Traynor Ora Halftown photographs and papers

Table of Contents

Summary Information

Background note

Scope and content note

Administrative Information

Controlled Access Headings

Collection Inventory

Summary Information

Repository

Historical Society of Pennsylvania

Creator

Halftown, Traynor Ora, 1917-2003.

Title

Traynor Ora Halftown photographs and papers

ID

4624

Date

1858, 1909-2003, undated; bulk 1945-2003

Extent

5.2 Linear feet ; 11 boxes, 16 volumes

Author

Finding aid prepared by Sara Nash.

Language

English

Abstract

Traynor Ora Halftown (1917-2003), also known as Chief Halftown, was an enrolled member of the Seneca Nation and a popular children's television entertainer in Philadelphia. He was born in 1917 on the Cattaraugus Reservation, outside of Buffalo, New York. During World War II, Halftown served in the U. S. Army, which put his nascent singing career on hold. Prior to the conflict, he had been billed as “The Singing Seneca.” After being honorably discharged in 1946, his search for employment eventually brought him to Philadelphia for radio work. When the radio station changed hands, he applied for jobs and also pitched a children’s television show, with himself as host, to Philadphia's Channel 6 (WFIL-TV, later WPVI). From 1950 to 1999, he hosted “The Chief Halftown Show,” which is recognized as the world's longest running, local television show for children. As Chief Halftown, he also regularly spoke at schools throughout southeastern Pennsylvania; made appearances at Dutch Wonderland, a theme park in Lancaster; and visited hospitals and nursing homes. Halftown was also a professional bowler and a longtime ambassador for Brunswick Bowling. In this capacity, he served as a bowling instructor, running clinics and starting bowling clubs for children and teenagers. The Halftown family resided for many years in Glen Mills, Pennsylvania. In the early 2000s, Chief Halftown and his wife moved to Brigantine, New Jersey, and he passed away in 2003. The collection materials represent Halftown’s professional life after World War II, consisting of photograph albums, clippings, correspondence, certificates, scrapbooks, Seneca Nation of Indians newsletters, and a small selection of books and printed materials from Halftown’s library on Native American history and culture.

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Background note

Traynor Ora Halftown (1917-2003), also known as Chief Halftown, was an enrolled member of the Seneca Nation and a popular children's television entertainer in Philadelphia. He was born in 1917 on the Cattaraugus Reservation, outside of Buffalo, New York. He was a direct descendent of Ko-djeoto (Half Town), who was a signatory of the 1794 Treaty of Canandaigua (Pickering Treaty). His parents were Ora Halftown and Catherine M. Snyder. His father, a mill worker and middle-weight boxer, had spent several months at the Carlisle Indian School as a teenager before running away.

Traynor Halftown attended Jamestown High School in Jamestown, New York, where he lettered in three sports and was a soloist with the a capella choir. He became a professional singer while still in high school, billed as the “Singing Seneca,” and landed a sponsored radio show in 1938. He then moved to Buffalo to do a sponsored radio show on WKBW. His next move took him to Toronto to sing with Bert Niosi, a well-known Canadian swing musician. He also had three shows per week on the CFRB. By 1941, he was singing in night clubs as a solo act. During World War II, Halftown was drafted and served four years in the U. S. Army. In the service, he performed in the war bond show. He was stationed in Carlisle, Pennsylvania, where he was part of a three-state championship bowling team.

After being honorably discharged in 1946, his search for employment brought him to Philadelphia for radio work as a disc jockey. The station was sold a year later, and while looking for a new job, he interviewed to host a children’s cartoon show on Philadelphia’s Channel 6 (WFIL-TV, later WPVI). The station asked him to incorporate his Native American heritage into the show, leading him to create his persona of Chief Halftown. He researched Seneca history and made a headdress to wear on the air. At first, he was hired for a six-week series, in which he would tell Native American stories and introduce cartoons. The trial was extended to twelve weeks, and then the show received sponsorship for twenty-six weeks. Though the show changed format during its long run, becoming a children’s talent showcase, it ran from 1950 to 1999, and “The Chief Halftown Show” is recognized as the world's longest running, local television show for children.

Halftown also continued to bowl, and when his team won a major city championship, he attracted the attention of Brunswick Bowling, an international bowling equipment manufacturer. Brunswick hired Halftown as a bowling “ambassador.” In this capacity, he served as a bowling instructor, running clinics and starting bowling clubs for children and teenagers around the country. His partnership with the company lasted for decades. Halftown was a regular on the school assembly circuit and frequently visited hospitals and nursing homes. He also regularly appeared at Dutch Wonderland, a theme park in Lancaster.

Halftown and his wife Margaret adopted three children: Jeff, Peter, and Katie. For many years, the Halftown family resided in Glen Mills, Pennsylvania. In the early 2000s, Chief Halftown and his wife moved to Brigantine, New Jersey, to be closer to family, and he passed away in July 2003.

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Scope and content note

This collection is comprised of materials that mostly document Chief Halftown's professional life. Making up the majority of items are large albums of photographs and binders of clippings, ephemera, and correspondence related to Chief Halftown's television, radio, and bowling work and public appearances. The photograph albums feature vibrant 8" x 10" black and white publicity stills, where Halftown is often pictured with other celebrities, such as Jesse Owens, Tug McGraw, and Yogi Berra. A few pictures include family members. In addition to photographs, the collection also contains plaques, VHS tapes and DVDs (of his television show and a school assembly), handwritten music, certificates, scrapbooks, Seneca Nation of Indians newsletters, and books and printed materials from Halftown's library of Native American history and culture, some of which focus on the Seneca Nation. There is also a folder of promotional material for the Holy Rosary Mission and Red Cloud Indian School from 1963 (Box 5 folder 6); a scrapbook presented by Monuk Boyd of Petersburg, Alaska (Volume 1); and a set of 80 “Indian trading cards” (Box 1, folder 3).

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Administrative Information

Publication Information

 Historical Society of Pennsylvania , 2024.

Access restrictions

The collection of open for research.

Provenance

Gift of J. Jeff Halftown, 2023.

Accession number 2023.095.

Processing note

Photographs in albums were transferred to archival sleeves and albums. Binders were disassembled, and the materials were placed in archival folders and boxes. Newspaper clippings were copied onto acid-free paper.

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Controlled Access Headings

Personal Name(s)

• Halftown, J. Jeff.

Subject(s)

• Children's television programs.
• Indians of North America--History.
• Indians of North America.
• Native Americans--Photographs.
• Seneca Nation of Indians.

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Collection Inventory