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Fred Howard Wright
Frederick Howard Wright (September 30, 1896 – July 2, 1990), credited variously as Fred Howard (for his writing, and for all stage and radio performances), Howard Wright (for his later film and TV work), and, more recently still, Fred Howard Wright, was an American songwriter, vaudeville performer, and character actor of theatre, radio, film and television, best remembered as one half—along with fellow songwriter Nat Vincent—of the popular vaudeville, radio, recording, and songwriting duo, The Happy Chappies.
Born Frederick Howard Wright in San Diego, California on September 30, 1896, Wright was the middle child of five, born to Lucy Simonds (née Wheeler) and William Sherman Wright. He first performed in public at age 9, when, as a reward for having sold the most tickets to a high school operetta, he was tasked not merely with formally presenting the frieze purchased by proceeds from the production, but also asked to sing at the ceremony. After attending the University of California, San Diego, Wright joined the US Army, serving in 1st Cavalry Regiment, with whom he took part in the unsuccessful Pancho Villa Expedition. Eventually rising to the rank of Second Lieutenant, Wright received his discharge in 1920.
Over the next decade, Wright—as Fred Howard—established himself as a successful stage performer, writer, producer, and director, specializing in musical comedy. His singing was showcased in the trio, Harmony Three.
By February 1929, Wright—who, as a solo act, had previously appeared in at least one revue also featuring his soon-to-be partner's recently formed duo—had officially become one half of the Happy Chappies, replacing pianist Nat Vincent's previous partner, tenor Harry Morton, while also facilitating Wright's radio debut on San Francisco's KFRC. They continued together—having reportedly co-authored "486 popular songs" as of December 1935—at least as late as the summer of 1937.
In April 1938, Wright appeared at New York's Waldorf Astoria Hotel, in the Lambs Club's annual Spring Gambol, co-starring with Walter Woolf King and Gene Wolf in the brief operetta, Tempest in a Teapot, with words and music by Wright.
As a radio actor, some of Wright's more notable roles were C. Pemberton Tooley in Ma Perkins, Mr. Pringle—father of Oogie—in A Date with Judy, and Pa Buskirk on The Opie Cates Show
From 1949 through 1952, Wright was the principal writer on The Ruggles, the Charlie Ruggles sitcom created by Irving Phillips.
In March 1949, Wright—still billed as "Fred Howard"—made his TV debut, starring alongside K. T. Stevens, Marc Lawrence, in the Don Lee Television Workshop episode, "Shoes and Souls". One additional "Fred Howard" credit, for a 1951 appearance on Racket Squad, preceded the actor's unnoticed—and, accordingly, never explained—1953 professional transition to "Howard Wright" on The Adventures of Wild Bill Hickok.
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Fred Howard Wright
Frederick Howard Wright (September 30, 1896 – July 2, 1990), credited variously as Fred Howard (for his writing, and for all stage and radio performances), Howard Wright (for his later film and TV work), and, more recently still, Fred Howard Wright, was an American songwriter, vaudeville performer, and character actor of theatre, radio, film and television, best remembered as one half—along with fellow songwriter Nat Vincent—of the popular vaudeville, radio, recording, and songwriting duo, The Happy Chappies.
Born Frederick Howard Wright in San Diego, California on September 30, 1896, Wright was the middle child of five, born to Lucy Simonds (née Wheeler) and William Sherman Wright. He first performed in public at age 9, when, as a reward for having sold the most tickets to a high school operetta, he was tasked not merely with formally presenting the frieze purchased by proceeds from the production, but also asked to sing at the ceremony. After attending the University of California, San Diego, Wright joined the US Army, serving in 1st Cavalry Regiment, with whom he took part in the unsuccessful Pancho Villa Expedition. Eventually rising to the rank of Second Lieutenant, Wright received his discharge in 1920.
Over the next decade, Wright—as Fred Howard—established himself as a successful stage performer, writer, producer, and director, specializing in musical comedy. His singing was showcased in the trio, Harmony Three.
By February 1929, Wright—who, as a solo act, had previously appeared in at least one revue also featuring his soon-to-be partner's recently formed duo—had officially become one half of the Happy Chappies, replacing pianist Nat Vincent's previous partner, tenor Harry Morton, while also facilitating Wright's radio debut on San Francisco's KFRC. They continued together—having reportedly co-authored "486 popular songs" as of December 1935—at least as late as the summer of 1937.
In April 1938, Wright appeared at New York's Waldorf Astoria Hotel, in the Lambs Club's annual Spring Gambol, co-starring with Walter Woolf King and Gene Wolf in the brief operetta, Tempest in a Teapot, with words and music by Wright.
As a radio actor, some of Wright's more notable roles were C. Pemberton Tooley in Ma Perkins, Mr. Pringle—father of Oogie—in A Date with Judy, and Pa Buskirk on The Opie Cates Show
From 1949 through 1952, Wright was the principal writer on The Ruggles, the Charlie Ruggles sitcom created by Irving Phillips.
In March 1949, Wright—still billed as "Fred Howard"—made his TV debut, starring alongside K. T. Stevens, Marc Lawrence, in the Don Lee Television Workshop episode, "Shoes and Souls". One additional "Fred Howard" credit, for a 1951 appearance on Racket Squad, preceded the actor's unnoticed—and, accordingly, never explained—1953 professional transition to "Howard Wright" on The Adventures of Wild Bill Hickok.