Herbert Arthur "Herb" Shriner (May 29, 1918 â€" April 23, 1970) was an
American humorist, radio personality, actor, and television host.
Shriner was known for his homespun monologues, usually about his home
state of Indiana. He was frequently compared to humorist Will
Rogers.Shriner was born Herbert Arthur Schriner in Toledo, Ohio, the
son of Edith (née Rockwell) and Peter Schriner. He moved to Fort
Wayne as a small child, when his mother left his father. Shriner
learned to play the harmonica as a grade school student. He formed a
quintet when he was in high school; it expanded to an octet andmade
frequent local appearances. Shriner then performed on his own. When
his lip gave out one night, he filled time by telling homespun
stories. His deadpan comedy routines became more popular than his
music, and soon he was entertaining audiences with stories about a
fictional Hoosier hometown.In 1940, Shriner was hired by NBC for
occasional radio appearances, which led to a regular spot in 1942 and
1943 on the comedy-variety program Camel Caravan. During World War II,
he served in a United States Army special services unit and performed
for two years in USO shows for GIs in Europe. After the war, he
appeared on a number of radio shows, including The Philip Morris
Follies of 1946 with Johnny Desmond and Margaret Whiting.In 1947 he
appeared in a Broadway musical review called Inside U.S.A. The
performances were panned by critics, but Shriner's monologues made it
a success and carried the show for over a year. Shriner hosted Herb
Shriner Time, a CBS Radio weekday program, in 1948 and 1949 with the
Raymond Scott Quintet, singer Dorothy Collins, and announcer Durward
Kirby. The program was initially titled Alka-Seltzer Time (not to be
confused with the later Alka-Seltzer Time that starred Curt Massey and
Martha Tilton). In August 1949, Shriner decided not to continue the
program because it was too much work. The previously mentioned
Alka-Seltzer Time, with Massey and Tilton, which had been a summer
replacement, continued in Shriner's place on CBS.
American humorist, radio personality, actor, and television host.
Shriner was known for his homespun monologues, usually about his home
state of Indiana. He was frequently compared to humorist Will
Rogers.Shriner was born Herbert Arthur Schriner in Toledo, Ohio, the
son of Edith (née Rockwell) and Peter Schriner. He moved to Fort
Wayne as a small child, when his mother left his father. Shriner
learned to play the harmonica as a grade school student. He formed a
quintet when he was in high school; it expanded to an octet andmade
frequent local appearances. Shriner then performed on his own. When
his lip gave out one night, he filled time by telling homespun
stories. His deadpan comedy routines became more popular than his
music, and soon he was entertaining audiences with stories about a
fictional Hoosier hometown.In 1940, Shriner was hired by NBC for
occasional radio appearances, which led to a regular spot in 1942 and
1943 on the comedy-variety program Camel Caravan. During World War II,
he served in a United States Army special services unit and performed
for two years in USO shows for GIs in Europe. After the war, he
appeared on a number of radio shows, including The Philip Morris
Follies of 1946 with Johnny Desmond and Margaret Whiting.In 1947 he
appeared in a Broadway musical review called Inside U.S.A. The
performances were panned by critics, but Shriner's monologues made it
a success and carried the show for over a year. Shriner hosted Herb
Shriner Time, a CBS Radio weekday program, in 1948 and 1949 with the
Raymond Scott Quintet, singer Dorothy Collins, and announcer Durward
Kirby. The program was initially titled Alka-Seltzer Time (not to be
confused with the later Alka-Seltzer Time that starred Curt Massey and
Martha Tilton). In August 1949, Shriner decided not to continue the
program because it was too much work. The previously mentioned
Alka-Seltzer Time, with Massey and Tilton, which had been a summer
replacement, continued in Shriner's place on CBS.
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