Claghorn's the Name

Every Sunday evening, many a U.S.

radio listener lends his ear to a loudmouthed, platitudinous, corn-cackling character who calls himself Senator Claghorn. The "Senator" is a broad burlesque of the worst in Southern statesmen. On the air for less than three months, he is already being mimicked by children at school, businessmen at luncheon clubs, drunks at bars. No one does the routine quite as well as the Senator himself: Fred Allen's announcer, Kenny Delmar.

Delmar, a 34-year-old damyankee who looks like Harold Lloyd, was born in Boston. He originated the Claghorn character, but Allen writes the gags. Kenny once knew a Texan who had the Senator's trick of saying a few words, then backing up like a flivver in a rut and saying them over again. For 15 years, Announcer and part-time Actor Delmar has been entertaining friends with his Claghorn act. Fred heard him and signed him.

Claghorn, who carries professional Southernhood about as far as it can go, tells how he was weaned on mint juleps, drinks only from a Dixie cup, sees only Ann Sothern movies, shuns Ann Sheridan, never listens to Mr. & Mrs. North, avoids the Lincoln Tunnel. His hat is a Kentucky derby. He naturally hates compasses for the way they point. Typical script:

Claghorn: Claghorn's the name, Senator Claghorn, that is. Ah'm from Dixie. Ah represent the South.

Allen: Look, Senator, I . . .

Claghorn: Thanksgivin', Ah only ate the part of the turkey that's facin' south.

Allen: Yes, I know, but I . . .

Claghorn: No man livin' can make me wear a Union suit.

Allen: Well, I . . .

Claghorn: What's on your mind, son? Speak up. This is America, son. You got free speech. Go ahead and talk, son--talk, that is. Don't wait to be prodded.

Allen: I'm not, but . . .

Claghorn: Your mouth is open, but nothin's comin' out. Don't hold it in, ah say, don't hold it in. Ah can't read your mind, your mind, that is.

For his Claghorn bluster, Delmar gets $300 a week. He does other radio chores, and would like to play a Greek character, since his grandfather (aide-de-camp to Lord Kitchener in World War I) was a Greek with the rhythmic name Zaccharios Felaxithees Efstradtiadis.

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