Alois Havrilla (July 6, 1891 – December 8, 1952) was an American radio announcer and singer, best known for his role as announcer on ''
The Jack Benny Program
''The Jack Benny Program'', starring Jack Benny, is a radio and television comedy series. The show ran for over three decades, from 1932 to 1955 on radio, and from 1950 to 1965 on television. It won numerous awards, including the 1959 and 19 ...
'' from 1933-1934.
Early years
Havrilla was born on July 6, 1891, in Pressov, Austria-Hungary, and came to the United States with his family when he was four years old. His father, John, was a pharmacist who brought his family to
Bridgeport, Connecticut
Bridgeport is the List of municipalities in Connecticut, most populous city in the U.S. state of Connecticut and the List of cities in New England by population, fifth-most populous city in New England, with a population of 148,654 in 2020. Loc ...
.
Havrilla spoke no English when he arrived, and that condition continued as he attended a Bridgeport school in which classes were taught in his native language. As a little boy he sang folks songs of his native land at church parties and social events. He began to learn English at age seven, as John Baker, who was choir director at Bridgeport Trinity Church, taught him singing and speech. At that time he had an alto voice with a three-octave range, but by age 16 his voice had changed to baritone.
Havrilla became an apprentice civil engineer with a railroad in New England when he was 13 years old. That commitment took most of his time, limiting his musical activities to singing in a choir. His effort to enlist in the military as the United States entered World War I was thwarted by his poor vision. He eventually was drafted for service, but 13 days after joining the military he was rejected again.
Returning to civilian life, he began studying music at
New York University
New York University (NYU) is a private university, private research university in New York City, New York, United States. Chartered in 1831 by the New York State Legislature, NYU was founded in 1832 by Albert Gallatin as a Nondenominational ...
, which led to his teaching music in New Jersey's public schools. Later he taught music in public schools in
Briarcliff Manor, New York
Briarcliff Manor () is a suburban village in Westchester County, New York, north of New York City. It is on of land on the east bank of the Hudson River, geographically shared by the towns of Mount Pleasant and Ossining. Briarcliff Manor inc ...
.
A 1923
Carnegie Hall
Carnegie Hall ( ) is a concert venue in Midtown Manhattan, New York City. It is at 881 Seventh Avenue (Manhattan), Seventh Avenue, occupying the east side of Seventh Avenue between 56th Street (Manhattan), 56th and 57th Street (Manhattan), 57t ...
concert, in which he was soloist with
Percy Grainger
Percy Aldridge Grainger (born George Percy Grainger; 8 July 188220 February 1961) was an Australian-born composer, arranger and pianist who moved to the United States in 1914 and became an American citizen in 1918. In the course of a long and ...
, attracted the attention of Graham McNamee and Elliot Shaw. They pointed him toward a career in radio.
Career
Beginning a career that led to his becoming "one of the highest paid staff announcers on the big networks", Havrilla worked in radio in New York City from 1924 to 1946 as announcer, commentator, and narrator on programs. At various times he was employed by WABC, WEAF, WJZ, and WOR, all in New York City. In 1946 he began working at WNJR in
Newark, New Jersey
Newark ( , ) is the List of municipalities in New Jersey, most populous City (New Jersey), city in the U.S. state of New Jersey, the county seat of Essex County, New Jersey, Essex County, and a principal city of the New York metropolitan area. ...
Paterson, New Jersey
Paterson ( ) is the largest City (New Jersey), city in and the county seat of Passaic County, New Jersey, Passaic County, in the U.S. state of New Jersey. His duties at WNJR included being host of ''Alois Havrilla Presents'', a program that featured recordings of popular and semi-classical music supplemented by Havrilla's comments about his personal knowledge of composers and performers.
Network programs for which Havrilla was the announcer included ''
The Jack Benny Program
''The Jack Benny Program'', starring Jack Benny, is a radio and television comedy series. The show ran for over three decades, from 1932 to 1955 on radio, and from 1950 to 1965 on television. It won numerous awards, including the 1959 and 19 ...
'', ''
The Palmolive Hour
''The Palmolive Hour'' was an American radio concert-variety program, sponsored by Palmolive Soap and broadcast on NBC from December 1927, to July 29, 1931. The Palmolive Musical Stock Company (aka the Palmolivers) offered a mix of jazz, show tu ...
'', ''
Strange as It Seems
''Strange as It Seems'' appeared as a syndicated cartoon feature published from 1928 to 1970, and became a familiar brand to millions around the globe for its comic strips, books, radio shows and film shorts. Created by John Hix, ''Strange as It ...
'', ''Colgate House Party'', ''Conoco Presents'', ''Spartan Triolians'', and ''Double or Nothing''.
Havrilla's voice was heard from 1928 to 1946 as narrator and commentator for travelogues from
RKO
RKO Radio Pictures Inc., commonly known as RKO Pictures or simply RKO, is an American film production and distribution company, historically one of the "Big Five" film studios of Hollywood's Golden Age. The business was formed after the Kei ...
Universal Pictures
Universal City Studios LLC, doing business as Universal Pictures (also known as Universal Studios or simply Universal), is an American filmmaking, film production and film distribution, distribution company headquartered at the 10 Universal Ci ...
. Films that he narrated included ''This Is America'' (1933), ''This Is China'' (1937), ''
The World's Largest Electrical Workshop
''The World's Largest Electrical Workshop'' (1938), is a 30-minute, black and white, sound documentary film produced by Tri-State Pictures for General Electric. The film examines GE's research and manufacturing facilities in the U.S. and Canada, ...
'' (1938), ''You Bet Your Life'' (1939), and ''Hercules Land'' (1944).
Havrilla also performed on Broadway in ''Hassan'' (1924), ''Louie the 14th'' (1925), and ''
Princess Flavia
''Princess Flavia'' is a 1925 operetta in three acts based on Anthony Hope's novel ''The Prisoner of Zenda'', with book and lyrics by Harry B. Smith and music by Sigmund Romberg. It is set in the fictional European country of Zenda.
Production
' ...
'' (1925).
Recognition
In 1935, Havrilla received the radio diction medal, "given on the basis of pronunciation, articulation, tone quality, accent and cultural effect", from the
American Academy of Arts and Letters
The American Academy of Arts and Letters is a 300-member honor society whose goal is to "foster, assist, and sustain excellence" in American literature, Music of the United States, music, and Visual art of the United States, art. Its fixed number ...
.
Personal life and death
When Havrilla lived in Briarcliff Manor, he directed the Briarcliff unit of the Westchester Choral Union and two choirs at the Briarcliff Congregational Church.
Havrilla married Marion Munson, whom he had met when both sang at Bridgeport's Universalist Church, on September 28, 1928, and they had a daughter.
He died on December 8, 1952, in Englewood Hospital, aged 61.
Papers
Havrilla's papers are housed in the University of Maryland Libraries' archival collections. They include correspondence, manuscripts, newspaper clippings, photographs, scrapbooks, scripts, and sheet music. Items in the collection date from 1893 to 1965, with most coming from the 1920s and 1930s.