James Kern “Kay” Kyser was a white big band leader, performer, and radio and television personality who was born in Rocky Mount, North Carolina, in 1905. As a student at the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill, he was a cheerleader, member of the Carolina PlayMakers, and leader of a local band. While not a musician himself, Kyser was a talented performer and functioned as a sort of announcer for the band he led. After graduation, Kyser and the band toured around the country. In 1938, they landed a radio show on NBC called the “Kollege of Musical Knowledge,” in which Kyser was known as the “Ol’ Perfesser.” The comedic show proved to be very popular, led to a number of films, and eventually moved from radio to television.
After the television version of the “Kollege” was cancelled in 1950, Kyser retired to Chapel Hill, where he lived with his family until his passing in 1985. In his retirement years, Kyser engaged in philanthropic work, supporting UNC-Chapel Hill and public health campaigns and working to bring educational public television to North Carolina, and was active in the Christian Science movement.