The Story of Olan Soule

From La Harpe to Mayberry: The Story of Olan Soule 

By Jan Cratsenberg

What do The Andy Griffith Show and La Harpe, Illinois, have in common? Those who grew up in La Harpe during the 1960’s may recall hearing folks talk about the connection. The guy who played the choir director in Mayberry once lived in La Harpe. He had lived in one of the houses on Main Street (although exact location has been debated).

That “guy” was Olan Soule, who was born in La Harpe on February 28, 1909. Playing the role of John Masters in 5 episodes of The Andy Griffith Show was only a few of his accomplishments. Soule was a noted character actor. His credits include almost 7000 radio shows and commercials, 200 TV shows and TV movies, and over 60 films. And although Soule lived only seven years in La Harpe, the February 4th, 1992 , Los Angeles Times stated in his obituary that “Olan Soule was a native of La Harpe, Illinois.”

In this year of noting national history, perhaps it would be both fun and worthwhile to learn about local people who have received attention outside Hancock County. Olan Soule is a good starting point. Soule (age 7) moved with his family from La Harpe to Des Moines. At age 17, Soule joined the Jack Brooks Tent show out of Sabula, Iowa. He played juvenile leads, singing, dancing, and playing drums. But he also did grunt work such as dealing with props, sets, and driving truck. In 1933, Soule went into radio in Chicago.

Playing the part of the Chinese cook for Daddy Warbucks in the Little Orphan Annie series was his first big radio break. Always the consummate professional, Soule later told the LA Times that he found a Chinese waiter who was willing to teach him how to say things phonetically. Soule had an amazing vocal range that allowed him to play a wide variety of parts. As the Times article stated, Soule was a very successful character actor who could play “heavies and eggheads, or a milquetoast.” 

He played 11 years on the radio soap opera Bachelor’s Children. He played the leading man in the very popular radio series, First Nighters (a romantic comedy) from 1943 - 49 and again in the 1952-3 final season. The premise was that listeners were with a gentleman who was actually attending an Off- Broadway opening night. The program was either two 15 minute shows or one 30 minute program of original plays. These, and others, can be purchased today from Amazon.

Among his many other radio roles was Coach Hardy in Jack Armstrong, the All-American Boy. (Baby Boomers probably heard their elders reminisce about Jack Armstrong.)  Soule was the voice of the Batman character in the animated version (Filmation) from 1968 - 1984. (He was 75 years old in that last year.) Soule also voiced Batman in the many incarnations of that program as well as on shows like The New Scooby-Doo Movies in 1970 and in Super Friends later.

Radio and TV history buffs likely recall Dragnet. Jack Webb not only starred in the show, but created it. Webb and Soule were friends, and Soule worked on Dragnet in the 1950’s and in the 1967 revival. Soule played the part of Ray Pinker, the reliable police technician, and later Ray Murray in the late 1960’s TV reboot. He was the scientific expert who provided forensic work. Soule played many roles in Jack Webb’s Mark VII Productions including Adam-12, Emergency and Project U.F.O.

The roles Soule did in TV and film were often different from his radio and voice-over work. Soule had a slight build, never over 135 pounds, with a thin face. His look didn’t seem to match his radio roles. Soule himself said: “Because of my build and glasses, I’ve mostly played lab technicians, newscasters, and railroad clerks.” And fans who saw him in person were often surprised. Soule told The Times in a 1968 interview about an in-person meeting with a fan, just after Soule had landed the Batman role.

“One guy really laid it on the line. He looked me over and his parting shot was, ‘Well, I don’t mind telling you I’m disappointed.’”  But this never stopped the prolific and talented Olan Soule. He acted in many Westerns, both TV and film. In the TV series, Have Gun Will Travel, he played 11 different characters in the 4 year run. He wasn’t relegated to Westerns. He appeared 6 times on Perry Mason and a couple of times on Petticoat Junction.

Most articles about Olan Soule center on his career. But one from 1952 by Donna Scott, reported also upon his personal life. Soule and his wife, Norma, had two children: JoAnn and Jon. JoAnn later went into show business as Sydney Soule. Norma passed away in 1992; they had been married 62 years. In his spare time, he did woodworking, was a Cub Scout leader, and an active member in the First Christian Church in North Hollywood. 

He was President of the American Federation of Television and Radio Artists in Hollywood from 1954-1956 and created its first pension and welfare fund. Soule is obviously someone who deserves a few accolades from his birthplace and early home. In his honor, find the Andy Griffith Show and watch the “Song Festers” or “Barney and the Choir.” And enjoy.

Sources include FB Classic Television Shows, Donald Bishop, June 15, 2025; FB Classic 1960’s TV, Garry Thorman, Sept. 24, 2024; FB Turner Classic Movie Fan Site; World Radio PDF; Wikipedia.