Bob Readick

Bob Readick
Readick as "Ricky Browning" (1953)
Born(1925-11-28)November 28, 1925
DiedMay 27, 1985(1985-05-27) (aged 59)[1]
Trenton, New Jersey
OccupationActor
FatherFrank Readick[2]

Bob Readick (November 28, 1925 – May 27, 1985), also known professionally as Bobby Readick, was an American voice and film actor, best known for a run as the voice of "Johnny Dollar" in the CBS radio series Yours Truly, Johnny Dollar in the early 1960s.

Career

The son of actor Frank Readick, as a child voice actor Bob Readick made his debut as "Bobby Readick" at the age of eight[3] on the CBS children's radio series Let's Pretend. He also appeared as "Pesky Brat" on the radio series Home of the Brave in 1941.[4]

As a teen film actor, he was also credited as Bobby Readick, portraying Benny McNeil in Harrigan's Kid (1943) and Eddie in The Canterville Ghost (1944).

On Broadway, he appeared in George Washington Slept Here (1940),[5] All in Favor (1942),[6] and The Biggest Thief in Town (1949) [7]

A prolific radio actor, by the time he was 23 in 1950 he had appeared in 7,000 broadcasts.[3] He and his father Frank played William Arnold (Frank Readick) and Tom Morley (Bob Readick) in the 1950 CBS radio soap opera This Is Nora Drake,[3][8] and he was Dr. Ricky Browning in the CBS radio series Hilltop House alongside Jan Miner in 1953.[9] Readick portrayed Dave Wallace in Pepper Young's Family and Dr. John Brent on Road Of Life on NBC and CBS, respectively.[10]

He was also featured as the recurring love interest "Michael Victor" in Marlene Dietrich's 1953–1954 radio series Time for Love. Other radio series he appeared in include Rosemary,[11][12] The Second Mrs. Burton, Aunt Jenny's Real Life Stories, and Whispering Streets.[2]

At the end of 1960, he began a 26-episode run as "Johnny Dollar" in the CBS radio series Yours Truly, Johnny Dollar (December 1960 – June 1961).[13][14] He was the fifth actor in the role.[15] In the late 1970s, he appeared on five episodes of CBS Radio Mystery Theater.[16]

Personal life

Readick and his wife, Barbara, wed on May 8, 1955. They had a son, Jodd.[10]

Filmography

Year Title Role Notes
1943 Harrigan's Kid Benny McNeil
1944 The Canterville Ghost Eddie

References

  1. ^ Willis, John, ed. (1986). Theatre World: 1984–1985 Season. Vol. 41. New York City: Crown Publishers, Inc. p. 230. ISBN 0-517-556812 – via Internet Archive.
  2. ^ a b Cox, Jim (2008). The Great Radio Soap Operas. McFarland. pp. 219–. ISBN 978-1-4766-0414-5.
  3. ^ a b c "'Nora Drake' Celebrates 2nd Anniversary". The Times. Louisiana, Shreveport. April 9, 1950. p. 12 A. Retrieved December 13, 2018 – via Newspapers.com. Open access icon
  4. ^ Little, Mary (February 10, 1941). "Bobby Readick is 'Pesky Brat' of 'Home of Brave'". Des Moines Tribune. Vol. 60, no. 149. Des Moines, Iowa: The Register and Tribune Company. p. 4–A – via Newspapers.com.
  5. ^ "Bobby Readick". Internet Broadway Database. The Broadway League. Archived from the original on December 14, 2018. Retrieved December 14, 2018.
  6. ^ "Bob Readick". Internet Broadway Database. The Broadway League. Archived from the original on December 14, 2018. Retrieved December 14, 2018.
  7. ^ Littleford, Roger S. Jr., ed. (April 9, 1949). "The Biggest Thief in Town". Broadway Openings. The Billboard. Vol. 61, no. 15. p. 57. ISSN 0006-2510.
  8. ^ "Hollywood off the Air" (PDF). Radio and Television Best. 3 (1): 9. January 1950. Retrieved December 15, 2018.
  9. ^ Paterno, Julie (March 1953). "Hilltop House: Is the Thrill of Love Enough?". Radio-TV Mirror. 39 (4) (Keystone ed.). New York, NY: Macfadden Publications, Inc.: 9 – via Internet Archive.
  10. ^ a b Temple, Mary (December 1958). "Show Business Baby". TV Radio Mirror. 51 (1): 50, 74–75.
  11. ^ Cox, Jim (November 15, 2005). Historical Dictionary of American Radio Soap Operas. Scarecrow Press. p. 196. ISBN 978-0-8108-6523-5.
  12. ^ "Rosemary - the Original Old-Time Radio BBS".
  13. ^ Dunning, John (May 7, 1998). On the Air: The Encyclopedia of Old-Time Radio. Oxford University Press, USA. p. 742. ISBN 978-0-19-507678-3.
  14. ^ Alicoate, Charles A., ed. (1961). Radio Annual and Television Year Book (24 ed.). Radio Daily. p. 1099 – via Internet Archive.
  15. ^ Abbott, John C. (April 2012). "Five Dollars and Change". Radio Recall. Metropolitan Washington Old Times Radio Club.
  16. ^ Payton, Gordon; Grams, Martin Jr. (September 17, 2015) [1999]. The CBS Radio Mystery Theater: An Episode Guide and Handbook to Nine Years of Broadcasting, 1974–1982. McFarland. pp. 178, 184, 193, 200, 211. ISBN 978-0-7864-9228-2.