Ed Prentiss
Paul Edward Prentiss[1] (September 9, 1908 – March 19, 1992) was an actor in the era of old-time radio.[2] He was perhaps best known for portraying the title role on the radio version of Captain Midnight.
Ed Prentiss | |
|---|---|
Ed Prentiss is pictured in his role of Ned in the radio soap opera The Guiding Light. | |
| Born | Paul Edward Prentiss September 9, 1908 |
| Died | March 19, 1992 (aged 83) |
| Alma mater | University of Iowa |
| Occupation | Actor |
| Spouse | Ivah Davidson (1941-?) |
| Children | 1 son |
Early years
Prentiss was born in Chicago, Illinois.[2] He attended the University of Iowa.[3]
Radio
Radio historian Jim Harmon noted, in his book The Great Radio Heroes, "Ed Prentiss was not the first actor to play Captain Midnight, contrary to some published reports."[4] After Bill Bouchey had the role in the program's second season, Prentiss auditioned for the third season, got the part, and continued as Captain Midnight for seven years.[4]
On The Guiding Light soap opera, Prentiss played Ned (a "neglected youth") and was the program's "omniscient host."[5] Beginning in 1943, Prentiss was narrator for an hour-long block consisting of three soap operas: Today's Children, The Guiding Light and Woman in White. The three programs had interconnecting story lines, with Prentiss's narration "introducing each program segment and linking all three together."[6]
Prentiss's other roles on radio programs included those shown in the table below.
| Program | Role |
|---|---|
| Armstrong of the SBI | Announcer[7] |
| The First Nighter Program | Host[7]: 118 |
| Jack Armstrong, the All-American Boy | Announcer[7]: 167 |
| Johnny Lujack of Notre Dame | Lujack's sidekick[7]: 178 |
| Silver Eagle | Narrator[7]: 304 |
| Sweet River | Minister [7]: 324 |
| A Tale of Today | Michael Denby[8] |
Prentiss had his own syndicated program, This Is The Story. An ad for the 15-minute program described it as follows: "Ed Prentiss, America's greatest story teller ... offers true and unusual tales, each with a surprisingly different ending."[9]
He also was a regular on Arnold Grimm's Daughter,[10] Painted Dreams, Bud Barton,[11] The Romance of Helen Trent, Springtime and Harvest[12] and Holland Housewarming.[7]: 153
Film
Prentiss appeared in Westbound (1959)[13] and The FBI Story (1959).[14]
Television
Prentiss played Dr. Snyder on As the World Turns.[15] He was one of the hosts of Action Autographs,[16] was the host for Majority Rules.[16]: 643 and played Edward Elliott on Morning Star.[16]: 716 He also was the announcer for That's O'Toole.[17] He also played roles in various TV Westerns of the late 1950s-early '60s, often as a sheriff. He is easily recognized by his voice, as well as his physical appearance. In 1957 Prentiss appeared as Bob Gentry on the TV western Cheyenne in the episode titled "Top Hand."[citation needed]
Personal life
Prentiss married Ivah Davidson on November 21, 1941.[18] They had a son, born September 14, 1943.[19]
Filmography
| Year | Title | Role | Notes | |||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1957 | Cheyenne | Ben Gentry | Episode: Top Hand | |||||
| 1958 | Violent Road | Mr. Nelson | ||||||
| 1958 | Home Before Dark | Dr. Collins | Uncredited | |||||
| 1959 | Westbound | James Fuller - U.S. Post Office | Uncredited | |||||
| 1959 | The FBI Story | U.S. Marshal | ||||||
| 1959 | Beloved Infidel | Attendee at Preview | Uncredited | |||||
| 1960 | Wanted Dead or Alive (TV series) | Sheriff Truxton | Episode: Mental Lapse | |||||
| 1960 | Man on a String | Adrian Benson | ||||||
| 1960 | The Crowded Sky | Joseph Bruce aka J.B. | Uncredited | |||||
| 1960 | Sunrise at Campobello | Barker | Uncredited | |||||
| 1961 | A Fever in the Blood | Convention Chairman | Uncredited | |||||
| 1961 | Ada | Clergyman at Legislative Meeting | Uncredited | |||||
| 1961 | The Children's Hour | Head of Hospital | Uncredited | |||||
| 1961 | Lover Come Back | Zachary, Ad Council Member | Uncredited | |||||
| 1961 | The Outsider | Speaker | Uncredited | |||||
| 1963 | A Gathering of Eagles | Duty Controller | ||||||
| 1963 | Wall of Noise | Paddock Steward | ||||||
| 1963 | Leave it to Beaver | Mr. Bailey | Episode: The Clothing Drive | 1964 | One Man's Way | Mr. Boardman | ||
| 1964 | Kisses for My President | Max Kloch | Uncredited | |||||
| 1964 | Quick, Before It Melts | Dentist in Antarctica | Uncredited | |||||
| 1967 | Eight on the Lam | Minister | Uncredited | |||||
| 1968 | Project X | Hicks | ||||||
| 1971 | The Barefoot Executive | Harry - Justice Dept. Man | ||||||
| 1971 | The Marriage of a Young Stockbroker | Mr. Franklin |
Notes
Perry Mason, Series 7, Episode 12. "The case of the badgered brother". Credited as Voice on recording, at the reading of the will in Perry's office.
References
- ^ "Louis Johnson to Discuss Defense". Belvidere Daily Republican. Illinois, Belvidere. July 9, 1940. p. 13. Retrieved August 7, 2016 – via Newspapers.com.
- ^ a b DeLong, Thomas A. (1996). Radio Stars: An Illustrated Biographical Dictionary of 953 Performers, 1920 through 1960. McFarland & Company, Inc. ISBN 978-0-7864-2834-2. P. 219.
- ^ "Studio Notes". The Evening News. Pennsylvania, Harrisburg. April 15, 1940. p. 24. Retrieved August 7, 2016 – via Newspapers.com.
- ^ a b Harmon, Jim (2001). The Great Radio Heroes, rev. ed (Revised ed.). McFarland. p. 183. ISBN 9780786483655. Retrieved 7 August 2016.
- ^ Loviglio, Jason (2005). Radio's Intimate Public: Network Broadcasting and Mass-mediated Democracy. U of Minnesota Press. p. 82. ISBN 9780816642342. Retrieved 7 August 2016.
- ^ Allen, Robert Clyde (1985). Speaking of Soap Operas. UNC Press Books. p. 162. ISBN 9780807841297. Retrieved 7 August 2016.
- ^ a b c d e f g Terrace, Vincent (1999). Radio Programs, 1924-1984: A Catalog of More Than 1800 Shows. McFarland & Company, Inc. ISBN 978-0-7864-4513-4. P. 27.
- ^ "What Do You Want to Know?". Radio Mirror. 10 (2): 69. June 1938. Retrieved 8 August 2016.
- ^ "(Snader Telescriptions Sales, Inc. ad)". Sponsor. 6 (5): 95. March 10, 1952. Retrieved 8 August 2016.
- ^ "What Do You Want to Know?". Radio Mirror. 10 (3): 54. July 1938. Retrieved 8 August 2016.
- ^ "Henry Aldrich on the Radio Tonight". Belvidere Daily Republican. Illinois, Belvidere. July 11, 1940. p. 5. Retrieved August 7, 2016 – via Newspapers.com.
- ^ Ferris, Earle (December 9, 1939). "Right out of the Air". The Edinburg Daily Courier. Indiana, Edinburg. p. 3. Retrieved August 7, 2016 – via Newspapers.com.
- ^ Pitts, Michael R. (2012). Western Movies: A Guide to 5,105 Feature Films, 2d ed (2nd ed.). McFarland. p. 390. ISBN 9780786463725. Retrieved 7 August 2016.
- ^ Mavis, Paul (2011). The Espionage Filmography: United States Releases, 1898 through 1999. McFarland. p. 100. ISBN 9780786449156. Retrieved 7 August 2016.
- ^ "As the World Turns". TV Radio Mirror. 47 (5): 44. April 1957. Retrieved 8 August 2016.
- ^ a b c Terrace, Vincent (2011). Encyclopedia of Television Shows, 1925 through 2010. McFarland & Company, Inc. ISBN 978-0-7864-6477-7. P. 50.
- ^ "Television Reviews: That's O'Toole". Variety. March 16, 1949. p. 84. Retrieved 8 August 2016.
- ^ "Behind the Mike". Broadcasting. December 1, 1941. p. 36. Retrieved 8 August 2016.
- ^ "(untitled brief)". Broadcasting. September 27, 1943. p. 44.
External links
- Ed Prentiss at IMDb
- Ed Prentiss at Find a Grave