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{{Short description|American actor and musician (1914–1980)}}
{{For|the radio presenter|Red Blanchard (radio personality)}}

'''Donald Francis "Red" Blanchard''' (July 24, 1914 – 24 February 1980: Age - 65) was an American radio showman, comedian, and country musician.

==Biography==
He was born in [[Pittsville, Wisconsin]], the third son of William and May (Jackson) Blanchard. In his teens, he learned to play guitar, fiddle, and banjo. Inspired by the "Blue Yodeler" [[Jimmie Rodgers (country singer)|Jimmie Rodgers]], he purchased his first guitar at the age of fourteen. In 1930, accompanied by his two older brothers, Hillis and Volney, he made his singing debut on radio station [[WISN (AM)|WISN]] in [[Milwaukee, Wisconsin]], calling himself the "Texas Yodeler". In 1931, he performed in the [[National Barn Dance]] at [[WLS (AM)|WLS]] in [[Chicago]] as a member of "Rube Tronson's Texas Cowboys". He was married on July 16, 1934, to Lucille Overstake, who later became known under the name of [[Jenny Lou Carson]]. The marriage didn't last and they were divorced soon afterwards.

In March 1942, Blanchard was drafted, serving four years in the [[South West Pacific theatre of World War II|South Pacific]] as a combat entertainer of soldiers. A million soldiers saw his concerts and he was awarded six battle stars.{{Citation needed|date=June 2009}} After his discharge in 1946, he joined the "Sage Riders", performing on the National Barn Dance. The "Sage Riders" comprised Ray Klein, Dolph Hewitt and Don "Whytsell" White. He was married for the second time in 1946 to Marcella "Sally" Ebert, who was one of the square dancers at the National Barn Dance. In 1950, Blanchard left the "Sage Riders" to concentrate on a solo career. During the 1950s, he hosted the "Red Blanchard Show" and the "Merry-Go-Round Show". He also appeared on shows such as "Smile-A-While" and the "Armed Forces Radio Services" and also worked as an author, publishing books and writing columns for newspapers. In 1959, the National Barn Dance was transferred from WLS to [[WGN (AM)|WGN]], where it changed name to the WGN Barn Dance. When WGN Barn Dance was cancelled in 1969 Blanchard began an extensive tour of more than 250 engagements a year.

In the 1960s and 1970s, he purchased several radio stations in [[Illinois]] and [[Iowa]], with his business partners, Dolph Hewitt and Harry Campbell. During a broadcast from the "Dinner Bell Show" at WLS, he was elected ''Honorary Mayor of Pittsville, Honorary Chief of Police, and Honorary Chief of the Fire Department'', by his hometown of Pittsville. He retired and moved to [[Florida]] and died in 1980.<ref>{{cite news |title=Rites for "Red" Blanchard, ex-WGN barn dance emcee |work=Chicago Tribune |issue=Section 2, page 11 |date=26 February 1980}}</ref>

==References==
{{reflist}}

==Sources==
*Chad Berry, ''The Hayloft Gang: The Story of the National Barn Dance'', 2008, (p. 87)
*[[Loyal Jones]], ''Country Music Humorists and Comedians'', 2008, (p. 78-79)
*[http://www.hillbilly-music.com/artists/story/index.php?id=12115 Hillbilly-music.com]
*[http://www.richsamuels.com/nbcmm/wls/1954/donald_red_blanchard.html Rich Samuels.com]
*[http://www.medical-mal.com/wls_national_barn_dance.htm Medical-mal.com]

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{{DEFAULTSORT:Blanchard, Red}}
[[Category:1914 births]]
[[Category:1980 deaths]]
[[Category:People from Wood County, Wisconsin]]
[[Category:Male actors from Wisconsin]]
[[Category:Musicians from Wisconsin]]
[[Category:20th-century American male actors]]
[[Category:20th-century American musicians]]

Red Blanchard - Revision history

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