Background
McCarthy was born in Manhattan on August 13, 1914.
McCarthy was born in Manhattan on August 13, 1914.
He attended Commerce High School, graduating in 1932.
He is best known for hosting the Saint Patrick"s Day Parade for 41 years, and as "Cap"n Jack" for hosting WPIX"s block of Popeye cartoons in the sixties and early seventies. McCarthy joined the National Broadcasting Company Radio Network in 1933, first as a page and then as "The Network"s youngest staff announcer". He later worked for WABC in New York as a sports and special-events radio broadcaster.
During his career, McCarthy performed in Hollywood and in New York, doing film, radio and television From 1963 to 1972, he was the beguiling Cap"n Jack on WPIX"s children"s cartoon show "Cap"n Jack and Popeye".
"Number script; I had a ball," said McCarthy. He depended on his abilities as a storyteller to entertain and inform his viewers.
He retired in the 1970s but continued with the Saint Patrick"s Day Parade shows. He was the anchor of WPIX"s coverage of Saint Patrick"s Day events.
Channel 11"s annual parade coverage grew out of WPIX"s effort to test a new camera and microphone on Saint Patrick"s Day in 1949.
He died on May 23, 1996 from prostate cancer in Scarsdale, New New York
