Singer MacRae was a baritone. Winning a contest enabled him to sing at the
1939 New York World's Fair with the
Harry James and
Les Brown orchestras. In 1946, his fifteen-minute variety show
Skyline Roof also featured emerging musical talent, including the accordionist
John Serry Sr. MacRae was also the host and lead actor on
The Railroad Hour, a half-hour
anthology series made up of condensed versions of hit Broadway musicals. The programs were later released as popular studio cast albums, most of which have been reissued on CD. In 1946, he was in the revue
Three to Make Ready, He appeared frequently on television, on such variety programs as
The Ford Show, Starring Tennessee Ernie Ford. He also appeared on drama shows such as
Lux Video Theatre. During Christmas 1958, MacRae and Ford performed the Christmas hymn "
O Holy Night". Earlier in 1958, MacRae guest-starred on the short-lived NBC variety series
The Polly Bergen Show. He starred in the television musical
The Gift of the Magi (1958). Thereafter, MacRae appeared on
The Ed Sullivan Show,
The Dinah Shore Chevy Show,
The Pat Boone Chevy Showroom, and
The Bell Telephone Hour.
Later career MacRae guest starred on
McCloud. He had supporting roles in the films
Zero to Sixty (1978) and
The Pilot (1980). ==Personal life==