Parker Fennelly
Template:Short description Template:Infobox person Parker W. Fennelly (October 22, 1891 – January 22, 1988) was an American character actor who appeared in ten films, numerous television episodes and hundreds of radio programs.
Early life
The son of gardener Nathan Fennelly and Estelle Dolliver Fennelly,<ref name=rg072035>Template:Cite news</ref> he was born and raised in Northeast Harbor, Maine, and studied classical acting in Boston, where he was a member of the Toy Theater company and participated in Chautauqua readings.<ref>Template:Cite news Template:Open access</ref> He studied under the performing arts educator Leland T. Powers.<ref name=mrj>Template:Cite news Template:Open access</ref>
Stage
In 1915 and 1916, Fennelly toured on the Midland Chautauqua Circuit with the Maud Scheerer Shakespeare Players.<ref name=mrj/> In 1919, he traveled and acted with the Jack X. Lewis Stock Company.<ref>Template:Cite news Template:Open access</ref> Fennelly and his wife, Catherine Reynolds Fennelly, formed the Parker Fennelly Duo, presenting short plays, readings and impersonations (1921–1923<ref>Template:Cite newsTemplate:Open access</ref><ref>Template:Cite news Template:Open access</ref>).
Fennelly's performances on Broadway included roles in Mr. Pitt (1924), The Small Timers (1925), Florida Girl (1925), Babbling Brookes (1927), Black Velvet (1927), The County Chairman (1936), Yours, A. Lincoln (1942), Our Town (1944), Happily Ever After (1945), Live Life Again (1945), Loco (1946) and The Southwest Corner (1955). His other Broadway credits include directing Technique (1931), providing source material for Fulton of Oak Falls (1937) and writing Cuckoos on the Hearth (1941).<ref>{{#invoke:citation/CS1|citation |CitationClass=web }}</ref>
Radio
Fennelly and Arthur Allen played "Yankee codgers" on The Stebbins Boys of Bucksport Point and Snow Village Sketches in the early years of radio.<ref name=nyt>Template:Cite news</ref>
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".<ref>Template:Cite episode</ref>
Other radio
Fennelly's other roles on radio included the following:
| Program | Character |
|---|---|
| Lawyer Tucker | Tucker<ref>Template:Cite news Template:Open access</ref> |
| Ma and Pa | Pa |
| Mother and Dad | Dad<ref name=dunningota>Template:Cite book</ref> |
| Mr. Feathers | Mr. Feathers<ref>Template:Cite magazine</ref> |
| Prairie Folks | Smiley<ref>Template:Cite magazine</ref> |
| The Adventures of the Thin Man | Eb<ref>Template:Cite magazine</ref> |
| Valiant Lady | Mike Hagen<ref>Template:Cite journal</ref> |
In 1960, Fennelly recorded Moody Speaking, a series of "sparkling one-minute and five-minute vignettes" produced by Banner Radio Company for local stations.<ref>Template:Cite news</ref>
Television and films
Fennelly made numerous appearances on live television shows in the early 1950s, including Lux Video Theatre, The Philco Television Playhouse and Studio One. In 1956, he guest-starred on an episode of Father Knows Best as a housepainter. He also appeared in "The Trouble with Richard," an unsold television pilot starring Dick Van Dyke aired on the anthology series New Comedy Showcase in 1960.<ref>{{#invoke:citation/CS1|citation |CitationClass=web }}</ref><ref name=tvobsecuritiesstatus>{{#invoke:citation/CS1|citation |CitationClass=web }}</ref> In 1970–1971, he played Mr. Purdy on Headmaster on CBS.<ref name="Headmaster">Template:Cite book</ref>
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, The Kettles on Old MacDonald's Farm. After Angel in My Pocket (1969), his last movie role was Universal's How to Frame a Figg (1971) starring Don Knotts.
In later years, Fennelly became a familiar face as the Pepperidge Farm's television spokesman between 1956 and 1977, delivering the slogan "Pepperidge Farm remembers" in his New England accent, then turned over the role to Charles C. Welch.<ref>Template:Cite news</ref>
Personal life
In 1918, Fennelly met and married Catherine Deane "while both of them were playing in a stock company in Moline, Illinois". They had two daughters, Mary and Jane, and a son, John.<ref name=rg072035/>
Recordings
In 1950, Fennelly made the children's record "Ride 'Em Cowboy (I and II)" (CGR-1003).<ref>Template:Cite news</ref> In 1953, he recorded another children's item, "Hunters of the Sea" (Record Guild 9006).<ref>Template:Cite magazine</ref>
Death
Fennelly died on January 22, 1988, aged 96, at his home in Peekskill, New York. He was survived by his wife, two daughters, four grandsons and one great-grandson.<ref name=nyt/>
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.
Filmography
| Year | Title | Role | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1949 | Lost Boundaries | Alvin Tupper | |
| 1951 | The Whistle at Eaton Falls | Issac | |
| 1955 | The Trouble with Harry | Millionaire | |
| 1957 | The Kettles on Old MacDonald's Farm | Pa Kettle | |
| 1959 | It Happened to Jane | Homer Bean | |
| 1966 | The Russians Are Coming, the Russians Are Coming | Mr. Everett | |
| 1968 | Pretty Poison | Sam - Night Watchman | uncredited |
| 1969 | Angel in My Pocket | Calvin Grey | |
| 1971 | How to Frame a Figg | Old Charley Spaulding |
References
Further reading
- Old-Time Radio Memories by Mel Simons (BearManor Media).
External links
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- Parker Fennelly papers, 1896-1997, held by the Billy Rose Theatre Division, New York Public Library for the Performing Arts.
- Pages with broken file links
- IBDB name template using Wikidata
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- 1891 births
- 1988 deaths
- 20th-century American male actors
- American male film actors
- American male radio actors
- American male stage actors
- American male television actors
- Burials at Sleepy Hollow Cemetery
- People from Northeast Harbor, Maine
- Male actors from Maine