Frederick Hubbard "Fred" Gwynne (July 10, 1926 – July 2, 1993) was an American actor. Gwynne was best known for his roles in the 1960s sitcoms Car 54, Where Are You? and The Munsters, as well as his later roles in Pet Sematary and My Cousin Vinny. He was recognized for his distinctive baritone voice.

Early life[link]

Gwynne was born in New York City, a son of Frederick Walker Gwynne, a partner in the securities firm Gwynne Brothers, and his wife Dorothy Ficken.^[2] His paternal grandfather was an Episcopal priest born in Camus, near Strabane, County Tyrone, Northern Ireland, and his maternal grandfather was an immigrant from London, England.^[2] Gwynne attended the Groton School, and graduated from Harvard University, where he was affiliated with Adams House, in 1951. Gwynne spent most of his childhood in South Carolina, Florida, and Colorado because his father traveled extensively. At Harvard, he was a member of the Fly Club, sang with the a cappella group the Harvard Krokodiloes,^[3] was a cartoonist for the Harvard Lampoon (eventually becoming its president), and acted in the Hasty Pudding Theatricals shows.

During World War II, Gwynne served in the U.S. Navy. He later studied art under the G.I. Bill.

Career[link]

Gwynne as Herman, sharing a toast with Al Lewis (Grandpa) while Beverley Owen (Marilyn) looks on

Gwynne joined the Brattle Theatre Repertory Company after graduation,^[4] then moved to New York City. To support himself, Gwynne worked as a copywriter for J. Walter Thompson, resigning in 1952 upon being cast in his first Broadway role, a gangster in a comedy called Mrs. McThing, which starred Helen Hayes.^[4]

Phil Silvers was impressed by Gwynne from his work in Mrs. McThing and sought him for his television show. As a result, in 1955, Gwynne made a memorable appearance on The Phil Silvers Show, in the episode "The Eating Contest" as the character Private Honigan, whose depressive eating binges are exploited by Sgt. Bilko (Phil Silvers), who seeks prize money by entering Honigan in an eating contest. Gwynne's second appearance on The Phil Silvers Show (in the episode "For The Birds" in 1956) and many other shows led writer-producer Nat Hiken to cast him in the sitcom Car 54, Where Are You? as Patrolman Francis Muldoon, opposite Joe E. Ross. During the two-season run of the program he met longtime friend and later co-star, Al Lewis. Gwynne was 6 ft 5 in tall, an attribute that contributed to his being cast as Herman Munster, a goofy parody of Frankenstein's monster, in the sitcom The Munsters. For his role he had to wear 40 or 50 lbs of padding, makeup, and 4-inch elevator shoes. His face was painted a bright violet because it captured the most light on the black-and-white film. Gwynne was known for his sense of humor and retained fond recollections of Herman, claiming in later life, " ... I might as well tell you the truth. I love old Herman Munster. Much as I try not to, I can't stop liking that fellow."^[4] After his experience in The Munsters, however, he found himself typecast. In 1969, he was cast as Jonathan Brewster, a Frankenstein monster-like character, in a television production of Arsenic and Old Lace.

A talented vocalist, Gwynne sang in a Hallmark Hall of Fame made-for-television production, The Littlest Angel (1969), and went on to perform in a variety of roles on stage and screen. In 1974, he appeared in the role of Big Daddy Pollitt in the Broadway revival of Cat on a Hot Tin Roof with Elizabeth Ashley, Keir Dullea and Kate Reid. In 1975 he played the Stage Manager in Our Town at the American Shakespeare Theatre in Stratford, Connecticut. He returned to Broadway in 1976 as Colonel J. C. Kinkaid in two parts of A Texas Trilogy. In 1984, he tried out for the part of Henry on the show Punky Brewster. He is said to have withdrawn from the audition in frustration when the auditioner identified him as Herman Munster rather than by his real name. The role of Henry subsequently went to George Gaynes. In 1987, Gwynne starred in a short-lived TV series Jake's M.O. where he played an investigative reporter.

Gwynne's performance as Jud Crandall in Pet Sematary was based on author Stephen King himself, who is also quite tall — only an inch shorter than the actor — and uses a similarly thick Maine dialect. Gwynne's Pet Sematary character has had recurring parody appearances in the South Park episodes "Butters' Very Own Episode", "Asspen", and "Marjorine". Gwynne also had roles in the movies Simon, On the Waterfront, So Fine, Disorganized Crime, The Cotton Club, Captains Courageous, The Secret of My Success, Water, Ironweed, Fatal Attraction and The Boy Who Could Fly. In his last film, Gwynne played Judge Chamberlain Haller in the 1992 film comedy My Cousin Vinny, in which he used a Southern accent.

In addition to his acting career, Gwynne sang professionally, painted, and wrote and illustrated children's books, including It's Easy to See Why, A Chocolate Moose for Dinner, The King Who Rained, Best In Show, Pondlarker, The Battle of the Frogs and Mice, and A Little Pigeon Toad. Many of these efforts were based on children's frequent misperceptions of things they hear from adults, such as the "chocolate moose for dinner," which was illustrated as a large brown quadruped seated at the dinner table. The other books on this theme were "The King Who Rained," "A Little Pigeon Toad" (in which a child's mother thus describes her father), and "The Sixteen Hand Horse." Perhaps one of the reasons the books did not achieve wider popularity was the fact that their format was geared to a very young audience, but the concept itself was more appealing to older children and adults. He also lent his voice talents to commercials and radio shows such as CBS Radio Mystery Theater, and for some radio fans, he is known foremost for his contribution to CBSRMT's success. Later, he held a number of shows of his art work, the first in 1989.

Personal life[link]

In 1952, Gwynne married socialite Jean Reynard, a granddaughter of New York City mayor William Jay Gaynor.^[1] They had five children—three sons, Evan, Dylan, and Keiron, and two daughters, Madyn and Gaynor—before divorcing in 1980.^[5][6] Dylan died in a drowning accident as a child in 1963, and Keiron was born with developmental disabilities.^[6] In 1988, Gwynne married Deborah Flater.^[5]

Death[link]

Gwynne died of pancreatic cancer in Taneytown, Maryland, on July 2, 1993, at the age of 66, eight days before his 67th birthday. Gwynne was survived by his second wife, Deborah, and four children. He is interred at the Sandymount United Methodist Church graveyard in Finksburg, Maryland, in an unmarked grave.

Selected filmography[link]

• My Cousin Vinny (1992) as Judge Chamberlain Haller
• Disorganized Crime (1989) as Max Green
• Pet Sematary (1989) as Jud Crandall
• Ironweed (1987) as Oscar Reo
• Fatal Attraction (1987) as Arthur
• The Secret of My Success (1987) as Donald Davenport
• The Boy Who Could Fly (1986) as Uncle Hugo Gibb
• Offbeat (1986) as Police Commissioner
• The Cotton Club (1984) as Frenchy Demange
• Simon (1980) as Maj. Gen. Korey
• The Littlest Angel (1969) as Patience the Guardian Angel
• The Munsters as Herman Munster (72 episodes, 1964–1966)
• Car 54, Where Are You? as Officer Francis Muldoon (60 episodes, 1961–1963)
• On the Waterfront (1954) as Slim

References[link]

External links[link]

Wikimedia Commons has media related to: Fred Gwynne

Biography portal

• Fred Gwynne at the Internet Movie Database
• Fred Gwynne at the Internet Broadway Database
• Fred Gwynne at the Internet Off-Broadway Database
• Fred Gwynne at Find a Grave

Shari Lewis
Lewis with her puppets, Lamb Chop and Charlie Horse, 1960.
Born	Sonia Phyllis Hurwitz (1933-01-17)January 17, 1933 Bronx, New York, U.S.
Died	August 2, 1998(1998-08-02) (aged 65) Los Angeles, California, U.S.
Cause of death	Viral pneumonia[1]
Occupation	Ventriloquist, puppeteer, author, children's television show host
Years active	1952–1998
Spouse	Stan Lewis Jeremy Tarcher
Children	Mallory Lewis

Shari Lewis (January 17, 1933 – August 2, 1998) was an American ventriloquist, puppeteer, and children's television show host, most popular during the 1960s and 1990s. She was best known as the original puppeteer of Lamb Chop, first appearing on Hi Mom, a local morning show that aired on WRCA-TV (now WNBC-TV) in New York City.

Early life[link]

Lewis was born as Sonia Phyllis Hurwitz^[2] to Abraham Hurwitz, an education professor at Yeshiva University, and Ann Ritz. She had one sister. Her parents encouraged her to perform, and by age 13 her father taught her to perform specialized magic acts. He had been named New York City's "official magician" by Mayor Fiorello H. LaGuardia during the Great Depression.^[3] She also received instruction in acrobatics, juggling, ice skating, baton twirling, piano and violin.^[4] She was taught ventriloquism by John W. Cooper. Lewis continued piano and violin at New York's High School of Music and Art, dance at the American School of Ballet, and acting with Sanford Meisner of the Neighborhood Playhouse. She attended Barnard College for one year, then left college to go into show business.

Career[link]

In 1952, Lewis and her puppetry won first prize on the CBS television series Arthur Godfrey's Talent Scouts. Lewis then hosted several New York children's series over the balance of the decade. On July 5, 1953, Lewis made her television hosting debut on Facts N'Fun on NBC-owned WRCA-TV. The program was a variety show where she engaged her viewers and studio audiences in games, songs, stories, craftmaking, informational segments and interviews with guest performers and personalities. She also performed comedy skits with two vent figures, Samson and Taffy Twinkle. The series remained on the air until September 26, 1953.

She moved to WPIX in 1953 to replace Ted Steele as host of Kartoon Klub, which featured a variety format with a live studio audience. Lewis performed with Randy Rocket and Taffy Twinkle, and the program also featured reruns of Crusader Rabbit cartoons. Kartoon Klub later changed its title to Shari & Her Friends on September 23, 1956, and then to Shariland a month later. Lewis won New York-area Emmy Awards for her work on Shariland and on a succeeding series on WRCA-TV, Hi Mom (1957–1959). Hi Mom marked the first appearances of Lamb Chop, Charlie Horse, Hush Puppy, and Wing Ding in a regular series. Lamb Chop was previously introduced during a guest appearance by Lewis on Captain Kangaroo in March 1956.^{[citation needed]}

NBC gave Lewis her first network program -- The Shari Lewis Show, which made its debut on October 1, 1960, replacing The Howdy Doody Show. The show ran until September 28, 1963, and featured such characters as Hush Puppy, Charlie Horse, Lamb Chop, and Wing Ding, a black crow. Lamb Chop, who was little more than a sock with eyes, served as a sassy alter-ego for Lewis. Hush Puppy had a Southern accent and a reserved shy personality, while Charlie Horse was a slow-witted goofy character. Guest TV and movie personalities and even occasional stars often appeared on her show, as they did later on Jim Henson's Muppets series.

Capturing kids' imaginations in the early 1960s, consumer versions of Lewis's initial three puppets sold briskly. Subsequent television programs re-introduced these characters (minus the black crow, whose characterization became more problematic after the 1960s) to a new generation of children.

In 1968, she and her then-husband, Jeremy Tarcher co-wrote the episode "The Lights of Zetar" for the original series of Star Trek.

In 1992, her new Emmy-winning show Lamb Chop's Play-Along began a five-year run on PBS. Lewis starred in another hit PBS series, The Charlie Horse Music Pizza, which was one of her last projects before her death. The video Lamb Chop's Special Chanukah was released in 1996 and received the Parents' Choice award of the year.

An accomplished musician, she has conducted major symphonies in the United States, Japan and Canada. She wrote many books, and created 17 home videos. http://www.angelawards.com/sharilewis.html

Personal life[link]

"Shari" Hurwitz acquired the name Lewis by a brief marriage. By her second marriage to Jeremy Tarcher in 1958, she had one daughter, Mallory.

When Lewis appeared before Congress in 1993 to testify in favor of protections for children's television, Lamb Chop was granted permission to speak. Lamb Chop's passionate, well-informed and vivid testimony made an indelible impression.

Death[link]

Shari Lewis was diagnosed with uterine cancer in June 1998.^[5] While undergoing treatment at Cedars-Sinai Medical Center on August 2, 1998,^[6] she developed viral pneumonia and died at the age of 65. Her remains were cremated. She was survived by her husband, daughter and sister.

Awards/Honors[link]

Lewis was the recipient of numerous awards during her lifetime, including:

• 12 Emmy Awards
• Peabody Award (1960)
• Monte Carlo Prize for the World's Best Television Variety Show (1963)
• John F. Kennedy Center Award for Excellence and Creativity (1983)
• 7 Parents' Choice Awards
• Action for Children's Television Award
• 1995 American Academy of Children's Entertainment award for Entertainer of the Year
• Dor L'Dor award of the B'nai B'rith (1996)
• 3 Houston Film Festival awards
• Silver Circle Award of the National Academy of Television Arts and Sciences (1996)
• Film Advisory Board Award of Excellence (1996)
• 2 Charleston Film Festival Gold Awards (1995)
• Houston World Festival silver and bronze awards (1995)
• New York Film and Video Festival Silver Award (1995)
• In 1998, she was posthumously awarded the Women in Film Lucy Award in recognition of her excellence and innovation in her creative works that have enhanced the perception of women through the medium of television.^[7]

In addition to writing over 60 books for children, she and her second husband wrote an episode for the third and final season of the original Star Trek series entitled "The Lights of Zetar". This was produced in 1968. Lewis had hoped to play the part of "Lt. Mira Romaine," but the role was given to actress Jan Shutan.

Family[link]

Her first husband was Stan Lewis. Her second husband, who survived her, was publisher Jeremy Tarcher, a brother of the novelist Judith Krantz.

Lewis's daughter, Mallory Tarcher, wrote for the shows Lamb Chop's Play-Along and The Charlie Horse Music Pizza. She legally changed her name to Mallory Lewis, and in 2000, she resumed her mother's work with the Lamb Chop character.

Television shows[link]

• Shariland–1956–1958
• The Shari Lewis Show—1960
• The Shari Lewis Show (BBC)—1975
• The Shari Show (syndicated)—1975–1976
• Lamb Chop's Play-Along—1992–1997
• Charlie Horse Music Pizza—1998

Specials[link]

• Lamb Chop's Sing-Along, Play-Along—1988
• Don't Wake Your Mom!—1989
• Lamb Chop in the Land of No Manners—1989
• Lamb Chop in the Land of No Numbers—1993
• Lamb Chop and the Haunted Studio—1994
• Lamb Chop's Special Chanukah—1995
• Shari's Passover Surprise—1996

Episodic TV appearances[link]

• Lewis was included on the long list of entertainers who appeared on ABC's The Pat Boone Chevy Showroom, a variety series, which aired from 1957–1960.

• Lewis appeared on April 14, 1960, and again on January 12, 1961, on NBC's The Ford Show, Starring Tennessee Ernie Ford.^[8]

• In "The Off-Broadway Affair", a 1966 episode of The Man From U.N.C.L.E., Lewis guest starred as a perky, somewhat ditzy understudy.

• Lewis (and Lamb Chop) guest-starred on Episode 2.20, "Lamb Chop's on the Menu", of the sitcom The Nanny, which premiered on February 13, 1995.

• Lewis guest-starred on Episode 1.20, "How High is Up", of the sitcom Car 54, Where Are You?,which premiered on February 4, 1962.

Discography[link]

• Fun in Shariland originally released in 1958 on RCA Victor records, and re-released on RCA Camden Record in 1960
• Hi Kids! on Shout! Factory CD, originally released in 1959 on Golden Records

Cultural references[link]

• In the episode "Dummy for Love" on Season 2 of the sitcom Sabrina the Teenage Witch, Salem the cat has digitally inserted images of himself with various celebrities such as Mother Teresa to give to Zelda so she will put in a good word for him at the Witches Council, hoping for leniency. Later, Zelda finds a hidden photo of him and Shari Lewis, and Salem nervously mumbles, "That's from my personal collection." And at the end of the episode Salem tries to pay Cupid in anchovies to make Shari fall in love with him. Cupid declines stating that its against his principles and because Salem is a cat and she is Shari Lewis.

• In the episode "Summer Sucks" on Season 2 of "South Park", Mr. Garrison, angered over the theft of his hand-puppet Mr. Hat, turns on his television to a caricature of Shari with Lamb Chop. He then envisions himself entering the set and approaching them with an axe. Mr. Garrison severs Shari's hand holding Lamb Chop, and tosses the puppet onto a burning grill. Shari cries out, as does Lamb Chop, while Mr. Garrison is seen back in his chair with a very wide smile on his face.

• In the Animaniacs episode "Papers For Papa" Ernest Hemingway watches Shari and Lampchop perform on TV and one of Lampchop's button eyes falls off.

References[link]

External links[link]

• Shari Lewis at Find a Grave
• Shari Lewis at the Internet Movie Database
• Shari Lewis at Memory Alpha (a Star Trek wiki)
• "Kitten Kaboodle's biography of Shari Lewis"