Byron Palmer
- September 30, 2009
- 89 years
- natural causes
About Byron Palmer
Byron Palmer, 89, American actor, natural causes.
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Full Biography
|Byron Palmer (June 21, 1920 – September 30, 2009) was an American movie actor and television host.
Early years
Palmer was the second of four children of Harlan G. Palmer, a politician, judge, and most notably the owner and publisher of the Hollywood Citizen-News. While attending Occidental College, Palmer wrote obituaries for his father's paper and later joined CBS as a page eventually leading him to become a CBS radio news reporter and announcer.
During World War II, Palmer joined the Army Air Forces and ran a radio station on an island in the Pacific. Between news broadcasts, he sang tenor on the air with a quartet called the Music Mates. Soldiers sent him fan mail that persuaded him to take voice lessons after the war.
Film and stage
Palmer made his debut in film in the 1953 film Tonight We Sing. He starred with Jack Palance in Man in the Attic, with Gordon MacRae in The Best Things in Life Are Free and in several other films including Emergency Hospital and Ma and Pa Kettle at Waikiki and the 1956 film Glory. After acting as master of ceremonies for a touring “Hollywood on Ice” show, he starred with Ray Bolger in Where's Charley? on Broadway in 1948. He was also featured in the early 1950s Broadway revue "Bless You All" with Pearl Bailey, and the 1956 film Glory.
Television
Palmer hosted the Miss Universe 1958 and Miss Universe 1959 beauty pageants on the CBS television network. Additionally, he hosted the syndicated variety program This is Your Music in 1955 and was co-host of Bride and Groom, which was originally broadcast on CBS and later on NBC in the 1950s.
Palmer made a number of television appearances, including episodes of Perry Mason, The Ed Sullivan Show, The Betty White Show, Pete and Gladys, How to Marry a Millionaire, Lawman, Soldiers of Fortune, Cavalcade of America, and Matinee Theatre.[citation needed]
Personal life
Palmer married his high school sweetheart, JoAnn Ramson, in 1944. He later remarried to beauty queen and actress Ruth Hampton in 1954.
In 1974, Palmer remarried once again to actress and professional dancer Georgine Darcy who is best known for her role as Miss Torso in the highly acclaimed Alfred Hitchcock film Rear Window. They remained married until her death in 2004.
Filmography
Content from Wikipedia — licensed under CC BY-SA 3.0
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Articles & News
- "PASSINGS: Byron Palmer, Dr. John Miller Hyson Jr"latimes.com
- "Byron Palmer Obituary (2009) - Los Angeles, CA - Los Angeles Times"legacy.com
Reported coverage of Byron Palmer; each link opens the original article on the publisher's own site.
Books & Media
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Sources
- Wikipedia
- https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Byron_Palmer
- CC BY-SA 4.0
- Sep 26, 2026
- View article
- Sep 26, 2026
Trivia & Knowledge· 16 questions
Questions drawn from Byron Palmer's archived record and the sources above.
1.On what date was Byron Palmer born?
- A.June 21, 1920correct
- B.June 21, 1925
- C.September 30, 2009
- D.September 30, 1915
Byron Palmer was born on June 21, 1920.
Source: biographical introduction
2.What was the profession of Harlan G. Palmer, the father of Byron Palmer?
- A.Hollywood film director
- B.Professional singer
- C.Television network executive
- D.Publisher of the Hollywood Citizen-Newscorrect
Harlan G. Palmer was a politician, judge, and the owner and publisher of the Hollywood Citizen-News.
Source: early years section
3.Which college did Byron Palmer attend?
- A.University of California
- B.University of Southern California
- C.Stanford University
- D.Occidental Collegecorrect
Byron Palmer wrote obituaries for his father's paper while attending Occidental College.
Source: early years section
4.What role did Byron Palmer perform while serving in the Army Air Forces during World War II?
- A.Military intelligence officer
- B.Medical corpsman
- C.Combat pilot
- D.Radio station operatorcorrect
During World War II, Byron Palmer joined the Army Air Forces and ran a radio station on an island in the Pacific.
Source: early years section
5.What was the name of the quartet Byron Palmer sang with while in the Army Air Forces?
- A.The Pacific Four
- B.The Hollywood Harmonies
- C.The Army Air Singers
- D.The Music Matescorrect
Byron Palmer sang tenor on the air with a quartet called the Music Mates.
Source: early years section
6.What was the title of the first film Byron Palmer appeared in?
- A.Tonight We Singcorrect
- B.Emergency Hospital
- C.Glory
- D.Man in the Attic
Byron Palmer made his debut in film in the 1953 film Tonight We Sing.
Source: film and stage section
7.With which actor did Byron Palmer star in the film Man in the Attic?
- A.Ray Bolger
- B.Alfred Hitchcock
- C.Jack Palancecorrect
- D.Gordon MacRae
Byron Palmer starred with Jack Palance in Man in the Attic.
Source: film and stage section
8.In what year did Byron Palmer perform on Broadway in Where's Charley?
- A.1956
- B.1948correct
- C.1958
- D.1953
Byron Palmer starred with Ray Bolger in Where's Charley? on Broadway in 1948.
Source: film and stage section
9.Byron Palmer was featured in which Broadway revue in the early 1950s?
- A.Tonight We Sing
- B.This is Your Music
- C.Hollywood on Ice
- D.Bless You Allcorrect
Byron Palmer was featured in the early 1950s Broadway revue Bless You All.
Source: film and stage section
10.Which beauty pageants did Byron Palmer host in the late 1950s?
- A.Miss Universecorrect
- B.Miss USA
- C.Miss World
- D.Miss America
Byron Palmer hosted the Miss Universe 1958 and Miss Universe 1959 beauty pageants.
Source: television section
11.What was the name of the syndicated variety program Byron Palmer hosted in 1955?
- A.Bride and Groom
- B.Cavalcade of America
- C.This is Your Musiccorrect
- D.The Ed Sullivan Show
Byron Palmer hosted the syndicated variety program This is Your Music in 1955.
Source: television section
12.Which television show featured Byron Palmer as a co-host?
- A.Pete and Gladys
- B.Perry Mason
- C.Lawman
- D.Bride and Groomcorrect
Byron Palmer was co-host of Bride and Groom, which was broadcast on CBS and later on NBC.
Source: television section
13.Who was Byron Palmer's high school sweetheart and first wife?
- A.Ruth Hampton
- B.JoAnn Ramsoncorrect
- C.Pearl Bailey
- D.Georgine Darcy
Byron Palmer married his high school sweetheart, JoAnn Ramson, in 1944.
Source: personal life section
14.In what year did Byron Palmer marry actress and dancer Georgine Darcy?
- A.1974correct
- B.2004
- C.1944
- D.1954
Byron Palmer remarried in 1974 to actress and professional dancer Georgine Darcy.
Source: personal life section
15.Georgine Darcy, Byron Palmer's third wife, is best known for her role in which film?
- A.Rear Windowcorrect
- B.Tonight We Sing
- C.Man in the Attic
- D.Glory
Georgine Darcy is best known for her role as Miss Torso in the Alfred Hitchcock film Rear Window.
Source: personal life section
16.On what date did Byron Palmer die?
- A.September 30, 2004
- B.June 21, 1920
- C.June 21, 1958
- D.September 30, 2009correct
Byron Palmer passed away on September 30, 2009.
Source: biographical introduction
People who died on September 30
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