Del Sharbutt, 90; Radio Announcer and Emcee, Musician, Songwriter

Del Sharbutt, 90, one of the most familiar announcers on the air during the heyday of radio and the early years of television, died Friday in New York of unspecified causes. He retired in 1976 and had lived for many years in Palm Desert, Calif.

Educated at Texas Christian University, he began his broadcasting career at WBAP radio in Fort Worth, Texas, worked briefly in Chicago, and then joined CBS radio network in New York. He later worked for NBC and freelanced, announcing such hit radio serials as “The Amos and Andy Show,” “Meet Corliss Archer,” “The Robert Benchley Show” and “Your Hit Parade,” which featured singers such as Frank Sinatra, Doris Day and Dinah Shore.

Sharbutt also worked for the Mutual Radio network and became universally known as a spokesman for Campbell’s soups. He voiced the commercials, touting the soups as “Mmm-mm-good.”

A musician as well, Sharbutt played sax, clarinet, piano and organ, and was a songwriter. Among his credits are the theme for the Bob Cummings television show and the early 1950s ditty “A Romantic Guy, I.”