Background
The son of gardener Nathan Fennelly and Estelle Dolliver Fennelly, he was born and raised in Northeast Harbor, Maine, and studied classical acting in Boston.
The son of gardener Nathan Fennelly and Estelle Dolliver Fennelly, he was born and raised in Northeast Harbor, Maine, and studied classical acting in Boston.
He studied under performing arts educator Leland T. Powers.
In 1915 and 1916, Fennelly toured on the Midland Chatauqua Circuit with the Maud Scheerer Shakespeare Players. In 1919, he traveled and acted with the Jack X. Lewis Stock Company. Fennelly"s performances on Broadway included Mr.
Pitt (1924), The Small Timers (1925), Florida Girl (1925), Babbling Brookes (1927), Black Velvet (1927), The County Chairman (1936), Yours, A. Lincoln (1942), Our Town (1944), Happily Ever After (1945), Live Life Again (1945), Loco (1946), and The Southwest Corner (1955).
His other Broadway credits include directing Technique (1931), providing source material for Fulton of Oak Falls (1937), and writing Cuckoos on the Hearth (1941-1942). Fennelly and Arthur Allen played "Yankee codgers" on two programs, The Stebbins boys of Bucksport Point and Snow Village Sketches, in the early years of radio.
Allen"s Alley
Fennelly personified the crusty New England Yankee in roles on radio, films and television He was heard weekly as Titus Moody on the "Allen"s Alley" segment of Fred Allen"s radio show where he delivered his famous opening line: "Howdy, Bub."
Other radio
Fennelly"s other roles on radio included the following:
In 1960, Fennelly recorded Moody Speaking, a series of "sparkling one-minute and five-minute vignettes" produced by Banner Company for local stations.
Fennelly made numerous appearances on live television shows of the early 1950s, including Lux Video Theatre, The Philco Television Playhouse and Studio One.
In 1970-1971, he played Mr. Purdy on Headmaster on Columbia Broadcasting System. In film, Fennelly portrayed the millionaire in Alfred Hitchcock"s The Trouble with Harry (1955), and he replaced Percy Kilbride as Pa Kettle in the final film of the "Ma and Pa Kettle" series. After Angel in My Pocket (1969), his last movie role was Universal"s movie How to Frame a Figg (1971) starring Don Knotts.
In later years he became a familiar face as the Pepperidge Farm"s television spokesman between 1956 and the 1980s, delivering the slogan "Pepperidge Farm remembers" in his New England accent.
Fennelly died January 22, 1988, aged 96, at his home in Peekskill, New New York His widow, Catherine Fennelly (1892—1988), died five months later, aged 95.
Their remains were interred in Sleepy Hollow Cemetery in Sleepy Hollow, New New York
He was a member of Boston"s Toy Theater company and participated in Chautauqua readings.