Gregory Merrick Abbott of Larchmont, famed as "the voice known to millions" through his 26 years as chief commentator for Paramount newsreels, died Friday evening after a brief illness. He was 81. Mr. Abbott, who abandoned a career as a civil engineer to become a pioneer radio announcer and newscaster in the 1920s, in recent years has owned and operated Travelmaster Tours Inc.. Larchmont with his wife, Buntin. The former Christine the travel agency was a retirement pursuit coming at the end of a varied career as actor, commentator, master of ceremonies, quizmaster and announcer on both radio and television, in addition to his role as the "voice" with the Paramount Pictures Corp. newsreels, which were shown in movie houses nationally. He also taught speech at the Alfred Dixon School, coaching other announcers as well as Broadway stars and others. He was a member of the
American Federation of Television and Radio Artists and of the Screen Actors Guild. 1956,Abbott amount's 25-Year was welcomed into Par-Club, but the following year the company closed down its news operations, unable to compete with television news coverage. Mr. Abbott made the transition from radio to television, playing the role of the judge in the CBS-TV program, work *Opinions on Trial. He later did free-lance with advertising agencies, making television commercials. Concurrent with his Paramount job, Mr. Abbott had roles in soap operas and held various radio announcing positions. In the 1940s, he was master of ceremonies the daily broadcasts of Mamaroneck resident Robert L. Ripley's "Believe It Or Not" radio show, also filling in on dramatized segments of the program. Mr. Abbott was born Aug. 17, 1900, in New York City, but spent his boyhood in Orange, N.J. He attended the private Hotchkiss School for Boys (since made co-educational) in Lakewood, Conn, returned to New York to graduate from the Ethical Culture High School, and received his civil engineering degree at Harvard University. Music was Mr. Abbott's avocation, and his first teacher was his mother, the late Eugenie Baylis Abbott, a distinguished musician in her own right who taught voice and piano professionally. His father was the late George Abbott. Music, in fact, led to Mr. Abbott's radio career. He was working as a junior assistant engineer with the New York State Bureau of Highways in 1928 when one day he heard the sound of music coming from a radio broadcasting studio in Freeport, L.I., Mr. Abbott re-called in later years. He went inside to hear more, and subsequently hung around until he had talked himself into a job as announcer with the radio station. He later went on to New York City stations WOR, WCBS, WMCA. WINS, and others.
American Federation of Television and Radio Artists and of the Screen Actors Guild. 1956,Abbott amount's 25-Year was welcomed into Par-Club, but the following year the company closed down its news operations, unable to compete with television news coverage. Mr. Abbott made the transition from radio to television, playing the role of the judge in the CBS-TV program, work *Opinions on Trial. He later did free-lance with advertising agencies, making television commercials. Concurrent with his Paramount job, Mr. Abbott had roles in soap operas and held various radio announcing positions. In the 1940s, he was master of ceremonies the daily broadcasts of Mamaroneck resident Robert L. Ripley's "Believe It Or Not" radio show, also filling in on dramatized segments of the program. Mr. Abbott was born Aug. 17, 1900, in New York City, but spent his boyhood in Orange, N.J. He attended the private Hotchkiss School for Boys (since made co-educational) in Lakewood, Conn, returned to New York to graduate from the Ethical Culture High School, and received his civil engineering degree at Harvard University. Music was Mr. Abbott's avocation, and his first teacher was his mother, the late Eugenie Baylis Abbott, a distinguished musician in her own right who taught voice and piano professionally. His father was the late George Abbott. Music, in fact, led to Mr. Abbott's radio career. He was working as a junior assistant engineer with the New York State Bureau of Highways in 1928 when one day he heard the sound of music coming from a radio broadcasting studio in Freeport, L.I., Mr. Abbott re-called in later years. He went inside to hear more, and subsequently hung around until he had talked himself into a job as announcer with the radio station. He later went on to New York City stations WOR, WCBS, WMCA. WINS, and others.
Gregory Merrick Abbott of Larchmont, famed as "the voice known to millions" through his 26 years as chief commentator for Paramount newsreels, died Friday evening after a brief illness. He was 81. Mr. Abbott, who abandoned a career as a civil engineer to become a pioneer radio announcer and newscaster in the 1920s, in recent years has owned and operated Travelmaster Tours Inc.. Larchmont with his wife, Buntin. The former Christine the travel agency was a retirement pursuit coming at the end of a varied career as actor, commentator, master of ceremonies, quizmaster and announcer on both radio and television, in addition to his role as the "voice" with the Paramount Pictures Corp. newsreels, which were shown in movie houses nationally. He also taught speech at the Alfred Dixon School, coaching other announcers as well as Broadway stars and others. He was a member of the
American Federation of Television and Radio Artists and of the Screen Actors Guild. 1956,Abbott amount's 25-Year was welcomed into Par-Club, but the following year the company closed down its news operations, unable to compete with television news coverage. Mr. Abbott made the transition from radio to television, playing the role of the judge in the CBS-TV program, work *Opinions on Trial. He later did free-lance with advertising agencies, making television commercials. Concurrent with his Paramount job, Mr. Abbott had roles in soap operas and held various radio announcing positions. In the 1940s, he was master of ceremonies the daily broadcasts of Mamaroneck resident Robert L. Ripley's "Believe It Or Not" radio show, also filling in on dramatized segments of the program. Mr. Abbott was born Aug. 17, 1900, in New York City, but spent his boyhood in Orange, N.J. He attended the private Hotchkiss School for Boys (since made co-educational) in Lakewood, Conn, returned to New York to graduate from the Ethical Culture High School, and received his civil engineering degree at Harvard University. Music was Mr. Abbott's avocation, and his first teacher was his mother, the late Eugenie Baylis Abbott, a distinguished musician in her own right who taught voice and piano professionally. His father was the late George Abbott. Music, in fact, led to Mr. Abbott's radio career. He was working as a junior assistant engineer with the New York State Bureau of Highways in 1928 when one day he heard the sound of music coming from a radio broadcasting studio in Freeport, L.I., Mr. Abbott re-called in later years. He went inside to hear more, and subsequently hung around until he had talked himself into a job as announcer with the radio station. He later went on to New York City stations WOR, WCBS, WMCA. WINS, and others.
American Federation of Television and Radio Artists and of the Screen Actors Guild. 1956,Abbott amount's 25-Year was welcomed into Par-Club, but the following year the company closed down its news operations, unable to compete with television news coverage. Mr. Abbott made the transition from radio to television, playing the role of the judge in the CBS-TV program, work *Opinions on Trial. He later did free-lance with advertising agencies, making television commercials. Concurrent with his Paramount job, Mr. Abbott had roles in soap operas and held various radio announcing positions. In the 1940s, he was master of ceremonies the daily broadcasts of Mamaroneck resident Robert L. Ripley's "Believe It Or Not" radio show, also filling in on dramatized segments of the program. Mr. Abbott was born Aug. 17, 1900, in New York City, but spent his boyhood in Orange, N.J. He attended the private Hotchkiss School for Boys (since made co-educational) in Lakewood, Conn, returned to New York to graduate from the Ethical Culture High School, and received his civil engineering degree at Harvard University. Music was Mr. Abbott's avocation, and his first teacher was his mother, the late Eugenie Baylis Abbott, a distinguished musician in her own right who taught voice and piano professionally. His father was the late George Abbott. Music, in fact, led to Mr. Abbott's radio career. He was working as a junior assistant engineer with the New York State Bureau of Highways in 1928 when one day he heard the sound of music coming from a radio broadcasting studio in Freeport, L.I., Mr. Abbott re-called in later years. He went inside to hear more, and subsequently hung around until he had talked himself into a job as announcer with the radio station. He later went on to New York City stations WOR, WCBS, WMCA. WINS, and others.
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