The Whistler

The Whistler premiered May 16, 1942, on CBS's Pacific Coast network, sponsored by Signal Oil. It was a regional show for most of its life, though two attempts were made to expand eastward. The title character was voiced by several actors over the years, most notably Bill Forman, Gale Gordon (later Lucille Ball's TV nemesis), Joseph Kearns (TV's Mr. Wilson on Dennis the Menace), and Marvin Miller (The Millionaire). The haunting thirteen-note whistle was performed by Dorothy Roberts. Of 692 total episodes produced, approximately 490 survive.