Eloise McElhone

Eloise McElhone (1920 or 1921 – July 1, 1974[1]) was an American radio and television personality in the 1950s.

Early years

McElhone was the daughter of Mr. and Mrs. Arthur Johnston McElhone, and she had a sister. She attended St. Lawrence Academy and graduated from the Todhunter School.[2] Before she began working on radio and television, she was a supervisor of 24 clerks at the Food Rationing Board in the Bronx.[3]

Career

McElhone's entry into broadcasting resulted from her mother's attendance at a dinner party hosted by Martha Rountree in the spring of 1945. During the event, Rountree commented that she needed one more woman to complete the panel of her upcoming radio program, Leave It to the Girls, and that the woman needed to be "young, smart, pretty and a good talker".[3] McElhone's mother suggested Eloise, who was selected after a successful audition the next day.[3]

Radio

McElhone was a regular panelist on Leave It to the Girls on the Mutual Broadcasting System from 1945 to 1949.[4] She portrayed the secretary to John K. M. McCaffrey when he began a commentary program on WNBC in New York City in October 1947.[5] She and Walter Kiernan were co-hosts of Sparring Partners on WJZ radio in New York City. The talk show began in January 1953.[6]

Television

In 1948 McElhone became a fashion commentator on Paris Cavalcade of Fashion on TV.[7] She hosted an interview program on WABD in New York City in 1949. A review of one episode in the trade publication Billboard described the sessions with guests as "moderately interesting" and added, "It's tough to make interviews sparkle and these don't."[8]

McElhone continued being a panelist on Leave It to the Girls when the show moved to television,[4] "the most constant panel member over the years".[9] She was master of ceremonies on Quick on the Draw when it began as a local show on WNBT-TV in New York City in May 1950.[10] A review of that program in Billboard called McElhone "the only real strong point on the show."[11] It continued, "Lush to look at and quick of manner and speech, she is always an interesting and capable performer . . ."[11]

Beginning on October 5, 1953, she had the Eloise McElhone Show on weekday afternoons on WPIX in New York City.[12] Topics on the 30-minute show included women's and girls' fashions.[13] In 1954, McElhone was a "weather girl" on Channel 4 in New York City. She also appeared regularly on TV on Eloise Salutes the Stars, Leave It to the Girls, and Meet the Experts.[1]

Advertising

McElhone appeared in print advertising for Regimen Tablets, a weight-loss product.[14]

Personal life and death

McElhone worked as a volunteer with cerebral palsy.[15] She married advertising executive William Paul Warwick on April 6, 1951, in New York City.[2] They had two daughters, and they were divorced. On July 1, 1974, she died of a heart attack at her home in New York City, aged 53.[1]

References
  1. "Eloise McElhone, 53, Dies; TV Panelist of the '50's". The New York Times. July 2, 1974. p. 38. Retrieved May 4, 2023.
  2. "Eloise M'Elhone Wed to William Warwick". The New York Times. April 7, 1951. p. 8. Retrieved May 4, 2023.
  3. Flynn, Joan King (June 24, 1951). "How Eloise McElhone Got Into Television". The San Francisco Examiner. The American Weekly. p. 7. Retrieved May 9, 2023 – via Newspapers.com.
  4. Terrace, Vincent (October 21, 2022). From Radio to Television: Programs That Made the Transition, 1929-2021. McFarland. p. 128. ISBN 978-1-4766-4693-0. Retrieved May 5, 2023.
  5. Gould, Jack (October 16, 1947). "The News of Radio: John McCaffrey to Try Commentator Role on WNBC Monday Through Fridays". The New York Times. p. 54. Retrieved May 4, 2023.
  6. "Radio-TV Notes". The New York Times. January 3, 1953. p. 20. Retrieved May 4, 2023.
  7. "Eloise McElhone To Comment For League's Fashion Show". The Daily Times. Mamaroneck, New York. May 24, 1948. p. 6. Retrieved May 5, 2023 – via Newspapers.com.
  8. Franken, Jerry (December 17, 1949). "Eloise McElhone". Billboard. p. 10. Retrieved May 5, 2023.
  9. Brooks, Tim; Marsh, Earle F. (June 24, 2009). The Complete Directory to Prime Time Network and Cable TV Shows, 1946-Present. Random House Publishing Group. p. 779. ISBN 978-0-307-48320-1. Retrieved May 5, 2023.
  10. "Radio and Television: Charades Drawn by Cartoonist Feature of N.B.C.-TV Show Starting Saturday". The New York Times. May 22, 1950. p. 25. Retrieved May 4, 2023.
  11. Chase, Sam (June 17, 1950). "Quick on the Draw". Billboard. p. 10. Retrieved May 5, 2023.
  12. Lohman, Sidney (October 4, 1953). "NEWS OF TV AND RADIO: New Crop of Premieres -- Music -- Other Items". The New York Times. p. X 15. Retrieved May 4, 2023.
  13. "Eloise McElhone Show". Variety. March 31, 1954. p. 31. Retrieved May 5, 2023.
  14. "(Regimen Tablets ad)". Life. February 23, 1959. p. 104. Retrieved May 5, 2023.
  15. "Television Star To Speak Here On Cerebral Palsy". Hartford Courant. November 19, 1952. p. 9. Retrieved May 9, 2023 – via Newspapers.com.
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