Carl Ames Gulbrandsen

Carl Ames Gulbrandsen was granted eternal peace on April 7, 2015, with his family by his side while vacationing in St. Augustine, FL after a long, valiant battle. He was born July 7, 1938, in Culver City, CA to Carl and Ruth (Scoville) Gulbrandsen. Before graduating from Rockford West High School in 1956, he played clarinet in the band and acted in theatre productions. His classmates may remember he orchestrated a funeral with a marching band for a gold fish. He attended Coe College and before graduating from the University of Iowa with a B.A. in English, he found his niche announcing sporting events.

Married Sylvia Ann Goral on January 28, 1961, in Rockford at St. Anthony of Padua Church and two daughters were born, Julie Anna and Caroline.

“Carl Ames” began his career at WROK in Rockford then WMTV in Madison, WI as a newsman while also hosting Dialing for Dollars and to his daughters’ and the children of Madison’s delight portrayed Ralph Waldo the elephant on Nutty Nuthouse. After making promos for the news show and his passion for prosthetic makeup, he was promoted to the station’s promotions director and took over hosting of Ferdie’s Inferno in 1967. In 1968 he started his own production company, and during the 1970s, he owned Carl Ames Talent Service (CATS), was a script writer and hosted for WHA-TV and Nightline on WTSO. Carl was known for his impeccable impersonations, spontaneous wit, comedic timing, and brilliant creativity, which proved the perfect match for his smooth voice that graced the airwaves of Madison and beyond, becoming a voice talent for local, regional, national and international radio, television, and narrations.

On February 15, 1986, he married Constance Marie Peterson in St. Paul, MN, and their two sons, Peter Oscar and Ryland Gayland, were born then raised in Deerfield, WI where Carl was active in the community and his sons’ school events.

Carl received numerous local, regional and national advertising awards and was a member of the American Advertising Federation/Madison (AAF), served on its board during the 1990s and its Blue Ribbon Committee. In 1992, Carl Ames Communications won the ADDY’s “Best of Show”. In 1993, he received AAF’s Silver Medal Award for lifetime achievement. Member of SAG/AFTRA. Most recently, in 2008, he hosted a talk show on WIBA. Adept at interviewing, one of his personal career highlights was interviewing his favorite childhood celebrities, Roy Rogers and Dale Evans as well as Presidents Harry Truman, Lyndon Johnson and Herbert Hoover. One of his earliest memories was being cared for by a German POW while his mother worked at Camp Grant in Rockford, so he wrote the screen play, My Prisoner. Above all, he taught his loved ones the power of the human mind to overcome catastrophic health issues and believed that “my greatest accomplishments are my children”.

Carl is survived by his wife, Connie of St. Paul, MN, daughters Julie Anna (fiancé` Paul Javurek) Gulbrandsen and Dr. Caroline “Carrie” Gulbrandsen of Rockford, IL, Peter Gulbrandsen of St. Paul, MN, Ryland Gulbrandsen of Stevens Point, WI. Former wife Sylvia Sanders of Fort Lauderdale, FL, cousin Steve (Cathy) Gulbrantson of Palatine, IL and numerous Gulbrantson cousins though out the country.

He was predeceased by his parents, infant brother Kenneth, special cousin, Dale Gulbrantson and many aunts, uncles and cousins.

Special thanks to Derek Clevidence, M.D. of Meriter Health in Madison and VITAS Hospice of Northeast Florida for their compassionate care.

Go Pack! Go Badgers!

A life celebration will be held from 5pm-7pm, May 7, 2015 at Concept Productions. 7878 Big Sky Drive in Madison. Interment at Willwood Burial Park in Rockford on May 9th.