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Gil Stratton

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Nationality
  
USA

Name
  
Gil Stratton

Occupation
  
ActorSportscaster

Role
  
Actor


Years active
  
1943-2003

Spouse
  
Dee Arlen (m. 1961–2008)

Known for
  
ActorSportscaster

Gil Stratton wwwsitcomsonlinecomphotopostdata2190mediumt

Born
  
June 2, 1922 (
1922-06-02
)
Brooklyn, New York, U.S.

Cause of death
  
Congestive Heart Failure

Died
  
October 11, 2008, Toluca Lake, Los Angeles, California, United States

Residence
  
Toluca Lake, Los Angeles, California, United States

Movies and TV shows
  
Stalag 17, Girl Crazy, The Cat from Outer Space, That's My Boy

Similar People
  
William Pierson, Sig Ruman, Neville Brand, Norman Taurog, Busby Berkeley

Education
  
St. Lawrence University

Gil Stratton Jr. (June 2, 1922 – October 11, 2008) was an actor and sportscaster who was born in Brooklyn, New York. He most recently resided in Toluca Lake, California, until his death from congestive heart failure.

Contents

Gil Stratton wwwnndbcompeople576000350523gilstratton1s

Early life

Gil Stratton filmTheWildOnewithMarlonBrandoandmarymurphyjpg

Stratton was born June 2, 1922, in Brooklyn, N.Y., and attended Poly Prep in Brooklyn. He later attended St. Lawrence University in Canton, N.Y., where he graduated with a bachelor's degree, and starred as goalie of the SLU hockey team.

Stage career

Gil Stratton Gil Stratton Wikipedia

He first became interested in acting as a teenager. He debuted on Broadway at the age of 19 as Bud Hooper in the George Abbott musical Best Foot Forward. The musical ran from October 1, 1941 to July 4, 1942.

Film career

Gil Stratton Gil Stratton Jr ber diesen Star Star Cinemade

As a result of Stratton's appearance in Best Foot Forward, MGM hired him as a contract player. His first job for MGM was in the film Girl Crazy with Mickey Rooney and Judy Garland, singing "Embraceable You" in a duet with Garland.

Gil Stratton Gil Stratton Jr Eddie Mayehoff Sitcoms Online Photo Galleries

After completing Girl Crazy, he had a short film hiatus due to having enlisted in the United States Army Air Corps upon the US entry to World War II. He later noted that he ended up spending much of his service umpiring baseball. During this time he began umpiring for the Pacific Coast League (PCL). While umpiring in the PCL he began using the line, "time to call 'em as I see 'em."

Gil Stratton Gil Stratton 1922 2008 Find A Grave Memorial

When Stratton completed his time with the Army, he returned to film, appearing in such features as Stalag 17 (1953) (as the narrator Cookie), a role in The Wild One (1953), and Bundle of Joy (1956). He starred in a total of 40 films during his film career, sharing the big screen with other notable actors such as Cary Grant, Shirley Temple, Marilyn Monroe, and William Holden.

Radio/television actor

Gil Stratton Gil Stratton as a Pacific Coast League Baseball Umpire at Gilmore

In addition to acting in several films, Stratton began working as a radio actor in the late 1940s, performing in such shows as Lux Radio Theater, The Great Gildersleeve, and My Little Margie He worked opposite Judy Garland in the 1950 radio adaptation of The Wizard of Oz, and acted opposite Shirley Temple in a radio version of The Bachelor and the Bobby-Soxer.

In the 1954-1955 television season, Stratton starred on CBS as "Junior" Jackson in the situation comedy That's My Boy as a son pushed by his father to become a football star at their common alma mater. His co-stars were Eddie Mayehoff as his father, a construction contractors in the series, and Rochelle Hudson as his mother, Alice Jackson. Oddly, Hudson, cast as the mother, was only six years older than Stratton.

In the 1950s Stratton appeared in several episodes of Jack Webb's Dragnet. In the 1970s and 1980s he made occasional guest appearances on many television series, usually portraying a sports announcer.

Sportscasting career

Stratton was hired by Los Angeles television station KNXT-TV (now CBS-2) in 1954 as a sportscaster and sports news anchor. He spent sixteen years as sports anchor of the show The Big News during the 1960s and 1970s. This was the first hour-long news program for the region. While there, he became recognized for his signature phrase "Time to call 'em as I see 'em", which he had started saying during his years as a baseball umpire. Within a year,"The Big News" was earning a 28 percent share in the Los Angeles ratings and the show format became the standard that was copied by other local TV stations across the country. Stratton was the last-surviving member of The Big News team prior to his death.

He also served as a sportscaster for California CBS AM radio station, KNX 1070, from 1967 to 1984 and from 1986 to 1997 and for KTTV for a time in the 70's and 80's.

While working for CBS Sports in both television and radio, he covered the 1960 Summer Olympics from Rome. He also covered the NFL as "the voice" of the Los Angeles Rams in the 1960s, and called Major League Baseball games, Kentucky Derbies, and feature races from Santa Anita, Hollywood Park, and Del Mar. He also covered many other sports, such as hockey, tennis, track and field and golf.

MSNBC commentator Keith Olbermann worked with Stratton at both KCBS/KNXT and at KNX 1070. He said of Stratton, "There aren't many renaissance men in any age, but Gil was one of them." Stratton won five local Emmys during his television career, and was also awarded seven Golden Mike awards from the Radio-Television News Association.

Retirement and later life

Stratton first retired from TV and radio in 1984, and traveled to the Big Island of Hawaii, where he became Owner/General Manager of a small radio station, 790 AM KKON, in Kealakekua, Hawaii. But being behind the desk was not for Stratton - he wanted to be behind the microphone again. Stratton sold the station to Bill Evans and returned again to KNX 1070 radio in 1986 as a weekend sports anchor. He retired again in 1997, but continued doing charity work, such as hosting many charity golf tournaments to raise funds for Henry Mayo Hospital in Newhall. The hospital later named a newborn nursery after him in appreciation of his work. He also taught classes in broadcasting at California State University Northridge.

Stratton died on October 11, 2008, at the age of 86.

Filmography

Actor
2003
Dismembered as
Cafe Manager
1999
Malcolm & Eddie (TV Series) as
Race Track Announcer
- The Sweet Hell of Success (1999) - Race Track Announcer (voice)
1994
Boy Meets World (TV Series) as
Announcer / T.V. Announcer
- The Last Temptation of Cory (1995) - Announcer (voice)
- Boy Meets Girl (1994) - T.V. Announcer (voice, as Gil Stratton Jr.)
1986
Mama's Family (TV Series) as
Announcer
- National Mama (1986) - Announcer
1983
Remington Steele (TV Series) as
Steve Kafner
- Steele Knuckles and Glass Jaws (1983) - Steve Kafner
1983
Cagney & Lacey (TV Series)
- Let Them Eat Pretzels (1983)
1981
Trapper John, M.D. (TV Series) as
Announcer
- Brain Child (1981) - Announcer
1981
Goldie and the Boxer Go to Hollywood (TV Movie) as
Philadelphia Radio Announcer
1981
Archie Bunker's Place (TV Series) as
Sports Announcer
- Barney the Gambler (1981) - Sports Announcer (voice)
1980
Inside Moves as
Announcer / Gil Stratton
1980
Galactica 1980 (TV Series) as
Announcer 'Bob'
- Spaceball (1980) - Announcer 'Bob' (uncredited)
1978
Vega$ (TV Series) as
Reverend Willoughby
- Serve, Volley and Kill (1978) - Reverend Willoughby
1978
Wonder Woman (TV Series) as
Broadcaster
- The Deadly Sting (1978) - Broadcaster
1978
The Cat from Outer Space as
1st NASA Scientist
1977
The Hardy Boys/Nancy Drew Mysteries (TV Series) as
Announcer
- Nancy Drew's Love Match (1977) - Announcer
1977
Sextette as
Gil Stratton
1976
Police Story (TV Series) as
Commander Knox
- Officer Dooly (1976) - Commander Knox
1960
Waldo (TV Movie)
1959
The Red Skelton Hour (TV Series) as
Gabby
- Nobu McCarthy (1959) - Gabby
1957
Climax! (TV Series) as
Lou Palmer
- Keep Me in Mind (1957) - Lou Palmer
1956
Bundle of Joy as
Mike Clancy
1955
Damon Runyon Theater (TV Series) as
Tobias Tweeny
- Tobias the Terrible (1955) - Tobias Tweeny
1954
That's My Boy (TV Series) as
Junior Jackson
- Tiger on Rossmore College (1954) - Junior Jackson (as Gil Stratton Jr.)
1954
The Adventures of Ozzie and Harriet (TV Series) as
Coach Shipley
- David Writes a Column (1954) - Coach Shipley (as Gil Stratton Jr.)
1953
The Wild One as
Mouse (uncredited)
1952
Dragnet (TV Series) as
Kenneth Alden
- The Big Thief (1953) - Kenneth Alden (as Gil Stratton Jr.)
- The Big Rose (1953) - (as Gil Stratton Jr.)
- The Big Trio (1952) - (as Gil Stratton Jr.)
1953
Stalag 17 as
Sgt. Clarence Harvey 'Cookie' Cook (as Gil Stratton Jr.)
1952
Chevron Theatre (TV Series)
- Horses and Fur Coats (1952)
1952
Battle Zone as
Marine Runner (as Gil Stratton Jr.)
1952
Hollywood Opening Night (TV Series) as
Rookie
- Terrible Tempered Tolliver (1952) - Rookie
- My Nephew Norvell (1952)
1952
Army Bound as
Burt (as Gil Stratton Jr.)
1952
Monkey Business as
Yale Man (uncredited)
1952
Campbell Summer Soundstage (TV Series)
- My Nephew Norvell (1952)
1952
Here Come the Marines as
Junior (as Gil Stratton Jr.)
1952
Hold That Line as
Junior (as Gil Stratton Jr.)
1951
Stars Over Hollywood (TV Series)
- My Nephew Norwell (1951)
1950
Hot Rod as
Clarence 'Swifty' Johnson (as Gil Stratton Jr.)
1949
Your Show Time (TV Series)
- Why Thomas Was Discharged (1949)
1949
Tucson as
Jerry Twill
1949
Mr. Belvedere Goes to College as
Beanie - Track Meet Announcer (uncredited)
1948
Half Past Midnight as
Chick Patrick (as Gil Stratton Jr.)
1947
Dangerous Years as
Tammy McDonald (as Gil Stratton Jr.)
1947
Kilroy Was Here as
Jimmy White
1943
Girl Crazy as
Bud Livermore
1943
Best Foot Forward as
Cadet (uncredited)
Soundtrack
1953
Stalag 17 ("When Johnny Comes Marching Home" (1863), uncredited)
Self
2008
William Holden: The Paramount Years (Video short) as
Self
2007
Lunch (Documentary short) as
Self
2006
Stalag 17: From Reality to Screen (Documentary short) as
Self
1997
Biography (TV Series documentary) as
Self
- Peter Graves: Mission Accomplished (1997) - Self
1956
The NFL on CBS (TV Series) as
Self - Color Commentator / Self - Color Commentator(Los Angeles) / Self - Play-by-Play Announcer(Los Angeles) / ...
- New Orleans Saints vs. Los Angeles Rams (1973) - Self - Color Commentator
- Los Angeles Rams vs. Oakland Raiders (1972) - Self - Color Commentator
- New Orleans Saints vs. Los Angeles Rams (1972) - Self - Color Commentator
- Detroit Lions vs. San Francisco 49ers (1971) - Self - Color Commentator
- Philadelphia Eagles vs. Oakland Raiders (1971) - Self - Color Commentator
- Los Angeles Rams vs. San Francisco 49ers (1971) - Self - Color Commentator
- Atlanta Falcons vs. Los Angeles Rams (1971) - Self - Color Commentator
- San Francisco 49ers vs. Oakland Raiders (1970) - Self - Color Commentator
- Los Angeles Rams vs. San Francisco 49ers (1970) - Self - Color Commentator
- Atlanta Falcons vs. Los Angeles Rams (1970) - Self - Color Commentator
- Los Angeles Rams vs. Green Bay Packers (1970) - Self - Color Commentator
- San Francisco 49ers vs. Los Angeles Rams (1970) - Self - Color Commentator
- Washington Redskins vs. San Francisco 49ers (1970) - Self - Color Commentator
- Cleveland Browns vs. St. Louis Cardinals (1969) - Self - Color Commentator
- Minnesota Vikings vs. Los Angeles Rams (1969) - Self - Color Commentator
- Chicago Bears vs. San Francisco 49ers (1969) - Self - Color Commentator
- Dallas Cowboys vs. Los Angeles Rams (1969) - Self - Color Commentator
- Baltimore Colts vs. San Francisco 49ers (1969) - Self - Color Commentator
- San Francisco 49ers vs. Los Angeles Rams (1969) - Self - Color Commentator
- Los Angeles Rams vs. Chicago Bears (1969) - Self - Color Commentator
- Los Angeles Rams vs. San Francisco 49ers (1969) - Self - Color Commentator
- Atlanta Falcons vs. Los Angeles Rams (1969) - Self - Color Commentator
- Baltimore Colts vs. Los Angeles Rams (1968) - Self - Color Commentator
- Green Bay Packers vs. San Francisco 49ers (1968) - Self - Color Commentator
- New York Giants vs. Los Angeles Rams (1968) - Self - Color Commentator
- New York Giants vs. Dallas Cowboys (1968) - Self - Color Commentator
- Green Bay Packers vs. Dallas Cowboys (1968) - Self - Color Commentator
- Atlanta Falcons vs. Los Angeles Rams (1968) - Self - Color Commentator
- Baltimore Colts vs. San Francisco 49ers (1968) - Self - Color Commentator
- San Francisco 49ers vs. Los Angeles Rams (1968) - Self - Color Commentator
- Atlanta Falcons vs. San Francisco 49ers (1968) - Self - Color Commentator
- Los Angeles Rams vs. St. Louis Cardinals (1968) - Self - Color Commentator
- Los Angeles Rams vs. Detroit Lions (1967) - Self - Color Commentator
- Los Angeles Rams vs. Chicago Bears (1967) - Self - Play-by-Play Announcer(Los Angeles)
- New York Giants vs. Los Angeles Rams (1966) - Self - Play-by-Play Announcer(Los Angeles)
- Los Angeles Rams vs. Minnesota Vikings (1966) - Self - Play-by-Play Announcer(Los Angeles)
- Cleveland Browns vs. Los Angeles Rams (1965) - Self - Color Commentator
- Green Bay Packers vs. Los Angeles Rams (1965) - Self - Play-by-Play Announcer(Los Angeles)
- San Francisco 49ers vs. Los Angeles Rams (1965) - Self - Play-by-Play Announcer(Los Angeles)
- Minnesota Vikings vs. Los Angeles Rams (1965) - Self - Play-by-Play Announcer(Los Angeles)
- Green Bay Packers vs. Los Angeles Rams (1964) - Self - Play-by-Play Announcer
- Los Angeles Rams vs. San Francisco 49ers (1964) - Self - Color Commentator
- Los Angeles Rams vs. Minnesota Vikings (1964) - Self - Color Commentator
- Baltimore Colts vs. Los Angeles Rams (1964) - Self - Play-by-Play Announcer
- Chicago Bears vs. Los Angeles Rams (1964) - Self - Play-by-Play Announcer
- Philadelphia Eagles vs. Los Angeles Rams (1964) - Self - Play-by-Play Announcer
- San Francisco 49ers vs. Los Angeles Rams (1964) - Self - Announcer
- Green Bay Packers vs. Los Angeles Rams (1963) - Self - Color Commentator
- Los Angeles Rams vs. San Francisco 49ers (1963) - Self - Color Commentator(Los Angeles)
- Los Angeles Rams vs. Detroit Lions (1963) - Self - Color Commentator(Los Angeles)
- San Francisco 49ers vs. Los Angeles Rams (1963) - Self - Color Commentator(Los Angeles)
- Chicago Bears vs. Los Angeles Rams (1963) - Self - Color Commentator(Los Angeles)
- Green Bay Packers vs. Los Angeles Rams (1962) - Self - Color Commentator(Los Angeles)
- Los Angeles Rams vs. Minnesota Vikings (1962) - Self - Color Commentator(Los Angeles)
- San Francisco 49ers vs. Los Angeles Rams (1962) - Self - Color Commentator(Los Angeles)
- Los Angeles Rams vs. San Francisco 49ers (1962) - Self - Color Commentator(Los Angeles)
- Minnesota Vikings vs. Los Angeles Rams (1962) - Self - Color Commentator(Los Angeles)
- Chicago Bears vs. Los Angeles Rams (1962) - Self - Announcer(Los Angeles)
- Green Bay Packers vs. Los Angeles Rams (1961) - Self - Color Commentator
- Baltimore Colts vs. San Francisco 49ers (1961) - Self - Color Commentator
- Baltimore Colts vs. Los Angeles Rams (1961) - Self - Color Commentator
- San Francisco 49ers vs. Los Angeles Rams (1961) - Self - Color Commentator(Los Angeles)
- Detroit Lions vs. Los Angeles Rams (1961) - Self - Color Commentator(Los Angeles)
- Los Angeles Rams vs. San Francisco 49ers (1961) - Self - Color Commentator(Los Angeles)
- Pittsburgh Steelers vs. Los Angeles Rams (1961) - Self - Color Commentator
- Green Bay Packers vs. Los Angeles Rams (1960) - Self - Color Commentator
- Baltimore Colts vs. Los Angeles Rams (1960) - Self - Color Commentator
- Green Bay Packers vs. San Francisco 49ers (1960) - Self - Color Commentator
- San Francisco 49ers vs. Los Angeles Rams (1960) - Self - Color Commentator(Los Angeles)
- Los Angeles Rams vs. Dallas Cowboys (1960) - Self - Color Commentator(Los Angeles)
- Chicago Bears vs. Los Angeles Rams (1960) - Self - Color Commentator(Los Angeles)
- Los Angeles Rams vs. San Francisco 49ers (1960) - Self - Color Commentator(Los Angeles)
- Baltimore Colts vs. Los Angeles Rams (1958) - Self - Color Commentator
- San Francisco 49ers vs. Los Angeles Rams (1958) - Self - Color Commentator(Los Angeles)
- Detroit Lions vs. Los Angeles Rams (1958) - Self - Color Commentator(Los Angeles)
- Los Angeles Rams vs. Detroit Lions (1958) - Self - Color Commentator(Los Angeles)
- Los Angeles Rams vs. San Francisco 49ers (1958) - Self - Color Commentator
- Baltimore Colts vs. Los Angeles Rams (1957) - Self - Color Commentator
- San Francisco 49ers vs. Los Angeles Rams (1957) - Self - Color Commentator(Los Angeles)
- Detroit Lions vs. Los Angeles Rams (1957) - Self - Color Commentator
- Los Angeles Rams vs. Detroit Lions (1957) - Self - Color Commentator
- Los Angeles Rams vs. San Francisco 49ers (1957) - Self - Color Commentator
- Green Bay Packers vs. Los Angeles Rams (1956) - Self - Color Commentator
- Baltimore Colts vs. Los Angeles Rams (1956) - Self - Color Commentator(Los Angeles)
- San Francisco 49ers vs. Los Angeles Rams (1956) - Self - Color Commentator(Los Angeles)
- Chicago Bears vs. Los Angeles Rams (1956) - Self - Color Commentator
- Detroit Lions vs. Los Angeles Rams (1956) - Self - Color Commentator
1960
Channel 2 Action News (TV Series) as
Self - Sports
- The Big News (1960) - Self - Sports
1954
Shower of Stars (TV Series) as
Self
- Entertainment on Wheels (1954) - Self
1952
Panorama Pacific (TV Series) as
Self - Sports
- Premier (1952) - Self - Sports
1950
Mid Century: Half Way to Where? (Short documentary) as
Minor Role (uncredited)
Archive Footage
2009
15th Annual Screen Actors Guild Awards (TV Special) as
Self - In Memoriam
1982
Magnum, P.I. (TV Series) as
Sgt. Clarence Harvey 'Cookie' Cook
- Did You See the Sunrise? (1982) - Sgt. Clarence Harvey 'Cookie' Cook (uncredited)
1982
The Magical World of Disney (TV Series) as
NASA Scientist #1
- The Cat from Outer Space: Part 2 (1982) - NASA Scientist #1
- The Cat from Outer Space: Part 1 (1982) - NASA Scientist #1

References

Gil Stratton Wikipedia