Howard Petrie

{{Short description|American actor (1906–1968)}} {{Use American English|date=August 2022}} {{Use mdy dates|date=August 2022}} {{more footnotes|date=June 2009}} {{Infobox person | name = Howard Petrie | image = Howard Petrie in Rage at Dawn.jpg | image_size = | caption = Petrie in ''[[Rage at Dawn]]'' (1955) | birth_name = Howard Alexander Petrie | birth_date = {{Birth date|1906|11|22|mf=y}} | birth_place = [[Beverly, Massachusetts]], U.S. | death_date = {{Death date and age|1968|3|24|1906|11|22|mf=yes}} | death_place = [[Keene, New Hampshire]], U.S. | resting_place = Worcester Rural Cemetery, [[Worcester County, Massachusetts|Worcester]], [[Massachusetts]] | occupation = Actor | years_active = 1929–1965 | spouse = {{marriage|Alice Wood<br>|1933}} | children = 1 }}

'''Howard Alexander Petrie''' (November 22, 1906 – March 24, 1968) was an American radio, television, and film actor.

==Early life== {{unsourced|section|date=January 2017}} Howard Petrie was born in [[Beverly, Massachusetts]] on November 22, 1906. When Howard was three years old his family moved to [[Concord, Massachusetts|Concord]]. The Petries later lived in [[Arlington, Massachusetts|Arlington]] and then [[Somerville, Massachusetts|Somerville]], where Petrie received his secondary school education. A talented musician, he conducted his high school glee club and played with various instrumental groups. He was a member of the debating team, a captain in the School Regiment and Chairman of the Senior Night Committee. He appeared in school dramatic productions including a starring role as "Marquis de la Seigliere" in the senior class play and the [[Jules Sandeau]] three-act comedy, ''Mademoiselle de la Seigliere.''

==Radio career== After he graduated from Somerville High School in 1924, Petrie worked briefly as a bank clerk and a securities salesman. While on a sales call to a radio station, his sonorous bass voice landed him a job. He joined [[WBZ (AM)|WBZ]] Radio in [[Boston]] in 1929 as a junior announcer.<ref>{{cite news|title=Before the Mike|url=https://www.newspapers.com/clip/20058076/howard_petrie/|work=The Daily Tribune|date=November 26, 1930|location=Wisconsin, Wisconsin Rapids|page=9|via = [[Newspapers.com]]|accessdate = May 13, 2018}} {{Open access}}</ref> After ten months at the WBZ studios, Petrie left for New York City in June, 1930 where he joined the staff of [[NBC]].<ref name="slpd">{{cite news|title=Howard Petrie Wins Medal for Good Announcing|url=https://www.newspapers.com/image/138960576/?terms=%22Howard%2BPetrie%22%2Bactor|work=St. Louis Post-Dispatch|date=March 1, 1936|location=Missouri, St. Louis|page=8|via = [[Newspapers.com]]|accessdate = May 13, 2018}} {{Open access}}</ref>

Petrie soon became the head announcer for many of the network's shows. His first major network assignment was on ''Everything Goes'', starring [[Garry Moore]]. He was the announcer for scores of shows including ''Abie's Irish Rose'',<ref name="buxton">Buxton, Frank and Owen, Bill (1972). ''The Big Broadcast: 1920-1950''. The Viking Press. SBN 670-16240-x. P. 4.</ref> ''Big Sister'', ''Camel Caravan'', ''[[Blondie (radio)|Blondie]]'', ''The Ray Bolger Show'', ''[[The Judy Canova Show]]'', ''The Jimmy Durante Show'', and ''The Garry Moore Show''.

In 1936, Petrie won the Batten, Barten and Durstine Award for Good Announcing.<ref name="slpd" /> In 1942 he was the recipient of the H.P. Davis Memorial Announcers' Award for "personality, adaptability, diction, voice and versatility". He moved to [[California]] in 1943 to become the announcer for ''The Judy Canova Show''. As a "personality announcer", he became a character in the show.

==Film and television career== In 1947, a movie producer who was looking for a tall man for a character role, saw Petrie on the radio stage and offered him the part. At 6 feet four (193 cm) and 240 pounds (109 kg), Petrie played numerous "big man" roles. He worked as a character actor in over thirty feature films and forty television shows. He often appeared in Westerns in both mediums. He played Sheriff Akers in "Wanted Dead or Alive" S2 E13 "No Trail Back" which aired 11/26/1959.

==Personal life== On April 21, 1933, Petrie married Alice Wood, whom he met when he worked at NBC, where she was a hostess<ref name="mc">{{cite news|title=Studio Hostess, Announcer United in Radio Wedding|url=https://www.newspapers.com/clip/20058463/howard_petrie/|work=The Morning Call|date=April 23, 1933|location=Pennsylvania, Allentown|page=18|via = [[Newspapers.com]]|accessdate = May 13, 2018}} {{Open access}}</ref> between 1931 and 1936.{{Citation needed|date=May 2018}} She had been an actress.<ref name=mc/> The Petries had one son.

==Later years and death== Howard Petrie had been living in semi-retirement at his home, Autumn Hill, in [[Walpole, New Hampshire]], when he died in [[Keene, New Hampshire]], on March 24, 1968. He was interred in Worcester Rural Cemetery, [[Worcester County, Massachusetts]].<ref>Wilson, Scott. ''Resting Places: The Burial Sites of More Than 14,000 Famous Persons'', 3d ed.: 2 (Kindle Locations 25047-25048). McFarland & Company, Inc., Publishers. Kindle Edition.</ref>

==Filmography== {| class="wikitable" style="font-size: 90%;" ! colspan="4" style="background: LightSteelBlue;" | Film |- ! Year ! Title ! Role ! Notes |- | rowspan=2|1947 | ''The Hal Roach Comedy Carnival'' | George Baxter, in "Fabulous Joe" | |- | ''[[The Fabulous Joe]]'' | George Baxter | |- | rowspan=3|1950 | ''[[Fancy Pants (film)|Fancy Pants]]'' | Secret Service Man | Uncredited |- | ''[[Walk Softly, Stranger]]'' | Bowen | |- | ''[[Rocky Mountain (film)|Rocky Mountain]]'' | Cole Smith / California Beal | |- | rowspan=4|1951 | ''[[No Questions Asked (film)|No Questions Asked]]'' | Franko | |- | ''[[Cattle Drive]]'' | Cap | |- | ''[[The Racket (1951 film)|The Racket]]'' | The Governor | Uncredited |- | ''[[The Golden Horde (film)|The Golden Horde]]'' | Tugluk | Alternative title: ''The Golden Horde of Genghis Khan'' |- | rowspan=6|1952 | ''[[Bend of the River]]'' | Tom Hendricks | Alternative title: ''Where the River Bends'' |- | ''[[The Wild North]]'' | Brody | |- | ''[[Carbine Williams]]'' | Sheriff | |- | ''[[Red Ball Express (film)|Red Ball Express]]'' | Major General Lee Gordon | |- | ''[[Woman of the North Country]]'' | Rick Barton | |- | ''[[Pony Soldier]]'' | Insp. Frazer | |- | rowspan=4|1953 | ''[[Fair Wind to Java]]'' | Reeder | |- | ''[[Trouble Along the Way]]'' | Marvin Adams | Uncredited |- | ''[[Fort Ti]]'' | Maj. Rogers | |- | ''[[The Veils of Bagdad]]'' | Karsh | |- | rowspan=5|1954 | ''[[Border River]]'' | Newlund | |- | ''[[Seven Brides for Seven Brothers (film)|Seven Brides for Seven Brothers]]'' | Pete Perkins | |- | ''[[The Bounty Hunter (1954 film)|The Bounty Hunter]]'' | Sheriff Brand | |- | ''[[The Bob Mathias Story]]'' | Dr. Charles Mathias | |- | ''[[Sign of the Pagan]]'' | Gundahar | |- | rowspan=4|1955 | ''[[Timberjack (film)|Timberjack]]'' | 'Axe-Handle' Ole | |- | ''[[Rage at Dawn]]'' | Lattimore, Prosecuting Attorney | Alternative title: ''Seven Bad Men'' |- | ''[[How to Be Very, Very Popular]]'' | Desk Sergeant | |- | ''[[The Return of Jack Slade]]'' | Joseph Ryan | |- | rowspan=3|1956 | ''[[The Maverick Queen]]'' | Butch Cassidy | |- | ''[[A Kiss Before Dying (1956 film)|A Kiss Before Dying]]'' | Howard Chesser, Chief of Police | |- | ''[[Johnny Concho]]'' | Joe Helguson, Blacksmith | |- | 1957 | ''[[The Tin Star]]'' | Mayor Harvey King | |- |- ! colspan="4" style="background: LightSteelBlue;" | Television |- ! Year ! Title ! Role ! Notes |- | 1954 | ''Waterfront'' | Hugh Perry | 1 episode |- | 1955 | ''[[The Ford Television Theatre]]'' | Baker | 1 episode |- | 1956 | ''[[Gunsmoke]]'' | Abe Brant | 1 episode "Yorky" |- | rowspan=3|1957 | ''[[Broken Arrow (TV series)|Broken Arrow]]'' | Sam Carson | 1 episode |- | ''[[Letter to Loretta]]'' | Scoutmaster | 1 episode |- | ''[[Casey Jones (TV series)|Casey Jones]]'' | George Newsome | 1 episode "Dark Rider" |- | rowspan=3|1958 | ''[[The Californians (TV series)|The Californians]]'' | Stryker | 1 episode |- | ''[[Alcoa Theatre]]'' | Lieutenant Gifford | 1 episode |- | ''[[Cheyenne (1955 TV series)|Cheyenne]]'' | Burt Wrangel | 1 episode "Wagon-Tongue North" |- | rowspan=7|1959 | ''[[Frontier Justice (TV series)|Frontier Justice]]'' | Kroll | 1 episode |- | ''[[Bonanza]]'' | Major Ormsby | 1 episode |- | ''[[Lawman (TV series)|Lawman]]'' | Hal Mead | 1 episode |- | ''[[Maverick (TV series)|Maverick]]'' | Mike Burke | 1 episode |- | ''[[Colt .45 (TV series)|Colt .45]]'' | John Porter | 1 episode |- | ''[[The DuPont Show with June Allyson]]'' | Abbott | 1 episode |- | ''[[Wanted Dead or Alive (TV series)|Wanted: Dead or Alive]]'' | Sheriff Akers | Episode: "No Trail Back" |- | rowspan=13|1960 | ''[[Shotgun Slade]]'' | Major Kennedy | 1 episode |- | ''[[Wanted Dead or Alive (TV series)|Wanted: Dead or Alive]]'' | Sam Pryor | Episode: "Angela" |- | ''[[M Squad]]'' | Mr. Patrick - Head of heist team | 1 episode |- | ''[[Have Gun – Will Travel]]'' | Jack Foster | S3 E23 "Lady on the Wall" |- | ''[[Mr. Lucky (TV series)|Mr. Lucky]]'' | John Dort | 1 episode |- | ''[[Johnny Ringo (TV series)|Johnny Ringo]]'' | Ed Blanchard | 1 episode |- | ''[[Bat Masterson (TV series)|Bat Masterson]]'' | Hugh Blaine | 4 episodes |- | ''[[The Life and Legend of Wyatt Earp]]'' | Governor Gibbs | 2 episodes |- | ''[[Bronco (TV series)|Bronco]]'' | Rigby | 1 episode |- | ''[[Hennesey]]'' | Admiral Wright | 1 episode |- | ''[[Peter Gunn]]'' | Lockland | 1 episode |- | ''[[The Tom Ewell Show]]'' | Paul Wilkins | Episode: "The Spelling Bee" |- | ''[[Rawhide (TV series)|Rawhide]]'' || Abner Carter || S2:E28, "Incident of the Murder Steer" |- | 1960–1962 | ''[[Death Valley Days]]'' | Joseph Hooker | 2 episodes, (final appearance) |- | rowspan=3|1961 | ''[[National Velvet (TV series)|National Velvet]]'' | Bjorensen | 1 episode |- | ''[[The Many Loves of Dobie Gillis]]'' | Col. McCurdy | 1 episode |- | ''[[Rawhide (TV series)|Rawhide]]'' | Hunneker | S3:E11, "Incident of the Broken Word" |- | 1964–1965 | ''[[The Edge of Night]]'' | Otto Zimerman | Unknown episodes |}

==References== {{reflist}} *''Beverly (Mass.) City Directory and North Shore Map.'' Crowley and Lunt, 1907, 1908, 1909. *Birth record: 1906, Vol. 558, page 407. Massachusetts Vital Records, 1841–1910. From original records held by the Massachusetts Archives. Online database: NewEnglandAncestors.org, New England Historic Genealogical Society, 2004. *Buxton, Frank, and Bill Owen. ''The Big Broadcast, 1920-1950.'' New York: Viking Press, 1976. *Dunning, John. ''Tune in Yesterday: The Ultimate Encyclopedia of Old-Time Radio, 1925-1976.'' Englewood Cliffs. N.J.: Prentice-Hall, 1976. *Frizzell, Martha McDanolds. ''A History of Walpole, New Hampshire.'' Walpole: Walpole Historical Society, 1963, page 263. *Jones, Ken D., Arthur F. McClure and Alfred E. Twomey. ''Character People, The Stalwarts of the Cinema.'' Secaucus, N.J.:, 1976, page 163. *"Howard Petrie, 61, A Radio Announcer and Actor, Is Dead." March 26, 1968, ''New York Times'', page 46. *"Obituaries," March 27, 1968, ''Boston Globe'', page 44. *Poindexter, Ray. ''Golden Throats and Silver Tongues: The Radio Announcers.'' Conway, Ark: River Road Press, 1978, page 68. *''Somerville (Mass.) City Directory.'' Boston: W.A. Greenough Co., 1924, pages 122, 457. *''The Radiator, 1924.'' Somerville (Mass.) High School Yearbook. *U.S. Census Records, 1910 and 1920, for Beverly and Arlington, Massachusetts.

==External links== {{Commons category}} * {{IMDb name|id=0677962}} * Photo of {{cite web|title=Howard Petrie|url=http://www.lib.umd.edu/LAB/JERRYLEE/announcers/00000019.html|work=The LAB On-Line Photo Archive|publisher=Library of American Broadcasting|accessdate=5 September 2013|archiveurl=https://web.archive.org/web/20120207092800/http://www.lib.umd.edu/LAB/JERRYLEE/announcers/00000019.html|archivedate=7 February 2012}} * [http://www.bochynski.com/howardpetrie Howard Petrie photos] Selected images from Howard Petrie's career. * [https://radiogoldin.library.umkc.edu/Home/RadioGoldin_Records?searchString=Petrie,%20Howard&type=Artists Howard Petrie] at Radioindex.com

{{DEFAULTSORT:Petrie, Howard}} [[Category:1906 births]] [[Category:1968 deaths]] [[Category:People from Beverly, Massachusetts]] [[Category:Entertainers from Somerville, Massachusetts]] [[Category:Male actors from Middlesex County, Massachusetts]] [[Category:American male film actors]] [[Category:American male radio actors]] [[Category:American male television actors]] [[Category:Male Western (genre) film actors]] [[Category:20th-century American male actors]] [[Category:Male actors from Essex County, Massachusetts]]