Howard Alexander Petrie (November 22, 1906 – March 24, 1968) was an American radio, television, and film actor.
Early life
Howard Petrie was born in Beverly, Massachusetts on November 22, 1906. When Howard was three years old his family moved to Concord. The Petries later lived in Arlington and then 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 Radio in Boston in 1929 as a junior announcer. After ten months at the WBZ studios, Petrie left for New York City in June, 1930 where he joined the staff of NBC.
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,Buxton, Frank and Owen, Bill (1972). The Big Broadcast: 1920-1950. The Viking Press. SBN 670-16240-x. P. 4. Big Sister, Camel Caravan, 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. 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 between 1931 and 1936. She had been an actress. 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.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.
Filmography Film Year Title Role Notes1947 The Hal Roach Comedy Carnival George Baxter, in "Fabulous Joe" The Fabulous Joe George Baxter1950 Fancy Pants Secret Service Man Uncredited Walk Softly, Stranger Bowen Rocky Mountain Cole Smith / California Beal1951 No Questions Asked Franko Cattle Drive Cap The Racket The Governor Uncredited The Golden Horde Tugluk Alternative title: The Golden Horde of Genghis Khan1952 Bend of the River Tom Hendricks Alternative title: Where the River Bends The Wild North Brody Carbine Williams Sheriff Red Ball Express Major General Lee Gordon Woman of the North Country Rick Barton Pony Soldier Insp. Frazer1953 Fair Wind to Java Reeder Trouble Along the Way Marvin Adams Uncredited Fort Ti Maj. Rogers The Veils of Bagdad Karsh1954 Border River Newlund Seven Brides for Seven Brothers Pete Perkins The Bounty Hunter Sheriff Brand The Bob Mathias Story Dr. Charles Mathias Sign of the Pagan Gundahar1955 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 Ryan1956 The Maverick Queen Butch Cassidy A Kiss Before Dying Howard Chesser, Chief of Police Johnny Concho Joe Helguson, Blacksmith 1957 The Tin Star Mayor Harvey King 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"1957 Broken Arrow Sam Carson 1 episode Letter to Loretta Scoutmaster 1 episode Casey Jones George Newsome 1 episode "Dark Rider"1958 The Californians Stryker 1 episode Alcoa Theatre Lieutenant Gifford 1 episode Cheyenne Burt Wrangel 1 episode "Wagon-Tongue North"1959 Frontier Justice Kroll 1 episode Bonanza Major Ormsby 1 episode Lawman Hal Mead 1 episode Maverick Mike Burke 1 episode Colt .45 John Porter 1 episode The DuPont Show with June Allyson Abbott 1 episode Wanted: Dead or Alive Sheriff Akers Episode: "No Trail Back"1960 Shotgun Slade Major Kennedy 1 episode 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 John Dort 1 episode Johnny Ringo Ed Blanchard 1 episode Bat Masterson Hugh Blaine 4 episodes The Life and Legend of Wyatt Earp Governor Gibbs 2 episodes 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 Abner Carter S2:E28, "Incident of the Murder Steer" 1960–1962 Death Valley Days Joseph Hooker 2 episodes, (final appearance)1961 National Velvet Bjorensen 1 episode The Many Loves of Dobie Gillis Col. McCurdy 1 episode Rawhide Hunneker S3:E11, "Incident of the Broken Word" 1964–1965 The Edge of Night Otto Zimerman Unknown episodes
References
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
Photo of Howard Petrie photos Selected images from Howard Petrie's career. Howard Petrie at Radioindex.com