Is That REALLY Frank Nelson??

[bboswell]

One of the most famous "Whistler" episodes is called "A Brief Pause for Murder," where a radio DJ makes a recording of his voice to be played during a station break as an alabi so he can go out and kill his wife...

While listening to this episode today, I noticed that once in a great while, the DJ sounded EXACTLY like Frank Nelson. However, he is the main character, yet it was only in one or two small places that I could recognize his voice. The end credits verified that Nelson was in the cast, but if it hadn't been for those few glimpses, I would have sworn it couldn't be him.

Has anyone else heard this episode? It was broadcast on 9-11-1949. If you have the resources, check it out! I didn't know Frank Nelson could sound so little like Frank Nelson!

[shimp scrampi]

Frank Nelson is in some early Benny shows as well where he doesn't quite sound like the infuriating, famous "Nelson" character of the forties and fifties. It's probably a good thing that he didn't ALWAYS sound as pompous and condescending as his character, could you imagine? His family and friends would have killed him!

[Maxwell]

Frank Nelson is in some early Benny shows as well where he doesn't quite sound like the infuriating, famous "Nelson" character of the forties and fifties. It's probably a good thing that he didn't ALWAYS sound as pompous and condescending as his character, could you imagine? His family and friends would have killed him!

You're making an assumption that someone who sounded like Nelson's character would have friends.

[bboswell]

Heheh! That's great!

I just remembered somewhere on this forum LLeff discussing Nelson's first appearance on the Jack Benny show, and she specifically said that if you didn't know it was him, you wouldn't... well... know it was him.

Now I believe it!

[Roman]

Before he created his "YEEEEEESSSSSSS" voice, Frank Nelson was a constant presence on the Benny Show. I can recognize his voice as the football announcer on Jack's annual Flatfoot U pre-Thanksgiving show. He also was Jack's doctor on several episodes. And I'm pretty sure that's him as Virgil the soundman. Frank Nelson had one of the most versatile and creative voices in all of radio.

[Floorwalker]

My copy of the 1949-09-11 ep has Joe Kearns as the DJ, with no mention of Frank Nelson. An episode called "Brief Pause For Murder" was done as part of an East Coast version of The Whistler on 1946-09-11. I don't have a copy of this; maybe that's the show you have?

Has anyone else heard this episode? It was broadcast on 9-11-1949. If you have the resources, check it out! I didn't know Frank Nelson could sound so little like Frank Nelson!