Born
in Indianapolis, Harry von Zell was an announcer, singer, and actor on national radio and television. As a staff announcer he worked with Fred Allen, Phil Baker, Eddie Cantor, and Ed Wynn. At one time in the 20’s and 30’s he was announcing as many as 20 network shows each week. As an actor, von Zell appeared in 28 films, and was in the cast of the George Burns and Gracie Allen television show. He is also known for one of radio’s most memorable bloopers. The verbal slip came in 1931 when von Zell referred to the U.S. President Herbert Hoover as “Hoobert Heever” during a birthday tribute to Hoover. He died of cancer November 21, 1981, in California.
