Marshall Efron

Marshall Efron
Born(1938-02-03)February 3, 1938
Los Angeles, California, U.S.
DiedSeptember 30, 2019(2019-09-30) (aged 81)
Englewood, New Jersey, U.S.
Occupation(s)Actor, humorist
Years active1941–2019

Marshall Efron (February 3, 1938 – September 30, 2019) was an American actor[1] and humorist originally known for his work on the listener-sponsored Pacifica radio stations WBAI New York and KPFK Los Angeles, and later for the PBS television show The Great American Dream Machine (the original showcase of Chevy Chase).

Career

At WBAI, Efron was a frequent guest on Steve Post's & Bob Fass's shows, along with left-wing/counter-culture figures such as Paul Krassner.[2] One memorable broadcast had Efron and Krassner filling in for the vacationing Steve Post, and identifying themselves as Columbia University students who had taken the station over as part of the Columbia University protests of 1968. Although regular listeners were very familiar with the voices of Krassner and Efron, many listeners were not. NYPD officers responded three different times during the broadcast in response to reports from listeners who thought the "takeover" was a legitimate event. Efron also produced features such as A Satirical View.[3]

Marshall Efron was the author of a number of children's works such as Bible Stories You Can't Forget: No Matter How Hard You Try.[4]

He also starred in the irregularly scheduled Sunday morning television program Marshall Efron's Illustrated, Simplified, and Painless Sunday School on CBS from 1973 to 1977.[5] In this show, Efron played all of the parts, including Adam, Eve, God and the Snake in the Garden of Eden, and the Three Wise Men in the story of Christmas.[6]

Death

Efron died at the age of 81 on September 30, 2019, at the Lillian Booth Actors Home in Englewood, New Jersey.[7]

Filmography

Animated roles

Film roles

Video game roles

Theatrical roles

Discography

References

  1. ^ "Marshall Efron". Movies & TV Dept. The New York Times. 2014. Archived from the original on 2014-03-09.
  2. ^ Rebels on the Air: An Alternative History of Radio in America by Jesse Walker (2004) NYU Press ISBN 0-8147-9382-7, ISBN 978-0-8147-9382-4 Google Books
  3. ^ Pacificaradioarchives.org Archived 2008-05-16 at the Wayback Machine
  4. ^ Bible Stories You Can't Forget: No Matter How Hard You Try (1979) by Marshall Efron, Alfa-Betty Olsen Dutton Juvenile ISBN 0-525-26500-7, ISBN 978-0-525-26500-9
  5. ^ Hyatt, Wesley (1997). The Encyclopedia of Daytime Television. Watson-Guptill Publications. p. 279. ISBN 978-0823083152. Retrieved 22 March 2020.
  6. ^ Woolery, George W. (1985). Children's Television: The First Thirty-Five Years, 1946-1981, Part II: Live, Film, and Tape Series. The Scarecrow Press. p. 329. ISBN 0-8108-1651-2.
  7. ^ Genzlinger, Neil (8 October 2019). "Marshall Efron, Funny Cog in the PBS 'Dream Machine,' Dies at 81". The New York Times. Retrieved 9 October 2019.