The height of his fame came as a regular on the Milton Berle show in the mid 1950s, and he became a highly-paid entertainer, performing on records, radio, and television.

[3] After young Applewhite became old enough to go into downtown Fort Worth alone, he would travel there to sing for money on street corners if his allowance had run out.

After working at the Studio Lounge for a time, Applewhite was offered night club engagements in Shreveport, Louisiana and Kansas City, Missouri.

[4][6] While working on the Berle program, Applewhite was a regular cast member of The Morning Show, along with female vocalist Edie Adams, while Jack Paar was the host.

After Paar moved to a weekday afternoon television program at CBS, he brought Applewhite and the other cast members to the new show.

[3] At the time he was drafted, Applewhite was earning US$100,000 a year; he was making many guest appearances on television and hosted more than six regular radio programs.

[10] Private Applewhite was given a one-week leave from his army duties in June 1956; he appeared as the star of a General Electric Theater presentation.

[13] After discharge he maintained residence in New York, but developed interests in his native North Texas, owning the Gaslight Club in Dallas.

[1] In September 1961 he was in a plane crash in Midland, Texas that took the life of his second wife, and an oil-executive friend while leaving Charlie unconscious and in critical condition.

[3][14] Applewhite, a licensed pilot, was at the controls of the single engine aircraft when it crashed into a field near the Midland Airport.

[1] Retiring from the entertainment industry in 1967, he moved back to Fort Worth and started an office supply business.