Claire Wallace (broadcaster)
Claire Wallace | |
---|---|
Born | 1900 or 1906 Orangeville, Ontario, Canada |
Died | 1968 |
Nationality | Canadian |
Occupation(s) | Journalist and broadcaster |
Claire Wallace (1900 or 1906–1968) was a pioneering Canadian journalist, broadcaster and author. Wallace was the first woman broadcaster to learn how to fly a plane, and one of Canada's first regular female radio stars. After first becoming a regular columnist for the Toronto Star in the 1930s, Wallace turned to radio broadcasting, hosting programs for CFRB and the Canadian Broadcasting Corporation (CBC). From 1942 until 1952, she hosted CBC's They Tell Me, which eventually peaked in popularity as the second highest-rated radio program in the country. She was known for her daring stories and reporting style, which included joining a deep-sea diving expedition, climbing a Mexican volcano, and broadcasting from 5,000 feet (1,500 m) above Niagara Falls.
After retiring from CBC during the 1950s, Wallace returned to CFRB as an adviser on etiquette and travel. She authored a number of books, including the 1953 etiquette guide Mind Your Manners, before establishing the Claire Wallace Travel Bureau in 1955: she took tourists to places such as Russia and China. As a well-loved Toronto celebrity, Wallace remained highly sought after for her charity work.
Early life
Wallace was born in either 1900
Career
Print journalism
In 1929, Wallace divorced her husband and turned to journalism as a source of income for herself and her son. For a while, she earned money by rewriting small pieces from urban newspapers and sending them to rural papers for $1 per story.[4]
Looking for better pay, Wallace searched for bigger, more interesting stories to write. She took a job as a domestic
Radio broadcasting
Starting in 1935, Wallace delved into radio. Her Toronto Star column developed into a weekday evening radio program for
In 1936, she joined CBC Radio. By 1942, Wallace was covering "off-beat" stories for CBC about life during the war.[2] For the next ten years, she hosted CBC's They Tell Me, becoming one of Canada's first regular female radio stars and one of the best known voices on radio. Her celebrity guests included Dwight Eisenhower, and as a joke she once interviewed singing cowboy Gene Autry's horse.[5] In 1946, Wallace received the Broadcaster Magazine's Beaver Award for her status as Canada's top woman commentator. At its peak, They Tell Me was the second-highest-rated radio program in Canada, bested only by The Happy Gang.[1] A young Doris Anderson – who would eventually find fame as the editor of Chatelaine – got her start as a writer and researcher for Wallace's show in the 1940s.[6]
Wallace became one of the highest paid women in broadcasting, earning $170 every week at a time when many newspaper employees were earning $40-$50 weekly.
She was known for going to extraordinary lengths to find interesting stories for her listeners. During Wallace's career as journalist, she joined a
After 1952, Wallace returned to CFRB, advising on etiquette and travel.[5]
Other work
Wallace published several books, including the 1953 etiquette guide Mind Your Manners. In 1955, she established the Claire Wallace Travel Bureau, and she took tourists to places such as Russia and China.[1]
She was sought-after for her charity work. Toronto Star writer Lotta Dempsey once said that Wallace "was the most glamorous, most loved celebrity of her day... if you could get Claire Wallace for a charity event or a fundraising occasion, you had it made."[1]
Death
Wallace died in 1968.[4][1] Her papers and documents were donated to the University of Waterloo.[1]
References
- ^ a b c d e f g h i j k l m "Wallace, Claire | History of Canadian Broadcasting". www.broadcasting-history.ca. Retrieved 2017-11-08.
- ^ a b c d e f "A Luncheon Date to Remember". AEI. Retrieved 2017-11-08.
- ^ a b "Key Historical Women Behind CBC". Women of Influence. 2013-07-15. Retrieved 2017-11-08.
- ^ ISSN 0319-0781. Retrieved 2017-11-07.
- ^ ISBN 9781550029925.
- ^ Torontoist (2016-03-05). "Historicist: The Importance of Being Doris". Torontoist. Retrieved 2017-11-08.
- ^ a b Oosterom, Nelle; Moir, Garry (February 1, 2018). "Radio Queens". Canada's History. Retrieved 2018-05-14 – via PressReader.
External links
- "Claire Wallace fonds". archives.uwaterloo.ca. University of Waterloo Library - Special Collections & Archives. Retrieved 19 December 2019.
- "My 24 Years with Claire Wallace" by Wally Belfry (May 1, 1949) from MacLean's Archives