does Walter Winchell sound like Cagney?

Dosen't sound like Cagney at all to me.

Walter Winchell doesn't sound like Cagney to me. The reality is he sounded like himself. He was a very famous news man and radio announcer, his voice distinctive and well known to millions of americans. So iconic in fact that he was sought out specifically for the role as narrator for this TV series. Winchell's famous voice lent some additional credibility to this largely fictionalized series at the time. I suppose a younger audience today may not have ever heard of him. Very few announcers or narrators are ever listed in the credits among the top billed actors as Winchell is in this series though he never appeared on screen.

"Insanity runs in my family. It practically gallops."

No.

I think Winchell sounds like Winchell.