Ed Herlihy

Ed Herlihy

History

Ed Herlihy was a prominent American radio and television announcer. He was well-known for his distinctive voice and as the announcer for NBC's "The Kraft Music Hall" during the 1940s and 1950s. He was also the announcer for numerous commercials and shows, including The Jack Parr Tonight Show. Additionally, Herlihy appeared in bit parts in several movies and television shows like Pee Wee's Big Adventure. As Mr. Buxton, he was none too pleased when Pee-wee broke into his mansion and accused his son Francis of stealing his bike. Pee-wee gets his revenge by giving the upset dad a stick of spicy gum. Herlihy died of natural causes in 1999 at 89.

Profile

Ed Herlihy

Movies

Sports on the Silver Screen
Self (archive footage)
HBO (in association with the American Film Institute) presents this 1997 anthology, narrated by Liev Schreiber, which looks at sports in cinema from the earliest silent films until the nineties. Watch not for dramatic scenes but for the glimpse of historical figures shown both cinematic and athletic- in this tribute to the merging of sports and Hollywood.
Don't Drink the Water
Narrator
Somewhere behind the early 1960s cold-war iron curtain, the Hollander family cause an international spying incident when Walter photographs a sunset in a sensitive region. In order to stay out of jail, the Hollanders take refuge in the American Embassy, which is temporarily being run by the absent Ambassador's diplomatically incompetent son, Axel.
Malcolm X
Joe Louis Announcer
A tribute to the controversial black activist and leader of the struggle for black liberation. He hit bottom during his imprisonment in the '50s, he became a Black Muslim and then a leader in the Nation of Islam. His assassination in 1965 left a legacy of self-determination and racial pride.
Who Framed Roger Rabbit
Newscaster
'Toon star Roger is worried that his wife Jessica is playing pattycake with someone else, so the studio hires detective Eddie Valiant to snoop on her. But the stakes are quickly raised when Marvin Acme is found dead and Roger is the prime suspect.
A Fine Mess
TV Reporter
Two friends an actor and a chef discover a plot to fix a horse race and try to capitalize on it. But also have to deal with the two men who fixed it who are trying to silence them. And there's also the mob boss whom the two guys work for who planned the fixing thing whose wife is having an affair with the actor.
Pee-wee's Big Adventure
Mr. Buxton
The eccentric and childish Pee-wee Herman embarks on a big adventure when his beloved bicycle is stolen. Armed with information from a fortune-teller and a relentless obsession with his prized possession, Pee-wee encounters a host of odd characters and bizarre situations as he treks across the country to recover his bike.
Police Academy 2: Their First Assignment
Dooley
Officer Carey Mahoney and his cohorts have finally graduated from the Police Academy and are about to hit the streets on their first assignment. Question is, are they ready to do battle with a band of graffiti-tagging terrorists? Time will tell, but don't sell short this cheerful band of doltish boys in blue.
Zelig
Pathe News Announcer (voice)
Fictional documentary about the life of human chameleon Leonard Zelig, a man who becomes a celebrity in the 1920s due to his ability to look and act like whoever is around him. Clever editing places Zelig in real newsreel footage of Woodrow Wilson, Babe Ruth, and others.
The King of Comedy
Himself
Aspiring comic Rupert Pupkin attempts to achieve success in show business by stalking his idol, a late night talk-show host who craves his own privacy.
Telly...Who Loves Ya, Baby?
Self - Announcer/Narrator
At the height of his KOJAK TV series fame, Telly Savalas starred in this variety special that was sponsored by Kraft Foods and shown without commercial interruption. Barbara Eden, Cloris Leachman, Diahann Carroll and others appear and join in the singing and dancing and mugging.
A Long Time Till Dawn
Announcer (uncredited)
Just out of prison Joe Harris looks to restart his life. His wife Barbie has moved and the one man who can tell him where refuses to do so. Enraged, Joe beats the old man senseless and runs away to his father's home, where he also finds his wife. A police detective comes around about the beating (which will soon to become a murder) and Joe insists he's innocent. Joe tells his wife and father he's a changed man and he's only a suspect because of his prior conviction. Barbie and Fred struggle with their desire to believe Joe's plea versus their fear he'll never change.
Thundering Rails
Narrator
The story of America as a land of trains, showing how the tracks, stations, and trainmen, as well as the freight and passenger trains are all a part of an important industry.
Communism Condemned
Himself
Universal newsreel recounts the proceedings at the House Un-American Activities Committee