Walter Kinsella (actor)

For the squash and tennis player, see Walter Kinsella (tennis).
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.