Bob Bailey (born Robert Bainter Bailey; June 13, 1913 – August 13, 1983) was an American actor who performed mostly on radio but also appeared in films.
Bailey's parents were actor Edwin B. Bailey and actress Grace Lockwood Bailey, both of whom performed in early 1900s stock theater. He made his first appearance on stage with his mother when he was 10 days old. He took his middle name from actress Fay Bainter, who was his godmother. He began performing in his parents' stock company when he was 4 years old and continued to work there until he was 15.[1]
Career
At age 15, Bailey worked in a wild-west carnival as both a barker and an actor. He went on to work at other places as an usher, a waiter, and a guide at an automobile exhibit, among other jobs.[1]
Bailey first worked in radio in Chicago. His mother had left the stage for the newer medium, and she helped him find work on soap operas. He moved to St. Louis when he was offered a job at radio station KWK, but he resumed acting when an executive at KWK made him the head of the station's stock company.[1]
In 1936, Bailey went back to Chicago to get married and to perform with the Chicago Theater of the Air. He remained in Chicago until he had to go to the West Coast for some programs in 1942.[1]
One of Bailey's earliest roles on radio was that of the title character in the comedy serial Mortimer Gooch (1936–37) on CBS.[2]: 366 In the early 1940s Bailey was regularly featured on network radio programs originating from Chicago. He played the boyfriend of the title character's sister in That Brewster Boy[3] and the father of the title character in Meet Corliss Archer.[4] He played Bob Jones in Kitty Keene, Inc..[2]
He was signed in 1943 by 20th Century-Fox and appeared in seven feature films; the first two (in which he was most prominent) starred Laurel and Hardy.[5] After the studio failed to renew Bailey's one-year contract, he returned to radio.
Starting in 1946, Bailey starred as freelance detective George Valentine in the radio drama Let George Do It,[6] but he is best remembered as the title character in the long-running radio series Yours Truly, Johnny Dollar. The program ran from 1949 to 1962 (it and Suspense were the last CBS radio drama series on the air until the CBS Radio Mystery Theater began in 1974) and featured the exploits of "America's fabulous freelance insurance investigator"; Bailey starred as Johnny from 1955 to 1960[7] and wrote the script for the December 22, 1957 episode "The Carmen Kringle Matter" using the pen name "Robert Bainter".[8]
With CBS devoting more money to television and wanting to reduce costs, Yours Truly, Johnny Dollar relocated to New York in 1960 and Bailey, unwilling to relocate, was dismissed. Having performed in almost 500 episodes, he had made the role his own. With the end of his involvement, the show wound down over the following two years (with two different actors) before being taken off the air in 1962, by which time Bailey had virtually given up acting.[citation needed]
Bailey struggled with alcoholism, but did overcome his addiction. He ended up working in a rehab facility helping others with similar struggles. After suffering a stroke he was in a rest home for the last ten years of his life. He died in Lancaster, California, aged 70, on August 13, 1983.[9]
^ abcdeNiemeyer, Harry (October 22, 1944). "Lost His Job as Movie Usher". St. Louis Post-Dispatch. St. Louis, MO. p. 58. Retrieved April 17, 2020 – via Newspapers.com.
^ abTerrace, Vincent (1999). Radio Programs, 1924–1984: A Catalog of More Than 1800 Shows. McFarland & Company, Inc. p. 190. ISBN978-0-7864-4513-4.
^"President Will Speak On Labor Day Broadcast". The Fresno Bee The Republican. August 31, 1941. p. 10. Retrieved March 28, 2015 – via Newspapers.com.
^"She's In Again". The Mason City Globe-Gazette. January 28, 1943. p. 2. Retrieved March 28, 2015 – via Newspapers.com.
^MacGillivray, Scott, Laurel & Hardy from the Forties Forward (Second Edition), iUniverse, 2009.
^Dunning, J.: "Tune in Yesterday", Prentice-Hall, 1976
^Dunning, John (1998). On the Air: The Encyclopedia of Old-Time Radio (Revised ed.). New York: Oxford University Press. pp. 741–743. ISBN978-0-19-507678-3. Retrieved December 1, 2019. 742 Yours Truly, Johnny Dollar Bob Bailey as Johnny Dollar.
^"He wrote some episodes of Fury, which starred Peter Graves and Johnny Diamond, along with a black horse, under his alternate pen-name of Robert B. Bailey". Retrieved January 24, 2018.
^"Radio Actor". The Lancaster New Era. August 20, 1983. p. 23. Retrieved February 8, 2023 – via Newspapers.com.
Bob Bailey profile, MWOTRC.com; accessed January 24, 2018.
April 06, 2023
bailey, actor, bailey, born, robert, bainter, bailey, june, 1913, august, 1983, american, actor, performed, mostly, radio, also, appeared, films, baileybailey, 1937bornrobert, bainter, bailey, 1913, june, 1913toledo, ohio, diedaugust, 1983, 1983, aged, lancast. Bob Bailey born Robert Bainter Bailey June 13 1913 August 13 1983 was an American actor who performed mostly on radio but also appeared in films Bob BaileyBailey in 1937BornRobert Bainter Bailey 1913 06 13 June 13 1913Toledo Ohio U S DiedAugust 13 1983 1983 08 13 aged 70 Lancaster California U S Resting placeChapel of the Pines CrematoryOccupation s Radio and film actorYears active1928 1964SpouseGlorianna Royston 1936 Contents 1 Early years 2 Career 3 Personal life 4 Last years and death 5 Filmography 6 References 7 External linksEarly years EditBailey s parents were actor Edwin B Bailey and actress Grace Lockwood Bailey both of whom performed in early 1900s stock theater He made his first appearance on stage with his mother when he was 10 days old He took his middle name from actress Fay Bainter who was his godmother He began performing in his parents stock company when he was 4 years old and continued to work there until he was 15 1 Career EditAt age 15 Bailey worked in a wild west carnival as both a barker and an actor He went on to work at other places as an usher a waiter and a guide at an automobile exhibit among other jobs 1 Bailey first worked in radio in Chicago His mother had left the stage for the newer medium and she helped him find work on soap operas He moved to St Louis when he was offered a job at radio station KWK but he resumed acting when an executive at KWK made him the head of the station s stock company 1 In 1936 Bailey went back to Chicago to get married and to perform with the Chicago Theater of the Air He remained in Chicago until he had to go to the West Coast for some programs in 1942 1 One of Bailey s earliest roles on radio was that of the title character in the comedy serial Mortimer Gooch 1936 37 on CBS 2 366 In the early 1940s Bailey was regularly featured on network radio programs originating from Chicago He played the boyfriend of the title character s sister in That Brewster Boy 3 and the father of the title character in Meet Corliss Archer 4 He played Bob Jones in Kitty Keene Inc 2 He was signed in 1943 by 20th Century Fox and appeared in seven feature films the first two in which he was most prominent starred Laurel and Hardy 5 After the studio failed to renew Bailey s one year contract he returned to radio Starting in 1946 Bailey starred as freelance detective George Valentine in the radio drama Let George Do It 6 but he is best remembered as the title character in the long running radio series Yours Truly Johnny Dollar The program ran from 1949 to 1962 it and Suspense were the last CBS radio drama series on the air until the CBS Radio Mystery Theater began in 1974 and featured the exploits of America s fabulous freelance insurance investigator Bailey starred as Johnny from 1955 to 1960 7 and wrote the script for the December 22 1957 episode The Carmen Kringle Matter using the pen name Robert Bainter 8 With CBS devoting more money to television and wanting to reduce costs Yours Truly Johnny Dollar relocated to New York in 1960 and Bailey unwilling to relocate was dismissed Having performed in almost 500 episodes he had made the role his own With the end of his involvement the show wound down over the following two years with two different actors before being taken off the air in 1962 by which time Bailey had virtually given up acting citation needed Near the end of the 1962 film Birdman of Alcatraz he can be seen as one of the reporters gathered around Burt Lancaster and Edmond O Brien Bailey s role was only a bit and most of his dialogue was dubbed by another actor citation needed Personal life EditIn 1936 Bailey married Glorianna Royston a model 1 Last years and death EditThis section does not cite any sources Please help improve this section by adding citations to reliable sources Unsourced material may be challenged and removed January 2018 Learn how and when to remove this template message Bailey struggled with alcoholism but did overcome his addiction He ended up working in a rehab facility helping others with similar struggles After suffering a stroke he was in a rest home for the last ten years of his life He died in Lancaster California aged 70 on August 13 1983 9 Filmography EditYear Title Role Notes1943 Jitterbugs Chester Wright1943 The Dancing Masters Grant Lawrence1944 Tampico Second Mate Watson1944 The Eve of St Mark Corporal Tate1944 Ladies of Washington Dr Stephen Craig1944 Wing And A Prayer Ensign Paducah Holloway1944 Sunday Dinner For A Soldier Kenneth Normand1953 No Escape Detective Bob1955 Not as a Stranger Charlie Patient in Recovery Ward Uncredited1958 The Line Up Staples1962 Birdman of Alcatraz Reporter on Dock Uncredited1964 A Tiger Walks First Reporter at Hotel Desk UncreditedReferences Edit a b c d e Niemeyer Harry October 22 1944 Lost His Job as Movie Usher St Louis Post Dispatch St Louis MO p 58 Retrieved April 17 2020 via Newspapers com a b Terrace Vincent 1999 Radio Programs 1924 1984 A Catalog of More Than 1800 Shows McFarland amp Company Inc p 190 ISBN 978 0 7864 4513 4 President Will Speak On Labor Day Broadcast The Fresno Bee The Republican August 31 1941 p 10 Retrieved March 28 2015 via Newspapers com She s In Again The Mason City Globe Gazette January 28 1943 p 2 Retrieved March 28 2015 via Newspapers com MacGillivray Scott Laurel amp Hardy from the Forties Forward Second Edition iUniverse 2009 Dunning J Tune in Yesterday Prentice Hall 1976 Dunning John 1998 On the Air The Encyclopedia of Old Time Radio Revised ed New York Oxford University Press pp 741 743 ISBN 978 0 19 507678 3 Retrieved December 1 2019 742 Yours Truly Johnny Dollar Bob Bailey as Johnny Dollar He wrote some episodes of Fury which starred Peter Graves and Johnny Diamond along with a black horse under his alternate pen name of Robert B Bailey Retrieved January 24 2018 Radio Actor The Lancaster New Era August 20 1983 p 23 Retrieved February 8 2023 via Newspapers com External links EditBob Bailey at IMDb Bob Bailey at Find a Grave Bob Bailey at AllMovie Bob Bailey profile MWOTRC com accessed January 24 2018 Retrieved from https en wikipedia org w index php title Bob Bailey actor amp oldid 1138333025, wikipedia, wiki, book, books, library,
