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STERLING CHARACTER
Jack's East Side apartment affords plenty of opportunity for cooking and studying scripts for his CBS radio stint and TV Big Top role.
Thanks to his tiny Hillman-Minx, the parking problems of CBS personality Jack Sterling are few in New York City.
Jack Sterling, who took on one of radio's toughest assignments when he succeeded Arthur Godfrey in the morning hours (WCBS, Mon. through Saturday, 6-7:45 A.M., EST), began his third year in the same spot on Wednesday, Nov. 1, 1950 — the time previously occupied by Godfrey for more than seven years.
Sterling, a veteran of more than ten years in Midwestern radio, was selected for the job in a nationwide combing of personalities. His easy-going style, in the opinion of WCBS executives, was just what the doctor ordered for the early morning audience.
At the age of sixteen. Jack secretly wrote a letter to a well-known Chicago agent, Jack Winninger, brother of the famous actor, Charles Winninger. Sent him his picture and asked for a job. He was hired on the strength of his letter plus a picture and shortly was playing leading roles in a Wisconsin Repertory Company. This strangely enough, met with parental favor. "He's going to be a ham anyway," said Mr. Sterling, "and he might as well get going."
When Jack was born — thirty-five years ago — his mother and father called on their two best friends, Mr. and Mrs. George Sohm, to act as godparents for the tiny baby. The Sohms had stood up with the Sterlings when they were married; the four young people had much in common and the childless Sohms were delighted to be godfather and godmother to the wee new Sterling.
And maybe, during the christening services, when the minister asked their pledges to watch out for the infant, the Sohms gave him an extra wish — that someday he'd be top man in a circus! For the Sohms were important performers with the Hagenback and Wallace circus in those days.
Today, in addition to his early-morning radio stint, Jack is top man with a circus — a highly exciting one — The Big Top, which is televised over CBS-TV every Saturday at noon, EST. Jack is the ringmaster who introduces the wonderful, thrilling acts that make The Big Top one of televisions most interesting spectacles.
"I guess it was just meant to be. I've been crazy over the circus since I was a kid," Jack says. "I remember once, when I was just a tiny boy, the Sohms let me ride in the 'specs' and I was so excited I almost died of joy. I visited them many, many times and each visit brought me something new and thrilling. Meeting and getting to know the great animal trainer, Clyde Beatty, was the best thing that ever happened to me."
When he was in Chicago working for CBS, he was ringmaster at the Coliseum for two performances of the Chicago Milk Fund and that was a great thrill. Later, in New York, he had the worldfamous clown, Felix Adler, as his program guest. Adler reciprocated in a wonderful way — he asked Jack to be a guest clown at a performance of the Ringling Brothers-Barnum and Bailey circus in Madison Square Garden.
"A fool about the circus? You bet I am!" Jack declares, "and don't you think it is fate? Who else ever had a godmother and godfather who were cirqus people!"