Herb Shirner
Photo Courtesy of Indiana Music Makers
Often referred to as “a second Will Rogers”, Herb Shriner was a radio show personality and host of game show “Two for the Money” on NBC and CBS. He starred on the Broadway revue “Inside U.S.A.” and was known for his deadpan two-liner humor and monologues.
Shriner was born in Toledo, Ohio on May 28, 1918. When he was a young child, he moved to Fort Wayne, Indiana where he learned how to play the harmonica.
He attended Central High School and formed his own harmonica quintet and octet. One day, Shriner developed an ulcerated lip and took up spoken-word performances while taking a break from the harmonica to heal. He delivered deadpan, dry humor monologues and quickly gained an audience from them.
In 1940, Shriner was given the opportunity to work in radio at the NBC network. He worked on a comedy variety program called “Camel Caravan”.
He also hosted a weekday radio program, “Herb Shriner Time”, on CBS from 1948-1949.
During the second World War, he performed for troops in combat theaters. When that ended, he played on “Inside U.S.A.” on Broadway in 1947 before turning towards television in the 1950’s.
Shriner is most well-known for “Two for the Money”, a television game show that ran from 1952-1957 on NBC and CBS. The show was less about the actual game, and more about Shriner’s harmonica solos and humorous monologues. Shriner departed from “Two for the Money” in 1956, but the show continued to run with Sam Levanson as his replacement.
While Shriner was involved with radio and television, he still incorporated his love for the harmonica in his career. In 1955, he launched the Herb Shriner Harmonica Orchestra and recorded “Herb Shiner on Stage”.
Shriner and his wife died in a Florida car crash April 23, 1970. Shriner was 51.
March 2025
By Lily Saylor