Ed Herlihy

Ed Herlihy
Name	Ed Herlihy
Birth date	July 12, 1909
Birth place	Boston, Massachusetts, United States
Death date	April 30, 1999
Death place	New York City, New York, United States
Occupation	Radio announcer, voice actor, narrator, master of ceremonies
Years active	1930s–1980s

Ed Herlihy

Ed Herlihy was an American radio announcer, voice actor, and narrator best known for his warm, authoritative baritone and prolific presence across radio, film trailers, television, and advertising. He became a familiar voice on major radio programs, in Universal Studios publicity, and in long-running Kraft Foods campaigns, influencing mid-20th century American popular media. His career intersected with many prominent entertainers, studios, and institutions of the Golden Age of Radio and Hollywood publicity.

Early life and education

Born in Boston in 1909, Herlihy attended local schools before matriculating at Holy Cross, where he was exposed to theatrical and oratorical activities that helped shape his vocal technique. His early associations connected him to the New England cultural milieu and institutions such as Boston University, Harvard University, and regional theatrical groups that fed talent into national networks like NBC and CBS. Early influences included performers and announcers who later worked with figures such as Bing Crosby, Frank Sinatra, and producers associated with RKO Pictures and Paramount Pictures.

Radio career

Herlihy's radio career began in the 1930s, when he became a staff announcer and live program host for stations linked to the expanding national networks NBC and Mutual Broadcasting System. He served as announcer on popular programs featuring entertainers such as Jack Benny, Fred Allen, Bob Hope, and Milton Berle, providing continuity voice work and sponsor continuity for shows promoted by agencies working with brands like General Foods and Procter & Gamble. He was associated with variety programs, comedies, and dramatic anthologies that were staples alongside productions from companies like CBS Radio and network-produced broadcasts related to events involving Theatre Guild and touring revues.

Film and television narration

Transitioning from radio, Herlihy brought his vocal craft to film and early television narration, collaborating with directors and producers tied to Universal Pictures, Paramount Pictures, and independent production outfits. His narration work appeared in promotional shorts, documentary segments, and televised specials featuring stars such as Lucille Ball, Desi Arnaz, and hosts like Ed Sullivan. He narrated material that accompanied motion pictures shown in theaters programmed by chains like Loew's Inc. and RKO Theatres, and later lent his voice to television programs broadcast on NBC Television and local affiliate stations.

Work with Universal Studios and film trailers

Herlihy became a go-to voice for trailer narration and publicity for Universal Studios, contributing to previews for films spanning genres from horror to comedy. He voiced trailers and studio promotional reels for releases that placed alongside works by filmmakers connected to Alfred Hitchcock, John Ford, and studio heads associated with Carl Laemmle. His measured delivery became part of Universal's marketing voice during the studio system era, aligning with publicity campaigns that included tie-ins with exhibition networks such as United Artists-distributed features and event presentations at venues associated with CinemaScope premieres.

Advertising and the Kraft Foods campaigns

Herlihy is perhaps most widely remembered for his long association with Kraft Foods, where he served as the radio and television announcer for campaigns promoting brands like Kraft Cheese and sponsored programs that featured entertainers such as George Burns and Gracie Allen. His role in advertising expanded to narration and singing on jingles produced by agencies connected to Young & Rubicam and J. Walter Thompson, and he worked alongside spokespeople and celebrity endorsers including Dinah Shore and Jackie Gleason. These campaigns ran concurrent with national marketing strategies including sponsored programming on NBC Radio and television, linking retail distribution with supermarkets and merchandising chains such as A&P.

Later career and public appearances

In his later career Herlihy continued to appear as master of ceremonies and narrator for benefit programs, charity galas, and televised retrospectives involving institutions such as The American Red Cross, United Service Organizations, and cultural presentations at venues like Carnegie Hall and Radio City Music Hall. He participated in reunions and revival broadcasts that celebrated the Golden Age of Radio alongside contemporaries from The Jack Benny Program and reunited with colleagues from studios like Universal Studios for anniversary retrospectives. Herlihy also made guest appearances on talk programs and documentary segments profiling entertainers and the history of broadcasting on networks including PBS and newsmagazine programs produced by CBS News.

Personal life and legacy

Herlihy's personal life included family ties and community engagement reflective of entertainers who balanced national careers with local civic involvement connected to colleges, parishes, and cultural organizations in Massachusetts and New York City. He left a legacy as one of the defining voices of mid-century American media, influencing announcers and voice actors who later worked with studios like Warner Bros. and agencies such as McCann Erickson. His recordings and preserved broadcasts continue to be studied by historians of Broadcasting and media archivists associated with institutions like the Library of Congress and university collections that document the history of radio, film, and advertising in the United States.

Category:American radio personalities Category:American voice actors