| Austin Peterson | |
 Peterson (left) at the age of 107 | |
| Birth: | 10 July 1906 Palo Alto, California, USA |
| Death: | 11 June 2015 Riverside, California, USA |
| Age: | 108 years, 336 days |
| Country: |  USA
|
| Centenarian | |
Harry Austin 'Pete' Peterson (10 July 1906 – 11 June 2015) was an American centenarian, screenwriter, cartoonist, and radio program director who became noted for his longevity towards the end of his life.
Biography[]
Early life & professional career[]
Austin was born in Palo Alto, California, USA on 11 June 2015. His parents were Harry and Lillian Peterson. He graduated from San Mateo Junior College in 1927.
Soon afterwards, he began as a cartoonist (mostly sports-themed) for the local newspapers San Francisco Call, Oakland Post Enquirer and Los Angeles Herald. He was fired from the later one in November 1932 due to the Great Depression.
Around March 1933, he switched field and started working in the radio business. First, he was a writer and producer for the radio show Blue Monday Jamboree, aired on the radio station KFRC San Francisco.
Three years later, in 1936, he was a writer for Fred Astaire's radio show called The Packard Show.
In 1942, during World War 2, he became the radio program director of Armed Forces Radio (AFR). Through his position, he encountered various celebrities. In 1947, he was the vice president of Ted Bates Inc.
During his professional career, he also worked in television shows such as Colgate Comedy Hour.
Personal life[]
He was married twice; his first marriage, in 1934, was to Audrey Marks. The couple had twin boys. They later divorced, and sometime in the late 1950s, he remarried to Maxine. They remained together for the rest of Austin's life.
Later life[]
In 2000, he published his autobiography called Television is a young man's game? I'm 94. Why didn't somebody tell me?. When he was 107 years old, he credited his long life to favourable genetics on his mother's side. It was reported that he didn't take any medicines.
Peterson died in Riverside, California, USA on 11 June 2015 at the age of 108 years, 336 days, one month shy of his 109th birthday.
References[]
- 1910 census Aged 3 years old
- 1937 video
- American Radio History 8 December 1947 (p.50-52)
- Television is a young man's game? I'm 94. Why didn't somebody tell me? 2000 autobiography
- The Deseret Sun 27 May 2014
- The Comics Journal 14 October 2014
- Harry Austin Peterson Find A Grave