Jean—or Laura—Henley (m. 1919; div.?) Sylvia Jane Worley (m. 1925; div.?) Theofani Arminda Papadakis (m. 1930; d. 1963) Helen Louise Davis (m. 1969; d. 1985)
Frederick Howard Wright (September 30, 1896 – July 2, 1990), credited variously as Fred Howard (for his writing, and for all stage and radio performances), Howard Wright (for his later film and TV work), and, more recently still, Fred Howard Wright, was an American songwriter, vaudeville performer, and character actor of theatre, radio, film and television, best remembered as one half—along with fellow songwriter Nat Vincent—of the popular vaudeville, radio, recording, and songwriting duo, The Happy Chappies.
Early life and career
Born Frederick Howard Wright in San Diego, California on September 30, 1896, Wright was the middle child of five, born to Lucy Simonds (née Wheeler) and William Sherman Wright. He first performed in public at age 9, when, as a reward for having sold the most tickets to a high school operetta, he was tasked not merely with formally presenting the frieze purchased by proceeds from the production, but also asked to sing at the ceremony. After attending the University of California, San Diego, Wright joined the US Army, serving in 1st Cavalry Regiment, with whom he took part in the unsuccessful Pancho Villa Expedition. Eventually rising to the rank of Second Lieutenant, Wright received his discharge in 1920.
Over the next decade, Wright—as Fred Howard—established himself as a successful stage performer, writer, producer, and director, specializing in musical comedy. His singing was showcased in the trio, Harmony Three.
By February 1929, Wright—who, as a solo act, had previously appeared in at least one revue also featuring his soon-to-be partner's recently formed duo—had officially become one half of the Happy Chappies, replacing pianist Nat Vincent's previous partner, tenor Harry Morton, while also facilitating Wright's radio debut on San Francisco's KFRC. They continued together—having reportedly co-authored "486 popular songs" as of December 1935—at least as late as the summer of 1937.
In April 1938, Wright appeared at New York's Waldorf Astoria Hotel, in the Lambs Club's annual Spring Gambol, co-starring with Walter Woolf King and Gene Wolf in the brief operetta, Tempest in a Teapot, with words and music by Wright.
As a radio actor, some of Wright's more notable roles were C. Pemberton Tooley in Ma Perkins, Mr. Pringle—father of Oogie—in A Date with Judy, and Pa Buskirk on The Opie Cates Show
In March 1949, Wright—still billed as "Fred Howard"—made his TV debut, starring alongside K. T. Stevens, Marc Lawrence, in the Don Lee Television Workshop episode, "Shoes and Souls". One additional "Fred Howard" credit, for a 1951 appearance on Racket Squad, preceded the actor's unnoticed—and, accordingly, never explained—1953 professional transition to "Howard Wright" on The Adventures of Wild Bill Hickok.
In his rave review of the 1956 Barry Shipman/William Witney western drama, Stranger at My Door, Variety's William Brogdon—as "Brog"—made a point of assigning every bit as much credit to the film's principal supporting players as to the stars.
The above mentioned players earn plaudits for characters compellingly performed and right along with them are Louis Jean Heydt, as the sheriff, Howard Wright, a doctor, Slim Pickens, horse trader and millwright, and Malcolm Atterbury, a circuit rider.
Personal life and death
In 1919 or 1920, Wright became the husband of Jean—elsewhere identified as Laura—Henley, with whom he had one child, a daughter, Jo Ann. Wright was married to actress Sylvia Jane Worley from January 1925 until at least March 1927—when they sailed together from San Francisco to Honolulu—and no later than October 1930, when Greek-born Theofani Arminda Pappadakis became the next Mrs. Wright, as she would remain until her death on March 4, 1963. Their union produced one child, a daughter, Patsy Zo. In 1969, Wright once again was wed, this time to Helen Louise Daves (née Young); she died in 1985.
Season 3 Episode 5 – "The Burma Rarity" (1961) – Insurance man
Season 3 Episode 20 – "The Auld Sod" (1962) – Howie
Season 4 Episode 21 – "The Hayburner" (1964) – Sam Finney
Season 6 Episode 21 – "The Search" (1965) – Abe Jenkins
Season 7 Episode 8 – "The Meredith Smith" (1965) – Cal
Season 8 Episode 11 – "The Oath" (1966) – Sam
Notes
↑While it is certainly Wright's relative obscurity, rather than any lack of candor on his part, that ensured the ongoing mystery regarding what prompted this decision, it is perhaps relevant to note that, beginning in the spring of 1951, there was a considerable amount of nationwide publicity regarding an altogether different—and reportedly 'Oscar'-winning—Fred Howard, that being the prize-winning rose, itself named after the famous, like-named rose breeder who had first brought it into existence.
↑"Hurricane Coming" appears to be simply an unacknowledged and retitled rebroadcast of the previous year's "No Escape," the 31st episode of Celebrity Playhouse, which, according to TV historian Vincent Terrace, was itself a series composed entirely of repeats of Schlitz Playhouse of the Stars episodes.
References
12"Stock Chatter". The Billboard. April 7, 1923. p.27. ProQuest1438296276. The Superba Theater, San Diego, Cali., changed its policy on March 18 from a straight movie to half time pictures and a company of eight, to be known as the Superba Players, who will present tabloid versions of late stage successes. The initial performance was 'Thru the Garden Wall'. The plays are to be produced by Fritz Lew Fields with the following cast: Fred Howard, Will H. Locke, John DeWeese, Vernon Bushway, Mary Fladeland, Myrle Burch, and Madge Taylor
12Shelton, Robert; Goldblatt, Burt (1966). The Country Music Story: A Picture History of Country and Western Music. Secaucus, NJ: Castle Books. LCCN65--25655. pp.194-195. "A song writer and lyricist team that moved back and forth from Tin Pan Alley to Tin Pan Valley were Nat Vincent and Fred Howard, old-timers who call themselves the Happy Chappies. The pair have worked together since 1926. [...] After working on radio in Des Moines, the two split up for a time. Howard was a member of the cast of the “Ma Perkins” radio soap-opera for a dozen years. and Vincent was a divisional manager in California for Ralph Peer’s Southern Music, later directing the company's activities in Nashville. Howard, under the stage name Howard Wright, subsequently appeared in films and on TV."
12Johnson, David E. (2001). From Day to Day: A Calendar of Notable Birthdays and Events. Lanham, MD: The Scarecrow Press. p.274. ISBN081083944X "September 30 – Birthdays [...]1892 – George Bancroft, American stage and motion-picture actor; 1896 – Fred Howard Wright, American composer, author, and singer, noted for songs such as “The Strawberry Roan” and “My Pretty Quadroon”; 1905 – Michael Powell, English motion-picture director and screenwriter with a 50-year career".
123456Grunwald, Edgar A., ed. (1940). Variety Radio Directory. New York: Variety, Inc. p.964. LCCN37-19432. "Howard, Fred (Fred Howard Wright). Actor, singer. Born San Diego, Calif. Sept. 30, 1896: Ht. 5 ft. 10 in.; w. 135; brown hair and eyes; e. University of California; m. Theo Howard; two daughters, Jo Anne, 19, actress, and Patsy-Zo, 3. First commercial radio appearance in 1929 via KRFC, San Francisco. Previously actor in dramatic and musical stock, producer of musical comedies. Songwriter (When the Bloom Is on the Sage, My Pretty Quadroon, It's Time to Say Aloha, Rock Me to Sleep in My Rocky Mountain Home, and others); writer of column, Grandpa Reads the News in Des Moines Register and Tribune. Second Lt., First U.S. Cavalry."
↑"Dial Lines". The Des Moines Register. August 29, 1936. p.4. "When Fred Howard was 9 years old he made his first bow before the public. He sold the most tickets for a high school operetta and as a reward was honored by being allowed to present the frieze which the money from the operetta purchased. Fred, who is now one of the Happy Chappies, also sang on the show. Chappies now sing at 7:45 a. m. over KRNT."
↑"Fred Howard Talented; Entertainer in Musical Comedy Never Fails to Amuse". The Oregonian. November 5, 1924. p.15. "Howard is cast as a Parisian count direct from the Champ d'Elysees. Frivolous, gay and earnest as is the amazing heritage of the French, he enacts the temperamental role with rare discrimination. He froths, bubbles, and boils over in glee and amorous situations and romps away with a lion's share of the laughs with which Al Franks, director, has crammed the revue. Howard sings, too. As a member of the Harmony Three and the center man at that, he holds down the pivot point with sure-fire certainty."
↑"Fred Howard Puts Pep in Baker Revues". The Oregon Daily Journal. February 8, 1925. Sec.5, p.2. "FRED HOWARD, director at the Baker theatre, who is winning many admirers by the way he is handling famous musical comedies."
↑"Season Ends Tonight: Final Performance Sees Close of 38 Weeks of Revues". The Oregonian. May 22, 1925. p.8. "The efforts of the company have been most favorably received by the Portland show-going public. Proof of this is seen in the unusual length of season, of which the present is the 38th week. Thirty-seven revues have been offered. The only repetition is the farewell show tonight. Individually and collectively the company, under Fred Howard's direction for the last 27 weeks, has attained standards seldom approached in the city before."
↑Banks, Charles Eugene (March 3, 1927). "Melody Players Coming to the States Theater". The Honolulu Advertiser. p.4. "The men are Ben Dix, Richard Reid, Fred Howard, Walter Bunker, Jr., Walter Smith, and manager Eddie Mitchel."
12"Ex-Service Men to Have Hi-Jinks". The San Francisco Examiner. February 18, 1929. p.9. "Former navy officers and sailors from all over San Francisco and the bay region will gather in Native Sons' hall here tonight for stag high jinks. The affair is being held as an Inaugural event for the membership drive for the C. C. Thomas Navy Post of the American Legion. [...] [E]ntertainers include dancers and singers from the Mandarin Cabaret and Nate Vincent and Fred Howard, the Happy Chappies of Radio KFRC."
↑Doyle, J. E. (February 24, 1930). "Pinza Talkie Stars on Radio; Around the Dial". The Oakland Post Enquirer. p.8. "Harry Morton has signed with KFOX of Long Beach and his former partner of the Happy Chappies, Nat Vincent, is writing songs in Hollywood with Fred Howard."
↑Nicholson, Frank (December 1, 1935). "Duplication Is Song Writer's Headache". The Des Moines Register. Sec.10, p.4. "It is difficult for one to appreciate the complications of the song-smith trade until he delves into its intricacies with two veteran song writers such as Nat Vincent and Fred Howard, who have written and published 486 popular songs that range from "I'm Forever Blowing Bubbles" to "Strawberry Roan," and who are now staff artists on radio. Nat Vincent and Fred Howard, song writers, will be interviewed over KRNT at 9:40 this morning by the author of this article, and will demonstrate with music many of the song similarities mentioned in this story."
↑"New Acts: Happy Chappies (2)". Variety. January 14, 1931. p.39. ProQuest1529351618. This act was booked by the Palace straight picture house, because of its popularity hereabouts through nightly broadcasts over station KMPC. the boys, Fred Howard and Nat Vincent, are the only stage entertainment going with second-run film bill. They make no attempt to be other than radio singers. Act is more or less a personal appearance and well received.
↑"Airglances: Stars Tell How They Keep Cool". The Des Moines Register. July 3, 1937. p.10. "Happy Chappies .... are singing a 'Stump Me' program over KSO at 9:15 P.M. [...] Fred Howard claims he curls up in his sponsor's product and sleeps."
↑"News of Radio Writers". Writer's Digest. December 1949. p.64. "Also on ABC’s video network, “Perchance To Dream,” an original short story by Michael Joyce, was adapted for the Boris Karloff show by David Shaw. The script for ABC’s new feature, The Ruggles, starring actor Charles Ruggles, is by Fred Howard." See also:
"Situation Comedy". Ross Reports on Television Programming. June 18, 1950. p.10. "THE RUGGLES - from WJZ-TV to 6 sta E&MW Nets & 5 kine; 10-10 :30pm Sundays; on film; kine at KECA-TV Hollywood.; comedy series of family life with Charles Ruggles, Irene Tedrow, Tommy Bernard, Judy Nugent, Jimmy Hawkins & Margaret Kerry; SUSTAINING; PRODUCER - Robert Raisbeck; DIRECTOR - George Cahan; WRITER - Fred Howard".
↑"Howard Wright to Act". The Hollywood Reporter. January 5, 1954. p.6. ProQuest2338248595. Howard Wright, writer on the Charlie Ruggles TV show, has been set for a part in Panoramic's 'The Raid.'
↑"Three New Roses Receive All-American Award; Horticultural 'Oscars' for Beauty and Hardiness". Pittsburgh Sun-Telegraph. May 27, 1951. pt.4, p.15. "WINNERS ... The flower world's most coveted prize, the All-America Rose award, has been captured by three floribunda of brilliant magnificent newcomers which will reign as the queens a hybrid tea of rich of rosedom in 1952. Pictured above, they are the Helen Traubel, a sparkling apricot pink hybrid tea; Vogue, a floribunda of brilliant cherry-coal, and Fred Howard, a hybrid tea of rich yellow pencilled with soft pink."
↑Langley, Rolly (June 11, 1951). "GARDEN: Fred Howard Slated for Top Rose Award". Redwood City Tribune. p.9. "The Fred Howard is named after its originator, the late partner of Howard and Smith, of Montebello, Calif. Considered one of the great rose breeders of all time, Mr. Howard was not enthusiastic over this yellow rose which is taking top honors for 1952. This was not due to any weakness in the rose [...] He simply did not care for the yellow color in any flower."
↑"TV Film Casting". The Hollywood Reporter. May 19, 1953. p.9. ProQuest2338277983. Sandy Sanders, Morgan Jones, Robert Carson and Howard Wright into 'Wild Bill Hickok' for Broidy Productions.
↑"Talent Showsheet: Wednesday September 19". Ross Reports on Television. June 16, 1956. p.B. "'Halfway Girl: with Barbara Bestar, Steven Clark, Bill Kennedy, Howard Wright, Hank Patterson, Hal Smith, Harry Harvey, Glen Kilburn'"
↑"John Lupton for 'Valley'". The Hollywood Reporter. July 20, 1962. p.9. ProQuest2339778100. John Lupton has been set [...] for the lead in the 'Private Mint of Clark, Gruber & Co.' episode of 'Death Valley Days.' Others cast are Jerry Paris, Sue Randall, Alvy Moore, Mal Throne, Bernard Kates, Chet Stratton, Charles Fredericks, E. J. Andre, Howard Wright.
↑"TV Casting". The Hollywood Reporter. September 5, 1962. p.8. ProQuest2339661206. Harry Lauter, 'Death Valley Days,' 'Cheyenne,' 'Empire'; Howard Wright, 'Death Valley Days,' 'Saints and Sinners'; Nestor Paiva, 'Dennis the Menace'
↑Brog (April 18, 1956). "Film Reviews: Stranger at My Door". Variety. p.6. ProQuest962933338. The above mentioned players earn plaudits for characters compellingly performed and right along with them are Louis Jean Heydt, as the sheriff, Howard Wright, a doctor, Slim Pickens, horse trader and millwright, and Malcolm Atterbury, a circuit rider.
↑"United States, Social Security Numerical Identification Files (NUMIDENT), 1936-2007", FamilySearch (https://www.familysearch.org/ark:/61903/1:1:6K3B-GSVQ: Sat Apr 26 04:01:48 UTC 2025), Entry for Joan Howard Berkinger and Fred H Wright.
↑"Director at Baker Theatre to Marry Member of Cast: Sylvia Varden, danseuse, and Fred Howard, director at the Baker Theatre, who were married today". The Oregon Daily Journal. January 28, 1935. p.21. "A marriage license was issued early this morning to Fred Howard Wright, better known as Fred Howard, and Sylvia J. Worley, popularly known as Sylvia Varden. Wright is director and a member of the Harmony Three at the Baker theatre, and Miss Worley a featured dancer. Wright gave his age as 28; his bride as 25. Wright came to Portland at the first of the season from San Diego, Cal., where he was formerly a member of the Fritz Field Players. He has been directing the for several months, in addition to being author of some of the plays. [...] Arden and Mr. Howard were married at 9:30 by Judge Lewis P. Hewitt of the circuit court."
↑"Intention to Marry". The Los Angeles Times. October 7, 1930. p.20. "WILSON Ray W. Wilson, 21; Dorothy E. Geel, 19. WOOD COVER. William H. Wood, 25; Elizabeth H. Cover, 20. WRIGHT PAPPADAKIS. Frederick H. Wright, 34: Theo A. Pappadakis, 24."
↑"Obituaries". Variety. March 13, 1963. p.79. ProQuest962747250. Wife, 56, of actor Howard Wright (Fred Howard) died March 4 in Glendale, Cal. Two daughters also survive.
↑"Illinois, Cook County, Birth Certificates, 1871-1953", FamilySearch (https://www.familysearch.org/ark:/61903/1:1:QL9S-FZBD: Tue Jan 14 08:19:22 UTC 2025), Entry for Patsy Zo Wright and Fred Howard Wright, 29 Nov 1937.
↑"United States, Social Security Numerical Identification Files (NUMIDENT), 1936-2007", FamilySearch (https://www.familysearch.org/ark:/61903/1:1:6KW9-PX49: Sat Apr 26 07:26:46 UTC 2025), Entry for Fred H Wright and William S Wright.
↑The Film Depot (April 7, 2025). "Crime Movie: The Chase (1966) English Full Movie | Watch Boldly!". YouTube. "Ladies and gentlemen, your attention, please. It is my pleasure to acknowledge the gift to Rogers College from Mr. Theodore Crain, for $500,000 to endow a dormitory for women."