Ranny Weeks

Randall Webster Weeks (February 25, 1907 – April 26, 1979) was an American bandleader, actor, naval commander, and university administrator.

Early life Weeks was born in 1907 in Everett, Massachusetts. His father, William E. Weeks, was a politician who served as Mayor of Everett and was a member of the Massachusetts House of Representatives. Weeks attended Everett High School and played quarterback for the school's football team. However, his family moved to Reading, Massachusetts, before he finished school. After graduating from Reading High School, Weeks attended Boston University's Business and Law schools, but left in 1929 due to a lack of funds. From 1930 to 1932, Weeks led the I. J. Fox Fur Trappers Orchestra, which was heard twice a week on WEEI. On March 13, 1931, Ranny Weeks & His Orchestra recorded four songs for Brunswick Records. In 1934 he was hired to conduct a permanent orchestra in the RKO Boston Theatre.

Acting In 1932, Weeks made his film debut in It Happened in Paris, a musical remake of The Two Orphans. In 1937, Herbert Yates signed Weeks to a contract with Republic Pictures. He appeared in ten films for the company, including a starring role in Bill Cracks Down. In 1950, Weeks was a Republican candidate for Massachusetts Secretary of the Commonwealth. He finished second in a seven candidate primary with 19% of the vote to Russell A. Wood's 26%. Weeks returned to the Navy during the Korean War. From 1951 to 1954 he was in charge of recruitment in the Philadelphia district. In 1954, Weeks was named Boston University's executive alumni secretary. In 1965 he was named special assistant to the vice president for university affairs. He also served as executive director of the B.U. Law School Alumni Association. After retiring from B.U., Weeks moved to Falmouth, Massachusetts. He died on April 26, 1979, after a short illness.