Harold (Hal) Peary (July 25, 1908 â€" March 30, 1985) was an American
actor, comedian and singer in radio, films, television, and animation.
His most memorable role is as Throckmorton P. Gildersleeve, which
began as a supporting character on radio's Fibber McGee and Molly in
1938. The character proved to be so popular with audiences by 1941
that Peary got his own radio comedy show, The Great Gildersleeve, the
first known spin-off hit in American broadcasting history.Born as
José Pereira de Faria in San Leandro, California, to Portuguese
parents, Harold Peary (pronounced "Perry") began working in local
radio as early as 1923, according to his own memory, and had his own
show as a singer, The Spanish Serenader, in San Francisco, but moved
to Chicago, Illinois in 1937. While in San Francisco, he also had
"several parts" in Wheatenaville, a program broadcast on NBC's Pacific
network beginning September 26, 1932.In Chicago he became a regular on
Fibber McGee and Molly, where he originated the Gildersleeve character
as a McGee neighbor and nemesis in 1938. ("You're a haaa-aa-aard man,
McGee" was a famous catch-phrase.) The character actually went through
several first names and occupations before settling on Throckmorton
Philharmonic Gildersleeve and his ownership of the Gildersleeve
Girdleworks. He also worked on the horror series Lights Out and other
radio programs, but his success and popularity as Gildersleeve set the
stage for the character's own program, which became the peak of his
career.Peary's Gildersleeve proved popular enough that it was thought
to try the character in his own show. Johnson's Wax, which sponsored
Fibber McGee & Molly, sponsored an audition recording for The Great
Gildersleeve, and the Kraft Cheese Company signed on as the show's
regular sponsor. Gildersleeve was transplanted from Wistful Vista to
Summerfield with more than just a locale changeâ€"now a bachelor (his
character had a never-heard wife on Fibber McGee & Molly), and now the
water commissioner instead of the owner of the Gildersleeve's Girlish
Girdles company. With much of his pomposity and cantankerousness toned
down, he was also newly domesticated and appointed guardian of his
orphan niece Marjorie and nephew Leroy. Implicitly well-off though by
no means wealthy, Gildersleeve was depicted winding up his
lingerie-making company and taking up a new life as Summerfield's
water commissioner.
actor, comedian and singer in radio, films, television, and animation.
His most memorable role is as Throckmorton P. Gildersleeve, which
began as a supporting character on radio's Fibber McGee and Molly in
1938. The character proved to be so popular with audiences by 1941
that Peary got his own radio comedy show, The Great Gildersleeve, the
first known spin-off hit in American broadcasting history.Born as
José Pereira de Faria in San Leandro, California, to Portuguese
parents, Harold Peary (pronounced "Perry") began working in local
radio as early as 1923, according to his own memory, and had his own
show as a singer, The Spanish Serenader, in San Francisco, but moved
to Chicago, Illinois in 1937. While in San Francisco, he also had
"several parts" in Wheatenaville, a program broadcast on NBC's Pacific
network beginning September 26, 1932.In Chicago he became a regular on
Fibber McGee and Molly, where he originated the Gildersleeve character
as a McGee neighbor and nemesis in 1938. ("You're a haaa-aa-aard man,
McGee" was a famous catch-phrase.) The character actually went through
several first names and occupations before settling on Throckmorton
Philharmonic Gildersleeve and his ownership of the Gildersleeve
Girdleworks. He also worked on the horror series Lights Out and other
radio programs, but his success and popularity as Gildersleeve set the
stage for the character's own program, which became the peak of his
career.Peary's Gildersleeve proved popular enough that it was thought
to try the character in his own show. Johnson's Wax, which sponsored
Fibber McGee & Molly, sponsored an audition recording for The Great
Gildersleeve, and the Kraft Cheese Company signed on as the show's
regular sponsor. Gildersleeve was transplanted from Wistful Vista to
Summerfield with more than just a locale changeâ€"now a bachelor (his
character had a never-heard wife on Fibber McGee & Molly), and now the
water commissioner instead of the owner of the Gildersleeve's Girlish
Girdles company. With much of his pomposity and cantankerousness toned
down, he was also newly domesticated and appointed guardian of his
orphan niece Marjorie and nephew Leroy. Implicitly well-off though by
no means wealthy, Gildersleeve was depicted winding up his
lingerie-making company and taking up a new life as Summerfield's
water commissioner.
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