{{taxobox |name = Calabash''Lagenaria siceraria'' |image = Courge encore verte.jpg |image_caption = Green calabash on the vine |regnum = Plantae |unranked_divisio = Angiosperms |unranked_classis = Eudicots |unranked_ordo = Rosids |ordo = Cucurbitales |familia = Cucurbitaceae |genus = ''Lagenaria'' |species = ''L. siceraria'' |binomial = ''Lagenaria siceraria'' or ''Lagenaria vulgaris'' |binomial_authority = (Molina) Standl. |}}

''Lagenaria siceraria'' or ''Lagenaria vulgaris'', the calabash, bottle gourd, opo squash or long melon is a vine grown for its fruit, which can either be harvested young and used as a vegetable, or harvested mature, dried, and used as a bottle, utensil, or pipe. For this reason, the calabash is widely known as the bottle gourd. The fresh fruit has a light green smooth skin and a white flesh. Rounder varieties are called calabash gourds. They come in a variety of shapes, they can be huge and rounded, or small and bottle shaped, or slim and more than a meter long.

The calabash was one of the first cultivated plants in the world, grown not primarily for food, but for use as a water container. The bottle gourd may have been carried from Africa to Asia, Europe and the Americas in the course of human migration. It shares its common name with that of the calabash tree (''Crescentia cujete'').

Etymology

The word comes from the Spanish ''calabaza'', possibly from Arabic ''qar'a yabisa'' "dry gourd," from Persian ''kharabuz'', used of various large melons; or from a pre-Roman Iberian ''calapaccia''.

Origin and dispersal

It is a commonly cultivated plant in tropical and subtropical areas of China, Eurasia and the Americas, now believed some have spread or originated of wild populations in southern Africa. Stands of ''Lagenaria siceraria'' that may be source plants, and not merely domesticated stands run wild, were reported recently in Zimbabwe. This apparent domestication source plant produces thinner-walled fruit that, when dried, would not endure the rigors of use on long journeys as a water container. Today's calabash may owe its tough, waterproof wall to selection pressures over its long history of Chinese domestication.

Cultivation

Calabash had been cultivated in Asia, Europe and the Americas for thousands of years before Columbus's discovery of America. Historically, in Europe, Walahfrid Strabo (808–849), abbot and poet from Reichenau, advisor to the Carolingian kings, discussed it in his Latin Hortulus as one of the 23 plants of an ideal garden.

Recent research indicates some can have an African origin and at least two unrelated domestications: one 8–9 thousand years ago, based on the analysis of archeological samples found in Asia, a second, four thousand years ago, traced from archeological discoveries in Egypt.

The mystery of the calabash – namely that this African or Eurasian species was being grown in America over 8000 years ago – came about from the difficulty in understanding how it came to be on the American continent. Genetic research on archeological samples published by the National Academy of Sciences in December 2005 suggests calabash may have been domesticated earlier than food crops and livestock, and, like dogs, were brought into the New World at the end of the ice age by Paleo-Indians. It is supposed that bottle gourds were carried by people in boats or on foot across the then-existing land bridge between China, Asia and America. Once in Florida and Mexico, bottle gourd seeds could still be viable after long periods of migration.

The rind of the domesticated calabash, unlike that of its wild counterpart, is thick and waterproof. Calabash previously was thought to have spread across oceans without human intervention, if the seeds were still able to germinate even after long periods at sea. This was the basis of the earlier, dominating theory, which proposed the calabash had drifted across the Atlantic Ocean from China, Asia, Africa to North and South America. The new research notes domestication had led to changes in morphology (shape) of Asian and African specimens, potentially allowing the identification of the calabash from different areas. Now, both genetic and morphological considerations show calabash found in American archaeological finds are closer to Chinese-Asian calabash variants than to African ones.

Toxicity

Like other members of the Cucurbitaceae family, calabashes contain cucurbitacins that are known to be cytotoxic. The toxin tetracyclic triterpenoid cucurbitacins compound, present in fruits and vegetables of the cucumber family, is responsible for the bitter taste, and can cause ulcers in the stomach. In extreme cases, people have died from drinking calabash juice.

Culinary uses

The calabash, as a vegetable, is frequently used in southern Chinese cuisine as either a stir-fry or in a soup. The Chinese name for calabash is ''hulu'' (|t=|p=}}) or ''huzi'' (|p=}}) in Mandarin. Two common kinds of calabash sold in Chinese stores are the "Opo" kind, which is elongated but still plump, and "Mao Gua" which is very similar to Opo, but it has hairs, as its Chinese name references, which translates to "Hairy Squash". The hairs, although small, can get embedded in the skin, but it is usually safe for adults to handle.

In Japan, the species is known as or , with the former word referring particularly to the larger-fruiting variety whose fruits are used mostly for making containers or other handicrafts and the latter referring to the smaller-fruiting variety whose fruits are more edible. Names used to refer particularly to the fruit of one or another variety of this species include and . It is most commonly sold in the form of dried, marinated strips known as ''kanpyō'', and is commonly used as an ingredient for making makizushi (rolled sushi).

In Korea, it is known as ''bak'' (박) or ''jorongbak'' (조롱박). In Burma, it is known as ''boo thee'', a popular fruit; young leaves are also boiled and eaten with spicy hot, fermented fish sauce called ''nga peet''. In the Philippines, it is known as ''upo''. In Italian cuisine, it is known as ''cucuzza'' (plural ''cucuzze'').

In Central America, the seeds of the calabash gourd are toasted and ground with other ingredients (including rice, cinnamon, and allspice) to make the drink horchata. Calabash is known locally as ''morro'' or ''jícaro''. In Colombia and Venezuela, the calabash is known as a ''tapara'' or ''totuma''.

In Pakistan, it is known as ''lauki''/''kaddu'' in Urdu. In India, it is known as ''lauki'' (लौकी), ''dudhi'' (दूदी) or ''ghiya'' (घीया) in Hindi/Urdu; ''aal'' (आल) in Marwari; ''churakka'' (ചുരക്ക) in Malayalam; ''jatilao'' in Assamese; ''lau'' (লাউ) in Bengali; ''sorakaaya (సొర కాయ) or anapakaya'' in Telugu; ''dudhi-Bhopala'' (दुधी-भोपला) in Marathi; ''sorekayi'' in Kannada; and ''suraikkaai'' (சுரைக்காய் colloquilly ''sorakkay'') in Tamil. A popular Punjabi dish is ''lauki channa'', (channa dal and diced gourd in a semidry gravy). In parts of India, the dried, unpunctured gourd is used as a float (called ''surai-kuduvai'' in Tamil) to learn swimming in rural areas. Indian instruments, such as the tanpura, sitar and rudra veena, are constructed from dried calabash gourds, using special cultivars that were originally imported from Africa and Madagascar. They are mostly grown in Bengal and near Miraj, Maharashtra. These gourds are valuable items and they are carefully tended, sometimes they are given injections to stop worms and insects from making holes while they are drying., etc.

In Bangladesh, it is called ''lau'' (লাউ). In Nepali, it is called ''lauka'' (लौका). In Arabic, it is called ''qara''. The tender young gourd is cooked as a summer squash. In Vietnam, it is called ''bầu canh'' or ''bầu nậm'', and is used in a variety of dishes: boiled, stir-fried, soup dishes and as a medicine.

The shoots, tendrils, and leaves of the plant may also be eaten as greens.

Cultural uses

The Caribbean

Calabash is primarily used for utensils, such as cups, bowls, and basins in rural areas. It can be used for carrying water, or can be made for carrying items, such as fish, when fishing. In some Caribbean countries, it is worked, painted and decorated as shoulder bags or other items by artisans, and sold to tourists. In Jamaica, it is also a reference to the natural lifestyle of Rastafarians. As a cup, bowl, or even water-pipe or "bong", the calabash is considered consistent with the "Ital" or vital lifestyle of not using refined products such as table salt, or using modern cooking methods, such as microwaves. In Haiti, the plant is called ''kalbas kouran'', literally "running calabash", and is used to make the sacred rattle emblematic of the Vodou priesthood, called an ''asson''. As such, the plant is highly respected. It is also the national tree of St. Lucia.

Africa

Hollowed out and dried calabashes are a very typical utensil in households across West Africa. They are used to clean rice, carry water and as food containers. Smaller sizes are used as bowls to drink palm wine.thumb|left|125px|A Malian [[Kora (instrument)|kora player with his Kora (Toumani Diabate).]] Calabashes are used in making the West African kora (a harp-lute), ''xalam''/''ngoni'' (a lute) and the ''goje'' (a traditional fiddle). They also serve as resonators underneath the ''balafon'' (West African marimba). The calabash is also used in making the ''shegureh'' (a Sierra Leonean women's rattle) and ''balangi'' (a Sierra Leonean type of'' balafon'') musical instruments. Sometimes, large calabashes are simply hollowed, dried and used as percussion instruments, especially by Fulani, Songhai, Gur-speaking and Hausa peoples. In Nigeria, the calabash has been used to avoid a law requiring the wearing of a helmet on a motorcycle. In South Africa, it is commonly used as a drinking vessel by tribes such as the Zulus. Recently, the Soccer City stadium which hosted the FIFA World Cup has been completed and its shape takes inspiration from the calabash.

Mexico

In many rural parts of Mexico, the calabash is dried and carved hollow to create a ''bule'' or a ''guaje'', a gourd used to carry water around like a canteen. The gourd cut in half, called ''jícara'', gave the parallel name to a clay cup ''jícara''.

Costa Rica

The Costa Rican town of Santa Bárbara de Santa Cruz holds a traditional annual dance of the calabashes (''baile de los guacales''). Since 2000, the activity has been considered of cultural interest to the community, and all participants receive a hand-painted calabash vessel to thank them for their economic contribution (which they paid in the form of an entrance ticket).

Aboriginals throughout the country traditionally serve ''chicha'' in calabash vessels to the participants of special events such as the ''baile de los diablitos'' (dance of the little fiends).

South America

In Peru, Brazil, Argentina, Uruguay and Paraguay, calabash gourds are dried and carved into ''mates'', the traditional container for the popular caffeinated tea-like drink brewed from the yerba mate plant. In Brazil, this container is called ''cuia'' or ''cabaça''. Gourds also commonly used as the resonator for the ''berimbau'', the signature instrument of ''capoeira'', a martial art/dance developed in Brazilian plantations by African slaves. The calabash gourd is possibly mankind's oldest instrument resonator.

In Peru, Bolivia and Ecuador, calabash gourds are known to have been used for medicinal purposes for over a thousand years by Andean cultures. The Inca culture applied folklore symbology to gourds to pass down from one generation to another, and this practice is still familiar and valued.

Venezuela

The president of Venezuela, Hugo Chavez, has suggested Venezuelans avoid showers longer than three minutes. Critics of Chavez have ridiculed this (''reductio ad incommodum'') by ironically suggesting the use of a ''totuma'' to bathe (although Chavez himself did not suggest this). The inference is that Chavez's bathing suggestion is an unwelcome intrusion into Venezuelans' daily lives, and further, that bathing with a gourd is shamefully primitive. Compare U.S. President Jimmy Carter's speech urging Americans to conserve energy during the US 1979 energy crisis and negative reaction by his critics.

China

The ''hulu'' is an ancient symbol for health.thumb|left|100px|A Qing dynasty cricket cagethumb|right|200px|A bottle gourd In the old days, the doctors would carry medicine inside it, so it has fabled properties for healing. The ''hulu'' is believed to absorb negative earth-based ''qi'' (energy) that would otherwise affect health, and is a traditional Chinese medicine cure. Dried calabash is also used as containers of liquids, often liquors or medicine. Calabash gourds were also grown in earthen molds to form different shapes with imprinted floral or arabesque design, and dried to house pet crickets, which were kept for their song and fighting abilities. The texture of the gourd lends itself nicely to the sound of the animal, much like a musical instrument. It is a symbol of the Xian immortals.

India

Hindu ascetics (''sadhu'') traditionally use a dried gourd vessel called the ''kamandalu''. The juice of lauki is considered to have many medicinal properties and to be very good for health. The Baul singers of Bengal have their musical instruments made out of it. The practice is also common among Buddhist and Jain sages.

Hawaii

In Hawaii, a calabash is a large serving bowl, usually made from a hardwood rather than from the calabash gourd as in Maroon cultures. It is used on a buffet table or in the middle of the dining table. The use of the calabash in Hawaii has led to terms like "calabash family" or "calabash cousins", indicating an extended family grown up around shared meals and close friendships. Food is very important in modern Hawaiian culture. The expression "''e komo mai'' - Come, let's eat" was the standard welcome to anyone approaching a home.

This gourd is often dried when ripe and used as a percussion instrument in contemporary and ancient hula.

Other uses

Additionally, the gourd can be dried and used to smoke pipe tobacco. A typical design yielded by this squash is recognized (theatrically) as the pipe of Sherlock Holmes, but Doyle never mentioned Holmes using a calabash pipe. It was the preferred pipe for stage actors portraying Holmes, because they could balance this pipe better than other styles while delivering their lines. See, Smoking pipe (tobacco)#Calabash.

See also

Multilingual list of Indian vegetables, spices and grains

Image gallery

References

External links

http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2005/12/051214081513.htm How Bottle Gourds were bought to America by Native Americans

How to make bottle gourd foliage and gourd stew

http://www.gourdzette.com/ Gourd Information, Projects, News.

Multilingual taxonomic information at the University of Melbourne

Calabashes used for flotation and to store fish during huge Nigerian fish festival

Medical use for Eye-bottle gourd

Category:Cucurbitaceae Category:Fruit vegetables Category:Containers Category:Crops originating from Africa Category:Crops originating from Asia Category:Flora of Africa Category:Flora of Western Asia Category:Arabic words and phrases Category:Persian loanwords Category:Native American culture Category:Indian ingredients Category:Mexican culture Category:Italian cuisine Category:Vietnamese ingredients Category:Puerto Rican ingredients Category:Turkish ingredients Category:Bottles Category:Musical instruments Category:Pipe smoking Category:Medicinal plants

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Coordinates	39°30′″N3°00′″N
name	Jimmy Durante
birth name	James Francis Durante
birth date	February 10, 1893
birth place	Brooklyn, New York, U.S.
death date
death place	Santa Monica, California, U.S.
other names	The Schnoz
occupation	Actor, comedian, singer, pianist
years active	1920–1980
spouse	Jeanne Olsen (1921–1943)Margie Little (1960–1980)
website	}}

James Francis "Jimmy" Durante (February 10, 1893 – January 29, 1980) was an American singer, pianist, comedian and actor. His distinctive clipped gravelly speech, comic language butchery, jazz-influenced songs, and large nose helped make him one of America's most familiar and popular personalities of the 1920s through the 1970s. His jokes about his nose included referring to it as a "Schnozzola", and the word became his nickname.

Early life

Childhood

Durante was born on the Lower East Side of New York, the youngest of four children born to immigrants from Salerno, Italy, Bartolomeo Durante, and his mail order bride Rosa, the sister of a woman who lived in the same boarding house. Jimmy Durante served as an altar boy at Saint Malachy's Roman Catholic Church, known as the Actor's Chapel.

Early career

Durante dropped out of school in eighth grade to become a full-time ragtime pianist. He first played with his cousin, whose name was also "Jimmy Durante." It was a family act, but he was too professional for his cousin. He continued working the city's piano bar circuit and earned the nickname "Ragtime Jimmy," before he joined one of the first recognizable jazz bands in New York, the Original New Orleans Jazz Band. Durante was the only member not from New Orleans. His routine of breaking into a song to deliver a joke, with band or orchestra chord punctuation after each line, became a Durante trademark. In 1920, the group was renamed Jimmy Durante's Jazz Band.

Stardom

Durante became a vaudeville star and radio personality by the mid-1920s, with a trio called Clayton, Jackson and Durante. Lou Clayton and Eddie Jackson, Durante's closest friends, often reunited professionally. Jackson and Durante appeared in the Cole Porter musical ''The New Yorkers'', which opened on Broadway on December 8, 1930. Earlier that same year, the team had appeared in the movie ''Roadhouse Nights'', ostensibly based on Dashiell Hammett's novel ''Red Harvest''.

By 1934, he had a major record hit with his own novelty composition, ''Inka Dinka Doo,'' co-written by Ben Ryan. It became his theme song for the rest of his life. A year later, Durante starred on Broadway in the Billy Rose stage musical ''Jumbo'', in which a police officer stopped him while leading a live elephant and asked him, "What are you doing with that elephant?" Durante's reply, "What elephant?", was a regular show-stopper. Durante also appeared on Broadway in ''Show Girl'' (1929), ''Strike Me Pink'' (1934) and ''Red, Hot and Blue'' (1936).

He began appearing in motion pictures in a comedy series pairing him with silent film legend Buster Keaton and continuing with ''The Wet Parade'' (1932), ''Broadway to Hollywood'' (1933), ''The Man Who Came to Dinner'' (1942, playing "Banjo", a character based on Harpo Marx), ''Ziegfeld Follies'' (1946), ''Billy Rose's Jumbo'' (1962, based on the 1935 musical) and ''It's a Mad, Mad, Mad, Mad World'' (1963).

Radio

On September 10, 1933, Durante appeared on Eddie Cantor's ''The Chase and Sanborn Hour'', continuing until November 12 of that year. When Cantor departed, Durante took over the NBC show as its star from April 22 to September 30, 1934, moving on to ''The Jumbo Fire Chief Program'' (1935–36).

He teamed with Garry Moore for ''The Durante-Moore Show'' in 1943. Durante's comic chemistry with the young, brushcut Moore brought Durante an even larger audience. "Dat's my boy dat said dat!" became an instant catchphrase. The duo became one of the nation's favorites for the rest of the decade, including a well-reviewed Armed Forces Radio Network command performance with Frank Sinatra that remains a favorite of radio collectors today. Moore left in mid-1947, and the program returned October 1, 1947 as ''The Jimmy Durante Show''. Durante worked in radio for three years after Moore's 1947 departure, including a reunion of Clayton, Jackson and Durante on his April 21, 1948 broadcast.

Television

Durante made his television debut on November 1, 1950, though he kept a presence in radio as one of the frequent guests on Tallulah Bankhead's two-year, NBC comedy-variety show, ''The Big Show''. Durante was one of the cast on the show's premiere November 5, 1950. The rest of the cast included humorist Fred Allen, singers Mindy Carson and Frankie Laine, stage musical performer Ethel Merman, actors Jose Ferrer and Paul Lukas, and comic-singer Danny Thomas (about to become a major television star in his own right). A highlight of the show was Durante and Thomas, whose own nose rivaled Durante's, in a routine in which Durante accused Thomas of stealing his nose. "Stay outta dis, No-Nose!" Durante barked at Bankhead to a big laugh. From 1950-51, Durante was one of four alternating hosts on NBC's comedy-variety series, "4 Star Revue." He alternated Wednesdays with Danny Thomas (now a headliner), Jack Carson, and Ed Wynn.

Beginning in the early 1950s, Durante teamed with sidekick Sonny King, a collaboration that would continue until Durante's death. Jimmy could be seen regularly in Las Vegas after Sunday Mass outside of the Guardian Angel Cathedral standing next to the priest and greeting the people as they left Mass.

On August 4, 1955, ''The Jimmy Durante Show'' on NBC was the venue of the final performance by the famous Brazilian singer Carmen Miranda. Miranda fell to her knees while dancing with Durante, who instinctively told the band to "stop da music!". He helped Miranda up to her feet as she laughed "I'm all out of breath!". "Dat's OK, honey, I'll take yer lines" Durante replied. Miranda laughed again and quickly pulled herself together and finished the show. However, the next morning, August 5, Miranda died at home from heart failure.

Durante also appeared on NBC's ''Club Oasis'', another comedy/variety show broadcast in the 1957-1958 season, alternating first with ''The Polly Bergen Show''.

Marriages

Durante's radio show was bracketed with two trademarks: "Inka Dinka Doo" as his opening theme, and the invariable signoff that became another familiar national catchphrase: "Good night, Mrs. Calabash, wherever you are." For years Durante preferred to keep the mystery alive.

One theory was that it referred to the owner of a restaurant in Calabash, North Carolina, where Durante and his troupe had stopped to eat. He was so taken by the food, the service, and the chitchat he told the owner that he would make her famous. Since he did not know her name, he referred to her as "Mrs. Calabash".

Another idea was that it was a personal salute to his deceased first wife, Jeanne (Olsen) Durante, who died in 1943. "Calabash" might be a mangle of Calabasas, the California city where they made their home during the last years of her life.

At a National Press Club meeting in 1966 (broadcast on NBC's Monitor program), Durante finally revealed that it was indeed a tribute to his wife. While driving across the country, they stopped in a small town called Calabash, which name she had loved. "Mrs. Calabash" became his pet name for her, and he signed off his radio program with "Good night, Mrs. Calabash." He added "wherever you are" after the first year.

Durante's first wife was the former Jean (Jeanne) Olson, whom he married on June 19, 1921. She was born in Ohio on August 31, 1896. She died on Valentine's Day in 1943, after a lingering heart ailment of about two years. She was 46 years old when she died, although different newspaper accounts of her death suggest she was 45 or perhaps 52. Her death was not immediately expected, as Jimmy was touring in New York at the time and returned to Los Angeles right away to complete funeral arrangements.

Durante married his second wife, Margaret "Margie" Little, at St. Malachy's Catholic Church in New York City on December 14, 1960. As a teenager, with her gorgeous red hair and undeniable charm, Margie had been crowned Queen of the New Jersey State Fair. She attended New York University before being hired by the legendary Copacabana, in New York City. They met 16 years before their marriage when he was performing there and where she worked as a hatcheck girl. She was 41, he 67, when they married. The couple adopted a baby, Cecilia Alicia (nicknamed CeCe and now known as CeCe Durante-Bloum) on Christmas Day, 1961. CeCe became a champion horsewoman and then a horse trainer and horseback-riding instructor near San Diego, married a computer designer (Stephen), and has two sons and a daughter (Connor, Ryan and Maddie).

Charitable work

On August 15, 1958, for his charitable acts, Durante was awarded a huge 3 ft. high brass loving cup by the Al Bahr Shriners Temple. The inscription was: "JIMMY DURANTE THE WORLD'S MOST FAMOUS COMEDIAN A loving cup to you Jimmy, Its' larger than your nose, but smaller than your heart Happiness always, Al Bahr Temple August 15, 1958".

Jimmy's love for children continued through the Fraternal Order of Eagles children, who among many causes raise money for handicapped and abused. At Jimmy's first appearance at the Eagles International Convention in 1961, judge Bob Hansen inquired about his fee for performing. Jimmy replied, "do not even mention money judge or I'll have to mention a figure that'll make ya sorry ya brought it up" "What can we do then?" asked Hansen. "Help da kids," was Durante's reply. Jimmy performed for many years at Eagles conventions free of charge, not even accepting travel money. The Fraternal Order of Eagles in his honor changed the name of their Children's Fund to the Jimmy Durante Children's Fund, and in his memory have raised over 20 million dollars to help children . A reporter once remarked of Durante after an interview: "You could warm your hands on this one." One of the projects built using money from the Durante Fund was a heated therapy swimming pool at the Hughen School in Port Arthur, Texas. Completed in 1968, Durante named the pool the "Inka Dinka Doo Pool".

Politics

Durante was an active member of the Democratic Party. In 1933, he appeared in an advertisement shown in theaters supporting Franklin D. Roosevelt's New Deal programs and wrote a musical score entitled ''Give a Guy a Job'' to accompany it.

Later years

Durante continued his film appearances through ''It's a Mad, Mad, Mad, Mad World'' and television appearances through the early 1970s. He narrated the Rankin-Bass animated Christmas special ''Frosty the Snowman'' (1969), re-run for many years since. The television work also included a series of commercial spots for Kellogg's Corn Flakes cereals in the mid 1960s, which introduced Durante's gravelly growl and narrow-eyed, large-nosed countenance to millions of children. "Dis is Jimmy Durante, in puy-son!" was his introduction to some of the Kellogg's spots. One of his last appearances was in a memorable television commercial for the 1973 Volkswagen Beetle, where he proclaimed that the new, roomier Beetle had "plenty of breathin' room... for da old schnozzola!"

In 1963, Durante recorded an album of pop standards, ''September Song''. The album became a best-seller and provided Durante's re-introduction, to yet another generation, almost three decades later. From the ''Jimmy Durante's Way of Life'' album, came the gravelly interpretations of "As Time Goes By" accompanied the opening credits of the romantic comedy hit, ''Sleepless in Seattle'', while his version of "Make Someone Happy" launched the film's closing credits.The former number appeared on the film's best-selling soundtrack.

He wrote a foreword for a humorous book titled ''Cockeyed Americana,'' compiled by Dick Hyman. In the first paragraph of the "Foreword!", as Durante called it, he met Hyman and discussed the book and the contribution Hyman wanted Durante to make to it. Durante wrote, "Before I can say gaziggadeegasackeegazobbath, we're at his luxurious office." After reading the material Hyman had compiled for the book, Durante commented on it, "COLOSSAL, GIGANTIC, MAGNANIMOUS, and last but not first, AURORA BOREALIS. ''[Capitalization Durante's.]'' Four little words that make a sentence--and a sentence that will eventually get me six months."

Aside from "Dat's my boy dat said dat!", "Dat's moral turpentine!" and "It's a catastastroke!" (for "catastrophe",) Durante sent such catchphrases as "Everybody wants ta get inta the act!", "Umbriago!", "Ha-cha-cha-chaaaaaaa!", "I got a million of 'em" and "Surrounded by assassins!" into the vernacular.

Durante suffered a stroke in 1972, and used a wheelchair during the last years of his life. He died of pneumonia in Santa Monica, California, on January 29, 1980 and was interred at Holy Cross Cemetery, Culver City.

Animation

Jimmy Durante is known to most modern audiences as the character who narrated and sang the 1969 animated special ''Frosty the Snowman''. He also performed the Ron Goodwin title song to the 1968 comedy-adventure ''Monte Carlo or Bust'' sung over the film's animated opening credits. There are numerous Durante depictions and allusions in animation. Pumbaa does a brief Durante impression while singing "Hakuna Matata" in ''The Lion King''. A character in M-G-M cartoons, a bulldog named Spike, whose puppy son was always getting caught by accident in the middle of ''Tom and Jerry's'' activities, referenced Durante with a raspy voice and an affectionate "Dat's my boy!" In another Tom and Jerry episode, a starfish lands on Tom's head, giving him a big nose. He then proceeds with Durante's famous "Ha-cha-cha-cha" call. A Durante-like voice (originally by Doug Young) was also given to the father beagle, Doggie Daddy, in Hanna-Barbera's ''Augie Doggie and Doggie Daddy'' cartoons, Doggie Daddy invariably addressing the junior beagle with a Durante-like "Augie, my son, my son," and with frequent citations of, "That's my boy who said that!" In the 1933 Warner Bros. Looney Tunes short, ''Bosko's Picture Show'', there is a scene where he is chased by Adolf Hitler with a meat cleaver.

Many 1940s Looney Tunes/Merrie Melodies cartoons had characters based on Durante. Two examples are ''A Gruesome Twosome'', which features a cat based on Durante and ''Baby Bottleneck'', which in unedited versions opens with a Durante-like stork. ''Book Revue'' shows the well-known (at that time) 1924 Edna Ferber novel ''So Big'' featuring a Durante caricature on the cover. The "so big" refers to his nose, and as a runaway criminal turns the corner by the book, Durante turns sideways using his nose to trip the criminal, allowing his capture. In the Looney Tunes/Merrie Melodies cartoon named ''Hollywood Daffy'', Durante is directly depicted as himself, pronouncing his catch-phrase "Those are the conditions that prevail!". One of Durante's common catch phrases, "I got a million of 'em!", was used as Bugs' final line in ''Stage Door Cartoon''.

A Durante-like voice was also used for Marvel Comics superhero The Thing in the Hanna-Barbera cartoon ''Fred and Barney Meet the Thing''. In a 1993 episode of ''The Simpsons'' titled "Lady Bouvier's Lover", after Grampa cries out, "Good night, Mrs. Bouvier, wherever you are," the Blue-haired lawyer announces himself in charge of Jimmy Durante's estate and therefore puts a halt to Abraham Simpson's "unauthorized imitation" of Durante. The voice and appearance of Crispy, the mascot for Crispy Critters cereal, was also based on Durante.

Cultural references

In the 1994 film ''Greedy'', Michael J. Fox sings "You Got to Start off Each Day with a song" and imitates Durante to amuse his rich uncle.

In the 1988 film ''My Stepmother Is an Alien'', the alien stepmother (Kim Basinger) sees Durante on TV and later repeats part of the sketch with her husband for an alien audience.

British comedian Eric Morecambe would occasionally break into an impression of Durante on the ''Morecambe and Wise Show'' while wearing a plastic cup on his nose, miming piano-playing and putting on a fake accent to say: "Sitting at my pianna the udder day ..."

Herry Monster from ''Sesame Street'' had a voice (and nose) modeled after Jimmy Durante.

A street on the east side of Las Vegas is named after Durante. A street in Del Mar, California, specifically located at the Del Mar Thoroughbred Club, is also named after him.

In the fourth season of ''I Love Lucy'', Lucy impersonates famous Hollywood celebrities, including Jimmy Durante.

The voice of Apocalypse Lane character Cuddles the cat was said to be "a vulgar Jimmy Durante" by creator Jon Etheridge.

Martin Short uses a Jimmy Durante imitation in character as aging vaudevillian songsmith Irving Cohen. When this character was revived almost 20 years later for his one-man show, ''Martin Short: Fame Becomes Me'', he amped up the Durante imitation to the point of using his catchphrase "Ha-cha-cha-chaaaaaaa!" as his exit line.

The 1960s North Carolina Beach Music group, The Huckleberry Mudflap, featured a song referencing Durante, "Goodnight, Mrs. Kollendoffer, Wherever You Are," as the flip side to their regional hit record "Blue Surf".

On the ''Dick Van Dyke Show'', co-star Rose Marie would sing a song called "I Wish I Could Sing Like Durante" in Durante impression voice. (Season 1, Episode 1)

In the late 1960s, Jimmy Durante appeared in a commercial for Scotties tissue, claiming that he liked them because they were "3-sneezers".

Mentioned in the Frank Sinatra/Mickey Rooney and Judy Garland song, "How About You?"

A 2008 Acura MDX commercial uses Durante's "Make Someone Happy" throughout.

Crow, from ''Mystery Science Theater 3000'', often imitated Jimmy Durante during movies or in sketches.

In ''The Powerpuff Girls'', there is a monkey that is named Ha-cha-cha-cha and has a big nose, which refers to Jimmy's quote ha-cha-cha-cha.

In the improvisational comedy show ''Whose Line Is It Anyway'', Durante is often referred to in impressions, either as a character the player pretends to be, or as a visual gag (Such as in the game Props, in which a player would hold their prop to their face, imitating Durante's nose, and go "Ha-cha-cha-chaaaa!")

Cartoonist Drew Friedman created a one-page comic strip for Spy Magazine called "Jimmy Durante Boffs Young Starlets." The strip shows Durante with a bevy of young ladies to whom he exclaims, "And you goils thought my NOSE was big!"

The 1991 film ''City Slickers'' features Durante singing "Young At Heart" during scenes from the first day of the cattle drive.

The somewhat comic band The Blanks, also known as "Ted's Band" from the US comedy-drama ''Scrubs'', released a song in their album ''Ride The Wave'' called "The Ballad of Jimmy Durante". The song tells the story of Jimmy's life, with mention of his "Schnozz", "Ha cha cha cha" and everybody wanting to get into the act.

In the musical ''42nd Street'', (set in the year 1933), the song "Gettin' Out of Town" features the phrase "hot-cha-cha-cha, hot-cha-cha-cha"—a possible reference to Durante.

Referenced in a Crispy Critters cereal commercial (1987). The commercials for the cereal featured a puppet named "Crispy" with pom-pom antennae and a furry yellow body. Crispy spoke and sang with a voice based on that of Jimmy Durante including the nonsense phrase "Ah-cha-cha-cha".

Glenn Beck parodies Jimmy Durante's "Mrs. Calabash" sign-off on his Television show replacing "Mrs. Calabash" with "Mrs. Dunn".

Jimmy Durante is mentioned in the song "Daddy's Nose" from the 1970s musical Saturday's Warrior.

George Washington's voice is thought to sound like Jimmy Durante's in a comic by Daniel Clowes.

In the Cole Porter Song, ''You're The Top'', in the Broadway show ''Anything Goes'', Reno, while listing parables of great things, rhymes the line, "You're Napoleon Brandy" with, "... you're the nose on the great Durante."

Filmography

''Roadhouse Nights'' (1930)

''New Adventures of Get Rich Quick Wallingford'' (1931)

''The Cuban Love Song'' (1931)

''Jackie Cooper's Birthday Party'' (1931) (short subject)

''The Christmas Party'' (1931) (short subject)

''Hollywood on Parade: Down Memory Lane'' (1932) (short subject)

''The Wet Parade'' (1932)

''Hollywood on Parade'' (1932) (short subject)

''Speak Easily'' (1932)

''Blondie of the Follies'' (1932)

''The Phantom President'' (1932)

''Give a Man a Job'' (1933) (short subject)

''What! No Beer?'' (1933)

''Hollywood on Parade No. 9'' (1933) (short subject)

''Hell Below'' (1933)

''Broadway to Hollywood'' (1933)

''Meet the Baron'' (1933)

''Palooka'' (1934)

''George White's Scandals'' (1934)

''Strictly Dynamite'' (1934)

''Hollywood Party'' (1934)

''Student Tour'' (1934)

''Carnival'' (1935)

''Land Without Music'' (1936)

''Start Cheering'' (1938)

''Sally, Irene and Mary'' (1938)

''Little Miss Broadway'' (1938)

''Melody Ranch'' (1940)

''You're in the Army Now'' (1941)

''The Man Who Came to Dinner'' (1942)

''Two Girls and a Sailor'' (1944)

''Music for Millions'' (1944)

''Two Sisters from Boston'' (1946)

''It Happened in Brooklyn'' (1947)

''This Time for Keeps'' (1947)

''On an Island with You'' (1948)

''The Great Rupert'' (1950)

''The Milkman'' (1950)

''Screen Snapshots: Hollywood Premiere'' (1955) (short subject)

''The Heart of Show Business'' (1957) (short subject)

''Beau James'' (1957) (Cameo)

''Pepe'' (1960) (Cameo)

''The Last Judgment'' (''Il Giudizio universale'' 1961)

''Billy Rose's Jumbo'' (1962)

''It's a Mad, Mad, Mad, Mad World'' (1963)

''Frosty the Snowman'' (1969)

''Just One More Time'' (1974) (short subject)

Discography

1963 ''September Song''

1964 ''Hello Young Lovers''

1965 ''Jimmy Durante's Way of Life...''

1966 ''One of Those Songs''

1967 ''Songs for Sunday''

References

External links

Jerry Haendiges Vintage Radio Logs: ''The Jimmy Durante Show'' (1933-50)

Jerry Haendiges Vintage Radio Logs: ''The Jimmy Durante and Garry Moore Show'' (1943-47)

Jimmy Durante on "Four Star Revue/All Star Revue" (1950-53) at Classic TV Info.

Jimmy Durante on "The Colgate Comedy Hour" (1953-54) at Classic TV Info.

Jimmy Durante on "Texaco Star Theater" (1954-56) at Classic TV Info.

Alternate theory that Mrs. Calabash was Lucille "Lucy" Coleman, a restaurant owner in Calabash, North Carolina

Laughterlog.com – biography with list of credits

Lyrics for "Inka-Dinka-Doo"

Jimmy Durante and Eddie Cantor (1947)

''Command Performance'' (March 15, 1945)

Red Hot Jazz Archive: Jimmy Durante

Category:1893 births Category:1980 deaths Category:American film actors Category:American comedians Category:American jazz musicians of Italian descent Category:American people of Italian descent Category:Burials at Holy Cross Cemetery, Culver City Category:Burlesque performers Category:Peabody Award winners Category:National Radio Hall of Fame inductees Category:Vaudeville performers Category:Gennett recording artists Category:California Democrats Category:New York Democrats

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