Alec Templeton

Alec Templeton (b. July 4, 1909, Cardiff, Wales - d. March 28, 1963, Greenwich, Connecticut) [cite book | last = Slonimsky | first = Nicolas | authorlink = | coauthors = Theodore Baker | title = Baker's Biographical Dictionary of Musicians | publisher = Schirmer Books | date = 1992 | location = New York, New York | pages = | url = | doi = | id = | isbn = 0-02-872415-1 ] was a pianist and satirist. Blind from birth, he studied at London's Royal Academy. In 1936, he moved from Wales to the United States as a member of Jack Hylton's Jazz Band, [cite book | last = Slonimsky | first = Nicolas | authorlink = | coauthors = Theodore Baker | title = Baker's Biographical Dictionary of Musicians | publisher = Schirmer Books | date = 1992 | location = New York, New York | pages = | url = | doi = | id = | isbn = 0-02-872415-1 ] where he played with a number of orchestras and gave his first radio performances on "The Rudy Vallée Show", "The Chase and Sanborn Hour", "Kraft Music Hall" and "The Magic Key". [cite encyclopedia |last= |first= |author= |authorlink= |coauthors= |editor= |encyclopedia=On the Air: The Encyclopedia of Old-Time Radio |title=Alec Templeton |url= |accessdate=2008-08-05 |edition= |date= |year=1998 |publisher=Oxford University Press |volume= |location= |id= |doi= |pages= |quote= ]

His radio program, "Alec Templeton Time", sponsored by Alka-Seltzer, was first broadcast from 1939 to 1941, returning in 1943 and 1946–47. It was sometimes known as "The Alec Templeton Show". Guests included Kay Lorene and Pearl Bailey. [cite encyclopedia |last= |first= |author= |authorlink= |coauthors= |editor= |encyclopedia=On the Air: The Encyclopedia of Old-Time Radio |title=Alec Templeton |url= |accessdate=2008-08-05 |edition= |date= |year=1998 |publisher=Oxford University Press |volume= |location= |id= |doi= |pages= |quote= ]

He memorized the scripts for his shows by having them read to him 20 times. From 3 June to 26 August 1955, "It's Alec Templeton Time" appeared on the DuMont Television Network. [cite encyclopedia |last= |first= |author= |authorlink= |coauthors= |editor= |encyclopedia=On the Air: The Encyclopedia of Old-Time Radio |title=Alec Templeton |url= |accessdate=2008-08-05 |edition= |date= |year=1998 |publisher=Oxford University Press |volume= |location= |id= |doi= |pages= |quote= ]

Templeton's compositions include "Bach Goes To Town", "Mozart Matriculates" and "Scarlatti Stoops to Conga."

There is some confusion concerning Alex Templeton's year of birth. Most published and Internet biographies give his birth year as 1909, but his headstone shows 1910 as his year of birth. He died at age 52 or 53 and is interred at Putnam Cemetery in Greenwich, Connecticut.

References

External links

* [http://www.otrsite.com/logs/loga1012.htm Jerry Haendiges Vintage Radio Logs: "The Alec Templeton Show"]
* [http://www.soundfountain.org/rem/remtemple.html Soundfountain: Alec Templeton]
* [http://www.findagrave.com/cgi-bin/fg.cgi?page=gr&GRid=15088093 Alec Templeton Memorial] at Find A Grave