TV's quirky Eddie Driscoll dead at 81

Last Updated: Wednesday, September 27, 2006 | 11:31 AM ET

CBC Arts

Maine television personality Eddie Driscoll, a pioneer of TV's early days, has died at age 81.

Driscoll is well known to Atlantic Canadians, who saw him create wacky characters for the WLBZ 2 station in Bangor, Maine, from the time cable first arrived in the 1970s.

Five of the early stations available in Atlantic Canada via cable in the 1970s came from Maine.

Driscoll, who had been suffering from Alzheimer's, died Sunday in Portland, Maine.

Those who tuned in weekdays after school might remember Driscoll's distinct voice sharing details about events such as church suppers.

He invited viewers to send in their public service announcements, promising to "put 'em on for ya."

"He was endearing to so many Atlantic Canadians," Mike Clattenburg, who created The Trailer Park Boys television show, said Tuesday in an interview with the Halifax Chronicle Herald.

"We loved him here," Clattenburg said. "He was so divinely silly at times and grandfatherly; I know that's what appealed to me about him. And the goofy stuff he used to do — he was just very, very sweet and an original."

Driscoll had a vaudevillian approach on air, creating a host of quirky characters, including the grandmotherly Margaret and dim-witted Bruce Budworm, that enlivened TV and introduced programs such as The Great Money Movie.

Driscoll came out of the Navy in 1948, married and took a job at the Bangor Paper Mill. But he was fascinated with TV and used to present live shows at community events.

On TV in 1954

Driscoll's television career began in 1954, the day they turned the transmitter on for Bangor's WLBZ.

Much of his early work as a live local TV presenter is lost, because no technology existed to preserve it.

TV in those days was loose, spontaneous and had low production values by today's standards. Staff had to fill hundreds of hours with live programming — even ads were done live.

Driscoll created children's shows, with puppets called Captain Salty and Mason Mutt, made by his wife Ruby. He had one of TV's first morning shows, a mix of skits, interviews and comedy sketches.

One of his early gimmicks was "dialling for dollars" in which he phoned householders and asked them how much money was in a prize pot.

In addition to his on-air shenanigans, Driscoll was often the public face of the station, appearing in parades and other public events.

By the time Driscoll retired in 1987, after 33 years on TV, the medium had changed completely and there was little need for his kind of impromptu talent.

At his retirement party, author Stephen King told Driscoll his shows had warped King's childhood.

Driscoll is survived by his wife, two children and two grandchildren.