Studio Center Hall of Fame
Andy Roberts
(1926 - 2017)
The bright lights of New York City proved irresistible to Andy Roberts after fulfilling his U.S. Navy military service during World War II. The city was only too happy to embrace this fine young singer. Andy performed with the Skitch Henderson Orchestra and toured with the Sauter Finegan Orchestra. He also made his television debut on NBC’s “Broadway Open House” and he sang for a year on “The Ted Mack Family Hour.” Andy also sang with Gene Krupa and Jimmy Dorsey and socialized with Frank Sinatra, Ed Sullivan, and Rosemary Clooney.
But when his first daughter Nancy was born to Andy and his wife Dottie while on the road in Las Vegas, Andy discovered that he was at heart a family man and he returned to his hometown of Hampton, Virginia to settle down.
Andy returned to television at WTKR in 1956 hosting “The Andy Roberts Show” variety program and later he hosted “People, Places, and Things.” His relaxed manner and polished voice attracted the attention of Studio Center founder Warren Miller, who promptly ushered Andy into the voice booth.
Andy quickly became one of the most-requested voices in the Studio Center talent pool. His straight reads were crisp, his characters comedic, and his German accent was unassailable. When a client asked Andy if he could deliver copy like Ralph Bell, Andy listened to a sample and then promptly delivered the copy with the same wry, bemused intent as the man he emulated. This distinctive style boosted Andy’s voiceover career exponentially. He became the go-to guy for political advertising, all while maintaining a demanding on-air schedule as WTKR’s premiere weatherman.
Andy had a unique ability to whistle his esses and he would occasionally test a new engineer or agency producer by whistling each and every “s” in the script while reading a run-through. He’d watch out of the corner of his eyes for a look of panic from the newbie, but when the call came for “Take One,” he’d perform the script flawlessly.
Andy was a true professional, hitting his stride early in each session, making each production enjoyable, and each finished piece as effective as it could be. Through it all, Andy was a gentleman, but above all, he remained a family man. We will always be grateful that Andy made Studio Center a big part of his extended family.