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Senator Claghorn
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Senator Claghorn
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Delmar as Claghorn in It's a Joke, Son!

Senator Beauregard Claghorn was a popular fictional radio character on the "Allen's Alley" segment of The Fred Allen Show, beginning in 1945. Succeeding the vaguely similar but much less popular Senator Bloat from the earliest "Allen's Alley" routines, Senator Claghorn, portrayed by Allen's announcer Kenny Delmar, was a blustery Southern politician whose home was usually the first at which Allen would knock.[1] Claghorn would typically answer the door with, "Somebody, ah say, somebody knocked! Claghorn's the name, Senator Claghorn, that is. I'm from the South. Suh."[2]

Description

[edit]

Claghorn had an unshakable obsession with the South, and would happily complain about the North in dry ways. For instance, the Senator refused to ever wear a "Union suit" or drive through the Lincoln Tunnel when he visited New York City, and he claimed to drink only out of Dixie cups.[1] At one point when asked which state he represented, he noted it was in the Gulf of Mexico, south of Alabama.[1] The senator even rebuked Fred Allen for saying the word "no" in his presence, saying "N-O.. That's North abbreviated!!"

Some of the senator's other quotes include:

When Allen was finally able to speak to the senator, he would ask him a topical question, to which Claghorn would respond with a rapid stream of talk, shouting, repetition and puns. After a quip, the senator would laugh uproariously and utter one of his two catchphrases: "That's a joke, son!" or "Pay attention now, boy!" Claghorn would also make frequent jabs at Allen using colorful analogies that often resulted in loud laughter from the studio audience.

Delmar debuted Claghorn on Allen's broadcast of October 7, 1945, and the character remained until 1949, when the series transitioned from "Allen's Alley" to a "Main Street" segment to accommodate Allen's final sponsor, Ford. In one episode, Allen asked the senator how he was treating his insomnia, and the senator replied that he had sung himself to sleep with a southern lullaby:

"Rock-a-bye small fry, on the cotton tree top,
when the Southern wind blows, your cradle will rock,
when the wind's from the North, I say, baby you'll bawl,
for down will come cradle, tree and you all!"

In another exchange, Allen asked Claghorn whether Washington was helping to reduce an epidemic of colds afflicting the country. Claghorn responded: "The senate, I say the senate reconvened just in time. I was glad to see Senator [George] Aiken back. Achin' back! That's a joke, son." Further discussion regarding cold remedies resulted in this exchange:

Claghorn: I had a cold last week like to ruin my filibuster.
Allen: Ruin your filibuster? Well what did- (chuckling) what did you do?
Claghorn: I took an old Southern remedy, son. I drank down two buckets of hot mint julep.
Allen: (astonished) You drank two buckets of hot mint julep and you still held the floor?
Claghorn: Held the floor?! Son, I couldn't get up off'n it!

Allen's interview with Claghorn generally ended with him bellowing "So long! So long, that is!!" (usually over laughter and applause from the audience)

At the height of its popularity, the character was often mentioned or parodied on other programs, especially that of Allen's rival Jack Benny, with Phil Harris usually playing the part. Delmar made a guest appearance on The Jack Benny Program in the role on February 12, 1950, months after Allen's show had ended. The most famous parody is the Warner Bros. Looney Tunes animated character Foghorn Leghorn.

Outside of radio

[edit]

The Claghorn character also appeared in other media. Delmar played the character in commercials, on two records (I Love You, That Is and That's a Joke, Son), and a 1947 theatrical film titled It's a Joke, Son! with costar Una Merkel as Mrs. Claghorn. The film's plot involves the senator running for office against his wife. It's a Joke, Son! was produced on an unusually low $650,000 budget [3] and suffered from poor box-office receipts, causing it to be pulled from some theaters after less than a week.[4]

Delmar played a thinly veiled version of Claghorn, retitled Senator Hominy Smith, in the Broadway musical Texas Li'l Darlin. After Warner Bros. copyrighted Foghorn Leghorn, Delmar required the studio's permission to play the character elsewhere. In the 1960s, Delmar took his characterization and catchphrases back as the voice of the Hunter, a character on the animated series King Leonardo and His Short Subjects.

Dave Sim adopted the same speech patterns for Elrod the Albino, a character in his independent comic book Cerebus the Aardvark, but it is unknown whether the voice derived directly from Claghorn or from Foghorn Leghorn. Sim describes the character as "Elrod/Senator Claghorn" in the preface to the reprint of issue 51 in Cerebus Number Zero.

Sources

[edit]
  • Dunning, John. On the Air: The Encyclopedia of Old-Time Radio. New York: Oxford University Press, 1998. ISBN 0-19-507678-8

References

[edit]
Revisions and contributorsEdit on WikipediaRead on Wikipedia

Senator Claghorn

View on Grokipedia
from Grokipedia
Senator Beauregard Claghorn is a fictional American radio character, portrayed by actor and announcer as a bombastic, platitudinous of a Southern U.S. senator from the fictional state of (a satirical nod to New York), known for his exaggerated drawl, repetitive speech patterns, and catchphrases like "That's a joke, son!" and "Ah'm from the South—South Manhattan, that is." Created by Delmar and developed with contributions from comedian , Claghorn debuted on October 7, 1945, in the "Allen's Alley" sketch segment of The Fred Allen Show, where he appeared as a tenant alongside other quirky residents in the comedian's imagined alley. The character's inspiration stemmed from a real-life encounter Delmar had with a loquacious rancher who gave him a ride, whose loud, folksy mannerisms Delmar adapted into Claghorn's blustery . Claghorn quickly became a breakout star, earning Delmar $300 per week and drawing widespread imitation across the U.S. by early 1946, with fans ranging from children to politicians reciting his lines in public. Claghorn's routine typically involved boastful monologues lampooning Southern stereotypes—claiming to have been "weaned on mint juleps" while decrying Yankee influences like the —and engaging in verbal sparring with , often ending in self-deprecating humor. The character satirized pompous Southern politicians, blending regional pride with absurd logic, such as insisting Alabamans were "Yankees" from his perspective. His popularity led to a 1947 Eagle-Lion Films titled It's a Joke, Son!, in which Delmar reprised the role alongside Allen. Beyond radio, Claghorn's legacy endures through his direct influence on ; his Southern bombast and phrases inspired the creation of the rooster , who debuted in the 1946 short and whose style was more fully developed in (1948), voiced by . The character ran on until its end in 1949, cementing Claghorn as an iconic figure in mid-20th-century American comedy and a staple of old-time radio satire.

Character Description

Personality and Traits

Senator Beauregard Claghorn is depicted as a blustery and bombastic figure, embodying an exaggerated of Southern bravado as a senator from an unnamed Southern state. His personality revolves around an obsessive promotion of Southern pride and superiority, often manifesting in boastful declarations about regional traditions and heritage. For instance, he claims to have been weaned on mint juleps, insists on drinking from Dixie cups, and wears a Kentucky derby hat as symbols of his unyielding devotion to Southern identity. This portrayal positions him as a broad of Southern statesmen, loudmouthed and platitudinous, with a corn-cackling demeanor that amplifies his theatrical self-importance. First showcased on October 7, 1945, as a in the "Allen's Alley" segment, Claghorn's traits quickly established him as a comedic staple. A core element of Claghorn's character is his vehement anti-Northern sentiments, expressed through frequent rants against culture and symbols associated with the North. He derides compasses for invariably pointing north, avoids the , rejects Union suits, and shuns Northern media such as the radio series Mr. & Mrs. North. His disdain extends to historical references, including the Civil War, where he elevates Southern perspectives to absurd heights—for example, declaring that people from are considered "s" in his locale to underscore the depth of his regional . These behaviors include a staunch refusal of Northern-made products, reinforcing his commitment to Southern exclusivity, such as insisting on eating only south-facing turkey during as a nod to directional loyalty. Claghorn's speech patterns further define his over-the-top , delivered in a deep Southern characterized by rapid-fire delivery, puns, and repetitive platitudes. He frequently stutters, interrupts himself, and repeats phrases for emphasis, ending statements with explanatory tags like "that is" to punctuate his bombast—exemplified in his self-introduction: "Claghorn’s the name, Senator Claghorn, that is." This style, combined with his tendency to elaboration, creates a rhythmic, emphatic that heightens the comedic effect of his Southern obsessions.

Catchphrases

Senator Claghorn's catchphrases were integral to his comedic persona, serving as verbal punctuation that amplified his bombastic Southern rhetoric and rapid-fire delivery on The Show. The most iconic line, "That's a , son!", was delivered with exaggerated laughter following a or quip, often underscoring the character's self-aware humor or failed attempts at . This phrase quickly became a national , reflecting Claghorn's role in punctuating the absurdity of his own declarations during interactions in the "Allen's Alley" segment. Secondary phrases like "Pay attention now, boy!" functioned to command the listener's focus amid Claghorn's escalating rants, while variations such as "I'm from the , son" reinforced his regional and repetitive style. These lines tied into Claghorn's , emphatic speech pattern, creating a rhythmic through insistence and escalation, as in his typical self-introduction: "Claghorn's the name—Senator Claghorn. Ah'm from —Dixie, that is." In context, the phrases often responded to Fred Allen's prompts in "Allen's Alley," heightening the banter; for example, after Allen queried about advertising's influence on customs, Claghorn retorted with a skeptical jab at political ads, concluding with a dismissive "So long, Son! So long, that is!" to wrap his tirade. Over the radio episodes from to , these phrases evolved from introductory flourishes to more integrated elements of Claghorn's monologues, solidifying their role in the character's enduring appeal and imitation in .

Creation and Development

Origins on The Fred Allen Show

Senator Claghorn made his debut on the October 7, 1945, episode of The Fred Allen Show, appearing as a new resident in the popular "Allen's Alley" segment. In this format, host Fred Allen would pose a topical question to a series of colorful alley dwellers, each offering humorous responses drawn from their distinct regional or ethnic personas. Claghorn, portrayed as a bombastic Southern senator, quickly integrated into this structure by providing exaggerated, folksy retorts that contrasted sharply with the other residents, such as the Yiddish-inflected Mrs. Nussbaum, creating dynamic interplay during Allen's visits. The character was conceived as part of a refreshed ensemble for The Fred Allen Show, created by performer with developmental contributions from comedian . The show had aired Sundays on since Allen's return to the network in 1945 after a health-related hiatus, continuing until the program's end in 1949. Overall, the show had run from 1932 to 1949, evolving through various sponsors and formats, but Claghorn's introduction aimed to inject fresh variety into the established "Allen's Alley" routine, serving as a comedic to Allen's signature dry, satirical wit. Early episodes featured some by the performer, helping to solidify the senator's role within the segment's conversational flow. Claghorn's initial appearances were met with immediate enthusiasm from listeners, propelling him to become a standout highlight of the show by late 1945. By March 1946, a Life magazine profile hailed him as "unquestionably the most quoted man in the nation," reflecting his rapid ascent in popularity amid the postwar radio landscape. This surge underscored the character's success in enhancing the alley's ensemble dynamic, where interactions with figures like Mrs. Nussbaum amplified the segment's appeal through layered, regionally flavored humor.

Portrayal by Kenny Delmar

Kenneth Howard Delmar, born on September 5, 1910, in , , and raised in New York by his mother after his parents' separation, began his performing career as a child in the 1920s. His mother and aunt performed as the vaudeville act The Delmar Sisters, and Delmar joined them onstage at a young age, developing an early interest in acting; at age 11, he appeared in a small role in D.W. Griffith's silent film (1921). By the 1930s, he transitioned to radio in New York, starting as an announcer and taking dramatic roles in programs such as , , and Orson Welles's , where he voiced the Secretary of the Interior in the infamous 1938 broadcast of , delivering an F.D.R.-like impersonation. Delmar's portrayal of Senator Beauregard Claghorn debuted on October 7, 1945, as part of The Show, where he served as both announcer and . The character's inspiration originated from a 1929 encounter with a loquacious rancher during a incident, which Delmar refined from his prior radio role as "Counsellor Cartenbranch" on The Show. He crafted an exaggerated Southern drawl for Claghorn, markedly different from his natural , employing over-the-top blustery filled with puns, malapropisms, and emphatic repetition to satirize Southern provincialism and ; the character's signature , "That's a joke, son," underscored this bombastic style. Delmar's improvisational approach allowed Claghorn's rants to dynamically adapt to Allen's prompts during live broadcasts, drawing from real-life inspirations like the loquacious rancher he once encountered, which added spontaneity and enhanced the segments' replay value among listeners. After The Fred Allen Show ended in 1949, Delmar continued reprising the Claghorn voice in radio and television commercials, where he wrote, produced, and provided the distinctive characterization for various advertisements. He also branched into theater, starring in the Broadway musical Texas, Li'l Darlin' (1949), and voiced animated characters, including in the segments (1964–1973). Delmar died on July 14, 1984, at age 73 in , following a brief illness at St. Joseph's Hospital; his obituary in highlighted him as the creator of Senator Claghorn, noting the character's enduring popularity with 20 million weekly listeners in the late 1940s.

Appearances in Media

Radio Appearances

Senator Claghorn debuted on The Fred Allen Show on October 7, 1945, during the "Allen's Alley" segment, where host Fred Allen encountered the character as a pompous Southern senator extolling the virtues of Dixie while decrying Northern ways. Voiced by announcer Kenny Delmar, Claghorn's initial appearance featured his signature blustery rants, such as insisting that "where I live we don't have any Yankees" to highlight regional divides. This introduction marked the start of the character's integration into the show's comedy-variety format, which aired weekly on NBC. From 1945 to 1949, Claghorn appeared regularly across the program's remaining seasons, becoming a staple of "Allen's Alley" in over 140 episodes as the show transitioned sponsors from Margarine and to . Early 1945 episodes, including the debut, showcased Claghorn's rants on Southern versus Northern issues, like his disdain for "Yankee inventions" and pride in Confederate heritage, often scripted by Allen to satirize regional . Mid-1940s segments frequently twisted themes or current events into Claghorn's worldview; for instance, in a Thanksgiving-themed bit, he declared he would only eat "the south side of the turkey," while commentary on events was filtered through his exaggerated Southern chauvinism, such as mocking Northern industrial progress as "inferior to ." These routines typically lasted two to three minutes, blending Delmar's deep drawl and stuttering repetition with Allen's dry wit. Claghorn evolved from occasional guest spots in "Allen's Alley" to a central, fan-favorite element that shaped the show's scripting, with writers expanding his monologues to capitalize on audience demand for his bombastic style. By late 1945, the character was already widely imitated by listeners, from schoolchildren to adults, underscoring his rapid rise in popularity and contributing to the show's strong reception. Claghorn's segments helped drive high ratings, with The Fred Allen Show achieving the top Hooper rating of 28.7 in the 1947-48 season, outpacing competitors and solidifying its status as a leading comedy program. Excerpts of these appearances were frequently rebroadcast in archival collections, preserving their satirical bite. The character's radio tenure concluded with the show's final episode on June 26, 1949, amid declining overall listenership to television.

Film and Other Adaptations

The primary film adaptation of Senator Claghorn was the It's a Joke, Son!, directed by Benjamin Stoloff and produced by . In the film, reprised his role as the bombastic Southern politician Senator Beauregard Claghorn, navigating family and political chaos when his wife Magnolia (played by ) runs against him for state senate amid schemes involving a missing campaign fund and a frozen foods business. The 63-minute black-and-white feature, released on January 15, , emphasized Claghorn's signature bluster through visual gags and Southern antics, marking Delmar's only starring role in a theatrical release. The film underperformed at the , drawing minimal ticket sales—such as just $1,000 in its first week at some venues—and was pulled from theaters shortly after release. Despite the commercial disappointment, it captured Claghorn's radio essence in a live-action format, highlighting his rivalry with Northern influences and family hijinks. Beyond film, Delmar voiced Claghorn in various commercial advertisements during the late 1940s and 1950s, leveraging the character's folksy Southern persona to promote products with a humorous, regional appeal. He also appeared as the character on two comedy records: I Love You, That Is and That's a Joke, Son, which featured extended rants and catchphrases drawn from the radio sketches. In 1949, Delmar brought a Claghorn-inspired character to the stage in the Broadway musical Texas, Li'l Darlin', portraying Senator Hominy Smith—a pompous Texas politician mirroring Claghorn's exaggerated drawl and rhetoric—in a production that ran for 293 performances from November 25, 1949, to September 9, 1950. The show, with music by Robert Emmett Dolan, book by John Whedon and Sam Moore, and lyrics by Johnny Mercer, centered on oil tycoons and Western satire, allowing Delmar to adapt Claghorn's traits to a live theatrical setting. Post-1949 adaptations were limited to brief cameos, such as Delmar's guest appearance as Claghorn on The Jack Benny Program radio variety show on February 12, 1950, where the character engaged in comedic banter outside the Fred Allen format. These sporadic uses extended Claghorn's presence into variety entertainment but did not lead to major new productions.

Legacy and Influence

Senator Claghorn's bombastic persona and distinctive Southern drawl profoundly influenced animated characters in mid-20th-century media, most notably serving as the direct inspiration for Warner Bros.' Looney Tunes rooster Foghorn Leghorn. Debuting in the 1946 short "Walky Talky Hawky," Foghorn was voiced by Mel Blanc, who deliberately mimicked Kenny Delmar's portrayal of Claghorn, incorporating the character's exaggerated accent, repetitive catchphrases like "I say, I say," and over-the-top bravado. This influence became even more evident in later shorts, such as "The Foghorn Leghorn" (1948), where the rooster's mannerisms closely echoed Claghorn's political bluster and folksy bombast. The character's stylistic echoes extended into comic books decades later, particularly through Dave Sim's creation of Elrod the Albino in the independent series during the 1980s. Elrod, a albino prince parodying fantasy tropes, adopted Claghorn's verbose speech patterns and Southern-fried personality—filtered through —for comedic effect in a high-fantasy setting. Sim himself discussed this derivation in a 2010 Cerebustv episode, highlighting how Claghorn's informed Elrod's irreverent, talkative demeanor as a foil to the series' more serious elements. Claghorn helped establish a lasting for bombastic Southern gentlemen in , shaping portrayals of verbose, self-aggrandizing characters in television and film that perpetuated exaggerated stereotypes of Southern bravado and regional pride. This cultural footprint amplified through derivatives like , whose popularity in theatrical shorts and later TV reruns reinforced the trope in broader entertainment. At the height of its 1940s radio run on The Fred Allen Show, Claghorn garnered immense popularity, evidenced by the program's consistent ranking among the top ten U.S. radio broadcasts and frequent parodies on rival shows like , where Phil Harris impersonated the character. Delmar received substantial fan mail, predominantly from Southern audiences who embraced the caricature without complaint, underscoring Claghorn's status as a national sensation shortly after his 1945 debut.

Tributes and Revivals

Following the end of The Fred Allen Show in 1949, occasionally reprised elements of the Senator Claghorn character in his later career, incorporating its distinctive bombastic Southern inflections into for 1960s animated television series. For instance, Delmar voiced The Hunter, a canine detective, in King Leonardo and His Short Subjects (1960–1963), where the role echoed Claghorn's mannerisms and catchphrases like "That's a , son." He also provided similar vocal styles for characters such as in Tennessee Tuxedo and His Tales (1963–1966) and roles in (1964–1966). Archival rebroadcasts of Claghorn segments from The Show have sustained the character's presence through old-time radio nostalgia programs, with episodes frequently aired on dedicated stations and online platforms preserving the original broadcasts for enthusiasts. These rebroadcasts, often featured in collections of radio content, highlight Claghorn's role in Allen's ensemble sketches without new performances. The character received tributes in historical retrospectives on radio comedy, including references in documentaries and compilations focused on the era's humor. Scholarly works on radio have recognized Claghorn's contributions, such as Gerald Nachman's (1998), which portrays the senator as a perpetual source of high-dudgeon in Allen's "Allen's Alley" segments. 's own , Treadmill to Oblivion (1954), details the character's rapid rise to popularity and its integration into the show's dynamic. James R. Taylor's Fred Allen: His Life and Wit (1989) further examines Claghorn's of Southern stereotypes as emblematic of Allen's satirical style. Delmar's death on July 14, 1984, prompted obituaries that underscored Claghorn's enduring cultural footprint, with describing the character as a blustery fixture that entertained 20 million weekly listeners in the late 1940s. Similar retrospectives in and UPI archives celebrated the role's influence on radio . Despite these acknowledgments, access to Claghorn material remains limited by incomplete digital archives of pre-1950 radio recordings, though interest has revived in the through and online analyses of old-time radio segments. For example, a 2023 episode of We Have a Killer App discussed Claghorn's origins and style in the context of mid-20th-century . Recent compilations of episodes featuring the character have further fueled scholarly and nostalgic engagement.

References

  1. https://time.com/archive/6822946/radio-claghorns-the-name/
  2. https://www.loc.gov/static/programs/national-recording-preservation-board/documents/FredAllenShow.pdf
  3. https://www.imdb.com/title/tt0039503/
  4. https://cartoonresearch.com/index.php/the-origin-of-foghorn-leghorn/
  5. https://www.museum.tv/radio-encyclopedia-3/delmar-kenneth
  6. https://www.americanheritage.com/forgotten-laughter-fred-allen-story
  7. https://www.goldenageradio.com/2022/01/claghorns-name.html
  8. https://laughterlog.com/2023/03/26/the-fred-allen-show/
  9. https://www.nytimes.com/1979/03/20/archives/minerva-pious-played-mrs-nussbaum-part-on-fred-allen-show-made-her.html
  10. https://www.museum.tv/radio-encyclopedia/allen-fred
  11. https://www.loc.gov/static/programs/national-recording-preservation-board/documents/fred-allen-interview.pdf
  12. https://www.goldenage-wtic.org/gaor-42.html
  13. https://www.findagrave.com/memorial/8129/kenny-delmar
  14. https://tralfaz.blogspot.com/2012/01/kenny-i-say-kenny-delmar-delmar-that-is.html
  15. https://www.nytimes.com/1984/07/15/obituaries/kenny-delmar-radio-s-senator-claghorn-dies.html
  16. https://www.behindthevoiceactors.com/Kenny-Delmar/
  17. https://archive.org/details/FredAllen--theFredAllenShow1945-1949
  18. https://www.speakingofradio.com/pdf/0492_1.pdf
  19. https://www.tcm.com/tcmdb/title/79557/its-a-joke-son
  20. https://store.earthstation1.com/it39s-a-joke-son-dvd-1947-kenny-delmar-as-senator-cl391948.html
  21. https://pdmovies.substack.com/p/its-a-joke-son-1947
  22. https://thenewbev.com/blog/2017/01/the-roaster-and-the-rooster/
  23. https://www.ibdb.com/broadway-production/texas-lil-darlin-1818
  24. https://www.broadway.com/buzz/10717/cds-senator-claghorn-takes-broadway/
  25. http://www.cerebustv.com/guide/cerebustv_1.php
  26. https://www.theatlantic.com/daily-dish/archive/2007/09/claghorn-leghorn-thompson/225534/
  27. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=-CME7o9dtfs
  28. https://books.google.com/books/about/Treadmill_to_Oblivion.html?id=IY1EgWDMAjIC
  29. https://www.worldradiohistory.com/BOOKSHELF-ARH/Biography/Fred-Allen-His-Life-and-Wit-Taylor-1989.pdf
  30. https://www.washingtonpost.com/archive/local/1984/07/18/81bbb8ec-4087-40d4-81fd-6d238096f640/
  31. https://www.upi.com/Archives/1984/07/17/Obituaries/4641458884800/
  32. https://open.spotify.com/episode/0e8wgP5cPNHkyh9M8ZboOu
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