OTR Child Star of the Month April 2025 - Growing Up With Bob Hastings

Screen capture of "Bobby Hastings" in the short film "Toyland Casino" (1938). This short film marked his live-action debut. 

Bob Hastings (April 18, 1925–June 30, 2014) who was born 100 years ago this month was a prolific star of stage, screen, television and radio. His nearly 80 year career began in radio as a child in the late 1930s. 

Young millennials like myself fondly remember him the most for his commanding voice work as Commissioner James Gordon on “Batman: The Animated Series” and related DC Comics based animation and video games from 1992 - 2004. As it has been said before, Hastings was much more than that role, and he is probably more famous for his work in live action television. While he is not primarily thought of as a major figure in children’s media, it can be accurately said that Hastings played memorable roles in children's media across several generations. 

Bob Hastings was born in New York the elder son of Charles and Hazel Hastings. As a boy Hastings began as a singer on radio and would co-star on NBC's hallmark children's series Coast to Coast on a Bus. Under the direction of Milton Cross, young Hastings sang and performed on the “White Rabbit Line Chorus”. It was during the production of that series that he met Joan Rice would become his wife of 66 years. Among many juvenile roles he was also “Jerry”, the young aid to Captain Silver on “The Sea Hound” radio series.

Crop from a widely printed image of Bob Hastings as Archie Andrews and Gloria Mann as Veronica. Image from Los Angeles Evening Citizen-News, June 22, 1949. 

After serving in Workd War II, Bob Hastings was cast as Archie Andrews on radio, the fourth and most famous of several actors to have played the part. The Adventures of Archie Andrews (1943-1953) was a staple of Saturday morning radio for most of its run. Hastings played the part from 1945 to 1953, and to date only Dal McKennon the voice of Filmation's Archie played the part longer in mass media. At least 20 episodes of this series have survived with Hal Stone as Jughead, Rosemary Rice as Betty, and Gloria Mann as Veronica.

Ad from the St. Louis Dispatch, April 28, 1946.

In the Golden Age of Television he appeared on Captain Video and His Video Rangers where his younger brother Don Hastings (1934 -) was the Video Ranger. Bob also co-starred on the now lost sci-fi series Atom Squad (1953-1954). Atom Squad brought young audience the live adventures of a group of scientists working for a secret government agency who fought radiation and nuclear threats to the United States.  

Bob Hastings (left) and Steve Courtleigh on the set of "Atom Squad". Image from Honolulu Star-Advertiser, November 28, 1953.

In the 1960s and 1970s Hastings began voice over work in animation. He was notably the voice of Superboy for Filmation's The New Adventures of Superman [The Superman/Aquaman Hour of Adventure (1966-1970). At the time, Filmation would launch the hit series "The Archie Show" and it was a lost opportunity that Hastings was not considered for the role of Archie again. Filmation notably had Bud Collyer and most of the cast of the Superman radio program return for the "New Adventures of Superman" animated series. 

He had numerous voicing roles on many Saturday Morning cartoons like "Jeanie", “Clue Club” "Superfriends", and  "Fred Flintstone and Friend. He even appeared as a police detective in the ratings winning 1977 live-action Spider-Man TV Movie with Nicholas Hammond.

"Bob Hastings: 45 Songs Children Love to Sing" (1960). Image from Discogs.com

He also released at least 2 albums for children. In my research, a collection of his songs may have also been syndicated to local radio stations. Hastings was one of several former OTR child stars to create or read for children’s albums after radio’s golden age like Rosemary Rice and Gwen Davies. 

One thing that my generation did not realize while hearing Hasting's voice work on "Batman" was that not only were we growing up in the last era of Saturday morning cartoons, but also the last era of working voice actors from the Golden Age of Radio. Generations grew up with the voice work of Lucille Bliss, Alan Young, June Foray, Jackson Beck, Don Messick, Hans Conried, Ginny Tyler, Mel Blanc, Janet Waldo and many others in television animation, audio books, and children's records. In the cases of Alan Young and Janet Waldo young children could hear them in new radio dramas like Adventures in Odyssey. 

We were listening to the greatest talents who were founded on 30 and even 70 years of voice acting expertise from the Golden Age of Radio. Bob Hastings remains one of the most enduring of those legends.

10 Comic Characters You Did Not Know Were On The Radio

Ad For the NBC Archie Andrews radio series, from "Pep Comics" #54, Sept. 1945. 

When it comes to Golden Age kids' radio shows and comics from the same period, many people will remember scenes from A Christmas Story where Ralphie is a fan of the Little Orphan Annie radio series. The theme from the Red Ryder radio series is also heard in a dream sequence. It is interesting to note the many classic comic strips or comic books quickly made the transition from the page to the radio.

Buck Rogers - Regarded as Radio's first Sci-Fi series, Buck Rogers In The 25th Century premiered in 1932 on CBS radio. The series ran periodically until 1947. Buck would continue to have adventures in a 1939 movie serial, and two TV series.

Batman - While the Caped Crusader had two failed radio pilots (one in 1943, a second in 1950), he was a frequent guest on "The Adventures of Superman" radio program. Batman was usually portrayed by Stacy Harris or Gary Merrill. Robin was portrayed by Ronny Liss. Interestingly, Harris was the star of "This Is Your FBI", and Liss was occasionally cast as troubled juveniles in this series.

Flash Gordon - A year before Buster Crabbe took off to the planet Mongo on the serial screen, Gale Gordon brought the famous hero to life. "The Amazing Interplanetary Adventures of Flash Gordon" radio serial also starred Bruno Hampton as Emperor Ming. The actress who played Dale Arden (and maybe Princess Aura as well) is still unidentified.

Blondie - Following the success of the first two Blondie films starring Penny Singleton and Arthur Lake, a radio series began on CBS in 1939. Lake was heard as Dagwood throughout the entire run which ended in 1950. While Blondie is one of the world's longest-running comic strips, it has yet to be adapted successfully as a TV series. The 1957 and 1968 versions both lasted one season or less.

Bob Hasting as Archie on "The Adventures of Archie Andrews". Images from Wikimedia Commons.

Archie Andrews - A long, long, time before "Riverdale", and even Saturday Morning's "The Archie Show", the comic teen was the star of a Saturday morning radio series. The most famous radio Archie was Bob Hastings. This was the first of his many pop culture roles. Hastings was also the voice of Superboy in the 1960s Filmation cartoon series, and Commissioner Gordon on "Batman The Animated Series". He even appeared as a cop in the 1977 Spider-Man TV movie.

Blackhawk - The DC Comics military team appeared in a short-lived radio program in 1950 that ran for an estimated 16 episodes. The lead character was voiced by Michael Fitzmaurice was also replaced Bud Collyer as the voice of Superman during that program's final season. No broadcasts of the program are known to exist today.

Superman - Mentioned earlier in this list the "Adventures of Superman" (1940 - 1951) is probably the greatest juvenile adventure program from Radio's golden age. The series introduced mainstays to the Man of Steel's legacy like Jimmy Olsen, kryptonite, The Daily Planet as the newspaper name, Inspector Henderson, and storylines where Batman and Robin actually work together (not just nice comic covers).

Popeye - E. C. Seger's spinach-loving sailor appeared in a popular radio series sponsored by Wheatena, a hot cereal. This led to many fun adventures where the famous sailor man got a boost from a hot wheat cereal instead of spinach. 

Blue Beetle -  The original Blue Beetle was Dan Garrett a police officer who fought crime with a costume made of bulletproof chainmail. He jumped from the comic to the air very quickly after Superman in 1940. 

Ad for The Blue Beetle radio series in "Blue Beetle" Comics #05, Nov-Dec. 1940.

Skippy - Probably the least familiar title on this list but very significant in comic history. A film adaptation that year became the first and only comic adaptation to win the Academy Award for Best Director. Along with Little Orphan Annie, Skippy was one of Radio's first serialized juvenile adventure programs. No episodes exist today.