Ted Jewett

Edward K. Jewett (1904-1961), known as Ted Jewett, was an American character actor. Jewett voiced characters, and served as an announcer on NBC Radio, CBS Radio, and Mutual Broadcasting during the Golden Age of Radio.[1]

Early life and education

Jewett was born in Yokohama, Japan in 1904. His father, John H. Jewett, worked in the Oriental silk trade, and served as Denmark's consul to Yokohama. Prince Valdemar, a friend of the Jewett family, named him to that post. Jewett grew up speaking both Japanese and Danish.[2]

In 1910, Jewett moved to Plainfield, New Jersey with his parents. He attended local elementary and middle schools up until the age of 14. Jewett graduated from the Morristown School (now Morristown-Beard School) in Morristown, New Jersey in 1922. He then earned his bachelor's degree at Princeton University in Princeton, New Jersey.[3]

During his school years, Jewett showed an interest in both elocution and public speaking. He aimed to work as an actor or statesman.[4] However, Jewett transitioned into the silk trade after college. While working in the family business, he gained an interest in radio announcing.[2]

Radio career

Lacking a microphone, Jewett practiced announcing on the radio by using a tin can tied to a stick.[2] He joined the announcing staff at NBC in 1930 after passing their microphone exam. The exam required him to speak a tongue-twister without stammering or whistling: "The seething sea ceaseth and thus the seething sea sufficeth us." He also had to demonstrate fluency in a foreign language.[5] (Jewett was fluent in Japanese from his childhood years.)

Jewett passed the test despite having had no previous announcing experiences. In the fall of 1930, he joined the nighttime announcing staff at NBC[6] after working as a daytime announcer for four months. Two years later, NBC promoted Jewett to supervisor of nighttime announcing and director of operations.[7] He served in that role until 1934.[8]

Jewett achieved notoriety for voicing characters on the series Cavalcade of America[9] and The March of Time.[10] Cavalcade of America was a DuPont-sponsored anthology drama series. The March of Time was the first dramatized newsreel to air on radio. The Time-sponsored program re-enacted real news events with accompanying musical tunes and sound effects. Jewett also appeared on Jolly Bill and Jane,[11] Ellen Randolph,[12] Chicago Theater of the Air, and G. E. Circle.[1] During the 1940s, he served as an announcer for Robert Ripley's show Believe It or Not.[13] He also served as an announcer for Let's Pretend, a children's show on CBS radio.[14]

In 1931, Jewett served as one of the announcers of the U.S. Army's mimic battle over Manhattan Island. The nationally broadcast minic battle demonstrated what a war-time attack on New York City might look like. It involved 672 airplanes manned by 1,484 military personnel swooping over the city's skyscrapers. Jewett announced the mimic battle from a transport plane.[15] Later that year, he had a car accident while traveling to announce the departure of Charles Lindbergh to Japan. The accident near North Beach Airport in Queens put Jewett in the hospital.[16]

Vocal impressions

During his career, Jewett's most known vocal impressions included those of:

• Kansas Governor Alf Landon, the 1936 Republican Presidential Candidate[17]
• Japanese Emperor Hirohito[18]
• British Prime Minister Neville Chamberlain[18]
• New York Governor Alfred E. Smith, the 1928 Democratic Presidential Candidate[19]
• U.S. Postmaster General James Farley[19]
• Journalist Heywood Broun[20]
• British Prime Minister Stanley Baldwin[20]
• CBS CEO William S. Paley[20]
• Conductor Walter Damrosch, the director of the New York Symphony Orchestra[20]
• Author Albert Payson Terhune[20]

Family

Jewett married Grace Elizabeth Fisher, a violinist with the Parnassus Trio, in 1931.[21] After she died from polio,[22] he married Winnefred Jewett. They had a daughter together, Priscilla.

Grace Elizabeth Fisher was the daughter of Alexander Sibbald Fisher and Sarah Murrey. see NYC marriage record.

References

1. Cox, Jim (2007). "Jewett, Edward K.". Radio Speakers: Narrators, News Junkies, Sports Jockeys, Tattletales, Tipsters, Toastmasters and Coffee Klatch Couples who Verbalized the Jargon of the Aural Ether from the 1920s to the 1980s: a Biographical Dictionary. pp. 151–152.
2. "Land Where Dreams Come True". The Brooklyn Daily Eagle. April 3, 1932.
3. "Edward K. Jewett". Radio Announcers, 1933. C. Dewitt White Co. 1932. p. 17.
4. Poindexter, Ray (1978). Golden Throats and Silver Tongues: The Radio Announcers. River Road Press. pp. 87–88.
5. DUNLAP Jr., ORRIN E. (December 20, 1931). "Listening-In". The New York Times.
6. "Hall New Announcer". The Lincoln Star. October 12, 1930.
7. "Jewett Promoted". The Brooklyn Daily Eagle. April 24, 1932.
8. "On the Dotted Line". The Brooklyn Daily Eagle. October 20, 1934.
9. Chris Sterling; Cary O'Dell, eds. (2011). "Cavalcade of America". The Concise Encyclopedia of American Radio. p. 135.
10. "News of the Radio Stations". The Chicago Tribune. October 17, 1936.
11. "Water Wistle Failed to Help the Bird Call". The Sun. September 21, 1930.
12. Cox, Jim (2009). The A to Z of American Radio Soap Operas. p. 75.
13. "'Wings of Navy' on Air Waves Tonight". The Belvidere Daily Republican. October 7, 1940.
14. "Let's Pretend".
15. "Radio Plans for the Air Raid; 672 Planes to Fly in Wartime Attack on New York Called "Greatest Mimic Battle"--Corps of Announcers on Duty At the Master Gate. Foulois to Speak. Columbia's Plans". The New York Times. May 17, 1931.
16. "Damage To Lindbergh Radio Is Repaired". The Sun. The Associated Press. July 30, 1931.
17. "Behind the Scenes; Women's Group Resumes Radio Reviews". The New York Times. October 18, 1936.
18. "With the Alumni". Princeton Alumni Weekly. 43 (December 11): 25.
19. "'March of Time' Actors in Role of Candidates". The Milwaukee Sentinel. April 19, 1936.
20. "Mimics Learn Tricks by Ear; Few Actors Meet Originals". The Milwaukee Sentinel. December 26, 1936.
21. Steinhauser, S. H. (August 3, 1931). "Microphone Musings". The Pittsburgh Press.
22. "CITY RECORD SHOWS PARALYSIS ON WANE". The New York Times. August 23, 1931.