Lou Merrill

Lou Merrill (April 1, 1912 – April 7, 1963) was an American actor, primarily in radio from the 1930s through the 1950s.

He was with Lux Radio Theater as a utility supporting player in nearly every broadcast from 1937-1939 (notably as Sleepy in Snow White and the Seven Dwarfs), also serving as an assistant director handling the crowd scenes during that time; he continued to work the show sporadically until 1953. Other radio shows in the '30s included roles in the children's Christmas series The Cinnamon Bear (as Santa Claus), the crime drama Big Town (as various gangsters and a stand-in for Edward G. Robinson as Steve Wilson), the soap opera Those We Love (as con man Ed Neely), and The Mickey Mouse Theater of the Air. He later worked for Arch Oboler on Arch Oboler's Plays and Lights Out.

In 1941, he starred as the Nemo-like Captain Craig McKenzie in the now mostly lost sci-fi series Latitude Zero and 12 years later, would star on the true crime anthology drama series Crime Classics. Merrill played Thomas Hyland the host/narrator with a fascination in crime, playing the role deadpan but with subtle humor. Radio comedy appearances included Point Sublime (a regular as jeweler Aaron Saul) and Abbott and Costello (guesting as Santa Claus). He also appeared on Escape, The Man Called X, Suspense, NBC University Theater, On Stage, The CBS Radio Workshop, Rogue's Gallery, and The Six Shooter.