Rod O'Connor (announcer)
| Rod O'Connor | |
|---|---|
Rod O'Connor at center, behind Red Skelton
|
|
| Born |
January 18, 1914 Houston, Texas, U.S. |
| Died | June 5, 1964 (aged 50) Los Angeles, California, U.S. |
| Show |
House Party Duffy's Tavern The Red Skelton Show |
| Station(s) | KUTA, Salt Lake City, Utah |
| Network | Blue Network/NBC |
| Show |
Don McNeill's Breakfast Club The First Nighter Program |
| Station(s) | WGN |
| Network | CBS |
| Country | United States |
| Parents | George O'Connor Grace Cover |
| Spouse(s) | Virginia Drake (divorced) Sylvia Cannon (m. 1942-1964; his death) |
| Children | 3 |
Roderic George "Rod" O'Connor, Sr. (January 18, 1914–June 5, 1964) was an American radio and television announcer and occasional actor during the early years of television's golden age.
O'Connor built a name for himself as the announcer for both Don McNeill's Breakfast Club and The First Nighter Program at WGN Radio in Chicago. He would leave Chicago for New York and after that, World War II.
It was while serving in the army that O'Connor met comedian Red Skelton. The two became good friends and upon arrival back into the United States, Skelton offered O'Connor an announcing gig on his Raleigh Cigarette Program in 1945. O'Connor also stayed on when Skelton went to television with The Red Skelton Show.
During his announcing career, O'Connor worked some of the biggest names in radio including Art Linkletter, Loretta Young, Dennis Day, Rudy Vallée and Danny Thomas.
Roderic George O'Connor was born in Houston, Texas on January 18, 1914 to parents George O'Connor (May 23, 1881–December 1, 1968) and Grace (née Cover) (March 4, 1884–February 22, 1952). O'Connor's family moved to Utah when he was young and his father became an Ogden City commissioner. O'Connor had a brother; Joseph Richard O'Connor, and two sisters; Kathleen Greenelsh and Nora Dies.
O'Connor began work joining the staff of KUTA Radio in Salt Lake City in 1938. He then went on to announce for KSL also in Salt Lake then WCCO in Minneapolis. O'Connor finally settled at WGN in Chicago where he served as the announcer for Don McNeill's Breakfast Club and The First Nighter Program.
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