Biography in: "The Scribner Encyclopedia of American Lives". Volume 7, 2003-2005, pages 440-442. Farmington Hills, MI: Thomson Gale, 2007.
Born at 5:00pm-PST
Father of Steven Raitt, David Raitt and singer Bonnie Raitt.
Former father-in-law of Michael O'Keefe.
He was awarded a Star on the Hollywood Walk of Fame for Live Theatre at 6126 Hollywood Boulevard in Hollywood, California.
His professional debut was in 1940 in the chorus of "HMS Pinafore" with the Los Angeles Civic Light Opera.
In 1935, competing for Fullerton High School in the California State Track and Field High-School Championships at Ratcliffe Stadium in Fresno, John Raitt won the shot-put with a throw of 55 feet 5 and 1/4 inches, and set a new state record in winning the football throw with a throw of 220 feet.
Sang duets with his daughter, Bonnie. ("Blowing Away" and "Hey, There")
To celebrate the twentieth anniversary revival at Lincoln Center of Rodgers and Hammerstein's "Carousel" (in which he recreated his original stage role of Billy Bigelow), Raitt made an appearance on the "Today" show in which he sang the entire score of the show (even the songs written for female singers only!).
Was originally told he was too tall to play Curly in "Oklahoma!" Hammerstein was so impressed with his voice that he decided Curly could be a tall man.