Staats Cotsworth

Staats Cotsworth (February 17, 1908 – April 9, 1979) was an American actor in old-time radio.[1] He is perhaps best known for playing the title role in Casey, Crime Photographer.[2]

Staats Cotsworth
Cotsworth in 1948
Born
Staats Cotsworth, Jr.

February 17, 1908
Oak Park, Illinois, US
DiedApril 9, 1979(1979-04-09) (aged 71)
New York City, US
OccupationActor
Known forTitle role in radio's Casey, Crime Photographer
Spouse(s)Muriel Kirkland (1936–1968, her death)
Josephine Hutchinson

Early years

Staats Cotsworth Jr. was born in Oak Park, Illinois, the son of Staats and Dorothy (Bodley) Cotsworth. He had a brother named John Littlefield Cotsworth.[3] In 1929, he earned a diploma in the Department of Art from the Pennsylvania Museum's School of Industrial Art.[4]

Radio

Cotsworth was once described as "the busiest actor in radio," having performed in 7,500 broadcasts in 12 years.[1] His roles as a regular cast member included those shown in the table below.

ProgramRole
Amanda of Honeymoon HillEdward Leighton[5]
Big SisterDr. John Wayne[6]
Casey, Crime PhotographerCasey[7]
Front Page FarrellDavid Farrell[8]
Inspector ThorneThorne[5]: 347 
Lone JourneyWolfe Bennett[9]
Ma PerkinsGideon Harris[10]
Mark TrailMark Trail[11]
Mr. and Mrs. NorthLieutenant Weigand[12]
Pepper Young's FamilyJeff Taylor[13]
Roger Kilgore, Public DefenderDistrict Attorney Sam Howe [5]: 582 
The Man from G-2Major Hugh North[5]: 432 
When a Girl MarriesPhil Stanley[5]: 717 

Other programs on which Cotsworth appeared included The Chase,[5]: 150  These Are Our Men,[5]: 662  X Minus One,[5]: 729  Mr. Keen, Tracer of Lost Persons,[12] The Right to Happiness,[14] Cavalcade of America,[15] Grand Central Station,[16] The Story of Mary Marlin,[17] and Silver Theater.[18]

Stage

Cotsworth's professional debut on stage was in Alice in Wonderland, produced by Eva LeGallienne.[8] His Broadway credits include First Episode (1934), Othello (1935), Macbeth (1935 and 1941–1942), Damaged Goods (1937), As You Like It (1937), Stop-Over (1938), Madame Capet (1938), Boudoir (1941), She Stoops to Conquer (1949–1950), Richard III (1953), Inherit the Wind (1955–1957), Pictures in the Hallway (1956), I Knock at the Door (1957), Advise and Consent (1960–1961), The Right Honourable Gentleman (1965–1966), Weekend (1968), A Patriot for Me (1969), and Lost in the Stars (1972).[19]

Television

Cotsworth was seen in Killer's Choice, the premiere episode of Kraft Mystery Theatre, in June 1958,[20] and in "The Thirty-first of February'", an episode of The Alfred Hitchcock Hour, in January 1963.[21] He was in Macbeth when that play was presented on Hallmark Hall of Fame.[22]

Art

Cotsworth was also an artist.[23] "He attended several art schools in this country and studied for seven years in Paris,"[24] at the Académie Colarossi.[12] His work included illustrating Ernest Peixotto's book, A Bacchic Pilgrimage, published by Charles Scribner's Sons[25] and painting "three murals for some swank bowling alleys in Washington."[26] His work was exhibited at the Corcoran Gallery of Art in Washington and at the Pennsylvania Academy of the Fine Arts and the Water Color Club in Philadelphia.[9]

A newspaper obituary described Cotsworth as "an accomplished painter of oils and watercolors," noting that at the time of his death he was "listed in the current Who's Who in American Art."[22]

Union activities

Cotsworth was elected a member of the New York Local Board of the American Federation of Radio Artists in 1946[27] and in 1949.[28]

Personal life

Cotsworth married Muriel Kirkland, an actress, in New York City on May 24, 1936.[12] They remained married until her death in 1968.[22] Later he married Josephine Hutchinson, who was also an actress.[29]

Death

Cotsworth died April 9, 1979, aged 71, in his apartment in Manhattan, New York. He was survived by his second wife Josephine.[29]

Filmography
Year Title Role Notes
1957That Night!Salesman
1957Peyton PlaceCharles Partridge
1964HamletPolonius
1971They Might Be GiantsWinthrop
1974Silent Night, Bloody NightWilfred ButlerVoice, (final film role)

References
  1. 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. 64.
  2. "Staats Cotsworth – Rotten Tomatoes". Rotten Tomatoes. Retrieved June 15, 2021.
  3. "Staats Cotsworth, Former Villager, Services in East". Illinois, Oak Park. Oak Park Oak Leaves. March 24, 1938. p. 69. Retrieved January 6, 2016 – via Newspaperarchive.com. open access
  4. List of Graduates; Awards and Prizes: 1928–1929. Philadelphia, Pennsylvania: The Pennsylvania Museum's School of Industrial Art. June 6, 1929. p. 2. Retrieved January 7, 2016.
  5. Dunning, John. (1998). On the Air: The Encyclopedia of Old-Time Radio. Oxford University Press. ISBN 978-0-19-507678-3. P. 23
  6. "New Character on CBS "Big Sister"". Pennsylvania, Harrisburg. Harrisburg Telegraph. April 1, 1944. p. 15. Retrieved January 6, 2016 – via Newspapers.com. open access
  7. Sies, Luther F. (2014). Encyclopedia of American Radio, 1920–1960, 2nd Edition, Volume 1. McFarland & Company, Inc. ISBN 978-0-7864-5149-4. P. 121.
  8. Rathbun, Joe (June 24, 1945). "Joe's Radio Parade". Ohio, Zanesville. Sunday Times Signal. p. 7. Retrieved January 6, 2016 – via Newspapers.com. open access
  9. "Lone Journey Hero". Radio-TV Mirror. Vol. 37, no. 4. March 1952. pp. 38–39, 88–89. Retrieved January 7, 2016.
  10. "Ma Perkins". TV-Radio Mirror. Vol. 46, no. 1. June 1956. pp. 60–64. Retrieved January 7, 2016.
  11. Alicoate, Jack, Ed. (1952). The 1952 Radio Annual. Radio Daily Corp. P. 847.
  12. Cotsworth, Muriel Kirkland (July 1947). "Right for Each Other". Radio Mirror. Vol. 28, no. 2. pp. 44–45, 70–73. Retrieved January 7, 2016.
  13. "Pepper Young's Family". TV Radio Mirror. Vol. 46, no. 6. November 1956. pp. 50–53. Retrieved January 7, 2016.
  14. Rathbun, Joe (February 25, 1945). "Joe's Radio Parade". Ohio, Zanesville. Sunday Times Signal. p. 21. Retrieved January 6, 2016 – via Newspapers.com. open access
  15. "The Conquest of Quinine". Illinois, Belvidere. Belvidere Daily Republican. July 31, 1944. p. 4. Retrieved January 6, 2016 – via Newspapers.com. open access
  16. ""Grand Central Station" returns to WHP". Pennsylvania, Harrisburg. Harrisburg Telegraph. March 4, 1944. p. 15. Retrieved January 6, 2016 – via Newspapers.com. open access
  17. "Family Affair". Pennsylvania, Harrisburg. Harrisburg Telegraph. February 5, 1944. p. 16. Retrieved January 6, 2016 – via Newspapers.com. open access
  18. "New Shows Take Over Radio's Favorite Spots". Maryland, Hagerstown. The Morning News. October 15, 1940. p. 6. Retrieved January 6, 2016 – via Newspapers.com. open access
  19. "Staats Cotsworth". Playbill Vault. Retrieved January 6, 2016.
  20. "Kraft Mystery Theatre" (PDF). Broadcasting. June 28, 1958. p. 18. Retrieved January 7, 2016.
  21. "David Wayne Stars in Episode On 'Alfred Hitchcock Hour'". Missouri, Jefferson City. Jefferson City Post Tribune. January 4, 1963. p. 15. Retrieved January 6, 2016 – via Newspaperarchive.com. open access
  22. "Staats Cotsworth, Broadway actor, artist". St. Petersburg Times. April 13, 1979. p. 15B. Retrieved January 7, 2016.
  23. Francis, Robert (April 23, 1939). "Candid Close-Ups". New York, Brooklyn. The Brooklyn Daily Eagle. p. 36. Retrieved January 6, 2016 – via Newspapers.com. open access
  24. "Cameraman Is Artist". Nebraska, Lincoln. The Nebraska State Journal. July 30, 1944. p. 28. Retrieved January 6, 2016 – via Newspapers.com. open access
  25. Coan, Philip (October 28, 1932). "A Temperate Bacchus". New York, Brooklyn. The Brooklyn Daily Eagle. p. 12. Retrieved January 6, 2016 – via Newspapers.com. open access
  26. Francis, Robert (January 18, 1942). "Candid Close-Ups". New York, Brooklyn. The Brooklyn Daily Eagle. p. 37. Retrieved January 6, 2016 – via Newspapers.com. open access
  27. "Election Results" (PDF). Broadcasting. December 9, 1946. p. 85. Retrieved January 7, 2016.
  28. "AFRA N.Y. Local" (PDF). Broadcasting. December 12, 1949. p. 80. Retrieved January 7, 2016.
  29. "Deaths" (PDF). Broadcasting. April 23, 1979. p. 71. Retrieved January 7, 2016.
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