Comedian, actor, pianist, composer and songwriter. He was a night club pianist, later joining the Henry Halstead orchestra in 1923. He created the character of 'Charlie Weaver' for The Jack Paar Show, and portrayed 'Mrs. Butterworth' in television commercials. He joined ASCAP in 1959, and his chief musical collaborator was Charles "Bud" Dant. His popular-song compositions include: "It's Xmas in Mount Idy" "Just Got a Letter from Mama"; "On the Boardwalk at Snider's Swamp"; "Fight for Sub-Normal U"; "Who'll Sign the Pardon for Wallace Swine?"; and "Don't Give the Chair to Buster".


Grandfather of Rosanna Arquette, Patricia Arquette and David Arquette Opened a Civil War museum in Gettysburg, Pennsylvania in 1959. For eight years (from its inception in 1966) the grizzly, stocky storyteller occupied the lower left square of "The Hollywood Squares" (1965) game show as his 'Charley Weaver' character. A major stroke took him off the show for a time, but he eventually returned, much more gaunt looking, and remained until his death in 1974 of a heart attack. Comedian George Gobel replaced him. He was awarded a Star on the Hollywood Walk of Fame for Radio at 6720 Hollywood Boulevard in Hollywood, California.