Hello, Brian.
I was thrilled to find your web tribute to Walter Tetley. I’m 38, lived in Britain till age 18, and thus am not terribly familiar with the Jay Ward cartoons. However, even here in Korea we have the Internet, which I blame, along with Yesterday USA (www.yesterdayusa.com), for my hopeless addiction to American old-time radio. I particularly like Walter Tetley’s characters, Leroy of the Great Gildersleeve and Julius of the Phil Harris/Alice Fay Show. In addition to Yesterday USA, I also listen to OTR shows on the “On The Radio” page of the Mediabay.com website, in particular Stan Freberg’s “When Radio Was”.
All this being a very long-winded intro to my main purpose for writing. In Peabody’s Pony Express, I read your response to someone who suggested that you might contact Stan Freberg. You said, if I understood you correctly, that as Mr. Freberg is so well known, you’re less inclined make the effort. Well, I think I’d give it a try anyway if you want to learn more about Walter Tetley from one of the few surviving people in the business who new him.
Here’s why, though you may already be aware of this. Mr. Freberg frequently plays Gildersleeve and Phil Harris on his “When Radio Was” program, and he always gives a short introduction before and a short closing after each show. Every time that he plays either of these two shows — and I mean EVERY time — he says “…and also starring my good friend, Walter Tetley.” I’ve never heard Mr. Freberg express such fulsome affection for any other voice actor featured on his show (and there are scads and scads of big names) though he will occasionally say that “so-and-so” was also “a friend.” (Hans Conried and Jack Webb are the only ones that come to mind.) Remember, this is Stan Freberg, so we know he’s not name-dropping. And besides, Walter Tetley scarcely seems a name to drop. Who, other than a tiny, tiny minority of Americans, know today or ever knew who Walter Tetley was.
Yep, if I were living in America and had half your interest in Walter Tetley, I’d get right to work trying to contact Mr. Freberg.
Good luck!
John
Well, maybe I will. Do you have any idea where I could contact him? I am getting a little bit lazier, in my middle age………I know, as a kid, I got right to work, and persevered until I found an address. Now, with my relatively busy lifestyle, if someone can save me a few steps, I’m more than happy to do that. Do you know where I could reach Stan Freberg?
Brian