Take a closer look at some of Hollywood's top-tier talent at the beginning of their careers.

Child Stars, Then and Now

Take a closer look at some of Hollywood&#39;s top-tier talent at the beginning of their careers.

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A third-generation performer and the son of a singing band leader, Chuck McCann was already a show business veteran by age eleven. Born in Brooklyn, he began his career as a child actor on radio, and by the age of nineteen had appeared on The Steve Allen Show (1952). He performed on several NYC-based radio programs, and went on to create his own stand up act performed at many NYC/NJ/LI nightclubs and on many popular TV variety shows. For a time, he took a hiatus from nightclub and TV performing to study with The Pasadena Playhouse, where he gave a memorable performance in their production of '12th Night' as Sir Toby Belch. McCann would return to NYC to continue to perform in nightclubs and on TV variety shows. Until he was introduced to puppetry, first by Skip Boyland and then by Paul Ashleyon NBC TV's: Rootie Kazootie (1951). For the next 17 years, Ashley and McCann appeared on numerous TV shows: Rootie Kazootie (1951), "Uncle Paul's Lunchtime", The Gumby Show (1956) with Pinkie Lee, "The Puppet Hotel!", "Laurel & Hardy & Chuck!", "Let's Have Fun!", "The Chuck McCann Shows", "The Great Bombo's Magic Cartoon Circus Lunchtime Show" and "Chuck McCann's Laurel & Hardy Show!". After the cancellation of the latter on Friday June 9, 1967, Ashley and McCann went their separate ways.

McCann went onto become a successful comic/character actor and mimic, doing voice over for many television cartoon shows and playing character parts on numerous dramatic and comedic TV series and movies. Paul Ashley used his puppets in industrial films and industrial stage shows. McCann also starred on other TV series: Turn-on (1969), Happy Days (1974), Far Out Space Nuts (1975),All That Glitters (1977), _"New Kind Of Family, A" (1979)_ and "Chuck McCann's Fun Stuff!". Ashley was slated to reunite with McCann for "LBS Children's Theater" and another TV puppet show "Tiny TV". But Ashley was forced to drop out both projects, when it was discovered that he was suffering from Alzheimer's Disease and McCann took over as the show's host and performer. "LBS Children's Theater" made its debut in September of 1983 and was on the air for one season. Paul Ashley never lived long enough to see "LBS Children's Theater" become a success. Later, he played the voice of Jollo in the 1992 classic hit Sierra video game King's Quest VI: Heir Today, Gone Tomorrow.

Chuck McCann died on April 8, 2018 in Los Angeles, California, of heart failure.

DuckTales the Movie: Treasure of the Lost Lamp

(1960s) He hosted a comedy/skit and kiddie show called the &quot;Chuck McCann Show&quot;(featuring humor that went way over children&#39;s heads) .

(1960s) TV commercial (as &quot;The Cuckoo Bird&quot;): for Cocoa Puffs cereal.

(1977) ) TV commercials (as <a class="ipc-md-link ipc-md-link--entity" href="/name/nm0001316/?ref_=nmwrk">Oliver Hardy</a>): Tony&#39;s Frozen Pizza.

(1973) Unsold pilot: Starred with <a class="ipc-md-link ipc-md-link--entity" href="/name/nm0068407/?ref_=nmwrk">Michael Bell</a> in a sitcom pilot for NBC called &quot;Kibbee and Fitch&quot;. The plot concerned two sisters who marry firemen who can&#39;t stand each other, with the couples winding up sharing the same duplex. NOTE: This was a remake of a similarly unsuccessful 1965 pilot.

(1962) Album: &quot;Sing Along with Jack&quot;.

(1962) Album: Supplied some character voices (i.e., <a class="ipc-md-link ipc-md-link--entity" href="/name/nm0758415/?ref_=nmwrk">Pierre Salinger</a>) on the <a class="ipc-md-link ipc-md-link--entity" href="/name/nm0574997/?ref_=nmwrk">Vaughn Meader</a> album &quot;The First Family&quot;.

(1960s) TV commercials: Maxwell House coffee.

(1978) television commercial for Right Guard deodorant spray (Gillette).

Other works

Chuck McCann

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