Hyman Jack Averback was born on October 21, 1920 and was a notable American actor, producer, and director in radio, television, and film. Born in Minneapolis and moving to California at nine, he graduated from Edward Clark Academy Theater in 1938 and began his career as an announcer at KMPC Beverly Hills before World War II. During the war, he entertained troops in the Pacific with his Armed Forces Radio Service program, creating the character Tokyo Mose.
Averback's career took off after he announced for the Jack Paar radio show in 1947, subsequently working with Bob Hope on NBC and several other radio shows, including The Sealtest Village Store and Let's Talk Hollywood. He was also an actor on the Jack Benny radio show starting in 1948 and starred in Secret Mission in 1952, with multiple roles in Yours Truly, Johnny Dollar in 1955.
In television, Averback performed comedy on shows like The Saturday Night Revue and I Love Lucy, and was a recurring cast member in the sitcom Our Miss Brooks. He transitioned into directing in the late 1950s, helming episodes for several popular series such as The Real McCoys and The Dick Powell Show. He directed shows including The Man from U.N.C.L.E., McCloud, and M*A*S*H, and produced Mrs. G. Goes to College and co-produced the sitcom F Troop.
His voice was featured in M*A*S*H, with a recording from a Bob Hope show used in the series. Averback co-narrated The Story of Life, an educational film released in 1948, and had film roles including Willard Alexander in The Benny Goodman Story. He directed films such as Chamber of Horrors and I Love You, Alice B. Toklas. Averback died on October 14, 1997, at age 76 and was buried in Westwood Memorial Park.
Thank you for this thoughtful piece on Hy Averback. I knew the name from a few credits, but I had never seen his career laid out this clearly. From announcing at KMPC as a young man, to entertaining troops in the Pacific as Tokyo Mose, to working with Jack Benny, Bob Hope, and later directing episodes of M*A*S*H and F Troop—he moved through radio, television, and film with real range.
ReplyDeleteThe detail about a Bob Hope recording later used on M*A*S*H is the kind of connection that makes a life in entertainment feel whole. His work as both performer and director helped shape programs a lot of people still remember fondly. I am glad someone took the time to gather these facts and present them with care. He earned that kind of attention.