Frank Gallop - Television

Television

Gallop was the announcer for Perry Como's 1950s – 1960s television shows. At The Perry Como Show's premiere on September 17, 1955, the first voice heard was that of Gallop, saying, "We assume everyone can read, so we will not shout at you." While serving as the announcer for Milton Berle's radio show, Gallop had been the one delivering the comedy lines; on the Perry Como Show, it was just the opposite, with Como getting the "last word" on Gallop. At the start of the Perry Como Show, there literally was not enough room for Gallop to appear onstage, so viewers heard only his voice, coming from "somewhere".

The "mystery man" proved intriguing, as the show received many cards and letters asking about Gallop. When he did begin his onscreen appearances in the 1958 – 1959 season, how he would appear was often a surprise for everyone, Como included. Gallop might be wearing an outrageous costume or even a Beatle wig, showing up at the right time wearing the gear. He was an active participant in the show's comedy sketches. Gallop was also the announcer for the 1958 – 1959 Emmy Awards, where his "boss" (Como) received an Emmy for Best Performance by an actor in a musical or variety series. Gallop displayed his vocal abilities on the Perry Como's Kraft Music Hall broadcast of December 27, 1961, singing Jimmy Dean's "Big Bad John", backed by The Ray Charles Singers.

Before the Como show, he was the narrator of Lights Out from 1950 – 1952; the horror fantasy TV series was based on the radio show of the same name. Gallop's camera appearances for the show were as a head without a body with a lit candle. As his candle became smaller from week to week, Gallop's pleas to the prop department for a replacement fell on deaf ears. Apparently sensing his dilemma, a viewer sent Gallop an entire box of candles.

He was also the host of Kraft Mystery Theatre, a 1961 – 1963 summer replacement show for Como's program. Gallop did some announcing for The Colgate Comedy Hour, working with Dean Martin and Jerry Lewis on the show in the early 1950s; he became the voice of the Dean Martin Summer Show, in the mid-1960s, this time working with Dan Rowan and Dick Martin, who went on to host their own show, Laugh In.

In 1957, Gallop was asked about the difference in switching from radio to television announcing. He said that while the salaries in television announcing were even more lucrative than in radio, the amount of time and work involved for television shows was much greater than for radio ones. Gallop stressed that veteran radio announcers were still actively employed because of their announcing experience and that a handsome face on the television screen needed to have that experience coupled with it.

Remaining active in announcing into the 1970s, Gallop divided his time between homes in New York and Palm Beach, Florida. Despite being a former investment consultant, Gallop said in a 1958 interview that he had "never made a nickel in the market in my life."