Gayne Whitman

American radio and film actor (born March 19, 1890 in Chicago, Illinois – died on August 31, 1958 in Los Angeles, California) Born Alfred Vosburgh, Whitman adopted the stage name Alfred Whitman in 1917, soon after he began acting in silent films. From 1921-1925, he played live theater at the Morosco Theater in Los Angeles. In 1925, he returned to film, now with the stage name Gayne Whitman. Whitman served as the announcer of Universal Pictures' popular short movie series "Strange As It Seems" between 1931 and 1934. Between 1935 and 1939, he fulfilled the same function for the radio version of "Strange As It Seems." On the radio, he also played the title role of "Chandu the Magician" (1931-1936), served as the narrator of "Lassie," and acted as the announcer for "Paducah Plantation" and other shows. As a film actor, he appeared in 213 films between 1904 and 1957.