As we continue to assemble our "A Christmas Carol" All-Star Team, we're back in real time with Scrooge having found himself back in his own bedroom on Christmas morning!
The last minor character who needs to be represented is the kid Scrooge addresses out his window to buy the prize turkey.
It's not a big part, but there's one portrayal of this window boy that's my favorite: Walter Tetley from Basil Rathbone's 1942 Columbia Records album of "A Christmas Carol."
Walter Tetley was a terrific radio actor who did the best "kid" voice around. He acted well into his 40s but still sounded like a kid, unlike some adult actors who sounded like adults playing a kid.
His best-known radio role was Leroy, nephew of "The Great Gildersleeve" on the program of that name and he also had a great role on the Phil Harris/Alice Faye show as Julius the grocery boy. Leroy was a good kid, but Julius was just nasty!
Walter also voiced Andy Panda in some of Walter Lantz's theatrical cartoons, then later burned his voice into a segment of the public's consciousness as Sherman on the "Rocky and His Friends" show and its subsequent incarnations.
He had an unusual look (part-kid/part-adult), but made a good messenger or bellboy or whatever in walk-on parts in a number of movies. He is seen to really good advantage as an elevator operator in Universal's 1942's Abbott & Costello vehicle "Who Done It?" where he really gives Lou the business!
Interestingly, Walter also employed his stab at a British accent with a small role as a chimney sweep in the 1939 Universal picture "Tower of London" starring... Basil Rathbone!
And please tell Lucy Van Pelt about this bubble gum card!
He's a favorite of mine and I'm happy to have him on the team as the window boy, wacky British accent and all!
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