Edgar Bergen & Charlie McCarthy

Edgar Bergen was an American ventriloquist, comedian, actor, vaudevillian, and radio performer best known for his characters Charlie McCarthy and Mortimer Snerd. He pioneered modern-day ventriloquism and has been described by the puppetry organization UNIMA as the “quintessential ventriloquist of the 20th century”. Bergen’s skill as an entertainer, especially his characterization of the mischievous and quick-witted Charlie McCarthy, made him a hugely popular radio star in the 1930s and 1940s.

The Stars

Edgar Bergen was the creator and voice behind the characters of Charlie McCarthy and Mortimer Snerd. Charlie McCarthy, a debonair, girl-crazy wooden dummy dressed in a top hat and tuxedo, was the breakout star of the show and became more famous than his performer. Bergen also developed other memorable characters like the slow-witted Mortimer Snerd and the man-hungry Effie Klinker, but Charlie remained the central focus.

Key Dates

• The Edgar Bergen & Charlie McCarthy Show first debuted on radio on May 9, 1937 as part of The Chase and Sanborn Hour.
• Under various sponsors and networks, the show ran until July 1, 1956.
• In October 1949, Bergen moved the show to CBS with a new weekly program titled The Charlie McCarthy Show, sponsored by Coca-Cola.
• This version of the show ran until 1956 when it finally ended due to the growing popularity of television.

Other Information

Bergen’s success with the ventriloquist act on radio was quite remarkable, as listeners were able to perceive Charlie McCarthy as a genuine person, even though they knew Bergen was providing the voice. This was partly due to Bergen’s superb comedic timing and the witty, mischievous personality he had created for the Charlie McCarthy character.

The show featured many memorable comedy routines and exchanges, particularly the ongoing feud between Charlie and the famous comedian W.C. Fields. These humorous back-and-forths, filled with double entendres and insults, were a highlight of the show. Charlie’s flirtatious banter with female guest stars like Mae West was also a popular part of the program.

In addition to his radio work, Bergen also appeared in several films, including The Goldwyn Follies in which Charlie McCarthy made his screen debut. Bergen continued to make television appearances throughout the 1950s, 60s, and 70s, including guest spots on shows like The Waltons, The Muppet Show, and The Tonight Show Starring Johnny Carson. He was elected to the Radio Hall of Fame in 1990, the same year The Charlie McCarthy Show was selected as an honored program.

Despite his fame and success, Bergen had a complex relationship with his famous dummy. His daughter Candice Bergen later wrote that Charlie “dominated” her childhood and that her father seemed to have a stronger bond with the wooden character than with her at times. Nevertheless, Charlie McCarthy remained Bergen’s constant companion until the end, with the ventriloquist stating in his will that the dummy had “taken on the character of a real person” for him.