBN 9780786427550. Retrieved 12 September 2016.
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