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Stuart Buchanan

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Stuart Buchanan
Born
Paul Stuart Buchanan

(1894-03-18)March 18, 1894
Eldora, Iowa, U.S.
DiedFebruary 4, 1974(1974-02-04) (aged 79)
Shaker Heights, Ohio, U.S.
Alma materCollege of Wooster and Harvard University
Occupation(s)Educator, actor, announcer, radio and TV producer
Years active1935–1973
Spouse(s)Anna Hall Hilditch and Rita Whearty

Stuart Buchanan (March 18, 1894 – February 4, 1974) was an American voice actor, announcer, radio and TV producer, and educator. He is known for his work at The Walt Disney Company as a casting director and voicing the Huntsman in the animated film Snow White and the Seven Dwarfs (1937)[1] and voicing Goofy in The Mickey Mouse Theater of the Air (1938).[2]

Buchanan also produced the Ohio Story radio and TV series (1953-1961). In its time, the series held the record for the longest-running regional scripted program in the nation.[3]

Early years

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Born Paul Stuart Buchanan in Eldora, Iowa. His father, the late Rev. Edgar L. Buchanan, was a Presbyterian minister in Wooster, Ohio. Buchanan graduated from the College of Wooster and received a doctorate from Harvard University[4] and he served as a U.S. Army officer for two years in World War I (1917-1919).[5]

In the early years of his career, he taught poetry and drama at the University of Florida and West Virginia University. During those tenures, he also directed Little Theatre productions. While he taught at the University of Florida, Buchanan helped to launch the school's radio station.[6]

Hollywood

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In May 1930, Buchanan became program director at radio station KHJ in Los Angeles. He directed episodes of the radio programs Hollywood Hotel and Lux Radio Theatre. He also worked for ABC radio as program supervisor and as head of the script department. On stage, he toured in a production of Mister Antonio, acted in summer stock theatre in Denver,[7] and acted and directed at the Pasadena Playhouse.[8]

Buchanan was a dialogue and casting director at Walt Disney Studios. For a time, he was in charge of all foreign versions of Disney productions.[9] He is known for voicing The Huntsman[10] in the 1937 Disney animated film Snow White and the Seven Dwarfs.[11] He had roles in Saludos Amigos (1942) and Super-Speed (1935) and he was the voice of Goofy in The Mickey Mouse Theater of the Air (1938)[12]

In the 1940s, Buchanan was head of the script department and program supervision for American Broadcasting Company in New York before taking a job directing the radio and television department of the McCann-Erickson advertising agency in 1947.[13]

The Ohio Story Radio and TV Series

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Stuart Buchanan, producer of the film Milestones of Motoring seated in front row (1954), with the film's cast and crew. Photo courtesy of the Hagley Museum & Library.
Frank Siedel (left) was the scriptwriter and Buchanan was the producer for 1,300 radio and 175 TV episodes of the Ohio Story. Photo courtesy of the Hagley Museum & Library.

Buchanan was co-creator of The Ohio Story, a series that ran from 1947 to 1955 on radio and from 1953 to 1961 on TV.[14][15][16][17] He picked Robert Waldrop to narrate the series,[18] and actor Nelson Olmsted to replace him in 1952. Additionally, he chose Ray Culley of Cinécraft Productions, a Cleveland-based sponsored film studio, to direct the series. Approximately 1,300 radio and 175 Ohio Story TV episodes were produced.[19]

In an interview with Todd Raper of the Columbus (Ohio) Dispatch, Buchanan said: "There has never been – or will be, a radio series that commanded the respect and attention of this state, or, for that fact, the nation. The Ohio Story reached its peak in the heyday of radio - the late 1940s. Only one show in the nation had a higher rating - that was the Jack Benny show. I guess of all the things I've done in my lifetime, I'm most proud to have had a hand in developing and producing The Ohio Story".[20]

Personal life

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Buchanan was married to Anna Hall Hilditch and later to Rita Whearty. Buchanan died on February 4, 1974, in Shaker Heights, Ohio, at the age of 79 and was buried in Wooster, Ohio. His wife, Rita, three sons and two daughters survived him.[21]

Filmography

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Year Title Role Notes
1935 Super-Speed Announcer Voice, uncredited
1937 Moose Hunters Goofy (some lines) Voice, short film; uncredited
1937 Snow White and the Seven Dwarfs (1937 film) Humbert the Huntsman Voice, uncredited
1938 The Mickey Mouse Theater of the Air Goofy Voice
1940 Pinocchio Carnival Barker Voice, uncredited
1943 Saludos Amigos Flight Attendant Voice, uncredited
1947–1955 Ohio Story Radio Series Producer 1,309 episodes[22]
1951 Demonstrate to Sell Rings the Bell Co-star of the Westinghouse sales training film uncredited[23][24]
1953–1961 Ohio Story Television Series Producer 179 episodes[25]

References

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  1. ^ "The Fairest One of All". J.B. Kaufman. November 13, 2012. Retrieved May 7, 2022.
  2. ^ Dunning, John (1998). On the Air: The Encyclopedia of Old-Time Radio. Oxford University Press. p. 458. ISBN 978-0-19-507678-3. Retrieved April 18, 2023.
  3. ^ "Ohio Story Radio & TV Series (1947-1961)". Encyclopedia of Cleveland History. Department of History, Case Western Reserve University. August 17, 2021. Retrieved March 2, 2023.
  4. ^ Services Tomorrow for Stuart Buchanan. The (Cleveland) Plain Dealer. February 6, 1974. page 41
  5. ^ Ohio, Roster of Soldiers, Sailors, and Marines in World War I, 1917-18.
  6. ^ "Three top men in 'Ohio Story' presentation". Lancaster Eagle-Gazette. Ohio, Lancaster. May 24, 1948. p. 12. Retrieved July 10, 2020 – via Newspapers.com.
  7. ^ Three top men in 'Ohio Story' presentation. Lancaster Eagle-Gazette. May 24, 1948. page 12
  8. ^ "KHJ staff has new addition". The Los Angeles Times. May 15, 1930. p. 33. Retrieved July 10, 2020 – via Newspapers.com.
  9. ^ "Three Top Men in Ohio Story Presentation". newspapers.com. Lancastr (Ohio) Eagle Gazette. Retrieved March 2, 2023.
  10. ^ Disney Voice Actors: A Biographical Dictionary by Thomas S. Hischak
  11. ^ Barbara Vancheri and Sharon Eberson, "A look back at Snow White", Pittsburgh Post-Gazette, June 1, 2012.
  12. ^ Terrace, Vincent (1999). Radio Programs, 1924-1984: A Catalog of More Than 1800 Shows. McFarland & Company, Inc. p. 228. ISBN 978-0-7864-4513-4.
  13. ^ "Ohio Story Radio & TV Series (1947-1961)". Encyclopedia of Cleveland History. Department of History, Case Western Reserve University. August 17, 2021. Retrieved February 28, 2023.
  14. ^ Biography of Anson Hardman, Anson Hardman papers, Ohio Story, Western Reserve Historical Society, 1864-1965. Undated
  15. ^ "Buchanan, Paul Stuart". Encyclopedia of Cleveland History. Department of History, Case Western Reserve University. August 17, 2021. Retrieved February 28, 2023.
  16. ^ "Ohio Story Radio & TV Series (1947-1961)". Encyclopedia of Cleveland History. Department of History, Case Western Reserve University. August 17, 2021. Retrieved February 28, 2023.
  17. ^ Caton, Evalena H. (1949). "A Critical Analysis of "The Ohio Story" - M.A. Thesis". Ohio State University Libraries. Retrieved February 28, 2023.
  18. ^ Caton, Evalena H. (1949). "A Critical Analysis of "The Ohio Story" - M.A. Thesis". Ohio State University Libraries. Retrieved February 28, 2023.
  19. ^ "Ohio Story Radio & TV Series (1947-1961)". Encyclopedia of Cleveland History. Department of History, Case Western Reserve University. August 17, 2021. Retrieved February 28, 2023.
  20. ^ Raper, Todd (June 22, 1958). "'Ohio Story' Producer in His Own 'Ohio Story'". No. TV & Radio Section. Columbus Dispatch. Retrieved February 28, 2023.
  21. ^ Services Tomorrow for Stuart Buchanan. The Plain Dealer (Cleveland, Ohio).February 6, 1974. Page 41
  22. ^ "Oho Story Radio & TV Series". Encyclopedia of Cleveland History. Case Western Reserve University. Retrieved November 17, 2024.
  23. ^ "Demonstrate to Sell Rings the Bell"
  24. ^ Westinghouse Electric Co. sales training film; Film is in the Hagley Digital Archive https://digital.hagley.org/FILM_2019227_FC291
  25. ^ "Oho Story Radio & TV Series". Encyclopedia of Cleveland History. Case Western Reserve University. Retrieved November 17, 2024.
[edit]
  • Stuart Buchanan at IMDb
  • Buchanan, Paul Stuart. Encyclopedia of Cleveland History. History Department. Case Western Reserve University https://case.edu/ech/articles/b/buchanan-paul-stuart
  • Caton, Evalena H. A Critical Analysis of The Ohio Story, M.A. Thesis Ohio State University, 1949 https://library.ohio-state.edu/search/o13517261
  • Celebration of the Ohio Story's tenth anniversary. This and other Ohio Story filmed TV episodes and scripts may be found in the Hagley Museum and Library digital archives. https://digital.hagley.org/FILM_2019227_FC447
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