Walter Kinsella (actor)

Kinsella as Patrick Joseph Murphy in 1943

Walter Kinsella (born August 16, 1900, in New York City, died May 11, 1975, in Englewood, New Jersey)[1] was an American theater, television and radio actor.

In his youth, Kinsella was active as a middle-distance runner in track events, winning more than 120 prizes in competition sponsored by the Amateur Athletic Union.[2]

In the 1920s, he was featured in advertisements for Arrow collars.[3]

Kinsella's first Broadway stage appearance was in 1924, in What Price Glory?[4] His other Broadway credits included Blessed Event, Arrest That Woman,[5] and Juno.[3]

Kinsella's roles on radio programs included:

Program Role
Abie's Irish Rose Patrick Murphy[6]
Dick Tracy Junior Tracy
Pat Patton[6]: 99 
The Fresh Up Show Irish policeman
Doc Fickett[6]: 125 
Joe and Mabel Mike[6]: 176–177 
Leave It to Mike Mike McNally[6]: 195 
Mr. and Mrs. North Sergeant Mullins[6]: 232 
Mr. District Attorney Harrington[6]: 233 
Paging Mike McNally Mike McNally[6]: 264 
Peewee and Windy Windy[6]: 267 

He also was a regular cast member of The Johnny Morgan Show[6]: 179  and That's My Pop.[6]: 330 

Kinsella's most noted television role was that of Happy McMann in NBC's detective drama Martin Kane, Private Eye. He also was the announcer for the Kane program.[7] He made a guest appearance on Perry Mason in 1961 as defendant Carter Gilman in "The Case of the Duplicate Daughter."

Kinsella was married and had a son and a daughter.[2]

  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. 153.
  2. ^ a b "Always "Happy"". The Terre Haute Tribune. Indiana, Terre Haute. March 26, 1952. p. 28. Retrieved July 6, 2016 – via Newspapers.com. Open access icon
  3. ^ a b Aaker, Everett (2006). Encyclopedia of Early Television Crime Fighters. McFarland & Company, Inc. ISBN 978-0-7864-6409-8. p. 318.
  4. ^ "Kevin and Tamara Kinsella". Playbill.com.
  5. ^ "(Walter Kinsella search)". Playbill Vault. Retrieved 6 July 2016.
  6. ^ a b c d e f g h i j k Terrace, Vincent (1999). Radio Programs, 192–1984: A Catalog of More Than 1800 Shows. McFarland & Company, Inc. ISBN 978-0-7864-4513-4. p. 7.
  7. ^ "TV Review: "Martin Kane, Private Eye"". Sponsor. June 4, 1951. p. 47. Retrieved 28 June 2016.