Parker Fennelly

Parker Fennelly

The "Allen's Alley" cast (l to r): Fred Allen, Kenny Delmar, Minerva Pious, Peter Donald and Parker Fennelly.
Born Parker W. Fennelly
October 22, 1891
Northeast Harbor, Maine, U.S.
Died January 22, 1988 (aged 96)
Peekskill, New York, U.S.
Occupation Actor, comedian
Years active 1924-1971

Parker Fennelly (October 22, 1891 – January 22, 1988) was an American actor who appeared in ten films, numerous television episodes and hundreds of radio programs.

Early life

He was born and raised in Northeast Harbor, Maine, and studied classical acting in Boston.

Allen's Alley

Fennelly personified the crusty New England Yankee in roles on radio, films and television. He was heard weekly as Titus Moody on the "Allen's Alley" segment of Fred Allen's radio show where he delivered his famous opening line: "Howdy, Bub."

Other radio

Fennelly's other roles on radio included the following:

Program Character
Lawyer Tucker Tucker[1]
Ma and Pa Pa
Mother and Dad Dad[2]
Prairie Folks Smiley[3]
Valiant Lady Mike Hagen[4]

Television and films

Note how this poster illustration was cleverly designed to disguise the face of Parker Fennelly, who stepped in to replace series regular Percy Kilbride.

Fennelly made numerous appearances on live television shows of the early 1950s, including Lux Video Theatre, The Philco Television Playhouse and Studio One. In 1970-71, he played Mr. Purdy on Headmaster on CBS.[5]

In film, Fennelly portrayed the millionaire in Alfred Hitchcock's The Trouble with Harry (1955), and he replaced Percy Kilbride as Pa Kettle in the final film of the "Ma and Pa Kettle" series. After Angel in My Pocket (1969), his last movie role was Universal's movie How to Frame a Figg (1971) starring Don Knotts.

In later years he became a familiar face as the Pepperidge Farm's television spokesman between 1956 and the 1980s, delivering the slogan "Pepperidge Farm remembers" in his New England accent.[6]

Death

The gravesite of Parker W. Fennelly and his wife

Fennelly died in 1988, aged 96. His widow, Catherine Fennelly (1892—1988), died five months later, aged 95. Their remains were interred in Sleepy Hollow Cemetery in Sleepy Hollow, New York.

References

  1. ↑ "Barrister". Harrisburg Telegraph. May 31, 1947. p. 17. Retrieved March 29, 2015 – via Newspapers.com.
  2. ↑ Dunning, John. (1998). On the Air: The Encyclopedia of Old-Time Radio. Oxford University Press. ISBN 978-0-19-507678-3.
  3. ↑ "Wednesday's Highlights". Radio and Television Mirror 14 (4): 46. August 1940. Retrieved 7 March 2015.
  4. ↑ Fairfax, Arthur (December 28, 1940). "Mr. Fairfax Replies". Movie Radio Guide 10 (12): 43. Retrieved 19 January 2015.
  5. ↑ Brooks, Tim & Marsh, Earle (1979). The Complete Directory to Prime Time Network TV Shows: 1946-Present. Ballantine Books. ISBN 0-345-25525-9. P.257.
  6. ↑ Klimkiewicz, Joann (July 29, 2004). "`Peppridge Faahm' Pitchman Remembered". Hartford Courant. Retrieved 15 January 2015.

Further reading

External links