Jack Berch

Jack Berch
Jack Berch
	Berch and family in 1949
Born	August 26, 1907; or August 26, 1911; Sigel, Illinois
Died	December 10, 1992; Jamaica, New York
Alma mater	St. Viator College
Occupation	Singer
Known for	Radio programs
Spouse	Margo Orwig
Children	4

Jack Berch (August 26, 1907 or 1911^[1] – December 10, 1992) was an American baritone singer best known for his radio variety/talk programs^[2] from 1935 to 1954.^[3]

Early years

Berch was born in Sigel, Illinois, where his father ran a general store.^[4] Following his father's death, Berch began working after school as a stock boy in a dry goods store when he was "about 11 years old".^[5] His primary and secondary education came in Effingham, Illinois.^[6]

Berch graduated from St. Viator College.^[6] During his college years, he was a dishwasher and played drums for a dance band.^[4] He later worked as a door-to-door coffee salesman who sang as he approached the door of a house. When one potential customer in Youngstown, Ohio, turned out to be the wife of the manager of radio station WKBN, that led to an audition.^[2]

Radio

Berch's first job on radio was at WKBN. He had dual roles as a singer and an announcer, "introducing himself in one voice and singing in another. Then he would thank himself for the performance."^[7]

He also worked at WLW in Cincinnati, WTAM in Cleveland^[1] and WOAI in San Antonio.^[8]

Berch was the star of The Jack Berch Show, a variety/talk program that was broadcast on ABC, CBS, Mutual and NBC at various times from 1935 to 1954.^[3] His programs at times went by other names, including The Kitchen Pirate (1935–36) and The Sweetheart Serenader (1939–1941).^[2] A comment published in the trade publication Radio Daily said, "The singing of Berch is particularly well designed to give the day a sunny sendoff."^[9]

At times, he also wrote scripts and worked as an announcer and producer on other people's programs.^[1]

Recording

In 1950, Berch signed a contract with RCA Victor to make recordings in both children's and popular music genres.^[10]

Personal life

Berch was married to the former Margo Orwig.^[11] They had a son, Jon, and daughters Carol, Shirley,^[12] and Mollie.^[13]

Death

Berch died on December 10, 1992, in Jamaica, New York.^[2]

Partial discography

Shenanigans/The Greatest Mistake of My Life - 1949 with The Charlie Magnante Trio (London 559)^[14]
The Letter I Forgot to Mail/Kemo Kimo - 1949 with The Charlie Magnante Trio (Regent 144)^[15]
Bibbi-Di Bobba-Di Boo/Cinderella - 1950 with The Mullen Sisters and The Charlie Magnante Trio (London 20012)^[16]
Sunday School Songs (Parts I & II) - 1950 (Victor 470222)^[17]
The Teddy Bear's Picnic/Me and My Teddy Bear - 1950 with the Henri René Orchestra (Victor 47–0225)^[18]
The Little Lost Sheep - 1952 (Bibletone KL 221)^[19]

References

^ ^a ^b ^c Grunwald, Edgar A., Ed. (1940). Variety Radio Directory 1940-1941. Variety, Inc. P. 877.
^ ^a ^b ^c ^d 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. 30.
^ ^a ^b Dunning, John (1998). "The Jack Berch Show". On the Air: The Encyclopedia of Old-Time Radio (Revised ed.). New York, NY: Oxford University Press. p. 363. ISBN 978-0-19-507678-3. Retrieved October 20, 2019.
^ ^a ^b Alden, Ken (July 1937). "Facing the Music". Radio Mirror. 8 (3): 48–49. Retrieved November 27, 2015.
^ Berch, Jack (April 1950). "This I Believe". Radio and Television Mirror. 33 (5): 26–27, 104–105. Retrieved November 28, 2015.
^ ^a ^b "(untitled brief)". Altoona Tribune. Pennsylvania, Altoona. Altoona Tribune. March 21, 1950. p. 13. Retrieved November 30, 2015 – via Newspapers.com.
^ "Jack Berch, Young Veteran Of Air, All-Around Artist". The Paris News. Texas, Paris. May 21, 1939. p. 15. Retrieved December 1, 2015 – via Newspapers.com.
^ "Births". Billboard. April 17, 1948. p. 44. Retrieved December 2, 2015 – via Google Books.
^ "Program Reviews and Comments" (PDF). Radio Daily. July 20, 1937. p. 6. Retrieved December 2, 2015.^{[dead link‍]}
^ "Music--as Written". Billboard. May 27, 1950. p. 18. Retrieved December 2, 2015 – via Google Books.
^ "(untitled brief)". Radio and Television Mirror. 35 (3): 74. February 1951. Retrieved December 2, 2015.
^ Berch, Jack (January 1949). "World Full of Neighbors". Radio and Television Mirror. 31 (2): 34–35, 83–84. Retrieved November 26, 2015.
^ "Happy Easter". Radio and Television Mirror. 29 (5): 39. April 1948. Retrieved November 27, 2015.
^ "Record Reviews". Billboard. December 10, 1949. p. 34. Retrieved December 2, 2015 – via Google Books.
^ "Record Reviews". Billboard. March 19, 1949. p. 40. Retrieved December 2, 2015 – via Google Books.
^ "(London Records advertisement)". Billboard. April 15, 1950. p. 31. Retrieved December 2, 2015 – via Google Books.
^ "Record Reviews". Billboard. October 7, 1950. p. 104. Retrieved December 2, 2015 – via Google Books.
^ "Record Reviews". Billboard. October 28, 1950. p. 128. Retrieved December 2, 2015 – via Google Books.
^ "Albums and LP Reviews". Billboard. November 22, 1952. p. 88. Retrieved December 2, 2015 – via Google Books.

[v1940-1] Grunwald, Edgar A., Ed. (1940). Variety Radio Directory 1940-1941. Variety, Inc. P. 877.

[rs-2] 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. 30.

[dunningota-3] Dunning, John (1998). "The Jack Berch Show". On the Air: The Encyclopedia of Old-Time Radio (Revised ed.). New York, NY: Oxford University Press. p. 363. ISBN 978-0-19-507678-3. Retrieved October 20, 2019.

[fm-4] Alden, Ken (July 1937). "Facing the Music". Radio Mirror. 8 (3): 48–49. Retrieved November 27, 2015.

[5] Berch, Jack (April 1950). "This I Believe". Radio and Television Mirror. 33 (5): 26–27, 104–105. Retrieved November 28, 2015.

[at032150-6] "(untitled brief)". Altoona Tribune. Pennsylvania, Altoona. Altoona Tribune. March 21, 1950. p. 13. Retrieved November 30, 2015 – via Newspapers.com.

[7] "Jack Berch, Young Veteran Of Air, All-Around Artist". The Paris News. Texas, Paris. May 21, 1939. p. 15. Retrieved December 1, 2015 – via Newspapers.com.

[8] "Births". Billboard. April 17, 1948. p. 44. Retrieved December 2, 2015 – via Google Books.

[9] "Program Reviews and Comments" (PDF). Radio Daily. July 20, 1937. p. 6. Retrieved December 2, 2015.^{[dead link‍]}

[10] "Music--as Written". Billboard. May 27, 1950. p. 18. Retrieved December 2, 2015 – via Google Books.

[11] "(untitled brief)". Radio and Television Mirror. 35 (3): 74. February 1951. Retrieved December 2, 2015.

[12] Berch, Jack (January 1949). "World Full of Neighbors". Radio and Television Mirror. 31 (2): 34–35, 83–84. Retrieved November 26, 2015.

[13] "Happy Easter". Radio and Television Mirror. 29 (5): 39. April 1948. Retrieved November 27, 2015.

[14] "Record Reviews". Billboard. December 10, 1949. p. 34. Retrieved December 2, 2015 – via Google Books.

[15] "Record Reviews". Billboard. March 19, 1949. p. 40. Retrieved December 2, 2015 – via Google Books.

[16] "(London Records advertisement)". Billboard. April 15, 1950. p. 31. Retrieved December 2, 2015 – via Google Books.

[17] "Record Reviews". Billboard. October 7, 1950. p. 104. Retrieved December 2, 2015 – via Google Books.

[18] "Record Reviews". Billboard. October 28, 1950. p. 128. Retrieved December 2, 2015 – via Google Books.

[19] "Albums and LP Reviews". Billboard. November 22, 1952. p. 88. Retrieved December 2, 2015 – via Google Books.

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