Theater Maher gained early acting experience with a stock theater company in Cincinnati. His radio debut came when he portrayed Paul Baumer in a production of
All Quiet on the Western Front. However, a lack of future acting opportunities led him to pray for divine guidance, and soon after he had another acting opportunity.
Radio In 1936, he began working on several radio dramas from the West Coast. That same year he had one of his most prominent film performances as the reporter who films the mob attempting to lynch
Spencer Tracy's character in
MGM's
Fury, directed by
Fritz Lang. Other radio programs on which he appeared included
The Whistler,
NBC Presents: Short Story,
The Eddie Bracken Show,
Camel Caravan, Gang Busters, Suspense, Mr. District Attorney, and a member of the board in 1945.
Films The motion pictures in which he appeared include
Nick Carter, Master Detective (1950),
Pound Foolish (1940),
The Story of Molly X (1949),
Right Cross (1950, and
Mystery Street (1950).
Recording career In 1951, Maher and
Gene Autry recorded
The Story of Little Champ, a two-record album about a young colt.
Animated shorts Maher provided the voice of
Tex Avery's cartoon character
Screwy Squirrel for five shorts produced at
Metro-Goldwyn-Mayer,
Screwball Squirrel,
Happy-Go-Nutty,
Big Heel-Watha (all 1944),
The Screwy Truant (1945), and
Lonesome Lenny (1946). He also voiced the
Jimmy Durante-sounding turkey in
Jerky Turkey (1945). == Personal life and death ==