Amateur-show impresario and host, bandleader and
clarinetist/saxophonist with
Glenn Miller,
Benny Goodman,
Red Nichols,
Jack Teagarden and
Ben Pollock and his own group, the "Edward Maguiness Band". While the
latter was appearing in San Pedro, California, his band's name was
shortened to the "Ted Mack Band" by the theatre manager who said there
wasn't enough room on the marquee for all the original letters.
The only child of a railroad brakeman and a teacher, he credited his
pianist mother (who died when Ted was 16) for his musical inspiration.
Ted became a talent scout in 1935 for the Original Amateur Hour and
first assistant to
Edward Bowes who had taken it over soon after its 1934
inception. Mack took over the program when Bowes died in 1946 and began
televising it over the 'DuMont Television Network'. It finally left the airwaves in 1970
after introducing about 10,000 amateurs, about half of which went on to
professional careers, among them
Vera-Ellen,
Paul Winchell,
Jerry Vale,
Mimi Benzell,
Pat Boone,
Robert Merrill and
Frank Sinatra. Neither
Elvis Presley (who was auditioned in
1953) nor
Tiny Tim were accepted for the broadcasts. Ted Mack lived in
Irvington, New York and died one day after admission to the Phelps
Memorial Hospital in North Tarrytown, New York.
The Red Skelton Hour(1951)as Geritol Commercial
The Mike Douglas Show(1961)as Self - Co-Host, Self, Self - Radio, TV Host
Rowan & Martin's Laugh-In(1967)as Self
The Merv Griffin Show(1962)as Self
American Masters(1985)as Self - Host
