Person Biography:
Les Tremayne was born Lester Tremayne Henning on April 16, 1913, in London, England. His family moved to Chicago, Illinois when he was just four years old. As a child, Tremayne struggled to bury his British accent, which led him to take an interest in community theatre. He began his professional career as a dancer in vaudeville and later worked as a barker in various amusement parks.
Tremayne's early radio career started in Chicago when he was 17 years old. He studied Greek drama at Northwestern University and anthropology at Columbia University and UCLA. During the 1930s and 1940s, Tremayne was a regular fixture on the radio, appearing in over 1,000 shows.
In the 1950s, Tremayne transitioned to film and television. He played a variety of roles, including military types, professionals, and executives. He is perhaps best known for his roles in cult 1950s sci-fi films, including "The War of the Worlds," "The Monolith Monsters," and "The Angry Red Planet."
Tremayne continued to work in film and television throughout his career, appearing in a wide range of projects, including the popular TV shows "The Danny Thomas Show," "Mr. Adams and Eve," and "The Andy Griffith Show." He also had recurring roles on "The Adventures of Rin Tin Tin" and "The Further Adventures of Ellery Queen."
In his later years, Tremayne appeared in a number of low-budget films, including "Shootout at Big Sag," "King Kong vs. Godzilla," and "The Slime People." He also continued to work in radio, providing voices for shows such as "Mr. Magoo," "Johnny Quest," and "The Smurfs."
Tremayne was inducted into the Radio Hall of Fame in 1995 and passed away on December 19, 2003, at the age of 90.
