Van Des Autels
From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia
December 11, 1910
- Patricia Lucille Burnett
- 1931 – 1941
- Betty Jane McPherson (née Sheffer)
- 1943 – 1968
- Skippy Hollywood Theatre
Van Des Autels | |
|---|---|
| Born | Richard Van Tassel Des Autels December 11, 1910 Paragould, Arkansas, U.S.[1] |
| Died | September 2, 1968 (aged 57) |
| Spouses |
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| Career | |
| Show |
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| Station(s) | KTSA, San Antonio, KTSM, El Paso KTAR-TV, Phoenix |
Richard Van Tassel Des Autels[2][3](December 11, 1910 – September 2, 1968)[4] was an American film actor, radio announcer, and television news anchor.[5][6]
The only child of James A. Des Autels and Phoebe Van Tassel,[7][8] he was born in Paragould, Arkansas. The family later relocated to Portsmouth, Virginia and, in 1923, to El Paso, Texas.[7] Attending El Paso High School, Des Autels excelled at track and field and well as theatre,[9] his creative output including a chalk talk staged during his freshman year,[10] and, two years later, the libretto for a two-act comic opera entitled Brutuspanto, in which he also costarred with, among others, Harry Hickox.[11][12]
Following his graduation, Des Autels worked as program director at KTSA in San Antonio,[13] and later at KTSM in El Paso.[14]
In 1941, along with Mike Frankovich, Don Thompson and others, Des Autel provided play-by-play coverage on NBC Blue Network's PCPFL broadcasts.[15] The following year, he hosted I Solemnly Swear, a daily, 15-minute U.S. Navy recruiting program, on KFAC in Los Angeles.[16]
In 1947, Frank Graham and Des Autels co-hosted a well-received listener-participation giveaway show entitled Three Alarm.[17]
In 1948, Des Autels collaborated with producer-director Jerry Fairbanks, providing narration for NBC's Television Close-Ups, a series of 26 five-minute mini-documentaries, dealing primarily with historical subjects.[18]
From 1949 to 1950, Des Autels teamed with producer-director Les Mitchel and composer Del Castillo, serving as announcer—aka "Van, the Skippy Man"—on the dramatic anthology series Skippy Hollywood Theatre.[19][20] He was also the featured actor on the 2/13/49 episode, entitled "Double Talk".[21]
From 1961 through 1967, Des Autels was the news anchor at KTAR-TV in Phoenix.[22][23]
Personal life and death
Des Autels was married at least twice; to Patricia Lucille Burnett from 1931 until at least 1938,[24][25] and, from October 1943 until his death, to Betty Jane McPherson (née Sheffer).[26][1]
On September 2, 1968, three days after being admitted to the U.S. Veterans Hospital in North Hollywood, Des Autels died of undisclosed causes,[27] although the Associated Press did note that he had moved from Phoenix to Los Angeles the previous year "for treatment of a chronic throat ailment."[6]
Filmography
Film
- Twentieth Century Vikings (short subject, 1947), as himself[28]
- Willie and Joe Back at the Front (1952), as Lieutenant colonel[29]
- Bloodhounds of Broadway (1952), as Upstate senator[29]
- How to Marry a Millionaire (1953), as Best man[29]
- The Robe (1953), as Chamberlain[29]
- The Crooked Web (1955), as Tom Jackson[29]
Television
- The Lone Ranger (1953), episode "The Devil's Bog" – Grant Huston (as Van Desautels)[30]
- Combat Sergeant (1956), 7/26/56 episode "Destined for Death" - President of the Court[31]