William "Bill" Tabbert (October 5, 1919 â€" October 18, 1974) was an
American actor and singer primarily remembered as Lieutenant Joseph
Cable in the original Broadway production of Rodgers and Hammerstein's
musical South Pacific, where he introduced the songs "Younger Than
Springtime" and "Carefully Taught".Tabbert was born on October 5,
1919, in Chicago, Illinois, the second son of William Frank and Edith
Victoria (née Johnson) Tabbert. His father was the son of German
immigrants and supported his family working as a railroad engineer.
His mother was the daughter of Swedish immigrants who had settled in
Minnesota during the 1880s. By 1930, though both their parents were
still alive, William and his older brother Spencer were residents of
Lawrence Hall, a Chicago institution that sheltered homeless and
orphaned boys. Spencer would go on to serve in the army during the
Second World War, while a bout of pneumonia ended William's brief
military service.Tabbert's road to Broadway began during his senior
year at Chicago's Hirsch high school when he won a three-year
scholarship sponsored by the Chicago Daily Tribune to study grand
opera with soprano Anna Fitziu. During his high school years Tabbert
was active as a baritone singer at school events and as a contestant
in several community talent contests. After his graduation in 1939
Tabbert supported himself as he studied music by performing small
parts with the Chicago Civic Opera Company and singing at local area
night spots.In 1941 Tabbert married dancer Evelyn Rainey and began to
think about expanding his career. The war intervened though, forcing
him to put his plans on hold until after being discharged from the
army and recovering his health. Broadway during the war, like most
other war era industries, was suffering a manpower shortage which,
starting in 1943, opened the door for Tabbert to appear in musicals
like, What's Up?, Follow the Girls, Seven Lively Arts, Billion Dollar
Baby and Three to Make Ready. After the success of the long running
South Pacific, Tabbert returned to singing at night clubs and appeared
regularly on radio and television shows such as The Ed Sullivan Show,
The Voice of Firestone and Armstrong Circle Theater. In 1954 he hosted
the Bill Tabbert Show for ABC television and that same year made his
final Broadway appearance in Fanny with Ezio Pinza, Walter Slezak and
Florence Henderson. Of his performance, critic Brooks Atkinson wrote:
"Mr. Tabbert pours his familiar vitality into a sort of sea spiritual
called "Restless Heart" and a song of despair entitled "Fanny".
Tabbert was a regular performer at summer evening concerts held at
City College of New York's Lewisohn Stadium and in musical theatrical
production performed across the country.
American actor and singer primarily remembered as Lieutenant Joseph
Cable in the original Broadway production of Rodgers and Hammerstein's
musical South Pacific, where he introduced the songs "Younger Than
Springtime" and "Carefully Taught".Tabbert was born on October 5,
1919, in Chicago, Illinois, the second son of William Frank and Edith
Victoria (née Johnson) Tabbert. His father was the son of German
immigrants and supported his family working as a railroad engineer.
His mother was the daughter of Swedish immigrants who had settled in
Minnesota during the 1880s. By 1930, though both their parents were
still alive, William and his older brother Spencer were residents of
Lawrence Hall, a Chicago institution that sheltered homeless and
orphaned boys. Spencer would go on to serve in the army during the
Second World War, while a bout of pneumonia ended William's brief
military service.Tabbert's road to Broadway began during his senior
year at Chicago's Hirsch high school when he won a three-year
scholarship sponsored by the Chicago Daily Tribune to study grand
opera with soprano Anna Fitziu. During his high school years Tabbert
was active as a baritone singer at school events and as a contestant
in several community talent contests. After his graduation in 1939
Tabbert supported himself as he studied music by performing small
parts with the Chicago Civic Opera Company and singing at local area
night spots.In 1941 Tabbert married dancer Evelyn Rainey and began to
think about expanding his career. The war intervened though, forcing
him to put his plans on hold until after being discharged from the
army and recovering his health. Broadway during the war, like most
other war era industries, was suffering a manpower shortage which,
starting in 1943, opened the door for Tabbert to appear in musicals
like, What's Up?, Follow the Girls, Seven Lively Arts, Billion Dollar
Baby and Three to Make Ready. After the success of the long running
South Pacific, Tabbert returned to singing at night clubs and appeared
regularly on radio and television shows such as The Ed Sullivan Show,
The Voice of Firestone and Armstrong Circle Theater. In 1954 he hosted
the Bill Tabbert Show for ABC television and that same year made his
final Broadway appearance in Fanny with Ezio Pinza, Walter Slezak and
Florence Henderson. Of his performance, critic Brooks Atkinson wrote:
"Mr. Tabbert pours his familiar vitality into a sort of sea spiritual
called "Restless Heart" and a song of despair entitled "Fanny".
Tabbert was a regular performer at summer evening concerts held at
City College of New York's Lewisohn Stadium and in musical theatrical
production performed across the country.
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