Tom Fouts was a entertainer, writer, and humorist. He was better known as "Captain Stubby" to friends and fans
Tom was the son of Glenn P. and Stella Ann McCloskey Fouts. He had a brother, William, and a twin sister Nellie Fouts MacCurdy. On September 8, 1940 he married Eva L. Sibbitt, and the two were married for over 63 years until his 2004 death.
Fouts started early in entertaining, with his mother having him telling jokes and singing at the age of five. He grew up in Young America, Indiana - he used his experiences growing up as the basis for much of his material. Fouts played both basketball and baseball. During school he played in a band called the "Yankee Hillbillies." He attended college in Indianapolis, but left to become an entertainer.
In 1939 Fouts founded a band called the "Hoosier Rambler." They worked on radio stations in Danville, Illinois and Cincinnati. In 1940 the group became known as "Captain Stubby and the Buccaneers." During World War II the group joined the Navy, and spent time entertaining troops of all branches of the service. After the war they performed in both New York. In 1949 they were invited on to the cast of WLS radio's National Barn Dance in Chicago.
From 1949 to 1973 Fouts and his wife lived in Chicago. Fouts and his group worked on WLS radio and WLS-TV, on shows such as National Barn Dance, Beat the Bucs, Chicagoland Faith, Polka-Go-Round, and Clockadoodle Day with Norman Ross. On ABC's Don McNeill Breakfast Club Show, Fouts wrote and appeared on the show. Fouts performed in a number of commercials - for example he was the first Ronald McDonald. Fouts wrote the Roto-Rooter jingle, and he sung "away go your troubles down the drain." In addition to his commerical work, he served as the International Mineral and Chemical and Wayne Feed Company's Goodwill Ambassador. He had a movie role in the "The Emigrants," starring Max Von Sydow and Liv Ullman.
In 1973 Fouts and his wife moved to his farm in Deer Creek, Indiana. He was a regular guest on the Ag Day show, published four joke books and recorded nine cassettes. Fouts also became well known for his columns that appeared in the Praire Farmer magazine. From 1953 to 2003 he appeared live at the annual Farm Progress Show held in Indiana, Illinois, and Iowa.
Fouts belonged to the American Society of Composers, Authors, and Publishers, Screen Actors Guild, American Federation of Radio and Television Actors, Deer Creek Presbyterian Church, Young America Lion's Club, Galveston American Legion, and the Indiana Farm Bureau. In 1965 he was named Broadcast Pioneer, a Kentucky Colonel in 1979, and as a Sagamore of the Wabash in 1984. In 1990 he received the Book of Golden Deeds Award. On his 80th birthday the City of Logansport and the State of Illinois declared November 24th 1998 as "Captain Stubby Day."
Fouts loved to make people laugh. He said that "that it is impossible to laugh and worry at the same time" and that the shortest distance between two people was a good laugh.
Tom was the son of Glenn P. and Stella Ann McCloskey Fouts. He had a brother, William, and a twin sister Nellie Fouts MacCurdy. On September 8, 1940 he married Eva L. Sibbitt, and the two were married for over 63 years until his 2004 death.
Fouts started early in entertaining, with his mother having him telling jokes and singing at the age of five. He grew up in Young America, Indiana - he used his experiences growing up as the basis for much of his material. Fouts played both basketball and baseball. During school he played in a band called the "Yankee Hillbillies." He attended college in Indianapolis, but left to become an entertainer.
In 1939 Fouts founded a band called the "Hoosier Rambler." They worked on radio stations in Danville, Illinois and Cincinnati. In 1940 the group became known as "Captain Stubby and the Buccaneers." During World War II the group joined the Navy, and spent time entertaining troops of all branches of the service. After the war they performed in both New York. In 1949 they were invited on to the cast of WLS radio's National Barn Dance in Chicago.
From 1949 to 1973 Fouts and his wife lived in Chicago. Fouts and his group worked on WLS radio and WLS-TV, on shows such as National Barn Dance, Beat the Bucs, Chicagoland Faith, Polka-Go-Round, and Clockadoodle Day with Norman Ross. On ABC's Don McNeill Breakfast Club Show, Fouts wrote and appeared on the show. Fouts performed in a number of commercials - for example he was the first Ronald McDonald. Fouts wrote the Roto-Rooter jingle, and he sung "away go your troubles down the drain." In addition to his commerical work, he served as the International Mineral and Chemical and Wayne Feed Company's Goodwill Ambassador. He had a movie role in the "The Emigrants," starring Max Von Sydow and Liv Ullman.
In 1973 Fouts and his wife moved to his farm in Deer Creek, Indiana. He was a regular guest on the Ag Day show, published four joke books and recorded nine cassettes. Fouts also became well known for his columns that appeared in the Praire Farmer magazine. From 1953 to 2003 he appeared live at the annual Farm Progress Show held in Indiana, Illinois, and Iowa.
Fouts belonged to the American Society of Composers, Authors, and Publishers, Screen Actors Guild, American Federation of Radio and Television Actors, Deer Creek Presbyterian Church, Young America Lion's Club, Galveston American Legion, and the Indiana Farm Bureau. In 1965 he was named Broadcast Pioneer, a Kentucky Colonel in 1979, and as a Sagamore of the Wabash in 1984. In 1990 he received the Book of Golden Deeds Award. On his 80th birthday the City of Logansport and the State of Illinois declared November 24th 1998 as "Captain Stubby Day."
Fouts loved to make people laugh. He said that "that it is impossible to laugh and worry at the same time" and that the shortest distance between two people was a good laugh.
Tom Fouts was a entertainer, writer, and humorist. He was better known as "Captain Stubby" to friends and fans
Tom was the son of Glenn P. and Stella Ann McCloskey Fouts. He had a brother, William, and a twin sister Nellie Fouts MacCurdy. On September 8, 1940 he married Eva L. Sibbitt, and the two were married for over 63 years until his 2004 death.
Fouts started early in entertaining, with his mother having him telling jokes and singing at the age of five. He grew up in Young America, Indiana - he used his experiences growing up as the basis for much of his material. Fouts played both basketball and baseball. During school he played in a band called the "Yankee Hillbillies." He attended college in Indianapolis, but left to become an entertainer.
In 1939 Fouts founded a band called the "Hoosier Rambler." They worked on radio stations in Danville, Illinois and Cincinnati. In 1940 the group became known as "Captain Stubby and the Buccaneers." During World War II the group joined the Navy, and spent time entertaining troops of all branches of the service. After the war they performed in both New York. In 1949 they were invited on to the cast of WLS radio's National Barn Dance in Chicago.
From 1949 to 1973 Fouts and his wife lived in Chicago. Fouts and his group worked on WLS radio and WLS-TV, on shows such as National Barn Dance, Beat the Bucs, Chicagoland Faith, Polka-Go-Round, and Clockadoodle Day with Norman Ross. On ABC's Don McNeill Breakfast Club Show, Fouts wrote and appeared on the show. Fouts performed in a number of commercials - for example he was the first Ronald McDonald. Fouts wrote the Roto-Rooter jingle, and he sung "away go your troubles down the drain." In addition to his commerical work, he served as the International Mineral and Chemical and Wayne Feed Company's Goodwill Ambassador. He had a movie role in the "The Emigrants," starring Max Von Sydow and Liv Ullman.
In 1973 Fouts and his wife moved to his farm in Deer Creek, Indiana. He was a regular guest on the Ag Day show, published four joke books and recorded nine cassettes. Fouts also became well known for his columns that appeared in the Praire Farmer magazine. From 1953 to 2003 he appeared live at the annual Farm Progress Show held in Indiana, Illinois, and Iowa.
Fouts belonged to the American Society of Composers, Authors, and Publishers, Screen Actors Guild, American Federation of Radio and Television Actors, Deer Creek Presbyterian Church, Young America Lion's Club, Galveston American Legion, and the Indiana Farm Bureau. In 1965 he was named Broadcast Pioneer, a Kentucky Colonel in 1979, and as a Sagamore of the Wabash in 1984. In 1990 he received the Book of Golden Deeds Award. On his 80th birthday the City of Logansport and the State of Illinois declared November 24th 1998 as "Captain Stubby Day."
Fouts loved to make people laugh. He said that "that it is impossible to laugh and worry at the same time" and that the shortest distance between two people was a good laugh.
Tom was the son of Glenn P. and Stella Ann McCloskey Fouts. He had a brother, William, and a twin sister Nellie Fouts MacCurdy. On September 8, 1940 he married Eva L. Sibbitt, and the two were married for over 63 years until his 2004 death.
Fouts started early in entertaining, with his mother having him telling jokes and singing at the age of five. He grew up in Young America, Indiana - he used his experiences growing up as the basis for much of his material. Fouts played both basketball and baseball. During school he played in a band called the "Yankee Hillbillies." He attended college in Indianapolis, but left to become an entertainer.
In 1939 Fouts founded a band called the "Hoosier Rambler." They worked on radio stations in Danville, Illinois and Cincinnati. In 1940 the group became known as "Captain Stubby and the Buccaneers." During World War II the group joined the Navy, and spent time entertaining troops of all branches of the service. After the war they performed in both New York. In 1949 they were invited on to the cast of WLS radio's National Barn Dance in Chicago.
From 1949 to 1973 Fouts and his wife lived in Chicago. Fouts and his group worked on WLS radio and WLS-TV, on shows such as National Barn Dance, Beat the Bucs, Chicagoland Faith, Polka-Go-Round, and Clockadoodle Day with Norman Ross. On ABC's Don McNeill Breakfast Club Show, Fouts wrote and appeared on the show. Fouts performed in a number of commercials - for example he was the first Ronald McDonald. Fouts wrote the Roto-Rooter jingle, and he sung "away go your troubles down the drain." In addition to his commerical work, he served as the International Mineral and Chemical and Wayne Feed Company's Goodwill Ambassador. He had a movie role in the "The Emigrants," starring Max Von Sydow and Liv Ullman.
In 1973 Fouts and his wife moved to his farm in Deer Creek, Indiana. He was a regular guest on the Ag Day show, published four joke books and recorded nine cassettes. Fouts also became well known for his columns that appeared in the Praire Farmer magazine. From 1953 to 2003 he appeared live at the annual Farm Progress Show held in Indiana, Illinois, and Iowa.
Fouts belonged to the American Society of Composers, Authors, and Publishers, Screen Actors Guild, American Federation of Radio and Television Actors, Deer Creek Presbyterian Church, Young America Lion's Club, Galveston American Legion, and the Indiana Farm Bureau. In 1965 he was named Broadcast Pioneer, a Kentucky Colonel in 1979, and as a Sagamore of the Wabash in 1984. In 1990 he received the Book of Golden Deeds Award. On his 80th birthday the City of Logansport and the State of Illinois declared November 24th 1998 as "Captain Stubby Day."
Fouts loved to make people laugh. He said that "that it is impossible to laugh and worry at the same time" and that the shortest distance between two people was a good laugh.
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