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Dick Haynes
Dick Haynes
Dick Haynes
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Dick Haynes (January 9, 1911 – November 24, 1980) was an American actor and radio personality. He had minor roles in films and television that began with an uncredited appearance as a reporter in the 1954 MGM film, Tennessee Champ. His final role was as "Grandpa" in the 1980 film Getting Wasted, shortly before his death from cancer.

Key Information

Career

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His most significant roles were three guest star appearances on television shows during the 1960s, starting with portraying Phillips in "Incident at Pawnee Gun", a 1962 episode of Frontier Circus; as Sheriff in "Four Alarm Wing Ding," a 1966 episode of The Rounders; and as Colonel Tim in "Howard, the Comedian," a 1967 episode from the 7th season of The Andy Griffith Show. He also was on the radio program Haynes at the Reins.[1]

After he left KLAC, he spent a year at KXLA in the nearby city of Pasadena. He returned to KLAC the following year, and hosted the morning drive-time (5:30–10am) slot for the next five years before he moved to Sacramento and helped launch its popular country music station, KRAK. By 1966, he went back to southern California, and worked as the morning man at KFOX Long Beach, and then returned to KLAC, which had switched to country music, from 1971 until shortly before his death in 1980.[2]

Haynes was recognized for his radio work by his induction into the Country Music Hall of Fame, and also has a star on Hollywood Boulevard.[3][4]

Filmography

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References

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Dick Haynes

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Dick Haynes was an American radio personality and character actor known for his influential career in country music broadcasting on the West Coast and his supporting roles in film and television. Born on January 9, 1911, in Beaumont, Texas, Haynes began his radio career in 1941 in his hometown before moving to stations in Louisiana and San Antonio. He relocated to Southern California in 1946, where he hosted the popular morning program Haynes at the Reins on KLAC in Los Angeles, entertaining audiences with his distinctive style and imaginary sidekicks such as Gumdrop Gus and Sir Chester Drawers. After stints at KRAK in Sacramento and KFOX in Long Beach—where he was voted top country air personality of the year in 1969—he returned to KLAC in 1970 and remained a fixture until health issues forced his retirement in 1980. Haynes was inducted into the Country Radio Hall of Fame in 2003 for his contributions to the field and received a star on the Hollywood Walk of Fame in the Radio category. In addition to his radio work, he appeared in minor roles in films such as The Phantom Planet (1961), Support Your Local Sheriff! (1969), and Support Your Local Gunfighter (1971), as well as guest spots on television series including The Andy Griffith Show and The Untouchables. He died of cancer on November 24, 1980, in Woodland Hills, California.

Early life

Birth and youth in Beaumont, Texas

Dick Haynes was born Richard Haynes on January 9, 1911, in Beaumont, Texas. Beaumont served as his hometown throughout his youth.

Early radio work in Texas

Dick Haynes began his radio career in 1941 in his hometown of Beaumont, Texas. He subsequently worked at radio stations in Louisiana before joining KTSA in San Antonio, where he hosted a live music show featuring western swing legend Adolph Hofner. In 1946, Haynes relocated to Los Angeles to pursue expanded opportunities in radio broadcasting.

Radio career

Move to Los Angeles and morning radio programs

In 1946, Dick Haynes relocated to Los Angeles and joined KLAC, where he launched his signature morning program "Haynes at the Reins." The show featured country and western music alongside variety segments, establishing him as a prominent morning disc jockey in Southern California. Haynes developed a distinctive on-air style characterized by humorous interactions with a cast of imaginary sidekicks, including Gumdrop Gus, Wilhelmina Meadow, Sir Chester Drawers, and L.A. Smog. This format blended music with personality-driven entertainment, making his morning broadcasts a regular listening habit for many in the region over the ensuing years.

Three decades as a Southern California radio host

Dick Haynes became a fixture of Southern California radio as a popular morning disc jockey specializing in country and western music, sustaining a career in the region for more than three decades. His engaging broadcasts made him a morning listening habit for many Southern Californians across this extended period. He launched his prominent Southern California tenure with the program "Haynes at the Reins" at KLAC in 1946, establishing himself as a leading voice in the format. After leaving KLAC due to a format change, he had stints at KRAK in Sacramento and KFOX in Long Beach, where he was voted top country air personality of the year in 1969. Haynes returned to KLAC in 1970 when the station adopted a country and western format and remained there as a morning host until illness curtailed his work shortly before his death. Known for his entertaining style, Haynes incorporated imaginary sidekicks such as Gumdrop Gus, Wilhelmina Meadow, Sir Chester Drawers, and L.A. Smog into his shows, enhancing his appeal as a radio personality. He is credited with helping usher in the "Town and Country" era of country radio on the West Coast. In recognition of his long-standing contributions to radio, Haynes received a star on the Hollywood Walk of Fame in the Radio category, placed in August 1980 on the north side of the 6800 block of Hollywood Boulevard.

Acting career

Entry into acting and early film roles (1949–1959)

Dick Haynes entered acting with small, mostly uncredited roles in feature films while continuing his primary work as a radio host. His first known screen appearance was as an uncredited announcer in the musical Make Believe Ballroom (1949). He followed this with an uncredited role as a Confederate soldier in the Civil War drama The Red Badge of Courage (1951). In 1954, he appeared uncredited as a reporter in the boxing film Tennessee Champ. These parts exemplified his pattern during the 1950s of taking minor film roles intermittently while maintaining his radio career in Southern California.

Notable film and television appearances (1960–1979)

Dick Haynes maintained a steady but modest presence in film and television from 1960 to 1979, accepting mostly minor or guest roles that complemented his long-running career as a radio host in Southern California. These appearances were generally brief and supporting in nature, often consisting of small character parts rather than leading or prominent roles. His film appearances during this period included roles such as Col. Lansfield in the science fiction feature The Phantom Planet (1961), the Bartender in the comedy western Support Your Local Sheriff! (1969), and the Bartender in Support Your Local Gunfighter (1971). Among his television credits during this era were a guest spot as Launch Attendant on The Untouchables (in an episode aired after the series' 1959 debut), a single-episode appearance as Colonel Tim on The Andy Griffith Show, a role as Cal Claybourne on Starsky & Hutch (1977), and a part as Announcer on The Bionic Woman (1976). He also featured in the films Bad Georgia Road (1977) as C.B. Man and Real Life (1979) as Councilman Edmund Harris. Such roles underscored his pattern of contributing in limited capacities across various genres while prioritizing his broadcasting work.

Final roles and retirement (1980)

In 1980, Dick Haynes' acting career ended with his role as Grandpa in the film Getting Wasted. This credit represented his final on-screen appearance, occurring in the same year that health issues brought his broadcasting work to a close. Due to failing health, Haynes retired from his longtime morning radio program at KLAC in 1980, stepping away from the airwaves after decades as a Southern California country music personality. He left his disc jockey position several months before his death after illness sidelined him and led to hospitalization at the Motion Picture and Television Country Home and Hospital. Earlier that year, in August 1980, he received a star on the Hollywood Walk of Fame, recognizing his contributions to entertainment in both radio and occasional acting roles.

Death

Death in 1980

Dick Haynes died of cancer on November 25, 1980, at the age of 69. He passed away at the Motion Picture and Television Country Home and Hospital in Woodland Hills, Los Angeles, California, following a lengthy illness that had led to his hospitalization after leaving his radio position at KLAC several months earlier. His death occurred shortly after his final acting role in the film Getting Wasted (1980).

Legacy and honors

Dick Haynes is remembered as one of Southern California's most enduring and beloved radio personalities, whose morning programs served as a daily listening habit for listeners across the region for more than three decades. His engaging style and devotion to country and western music established him as a pioneering figure in West Coast country radio. In recognition of his contributions to broadcasting, Haynes received a star on the Hollywood Walk of Fame in the Radio category, located on the north side of the 6800 block of Hollywood Boulevard, which was dedicated in August 1980. He was also celebrated at a testimonial dinner in the summer of 1980. Posthumously, his influence on the field was honored with induction into the Country Radio Hall of Fame in 2003. Haynes remains fondly remembered by listeners for his distinctive on-air personality and memorable imaginary sidekicks, including Gumdrop Gus, Wilhelmina Meadow, Sir Chester Drawers, and L.A. Smog. Although Haynes appeared in minor roles in film and television, his legacy is primarily rooted in his extensive radio career rather than his limited acting work.
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