Arlene Harris
{{short description|American actress (1896–1976)}}
{{Use American English|date=April 2025}}
{{Use mdy dates|date=April 2025}}
{{About|the actress|the inventor|Arlene Harris (inventor)}}
{{Infobox person
| name = Arlene Harris
| image = Arlene Harris 1952.jpg
| caption = Harris performing for ABC in 1952
| birth_date = {{birth date|1896|7|7|mf=y}}
| birth_place = Toronto, Ontario, Canada
| death_date = {{death date and age|1976|6|12|1896|7|7|mf=yes}}
| death_place = Woodland Hills, California, U.S.
| resting_place = Chapel of the Pines Crematory
| other_names = Arlene Francis
| occupation = Actress
| spouse = Harry G. Harris
}}
Arlene Harris (July 7, 1896 – June 12, 1976) was a Canadian-born American radio, film, and television actress. (Another source gives her date of birth as July 7, 1898.) She was best known for her role as "the human chatterbox" on Al Pearce's radio program.
Early years
Harris was born in Toronto, Ontario, Canada, and was educated primarily in England.{{cite news|last1=Dache|first1=Dorothy|title=What About Arlene, the Chatterbox of 'Al Pearce's Gang'?|url=https://www.newspapers.com/clip/5251162/harrisburg_telegraph/|work=Harrisburg Telegraph|date=February 16, 1937|location=Pennsylvania, Harrisburg|page=23|via = Newspapers.com|accessdate = May 13, 2016}} {{Open access}} During the first three years of Harris's life, she was unable to hear.{{cite news|last1=Nicoll|first1=Bruce|title=Behind the Mike|url=https://www.newspapers.com/clip/5251072/the_lincoln_star/|work=The Lincoln Star|date=February 28, 1937|location=Nebraska, Lincoln|page=38|via = Newspapers.com|accessdate = May 13, 2016}} {{Open access}} At age 5, she was entertaining her family with comedy sketches. When she was older, she "branched out into the art of impersonating."
Vaudeville
Harris toured in vaudeville as Arlene Francis in the 1920s.DeLong, Thomas A. (1996). Radio Stars: An Illustrated Biographical Dictionary of 953 Performers, 1920 through 1960. McFarland & Company, Inc. {{ISBN|978-0-7864-2834-2}}. P. 121. She had to retire after being injured in an automobile accident, but the Great Depression in the United States caused her to return to entertaining—this time in radio.
Radio
Before her career in film, Harris was well known as a comic actress on the radio program, The Chatterbox.
She first appeared on radio on KFWB in Hollywood, California. She was a regular on Al Pearce and His Gang,Sies, Luther F. (2014). Encyclopedia of American Radio, 1920-1960, 2nd Edition. McFarland & Company, Inc. {{ISBN|978-0-7864-5149-4}}. P. 15. where she was known as "The Human Chatterbox" in monologues that involved telephone conversations with an unheard friend. A CBS statistician once calculated that she averaged four words per second during one of her rapid-fire monologues. She also co-starred with Pearce in Here Comes Elmer.{{cite news|title=Here Comes Elmer|url=https://www.newspapers.com/clip/5251123/harrisburg_telegraph/|work=Harrisburg Telegraph|date=December 23, 1944|location=Pennsylvania, Harrisburg|page=23|via = Newspapers.com|accessdate = May 13, 2016}} {{Open access}}
Harris played Mummy Higgins on The Baby Snooks Show and was heard on Ina Ray Hutton's program and Fare for Ladies.{{cite news|title=Arlene Harris to Present 'Talk of the Town' for Club|url=https://www.newspapers.com/clip/5250729/the_san_bernardino_county_sun/|work=The San Bernardino County Sun|date=April 6, 1969|location=California, San Bernardino|page=39|via = Newspapers.com|accessdate = May 13, 2016}} {{Open access}}
Television
Harris played herself in an episode of The Dick Van Dyke Show in 1964,.{{cite news|title=(TV listing)|url=https://www.newspapers.com/clip/5251007/independent_presstelegram/|work=Independent Press-Telegram|date=March 29, 1964|location=California, Long Beach|page=118|via = Newspapers.com|accessdate = May 13, 2016}} {{Open access}}[http://www.hulu.com/watch/114065/the-dick-van-dyke-show-the-return-of-edwin-carp#x-0,vepisode,1,0 The Return of Edwin Carp] {{Webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20120410200026/http://www.hulu.com/watch/114065/the-dick-van-dyke-show-the-return-of-edwin-carp#x-0,vepisode,1,0 |date=2012-04-10 }} - Season 3 : Ep. 27 of the Dick Van Dyke Show She also appeared on Panorama Pacific and made guest appearances on several TV programs.{{cite news|title=Woman's Club Monday Meeting Time Advanced|url=https://www.newspapers.com/clip/5250975/redlands_daily_facts/|work=Redlands Daily Facts|date=November 18, 1961|location=California, Redlands|page=3|via = Newspapers.com|accessdate = May 13, 2016}} {{Open access}}
Recognition
Harris has a star at 6250 Hollywood Boulevard in the Radio section of the Hollywood Walk of Fame. It was dedicated February 8, 1960.{{cite web|title=Arlene Harris|url=http://www.walkoffame.com/arlene-harris|website=Hollywood Walk of Fame|accessdate=13 May 2016}}
Personal life
Harris was married to Dr. Harry G. Harris.{{cite news|title=Radio Riddle Answer|url=https://www.newspapers.com/clip/5250813/washington_ch_recordherald/|work=Washington Court House Record-Herald|date=January 19, 1938|location=Ohio, Washington Court House|page=7|via = Newspapers.com|accessdate = May 13, 2016}} {{Open access}}
Death
Harris died June 12, 1976, at the Motion Picture Country Home in Woodland Hills, California.{{cite news|title=Arlene Harris Tribute Sunday; Willson In Anaheim Friday|url=https://www.newspapers.com/clip/5250608/santa_ana_register/|work=Santa Ana Register|date=June 17, 1976|location=California, Santa Ana|page=28|via = Newspapers.com|accessdate = May 13, 2016}} {{Open access}} She is entombed in Chapel of the Pines Crematory at Los Angeles, California.Wilson, Scott. Resting Places: The Burial Sites of More Than 14,000 Famous Persons, 3d ed.: 2 (Kindle Locations 25047-25048). McFarland & Company, Inc., Publishers. Kindle Edition.
References
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External links
{{Commons category}}
- {{IMDb name|0364441}}
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{{DEFAULTSORT:Harris, Arlene}}
Category:Canadian emigrants to the United States
Category:American film actresses
Category:American radio actresses
Category:American television actresses
Category:Actresses from Greater Los Angeles