Bill Hay (radio announcer)
Encyclopedia
Bill Hay was an American radio announcer who was famous for his many years of work on the Amos 'n' Andy
show with Charles J. Correll and Freeman F. Gosden. Gosden and Correll had a show similar to Amos 'n' Andy called Sam 'n' Henry
at radio station WGN
in Chicago, but after a dispute in 1927, they took the program's concept and WGN
announcer Bill Hay across town to WMAQ. The Amos 'n' Andy team created the first syndicated radio show in history. The sponsor of Amos 'n' Andy, Pepsodent
, contractually stipulated that no one but Bill Hay was ever to announce their show.
Bill Hay has a star on the Hollywood Walk of Fame
.
Amos 'n' Andy
Amos 'n' Andy is a situation comedy set in the African-American community. It was very popular in the United States from the 1920s through the 1950s on both radio and television....
show with Charles J. Correll and Freeman F. Gosden. Gosden and Correll had a show similar to Amos 'n' Andy called Sam 'n' Henry
Sam 'n' Henry
Sam 'n' Henry was a radio series by Freeman Gosden and Charles Correll which aired on Chicago radio station WGN in 1926-1928. The ten minute program is often considered to be the first situation comedy...
at radio station WGN
WGN (AM)
WGN is a radio station in Chicago, Illinois, USA. It is the only radio station owned by the Tribune Company, which also owns the flagship television station WGN-TV, the Chicago Tribune newspaper and Chicago magazine locally. WGN's transmitter is located in Elk Grove Village, Illinois...
in Chicago, but after a dispute in 1927, they took the program's concept and WGN
WGN (AM)
WGN is a radio station in Chicago, Illinois, USA. It is the only radio station owned by the Tribune Company, which also owns the flagship television station WGN-TV, the Chicago Tribune newspaper and Chicago magazine locally. WGN's transmitter is located in Elk Grove Village, Illinois...
announcer Bill Hay across town to WMAQ. The Amos 'n' Andy team created the first syndicated radio show in history. The sponsor of Amos 'n' Andy, Pepsodent
Pepsodent
Pepsodent is a brand of toothpaste with a minty flavour derived from Sassafras. The brand is owned by Unilever, but in 2003 the rights to the brand in the United States and Canada were bought by Church and Dwight....
, contractually stipulated that no one but Bill Hay was ever to announce their show.
Bill Hay has a star on the Hollywood Walk of Fame
Hollywood Walk of Fame
The Hollywood Walk of Fame consists of more than 2,400 five-pointed terrazzo and brass stars embedded in the sidewalks along fifteen blocks of Hollywood Boulevard and three blocks of Vine Street in Hollywood, California...
.