Gus Wickie

Gus Wickie
Born
August Wicke

(1885-05-07)May 7, 1885
Barmen, German Empire (now the Federal Republic of Germany)
DiedJanuary 3, 1947(1947-01-03) (aged 61)
Belleville, New Jersey[1]
Occupation(s)Singer, stage actor, voice actor
Years active1916–1944[2]

August Wicke (May 7, 1885 – January 3, 1947), also known as Gus Wicke and Gus Wickie,[3] was an American bass singer, and stage and voice actor. He was one of the voices of Bluto in the animated series, Popeye the Sailor, by Fleischer Studios.[4]

Life and career

Wicke was born in Frankfurt, Germany, and immigrated to the United States with his father, who was also named August Wicke. He became a U.S. citizen as a child when his father was naturalized. He was living in West New York, when he registered for the World War I draft in 1917.[1]

Wicke began in the entertainment world as early as August 1916, when he appeared on Broadway in The Big Show, produced by Charles Dillingham at the Hippodrome Theatre.[5] The show ran for 425 performances until May 1917.[5] He was a member of various harmony singing and comedy groups, including The Texas Four, which had broken up by 1926; The Westerners, which became active at around that time; and the Shanley Trio.[1] He appeared in Boston in Here and There by director and producer R. H. Burnside in 1929.[1] Two years later, Wickie was on Broadway in the musical comedy Ballyhoo of 1930, which ran for 68 performances, from December 1930 to February 1931, at Oscar Hammerstein's Hammerstein Theatre.[6]

Wickie was the voice of Bluto in the Fleischer Studios' Popeye cartoons from 1935 until 1938.[7][1] His final performance for Fleischer was as the "Chief" in Big Chief Ugh-Amugh-Ugh.[8] His draft registration documents indicate that he was one eyed, like Bluto's nemesis Popeye (as his name implies).[9]

When Fleischer Studios moved from New York City to Miami, Florida, in 1938, Wickie stayed behind and continued working in the entertainment industry.[1] An oft-cited biographical error is that Wickie was a baritone, recordings of his voice indicate he was a bass singer according to his dark timbre and vocal range, which go down to at least low C,[10] as do published reports contemporary with his rediscovered later career according to research by David Gerstein.[11]

Wickie was known for his nightclub performances around New York City, particularly at Bill's Gay Nineties, a venue run by Bill Hardy, but also at Radio Franks Club.[1] Wicke generally made up a quartet with Spike Harrison, Fred Bishop, and a fourth member who was not permanent.[1] He was listed in Billboard's February 19, 1944, list of performers who appeared under the aegis of the American Theatre Wing to entertain the troops.[1]

Wickie died in Belleville, New Jersey, on January 3, 1947, at the age of 61.[1]

References

  1. ^ a b c d e f g h i j Gerstein, David (November 30, 2013). "Out of the Vaults: From Binko to Bluto". Ramapith: David Gerstein's Prehistoric Pop Culture. Retrieved January 25, 2014.
  2. ^ Gus Wicke at the Internet Broadway Database
  3. ^ Gould, Jack (February 13, 1938). "Notes and Reflections on the Night Clubs". The New York Times. Retrieved January 4, 2010.
  4. ^ Grandinetti, Fred M. (July 29, 2004). Popeye: An Illustrated Cultural History, 2d ed. McFarland. ISBN 978-0-7864-1605-9.
  5. ^ a b The Big Show on the Internet Broadway Database
  6. ^ Ballyhoo of 1930 on the Internet Broadway Database
  7. ^ Hurwitz, Matt (July 29, 2007). "Utter Genius: Voices That Call Out Still". The Washington Post. Retrieved January 4, 2010.
  8. ^ Erickson, Hal (2012). "Big Chief Ugh-Amugh-Ugh (1938)". Movies & TV Dept. The New York Times. Archived from the original on October 26, 2012. Retrieved January 4, 2010.
  9. ^ "Out of the Vaults: From Binko to Bluto". November 30, 2013.
  10. ^ (Popeye) Abu Hassan Song with Lyrics. YouTube. Archived from the original on December 11, 2021.
  11. ^ "Ramapith: David Gerstein's Prehistoric Pop Culture Blog".