Chester Lauck

Chester "Chet" Lauck (February 9, 1902 – February 21, 1980) was a comic actor who played the character of Lum Edwards on the classic American radio comedy Lum and Abner.

Early life and career Chester Lauck was born in Alleene, Arkansas, and raised in Mena, Arkansas. He graduated from Mena High School in 1920. The radio series aired on Mutual, CBS, and ABC at various times during its 1931–54 run. It was sponsored by Quaker Oats, the Ford Dealers of America, Horlick's Malted Milk, Postum, Alka-Seltzer, and Frigidaire.

In addition to starring as storekeeper Lum (full name Columbus Edwards, with surname usually pronounced "Eddards"), Lauck also played several other recurring characters, including Cedric Weehunt, Grandpappy Spears, and Snake Hogan. He reprised his radio role, opposite Goff, in seven motion pictures between 1940 and 1956. Lauck adopted grey hair and a moustache on-camera, to better match the picture most audiences would have of his radio character.

For a brief time during the 1950s he bought and upgraded a ranch fifteen miles west of Las Vegas, later bought by Howard Hughes. It was turned into Spring Mountain Ranch State Park.

In 1956, Lauck was executive assistant with Continental Oil in Houston, Texas. He was a vice president for public relations there for 12 years. He appeared as himself as well as Lum in a series of television commercials for Conoco on the programs Whirlybirds (1957–60) and The Blue Angels (1960–61). On August 27, 1957, he appeared as a guest challenger on To Tell the Truth.

Upon retirement from Continental Oil, Lauck moved to Hot Springs, Arkansas, and opened his own public relations agency Lauck died in a hospital in Hot Springs, Arkansas, on February 21, 1980, aged 78.

Honors Lauck was inducted into the National Association of Broadcasters Hall of Fame in the radio division.

Filmography