Edgar Leslie Driscoll Jr.(1925-2006)
- Actor
- Art Department
Edgar Eddie Leslie Driscoll Jr., formally of Bangor, a retired local celebrity, died after a long battle with Alzheimer's Disease at the Barron Center in Portland. He was 78.
Born in Brewer, Mr. Driscoll served in the Navy. When his tour ended in 1947, Mr. Driscoll attended one of Boston's art schools, honing his skills to pursue his dream of being a cartoonist. Over the years, he did vaudeville acts and set design for the VFW and various charitable organizations. In 1954, he joined the staff of WLBZ-TV in Bangor and started out as a weatherman, and eventually would become the voice of Channel 2. He did commercials for local sponsors and had many variety programs that would span 33 years. His talent for ad-lib created a stir on live TV and one of his most memorable programs was WEIRD, a horror show that showcased his talent for disguises. Weird was filmed in graveyards and parking lots and kept the college crowd happy in the 1960s. My Backyard with Mason Mutt, a puppet handmade with help from his wife, portrayed a dog with floppy ears philosophizing about everyday life, ran for 10 years; Dialing for Dollars, a show that gave housewives a chance to win cash, would run 12 years. Mr. Driscoll developed many characters, Hadley the Horrible, Uncle Gory, and Margaret, a spin-off of his own mother that won him several awards. He won the Maine Broadcasting Award in 1992 and is in the Broadcasting Hall of Fame. He was a pioneer in his field as an artist, puppeteer and comedian. Most of all he will be remembered for being a loving husband and a great father.
He is survived by his wife Ruby (Melvin) formally of Bangor, to whom he was married for 58 years; daughters Wendy Friend of Gorham, and Amanda Vieira of Saugus, Mass.; grandchildren Wilson and Tucker Friend of Gorham; brothers Robert Driscoll of Newington, Conn., and Ronald Driscoll of Raleigh, N.H.; sisters Ella Stankivitch of Plainville, Conn., and Jean Tacchi of Newington, Conn.
Born in Brewer, Mr. Driscoll served in the Navy. When his tour ended in 1947, Mr. Driscoll attended one of Boston's art schools, honing his skills to pursue his dream of being a cartoonist. Over the years, he did vaudeville acts and set design for the VFW and various charitable organizations. In 1954, he joined the staff of WLBZ-TV in Bangor and started out as a weatherman, and eventually would become the voice of Channel 2. He did commercials for local sponsors and had many variety programs that would span 33 years. His talent for ad-lib created a stir on live TV and one of his most memorable programs was WEIRD, a horror show that showcased his talent for disguises. Weird was filmed in graveyards and parking lots and kept the college crowd happy in the 1960s. My Backyard with Mason Mutt, a puppet handmade with help from his wife, portrayed a dog with floppy ears philosophizing about everyday life, ran for 10 years; Dialing for Dollars, a show that gave housewives a chance to win cash, would run 12 years. Mr. Driscoll developed many characters, Hadley the Horrible, Uncle Gory, and Margaret, a spin-off of his own mother that won him several awards. He won the Maine Broadcasting Award in 1992 and is in the Broadcasting Hall of Fame. He was a pioneer in his field as an artist, puppeteer and comedian. Most of all he will be remembered for being a loving husband and a great father.
He is survived by his wife Ruby (Melvin) formally of Bangor, to whom he was married for 58 years; daughters Wendy Friend of Gorham, and Amanda Vieira of Saugus, Mass.; grandchildren Wilson and Tucker Friend of Gorham; brothers Robert Driscoll of Newington, Conn., and Ronald Driscoll of Raleigh, N.H.; sisters Ella Stankivitch of Plainville, Conn., and Jean Tacchi of Newington, Conn.