James Earl Wall (12 December 1917 - 27 October 2010) was an American actor and longtime stage manager for CBS, best known for his role as Mr. Baxter on Captain Kangaroo.
Having performed on radio, theater, and in the Army during World War II, Wall worked as a stage manager on Broadway before being hired by CBS in 1962 to be the stage manager on Captain Kangaroo. In a interview clip that aired on the October 28, 2010, CBS Evening News, Wall recalled how he made the case to Kangaroo's producers for an African-American character. However, he had to audition for the role of Mr. Baxter, a teacher and the Captain's neighbor. He joined the cast in 1968, and stayed with the show until 1979; he did a guest spot in 1981.
Wall continued to work for CBS in semi-retirement until 2009. He was presented with the Directors Guild of America's Franklin J. Schaffner Achievement Award in 1994.
Wall is survived by his wife of 58 years, Dolly.
(sources: Wikipedia, LA Times, People)
No comments:
Post a Comment