# Arch Presby

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**George Archibald Presby** (August 27, 1907 – January 22, 2007) was a Canadian-born, [American](/source/Americans) [radio](/source/Radio) and [television](/source/Television) [announcer](/source/Announcer).

Born in [Sherbrooke](/source/Sherbrooke), [Quebec](/source/Quebec), Presby began his announcing career at CFDC in [Vancouver](/source/Vancouver) in 1925, and remained with the station at the point where its [call letters](/source/Call_sign) changed to the current [CKWX](/source/CKWX_(AM)) two years later. Afterwards he moved to the U.S., and between 1928 and 1935 he worked at [KOMO](/source/KNWN_(AM)) in [Seattle](/source/Seattle), Washington and [KEX](/source/KEX_(AM)) in [Portland, Oregon](/source/Portland,_Oregon).

In 1935, Presby moved to [San Francisco, California](/source/San_Francisco,_California), where he became the staff announcer for [NBC](/source/NBC) on the West Coast, and also did local announcing work for its [Blue Network](/source/Blue_Network) [flagship station](/source/Flagship_station), [KGO](/source/KGO_(AM)). He was the announcer for years on the program *Bughouse Rhythm*, which showcased leading [jazz](/source/Jazz) and [swing](/source/Swing_music) [musicians](/source/Musician). After the network transferred its West Coast programming operations to their newer [Radio City studios](/source/NBC_Radio_City_Studios#Live_from_Hollywood) in [Hollywood](/source/Hollywood,_Los_Angeles,_California), Presby moved there in 1942 and remained in that base of operations for the rest of his career (which included another move to the network's [Color City](/source/NBC_Studios_(Burbank)) complex in [Burbank](/source/Burbank,_California), starting in the 1950s). As NBC did not own a [radio station](/source/Radio_station) in Los Angeles, he also handled local announcing work for its affiliated station, [KFI](/source/KFI).

After NBC launched its Los Angeles [television station](/source/Television_station), KNBH (later KRCA-TV and now [KNBC](/source/KNBC)) in 1949, Presby became one of the station's first announcers. His most famous television credit was as announcer, and the voice of "Froggy the Gremlin," on *[Smilin' Ed's Gang](/source/Smilin'_Ed_McConnell)* (he had also served in both capacities on the radio show) and its successor, *[Andy's Gang](/source/Andy_Devine)*. Later in the 1950s, he hosted a local [children's show](/source/Children's_television_series) as "Uncle Archie."

Presby remained chief West Coast announcer for NBC, and booth announcer for KNBC, until his retirement in 1972. After retiring, he settled in [Vista, California](/source/Vista,_California), and then moved to [Escondido, California](/source/Escondido,_California) in 1998. He died in Escondido on January 22, 2007, at age 99.

## References

- [Obituary](http://www.nctimes.com/articles/2007/01/28/obituaries/1_27_0717_33_37.txt) in [North County Times / The Californian](/source/North_County_Times), January 28, 2007.
- [Vancouver Broadcasters (P-Q)](http://members.shaw.ca/vancouverbroadcasters2/PQ.htm)
- [Arch Presby radio credits](https://radiogoldin.library.umkc.edu/Home/RadioGoldin_Records?searchString=Presby,%20Arch&type=Artists)

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Adapted from the Wikipedia article [Arch Presby](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Arch_Presby) by Wikipedia contributors ([contributor history](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Arch_Presby?action=history)). Available under [Creative Commons Attribution-ShareAlike 4.0 International](https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-sa/4.0/). Changes may have been made.