Lone Ranger Announcer Fred Foy 1921-2010 - Sitcoms Online Message Boards

Zoneboy · 12-22-2010, 08:55 PM

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Fred Foy, a radio and television announcer best known for conjuring up "those thrilling days of yesteryear" in the late 1940s and '50s as the announcer-narrator of "The Lone Ranger" on radio and television, has died. He was 89.

Foy died Wednesday morning of age-related causes at his home in Woburn, Mass., said his daughter, Nancy Foy.

During a broadcasting career that began in Detroit in 1940, Foy spent more than 20 years as a staff announcer for ABC television and radio before retiring in the mid-1980s.

His early career included stints announcing radio's "The Green Hornet" and "The Challenge of the Yukon," and he later was the announcer on "The Dick Cavett Show" on ABC in the late '60s and early '70s.

But for many, Foy remains best remembered for his stentorian delivery of what many consider the most famous opening in broadcast history, accompanied by the stirring strains of Rossini's "William Tell Overture":

"A fiery horse with the speed of light, a cloud of dust and a hearty 'Hi-yo, Silver' — the Lone Ranger! With his faithful Indian companion, Tonto, the daring and resourceful masked rider of the plains led the fight for law and order in the early Western United States. Nowhere in the pages of history can one find a greater champion of justice.

"Return with us now to those thrilling days of yesteryear. From out of the past come the thundering hoof-beats of the great horse Silver. The Lone Ranger rides again!"

Foy was a staff announcer at Detroit radio station WXYZ in 1948 when he was asked to take over as the announcer for "The Lone Ranger," which had been launched at the station in 1933.

He remained with "The Lone Ranger" until its final live broadcast in 1954. He also was the understudy for Brace Beemer, who played the title character, and was pressed into service for one broadcast in the '50s when Beemer had laryngitis.

"He was a dear man," actor-announcer Gary Owens told The Times Wednesday. "He was one of my early heroes in broadcasting because he did such a good job. He had a great dramatic baritone."

Cavett was another longtime fan of Foy's.

"I never dreamed that the thrilling voice that brought the well-known thundering hoofbeats into my living room in Nebraska would someday announce my own show," he wrote in the foreword to "Fred Foy From XYZ to ABC," Foy's self-published memoir that he sold and signed at old-time radio conventions.

"The mere sound of Fred Foy's extraordinarily resonant speech mechanism gives me gooseflesh…," wrote Cavett.

In a 2008 interview with National Public Radio, Foy said: "We never dreamed that this would become a legend when we were doing the show.

"And it's so beautiful to know that you had so many people who sat back and enjoyed your work."

He was born Frederick William Foy on March 27, 1921, in Detroit. In 1940, he landed a part-time job at WMBC, a small independent radio station in Detroit.

He moved to WXYZ in 1942 but was drafted into the Army later that year. Foy returned to the station after serving in the Special Services United/Armed Forces Radio in Cairo.

His career included narrating network documentaries, announcing "The Generation Gap" and other quiz shows, doing voice-overs for movie trailers and serving as a spokesman for General Motors, Colgate and other national advertisers.

Foy was inducted into the Radio Hall of Fame in 2000 and received a Golden Boot Award from the Motion Picture & Television Fund in 2004.

In addition to his daughter Nancy, he is survived by his wife of 63 years, Frances; two other children, Wendy Foy Griffis and Fritz Foy; and three grandchildren.

Marvo301 · 12-22-2010, 10:20 PM

Fed Foy

catlover79 · 12-23-2010, 03:09 AM

TV Knowledge Fan · 12-26-2010, 04:17 AM

...Foy's voice wasn't heard on the TV version until the fall of 1954, at the time production on the radio series ended [however, it stayed on ABC in transcribed repeats (1952-'53 episodes) through the summer of '55, then heard late weekday afternoons on NBC until early 1956]. Originally, Gerald Mohr was used as the announcer/narrator in the earlier seasons {"Be sure to be with us again next week, at this same time, when General Mills brings you another exciting adventure. THE LONE RANGER RIDES AGAIN!"}, with his patented "tough-guy" delivery. The current reissue and "public domain" prints uses Foy's opening...

12-22-2010, 08:55 PM	#1
Zoneboy RIP, I'LL NEVER FORGET YOU :( Moderator Forum Superstar Join Date: Jul 13, 2003 Location: AT HOME WISHING ALL THIS WAS JUST A DREAM AND THAT I'LL WAKE UP FROM THIS NIGHTMARE. Posts: 34,338	Lone Ranger Announcer Fred Foy 1921-2010 Link Fred Foy, a radio and television announcer best known for conjuring up "those thrilling days of yesteryear" in the late 1940s and '50s as the announcer-narrator of "The Lone Ranger" on radio and television, has died. He was 89. Foy died Wednesday morning of age-related causes at his home in Woburn, Mass., said his daughter, Nancy Foy. During a broadcasting career that began in Detroit in 1940, Foy spent more than 20 years as a staff announcer for ABC television and radio before retiring in the mid-1980s. His early career included stints announcing radio's "The Green Hornet" and "The Challenge of the Yukon," and he later was the announcer on "The Dick Cavett Show" on ABC in the late '60s and early '70s. But for many, Foy remains best remembered for his stentorian delivery of what many consider the most famous opening in broadcast history, accompanied by the stirring strains of Rossini's "William Tell Overture": "A fiery horse with the speed of light, a cloud of dust and a hearty 'Hi-yo, Silver' — the Lone Ranger! With his faithful Indian companion, Tonto, the daring and resourceful masked rider of the plains led the fight for law and order in the early Western United States. Nowhere in the pages of history can one find a greater champion of justice. "Return with us now to those thrilling days of yesteryear. From out of the past come the thundering hoof-beats of the great horse Silver. The Lone Ranger rides again!" Foy was a staff announcer at Detroit radio station WXYZ in 1948 when he was asked to take over as the announcer for "The Lone Ranger," which had been launched at the station in 1933. He remained with "The Lone Ranger" until its final live broadcast in 1954. He also was the understudy for Brace Beemer, who played the title character, and was pressed into service for one broadcast in the '50s when Beemer had laryngitis. "He was a dear man," actor-announcer Gary Owens told The Times Wednesday. "He was one of my early heroes in broadcasting because he did such a good job. He had a great dramatic baritone." Cavett was another longtime fan of Foy's. "I never dreamed that the thrilling voice that brought the well-known thundering hoofbeats into my living room in Nebraska would someday announce my own show," he wrote in the foreword to "Fred Foy From XYZ to ABC," Foy's self-published memoir that he sold and signed at old-time radio conventions. "The mere sound of Fred Foy's extraordinarily resonant speech mechanism gives me gooseflesh…," wrote Cavett. In a 2008 interview with National Public Radio, Foy said: "We never dreamed that this would become a legend when we were doing the show. "And it's so beautiful to know that you had so many people who sat back and enjoyed your work." He was born Frederick William Foy on March 27, 1921, in Detroit. In 1940, he landed a part-time job at WMBC, a small independent radio station in Detroit. He moved to WXYZ in 1942 but was drafted into the Army later that year. Foy returned to the station after serving in the Special Services United/Armed Forces Radio in Cairo. His career included narrating network documentaries, announcing "The Generation Gap" and other quiz shows, doing voice-overs for movie trailers and serving as a spokesman for General Motors, Colgate and other national advertisers. Foy was inducted into the Radio Hall of Fame in 2000 and received a Golden Boot Award from the Motion Picture & Television Fund in 2004. In addition to his daughter Nancy, he is survived by his wife of 63 years, Frances; two other children, Wendy Foy Griffis and Fritz Foy; and three grandchildren.
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12-22-2010, 10:20 PM	#2
Marvo301 I'm NOT a Blockhead! Forum Celebrity Join Date: May 17, 2002 Location: The Great White North Posts: 21,450	Fed Foy
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12-23-2010, 03:09 AM	#3
catlover79 God Bless Val Forum Addict Join Date: May 29, 2006 Location: Bewitched in Ohio Posts: 70,376
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12-26-2010, 04:17 AM	#4
TV Knowledge Fan Member Senior Member Join Date: Mar 29, 2006 Location: Long Branch, N.J. Posts: 2,577	Ironically.... ...Foy's voice wasn't heard on the TV version until the fall of 1954, at the time production on the radio series ended [however, it stayed on ABC in transcribed repeats (1952-'53 episodes) through the summer of '55, then heard late weekday afternoons on NBC until early 1956]. Originally, Gerald Mohr was used as the announcer/narrator in the earlier seasons {"Be sure to be with us again next week, at this same time, when General Mills brings you another exciting adventure. THE LONE RANGER RIDES AGAIN!"}, with his patented "tough-guy" delivery. The current reissue and "public domain" prints uses Foy's opening...