Biography:Jack McCarthy seemed an unlikely choice to host a kids tv show.Let alone become a radio/tv broadcaster.Nevertheless,he joined The NBC Radio Network(Via The baseball team of WEAF/WNBC Radio in NYC)back in 1933.He worked at the NBC Radio Network:First as a page boy and then as a staff announcer.He did booth announcing for the network.Until he attended a boxing match at NYC's Madison Sq.Garden one night.There he met NBC Radio's director of sports:Abe Schecter.Who invited the young announcer to comment on the fight with NBC Radio's top sportscaster:Clem McCarthy.McCarthy became NBC Radio's"Youngest Sportscaster".As he did broadcasts of all the network's sporting events including horse races.He would leave NBC Radio and join ABC Radio.Where he continued to work as a sportscaster and announcer.Until he left for Hollywood,Ca. in the hopes of getting work as an actor on one of the top radio dramas that was being broadcast out of Hollywood.When he was unable to find any work in LosJack McCarthy seemed an unlikely choice to host a kids tv show.Let alone become a radio/tv broadcaster.Nevertheless,he joined The NBC Radio Network(Via The baseball team of WEAF/WNBC Radio in NYC)back in 1933.He worked at the NBC Radio Network:First as a page boy and then as a staff announcer.He did booth announcing for the network.Until he attended a boxing match at NYC's Madison Sq.Garden one night.There he met NBC Radio's director of sports:Abe Schecter.Who invited the young announcer to comment on the fight with NBC Radio's top sportscaster:Clem McCarthy.McCarthy became NBC Radio's"Youngest Sportscaster".As he did broadcasts of all the network's sporting events including horse races.He would leave NBC Radio and join ABC Radio.Where he continued to work as a sportscaster and announcer.Until he left for Hollywood,Ca. in the hopes of getting work as an actor on one of the top radio dramas that was being broadcast out of Hollywood.When he was unable to find any work in Los Angeles as a radio actor.McCarthy returned to NYC.Where he continued to work as a sportscaster,announcer and the announcer/comedy relief on a combination Radio musical/variety/quiz show:"The Chamber Music Society Of Lower Basin Street".Which was created by Wellbourne Kelly and Hosted by one of the top music historians of the day:Dr.Gino Hamilton.(McCarthy appeared on the program as"Dr.Giacimo").In August of 1948.McCarthy made his NYC tv debut.As he helped to get WJZ(WABC)TV Ch.7 on the air..with the station's earliest broadcasts.But his biggest contributions to NYC TV was joining forces with the editiors and publishers of The New York Daily News and with his fellow radio newsmen:John Tillman,Rex Marshall,Kevin Kennedy and Joe Bolton to bring WPIX TV Ch.11 to The Big Apple's airways.McCarthy hosted severial tv shows during Ch.11's early years:Including "The Ted Steele Show","The TeleViz Quiz"and for 42 years(March 17,1949 to March 17,1992).He became symnomius with Ch.11's annual broadcasts of NYC's St.Patrick's Day Parades.When Entertainer:Allen Swift was forced to leave "The Popeye Show"following a creative dispute with station management on Friday September 23,1960.Jack McCarthy took over as the program's third and last sea captain host/performer.Unlike "The Popeye Show's"previous hosts/performers: "Capt.Allen"Swift and"Capt.Ray"Heatherton.McCarthy was not an entertainer.He depended on his abilities as a storyteller and as a personality to entertain and inform his viewers."Capt.Jack"would engage his viewers in craftmaking.hobbies,Informational segments,stories about his NYC childhood and interview guest performers and personalities inbetween the reruns of "The Paramount/Fleischer"and"Paramount/Famous Popeye"Movie cartoons."Capt.Jack"would host WPIX TV Ch.11 NYC's "Popeye Show"Weekday evenings From Monday September 26,1960 to Friday March 15,1963.He also MC'd:"The Popeye/Three Stooges Show"weekday evenings on Ch.11 From Monday March 18,1963 to Friday June 23,1963,"The Popeye/Dick Tracy Show"Weekday afternoons at "Peanut Butter and Jellytime"From Monday September 14,1964 To Friday October 16,1964 and "The Little Rascals Show!"weekday afternoons from Monday April 3,1967 to Friday January 1,1970.McCarthy would also briefly serve as the second host of WPIX TV Ch.11 NYC's popular Sunday Morning Comedy/variety show:"Let's Have Fun!".When the series first hosts/performers:Chuck McCann and Paul Ashley the show abruptly in the summer of 1965.McCarthy would mc the show during the month of August,1965.Until Entertainer:Terry Bennett took over as the show's third host/performer on Sunday September 5,1965.McCarthy's last kids tv show was another version of "The Popeye Show".Which was seen Weekday afternoons on WPIX TV Ch.11 From Monday January 5,1970 to September,1972.When The ACT(Action For Children's Television) and Forum,Inc.forced tv stations like WPIX TV to remove their kids tv hosts/performers and cartoons like "Popeye"from the airways.So that tv station execs could create,produce and present quality educational kids tv shows(Created and produced to The ACT's and Forum's liking).McCarthy retired from NYC Kids TV and From regular broadcasting duties at WPIX TV Ch.11.But he would return to the station once at year to host Ch.11's annual broadcasts of The St.Patrick's Day Parade.He would continue to Host the parades.Until creative conflicts with new producers of the broadcasts in the early 1990's.Forced to retire as a parade host.McCarthy's last tv appearances were in The NBC TV Movie drama:"The Rage Of Angeles"With Jacilyn Smith in 1983 and on Thursday Night September 29,1988.He appeared on WPIX TV CH.11 NYC's hour long tv tribute to the station's 40 years of broadcasting:"WPIX AT 40!".Since his retirement from Ch.11,McCarthy served as the commcercial spokesman for The Irish Tourist Board and he was the executive director of The Broadcasting department of NYC's Off tracking Betting Office.He made his last public appearance along with his fellow NYC kids TV hosts/performers:Sonny Fox,Soupy Sales,Chuck McCann,John Zacherley,Bill Britten,Bob McCallister and Fred Scott at The NYC Museum of TV & Radio's tribute to NYC kids TV Shows:"The First Kids On The Block"on Wedneday Night November 7,1994.Jack McCarthy scummbed to Cancer on Thursday May 23,1996.…Expand
