[citation needed] Before World War II, he was an announcer at radio stations WMBC and WXYZ in Detroit, Michigan.
On WXYZ in the late 1930s, McCarthy played the part of Ned Jordan, secret agent, in the Fran Striker radio serial drama of the same name.
[citation needed] He played the part of the Green Hornet on the famous radio series from 1947 until the program ended in December 1952.
[6][8] During his early career in radio, he worked with Danny Thomas, Mike Wallace, Douglas Edwards and Al Hodge (who later went on to play television's Captain Video).
[citation needed] McCarthy was a devout Catholic and served as a lector at St. Ignatius Loyola Church in New York City.