Coordinates	9°1′48″N38°44′24″N
bgcolour	yellow
name	Barbara Jo Allen
birth date	September 02, 1906
birth place	New York City, New York, U.S.
death date	September 14, 1974
death place	Santa Barbara, California, U.S.
othername	Vera Vague
yearsactive	1937–1963
occupation	Actress
spouse	Barton Yarborough(?-1931)Charles H. Crosby(1931-1932)Norman Morrell(1943-1974)
notable role	}}

Barbara Jo Allen (September 2, 1906 – September 14, 1974) was an actress also known as Vera Vague, the spinster character she created and portrayed on radio and in films during the 1940s and 1950s. She based the character on a woman she had seen delivering a PTA literature lecture in a confused manner. As Vague, she popularized the catch phrase "You dear boy!"

Allen's acting ability first surfaced in school plays. Following her high school graduation, she went to Paris to study at the Sorbonne. Concentrating on language, she became proficient in French, Spanish, German and Italian. After the death of her parents, she moved to Los Angeles where she lived with her uncle.

Radio, film and television

In 1937, she debuted on network radio drama as Beth Holly on NBC's ''One Man's Family'', followed by roles on ''Death Valley Days'', ''I Love a Mystery'' and other radio series. According to Allen, her Vera Vague character was “sort of a frustrated female, dumb, always ambitious and overzealous… a spouting Bureau of Misinformation.” After Vera was introduced in 1939 on ''NBC Matinee'', she became a regular with Bob Hope beginning in 1941.

Allen appeared in at least 60 movies and TV series between 1938 and 1963, often credited as Vera Vague rather than her own name. The character she created was so popular that she eventually adopted the character name as her professional name. From 1943 to 1952, as Vera, she made more than a dozen comedy two-reel short subjects for Columbia Pictures.

In 1948, she did less acting and instead opened her own commercial orchid business, while also serving as the Honorary Mayor of Woodland Hills, California. In 1953, as Vera, she hosted her own television series, ''Follow the Leader'', a CBS audience participation show. In 1958, she appeared as Mabel, the boss of the flight attendants, in Jeannie Carson's syndicated version of her situation comedy ''Hey, Jeannie!'' The program aired only six episodes in syndication.

Animation

She also did voices for animation, notably as the fairy Fauna in ''Sleeping Beauty'' (1959) and the Scullery Maid in ''The Sword in the Stone'' (1963).

Allen's first marriage was to actor Barton Yarborough. They had one child together. In 1946, the couple co-starred in the two-reel comedy short, ''Hiss and Yell'', nominated for an Academy Award as Best Short Subject. In 1931-32, Allen married Charles H. Crosby. In 1943, she married Bob Hope's producer, Norman Morrell. They had one child and were married for three decades, until her 1974 death in Santa Barbara, California.

Filmography

Features:

''The Women'' (1939)

''Village Barn Dance'' (1940)

''Broadway Melody of 1940'' (1940)

''Sing, Dance, Plenty Hot'' (1940)

''Melody and Moonlight'' (1940)

''Melody Ranch'' (1940)

''The Mad Doctor'' (1941)

''Kiss the Boys Goodbye'' (1941)

''Ice Capades'' (1941)

''Buy Me That Town'' (1941)

''Design for Scandal'' (1941)

''Larceny, Inc.'' (1942)

''Priorities on Parade'' (1942)

''Hi, Neighbor'' (1942)

''Mrs. Wiggs of the Cabbage Patch'' (1942)

''Ice Capades Revue'' (1942)

''Swing Your Partner'' (1943)

''Get Going'' (1943)

''Cowboy Canteen'' (1944)

''Moon Over Las Vegas'' (1944)

''Rosie the Riveter'' (1944)

''Henry Aldrich Plays Cupid'' (1944)

''Girl Rush'' (1944)

''Lake Placid Serenade'' (1944)

''Snafu'' (1945)

''Earl Carroll Sketchbook'' (1946)

''Square Dance Katy'' (1950)

''Mohawk'' (1956)

''The Opposite Sex'' (1956)

''Sleeping Beauty'' (1959) (voice)

''Born to Be Loved'' (1959)

''Goliath II'' (1960)

''The Sword in the Stone'' (1963) (voice)

Short Subjects:

''Major Difficulties'' (1938)

''Moving Vanities'' (1939)

''Ring Madness'' (1939)

''Kennedy the Great'' (1939)

''Meet the Stars #1: Chinese Garden Festival'' (1940)

''You Dear Boy'' (1943)

''Screen Snapshots Series 24, No. 3'' (1944)

''Doctor, Feel My Pulse'' (1944)

''Strife of the Party'' (1944)

''She Snoops to Conquer'' (1944)

''The Jury Goes Round 'n' Round'' (1945)

''Screen Snapshots: Radio Shows'' (1945)

''Calling All Fibbers'' (1945)

''Hiss and Yell'' (1946)

''Headin' for a Weddin''' (1946)

''Reno-Vated'' (1946)

''Cupid Goes Nuts'' (1947)

''Screen Snapshots: Off the Air'' (1947)

''Sitka Sue'' (1948)

''Screen Snapshots: Smiles and Styles'' (1948)

''A Lass in Alaska'' (1948)

''A Miss in a Mess'' (1949)

''Clunked in the Clink'' (1949)

''Wha' Happen?'' (1949)

''Nursie Behave'' (1950)

''She Took a Powder'' (1951)

''Happy Go Wacky'' (1952)

''Screen Snapshots: Hollywood Life'' (1954)

''Goliath II'' (1960)

References

External links

Category:1906 births Category:1974 deaths Category:University of Paris alumni Category:American film actors Category:American radio actors Category:American radio personalities

fr:Barbara Jo Allen it:Barbara Jo Allen

Rosie the Riveter is a cultural icon of the United States, representing the American women who worked in factories during World War II, many of whom worked in the manufacturing plants that produced munitions and war supplies. These women sometimes took entirely new jobs replacing the male workers who were in the military. Rosie the Riveter is commonly used as symbol of feminism and women's economic power.

History

The term "Rosie the Riveter" was first used in 1942 in a song of the same name written by Redd Evans and John Jacob Loeb. The song was recorded by numerous artists, including the popular big band leader Kay Kyser, and became a national hit. The song portrays "Rosie" as a tireless assembly line worker, doing her part to help the American war effort.

All the day long, Whether rain or shine She’s part of the assembly line. She’s making history, Working for victoryRosie the Riveter

Although real-life Rosie the Riveters took on male dominated trades during World War II, women were expected to return to their everyday housework once men returned from the war. Government campaigns targeting women were addressed solely at housewives, perhaps because already employed women would move to the higher-paid "essential" jobs on their own. Propaganda was also directed at their husbands, many of whom were unwilling to support such jobs. Most women opted to do this. Later many women returned to traditional work such as clerical or administration positions. However, some of these women continued working in the factories.

The individual who was the inspiration for the song was Rosalind P. Walter, who "came from old money and worked on the night shift building the F4U Corsair fighter." Later in life Walter was a philanthropist, a board member of the WNET public television station in New York and an early and long-time supporter of the Charlie Rose interview show.

Rosie the Riveter became most closely associated with another real woman, Rose Will Monroe, who was born in Pulaski County, Kentucky in 1920 and moved to Michigan during World War II. She worked as a riveter at the Willow Run Aircraft Factory in Ypsilanti, Michigan, building B-29 and B-24 bombers for the U.S. Army Air Forces. Monroe achieved her dream of piloting a plane when she was in her 50's and her love of flying resulted in an accident that contributed to her death 19 years later. Monroe was asked to star in a promotional film about the war effort at home. The song "Rosie the Riveter" was popular at the time, and Monroe happened to best fit the description of the worker depicted in the song. Rosie went on to become perhaps the most widely recognized icon of that era. The films and posters she appeared in were used to encourage women to go to work in support of the war effort.

According to the ''Encyclopedia of American Economic History'', "Rosie the Riveter" inspired a social movement that increased the number of working American women to 20 million by 1944, a 57% increase from 1940. Although the image of "Rosie the Riveter" reflected the industrial work of welders and riveters during World War II, the majority of working women filled non-factory positions in every sector of the economy. What unified the experiences of these women was that they proved to themselves (and the country) that they could do a "man's job" and could do it well. In 1942, just between the months of January and July, the estimates of the proportion of jobs that would be "acceptable" for women was raised by employers from 29 to 85%. African American women were some of those most affected by the need for women workers. It has been said that it was the process of whites working along blacks during the time that encouraged a breaking down of social barriers and a healthy recognition of diversity. African-Americans were able to lay the groundwork for the postwar civil rights revolution by equating segregation with Nazi white supremacist ideology.

Conditions were sometimes harsh and pay was not always equal—the average man working in a wartime plant was paid $54.65 per week, while women were paid about $31.50. Nonetheless, women quickly responded to Rosie the Riveter, who convinced them that they had a patriotic duty to enter the workforce. Some claim that she forever opened the work force for women, but others dispute that point, noting that many women were discharged after the war and their jobs were given to returning servicemen. These critics claim that when peace returned, few women returned to their wartime positions and instead resumed domestic vocations or transferred into sex-typed occupations such as clerical and service work. For some, World War II represented a major turning point for women as they eagerly supported the war effort, while other historians emphasize that the changes were temporary and that immediately after the war was over, women were expected to return to traditional roles of wives and mothers, and finally, a third group has emphasized how the long-range significance of the changes brought about by the war provided the foundation for the contemporary woman’s movement. Leila J. Rupp in her study of World War II wrote "For the first time, the working woman dominated the public image. Women were riveting housewives in slacks, not mother, domestic beings, or civilizers."

After the war, the "Rosies" and the generations that followed them knew that working in the factories was in fact a possibility for women, even though they did not reenter the job market in such large proportions again until the 1970s. By that time factory employment was in decline all over the country.

On October 14, 2000, the Rosie the Riveter/World War II Home Front National Historical Park was opened in Richmond, California, site of four Kaiser shipyards, where thousands of "Rosies" from around the country worked (although ships at the Kaiser yards were not riveted, but rather welded). Over 200 former Rosies attended the ceremony.

The documentary film ''The Life and Times of Rosie the Riveter'' addresses the history of Rosie.

The image most iconically associated with Rosie is J. Howard Miller's famous poster for Westinghouse, titled "We Can Do It!", which was modeled on the middle Michigan factory worker Geraldine Doyle in 1942, but this image was not actually intended to be Rosie the Riveter. Rosie the Riveter is a fictional character.

Images

Westinghouse poster

In 1942, Pittsburgh artist J. Howard Miller was hired by the Westinghouse Company’s War Production Coordinating Committee to create a series of posters for the war effort. One of these posters became the famous “We Can Do It!” image—an image that in later years would also become “Rosie the Riveter”, though this was not intended at its creation. Miller based his “We Can Do It!” poster on a United Press photograph taken of Lansing, Michigan, factory worker Geraldine Doyle. Its intent was to help recruit women to join the work force. At the time of the poster’s release the name “Rosie” was not associated with the image. The poster—one of many in Miller’s Westinghouse series—was not initially seen much beyond one Midwest Westinghouse factory where it was displayed for two weeks in February 1943. It was only later, in the early 1980s, that the Miller poster was rediscovered and became famous as "Rosie The Riveter". Doyle died on December 26, 2010 at the age of 86. She was remembered on NPR: "We bid farewell to an unwitting feminist hero thought to be the model for an iconic poster from World War Two."

''Saturday Evening Post''

Norman Rockwell's image of "Rosie the Riveter" received mass distribution on the cover of the ''Saturday Evening Post'' in 1943. Rockwell's illustration features a brawny woman named 'Rosie' taking her lunch break with a rivet gun on her lap and beneath her boot a copy of Hitler's manifesto, ''Mein Kampf''. Less known to the general public is that the Sistine Ceiling image of Isaiah the prophet is the root of Rockwell's Rosie. Rockwell's model, Shirley Karp Dick, the original Rosie, was paid $6 to model. Two of her most famous photos were of Rosie treading on a book written by Adolf Hitler and of her in a U.S. fighter plane with another woman fueling the plane. During her tenure as Rosie, Shirley Karp Dick was part of the movement that motivated over 11 million women to take over male dominated trades during World War II. She died on January 15, 2009 at the age of 85.

Homages

According to Penny Colman's ''Rosie the Riveter'', there was also, very briefly, a "Wendy the Welder" based on Janet Doyle, a worker at the Kaiser Richmond Liberty Shipyards in California.

In the 1960s, Hollywood actress Jane Withers gained fame as "Josephine the Plumber", a character in a long-running and popular series of television commercials for "Comet" cleansing powder that lasted into the 1970s. This character was based on the original "Rosie" character and thus owes much to exemplary women's efforts in the traditional male workplace.

More recent cultural references include a character called "Rosie" in the video game ''BioShock'', armed with a rivet gun. There is a DC Comics character called Rosie The Riveter, who wields a rivet gun as a weapon (and first appeared in ''Green Lantern'' vol. 2 #176 (May 1984)). In the video game ''Fallout 3'' there are billboards featuring "Rosies" assembling Atomic Bombs while drinking Nuka-Cola. A Rosie the Riveter action figurine is made by Accoutrements, although loosely based on Miller's anonymous poster. In the final bars at 3:06 of the ''video'' track clock, in "Candyman", by Christina Aguilera, which emulates the famous Andrews Sisters vocal harmonies of the WW-II era—while wearing a red bandanna and shot with the era's vintage Technicolor color processing scheme, Christina gives the famous "Rosie" pose, with fist-up, and right hand on biceps. Beyonce Knowles also uses the idea in her 2010 "Why Don't You Love Me?" video. In June 2009 the Crystal Bridges museum in Bentonville has acquired Norman Rockwell's iconic Rosie the Riveter painting for its permanent collection from a private collector. Country music singer Emma Jacob, on her album ''Strong Like Me'', accurately recreates the Rosie the Riveter image for the album's cover.

American singer Pink does a homage to the image of Rosie in her 2010 "Raise Your Glass" music video for her ''Greatest Hits'' album.

The April 2011 issue of ''Wired'' features a cover photograph of Limor Fried in the classic Rosie pose.

See also

United States home front during World War II

Women's roles in the World Wars

Women's Land Army—British farm workers ("land girls")

Woman's Land Army of America ("farmettes")

Australian Women's Land Army

Canary girl—British women working in munitions

Ronnie the Bren Gun Girl—the Canadian equivalent

Women in the workforce

Greatest Generation

References

Sources

Further reading

William L. Bird, Jr. and Harry R. Rubenstein. ''Design for Victory: World War II Posters on the American Home Front.'' New York: Princeton Architectural Press, 1998.

External links

Library of Congress Webcast

Rosie the Riveter World War II / Home Front National Historical Park

Rosie the Riveter at History Channel's website.

Regional Oral History Office / Rosie the Riveter / WWII American Homefront Project

American Rosie the Riveter Association

A Real-Life "Rosie the Riveter"

Another Real-Life "Rosie" from the Library of Congress' image set

"Rosie the Riveter" image is not the same as "We Can Do It!"

"Rosie the Riveter - We Can Do It! - Woven Image"

http://hypeshow.nasanu.com/index.php/result/index/keywords/The Life and Times of Rosie the Riveter movie

Christina Aguilera in a "Rosie the Riveter" pose in the Candyman music video - see 3:06 on video track clock - playing at Youtube

Freeze-frame image of Christina Aguilera in a "Rosie the Riveter" pose from the Candyman music video

Oral history interview with Audrey Lyons, a "real life" Rosie, who worked in the Brooklyn shipyard during WWII from the Veterans History Project at Central Connecticut State University

Oral history interview with Mary Doyle Keefe, who modeled for Norman Rockwell's "Rosie the Riveter" painting from the Veterans History Project at Central Connecticut State University

Category:History of women in the United States Category:Women in World War II Category:American people of World War II Category:Cultural history of World War II Category:United States home front during World War II Category:Propaganda posters

bg:Rosie the Riveter br:Rosie the Riveter es:Rosie the Riveter eo:Rosie la nitistino fr:Rosie the Riveter he:רוזי המסמררת it:Rosie the Riveter no:Rosie the Riveter pl:Rózia Nitowaczka pt:Rosie the Riveter ru:Клепальщица Рози fi:Rosie the Riveter sv:Rosie the Riveter zh:女子鉚釘工

Coordinates	9°1′48″N38°44′24″N
name	Jane Frazee
birthname	Mary Jane Frehse
birth date	July 18, 1918
birth place	Duluth, Minnesota
death date	September 06, 1985
death place	Newport Beach California
spouse	Glenn Tryon (1942-1947; 1 son)}}

Mary Jane Frehse (July 18, 1918 – September 6, 1985), known as Jane Frazee, was an American actress, singer, and dancer.

Professional life

At the age of 6, Jane and her older sister Ruth (1909–2001) formed a singing vaudeville act known as The Frazee Sisters. The act broke up in 1940, when Jane landed a leading role in the B film ''Melody and Moonlight'' (1940), the first of four "Moonlight.." musicals the young actress made for Universal Pictures. Under contract to the studio, she appeared in numerous musical films, including, most notably, Buck Privates, the high-grossing 1941 comedy/World War II film starring Bud Abbott and Lou Costello. Jane also frequently performed in Westerns, both in movies and on television, working with genre stars like Roy Rogers, Charles Starrett, Guinn Williams, Clayton Moore, Jock Mahoney, and Gene Autry. The actress ended her Hollywood career after appearing as "Alice McDoakes" in several Joe McDoakes one reel short subjects between 1954 and 1956. After retiring from acting, Jane started a real estate business.

Personal life

In 1942, Frazee married silent film actor and director Glenn Tryon. The marriage lasted five years and produced one son, Timothy. Jane Frazee died in 1985, after complications of a stroke.

Filmography

Billed with sister Ruth as The Frazee Sisters

''Captain Blue Blood'' (1935)

''Study and Understudy'' (1936)

''Up in Lights'' (1938)

''Rollin' in Rhythm'' (1939)

''Pharmacy Frolics'' (1939)

''Arcade Varieties'' (1939)

''Swing Styles'' (1939)

Motion Pictures

''Melody and Moonlight'' (1940)

''Music in the Morgan Manner'' (1941) (as Herself)

''Buck Privates'' (1941)

''Angels with Broken Wings'' (1941)

''San Antonio Rose'' (1941)

''Sing Another Chorus'' (1941)

''Moonlight in Hawaii'' (1941)

''Hellzapoppin''' (1941)

''Don't Get Personal'' (1942)

''What's Cookin'?'' (1942)

''Almost Married'' (1942)

''Moonlight Masquerade'' (1942)

''Get Hep to Love'' (1942)

''Moonlight in Havana'' (1942)

''When Johnny Comes Marching Home'' (1942)

''Hi'ya, Chum'' (1943)

''Keep 'Em Slugging'' (1943) (uncredited cameo)

''Rhythm of the Islands'' (1943)

''Beautiful But Broke'' (1944)

''Cowboy Canteen'' (1944)

''Rosie the Riveter'' (1944)

''Swing in the Saddle'' (1944)

''Kansas City Kitty'' (1944)

''She's a Sweetheart'' (1944)

''Practically Yours'' (1944)

''The Big Bonanza'' (1944)

''Ten Cents a Dance'' (1945)

''Swingin' on a Rainbow'' (1945)

''George White's Scandals'' (1945)

''A Guy Could Change'' (1946)

''Calendar Girl'' (1947)

''Springtime in the Sierras'' (1947)

''On the Old Spanish Trail'' (1947)

''The Gay Ranchero'' (1948)

''Under California Stars'' (1948)

''Incident'' (1948)

''Grand Canyon Trail'' (1948)

''Last of the Wild Horses'' (1948)

''Rhythm Inn'' (1951)

Joe McDoakes Short Films

''So You Want to Be Your Own Boss'' (March 1954) [as Alice McDoakes]

''So You Want to Go to a Nightclub'' (May 1954) [as Alice McDoakes]

''So You're Taking in a Roomer'' (October 1954) [as Alice McDoakes]

''So You Don't Trust Your Wife'' (January 1955) [as Alice McDoakes]

''So You Want to Be a Gladiator'' (March 1955) [as Alice McDoakes]

''So You Want to Build a Model Railroad'' (August 1955) [as Alice McDoakes]

''So You Think the Grass is Greener'' (January 1956) [as Alice McDoakes]

''So You Want to Play the Piano'' (May 1956) [as Alice McDoakes]

References

External links

Category:1918 births Category:1985 deaths Category:Actors from Minnesota Category:American film actors Category:American stage actors Category:American dancers Category:American singers Category:Deaths from stroke Category:People from Duluth, Minnesota

es:Jane Frazee

Coordinates	9°1′48″N38°44′24″N
name	Frank Albertson
birth date	February 02, 1909
birth place	Fergus Falls, Minnesota, U.S.
death date	February 29, 1964
death place	Santa Monica, California, U.S.
occupation	Actor
years active	1923–1964
spouse	Virginia Shelley (1931-1943) 2 children Grace Gillern (1943-1964; his death) 4 children }}

Frank Albertson (February 2, 1909 – February 29, 1964) was an American character actor who made his debut in a minor part in Hollywood at age 13.

Francis Healy Albertson was a native of Fergus Falls, Minnesota, the first child of Frank B. and Mary Healy Albertson. He spent his childhood first in Frazee, Minnesota and then in Puyallup, Washington. As a young man in Los Angeles, he got work as a photography laboratory assistant, which resulted in contacts leading to his acting career.

Albertson made well over one hundred appearances (1923–1964) in movies and television. He is probably best remembered for his role as Sam Wainwright, the businessman fond of saying "Hee-Haw" in the movie ''It's a Wonderful Life'' (1946). He played the wealthy rancher, Tom Cassidy, at the start of ''Psycho'' (1960), who provides the cash that Janet Leigh's character later steals. Albertson portrayed future U.S. President Theodore Roosevelt in the 1956 episode "Rough Rider" of CBS's ''My Friend Flicka'' television series.

He served in the U.S. Army Air Forces' First Motion Picture Unit making training films during World War II.

Albertson died in his sleep at his home in Santa Monica, California. He was survived by his wife Grace and four children.

For contributions to the motion picture industry, Frank Albertson was honored with a star on the Hollywood Walk of Fame at 6758 Hollywood Boulevard.

Partial filmography

''The Covered Wagon'' (1923) (uncredited)

''Words and Music'' (1929)

''Salute'' (1929)

''Men Without Women'' (1930)

''Son of the Gods'' (1930)

''Born Reckless'' (1930)

''Just Imagine'' (1930)

''So This Is London'' (1930)

''A Connecticut Yankee'' (1931)

''The Brat'' (1931)

''Way Back Home'' (1931)

''Airmail'' (1932)

''The Lost Special'' (1932 serial)

''The Cohens and Kellys in Trouble'' (1933)

''Ever in My Heart'' (1933)

''Enter Madame'' (1935)

''Alice Adams'' (1935)

''Waterfront Lady'' (1935)

''Ah, Wilderness!'' (1935)

''Kind Lady'' (1935)

''Fury'' (1936)

''The Plainsman'' (1936)

''Hold His For 1 Hour Kiss'' (1938)

''Mother Carey's Chickens'' (1938)

''Room Service'' (1938)

''The Shining Hour'' (1938)

''Bachelor Mother'' (1939)

''Behind the News'' (1940)

''When the Daltons Rode'' (1940)

''Man Made Monster'' (1941)

''Father Steps Out'' (1941)

''Louisiana Purchase'' (1941)

''Junior G-Men of the Air'' (1942 serial)

''Wake Island'' (1942)

''Rosie the Riveter'' (1944)

''And the Angels Sing'' (1944)

''Flight Characteristics of the P-51 Airplane'' (1944)

''They Made Me a Killer'' (1946)

''It's a Wonderful Life'' (1946)

''The Hucksters'' (1947)

''Killer Dill'' (1947)

''Nightfall'' (1957)

''The Enemy Below'' (1957)

''The Last Hurrah'' (1958)

''Psycho'' (1960)

''Bye Bye Birdie'' (1963)

References

External links

Category:1909 births Category:1964 deaths Category:People from Fergus Falls, Minnesota Category:American film actors Category:Actors from Minnesota Category:Deaths from myocardial infarction Category:Burials at Holy Cross Cemetery, Culver City Category:American child actors

fr:Frank Albertson pl:Frank Albertson

Coordinates	9°1′48″N38°44′24″N
name	Ed Wynn
birth name	Isaiah Edwin Leopold
birth date	November 09, 1886
birth place	Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, U.S.
death date	June 19, 1966
death place	Beverly Hills, California, U.S.
occupation	Actor/Comedian
years active	1903–66
restingplace	Forest Lawn Memorial Park (Glendale) California
spouse	Hilda Keenan (1914-37) (divorced) 1 child Frieda Mierse (1937-39) (divorced) Dorothy Elizabeth Nesbitt (1946-55) (divorced)
children	Keenan Wynn }}

Ed Wynn (November 9, 1886 – June 19, 1966) was a popular American comedian and actor noted for his ''Perfect Fool'' comedy character, his pioneering radio show of the 1930s, and his later career as a dramatic actor.

Wynn began his career in vaudeville in 1903 and was a star of the Ziegfeld Follies starting in 1914. During ''The Follies of 1915'', W. C. Fields allegedly caught Wynn mugging for the audience under the table during his "Pool Room" routine and knocked him unconscious with his cue . Wynn wrote, directed, and produced many Broadway shows in the subsequent decades, and was known for his silly costumes and props as well as for the giggly, wavering voice he developed for the 1921 musical review, ''The Perfect Fool''.

Early life

A Jewish-American who was born Isaiah Edwin Leopold in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania. His father, who manufactured and sold women's hats, was born in Bohemia-Czechoslovakia. His mother, of Romanian and Turkish ancestry, came from Istanbul, Turkey. Wynn attended Central High School (Philadelphia) until age 15. He ran away from home in his teens, worked as a hat salesman and as a utility boy, and eventually adapted his middle name "Edwin" into his new stage name, "Ed Wynn", to save his family the embarrassment of having a low comedian as a relative.

Radio

Although many gag writers later provided material for Wynn's performances in radio, television and movies, he was proud to boast that every line he ever spoke during his early career as a stage performer was written by himself.

He hosted a popular radio show, ''The Fire Chief'' for most of the 1930s, heard in North America on Tuesday nights, sponsored by Texaco gasoline. Like many former vaudeville performers who turned to radio in the same decade, the stage-trained Wynn insisted on playing for a live studio audience, doing each program as an actual stage show, using visual bits to augment his written material, and in his case, wearing a colorful costume with a red fireman's helmet. He usually bounced his gags off announcer/straight man Graham McNamee; Wynn's customary opening, "Tonight, Graham, the show's gonna be different," became one of the most familiar tag-lines of its time. Sample joke: "Graham, my uncle just bought a new second-handed car... he calls it Baby! I don't know, it won't go anyplace without a rattle!"

Wynn reprised his Fire Chief radio character in two movies, ''Follow the Leader'' (1930) and ''The Chief'' (1933). Near the height of his radio fame he founded his own short-lived radio network, the Amalgamated Broadcasting System, which lasted only five weeks in 1933 and nearly destroyed the comedian. According to radio historian Elizabeth McLeod, the failed venture left Wynn deep in debt, divorced, and finally suffering a nervous breakdown.

Wynn was offered the title role in MGM's 1939 screen adaptation of ''The Wizard of Oz'', but turned it down, as did his Ziegfeld contemporary W. C. Fields. The part went to Frank Morgan.

Television

In the 1949-50 season, Ed Wynn hosted one of the first comedy-variety television shows, on CBS, and won an Emmy Award in 1949. Buster Keaton, Lucille Ball, and The Three Stooges all made guest appearances with Wynn. This was the first CBS variety television show to originate in Los Angeles, with programs filmed via kinescope for distribution in the Midwest and East. Wynn was also a rotating host of NBC's ''Four Star Revue'' from 1950 through 1952.

He guest starred in episode 96 of Rawhide "Twenty-Five Santa Clauses".

After the end of Wynn's third television series, ''The Ed Wynn Show'' (a short-lived situation comedy on NBC's 1958-59 schedule), his son, actor Keenan Wynn, encouraged him to make the career change rather than retire. The comedian reluctantly began a career as a dramatic actor in television and movies. Father and son appeared in three productions, the first of which was the 1956 ''Playhouse 90'' broadcast of Rod Serling's play ''Requiem for a Heavyweight''. Ed was terrified of straight acting and kept goofing his lines in rehearsal. When the producers wanted to fire him, star Jack Palance said he would quit if they fired Ed. (However, unbeknownst to Wynn, supporting player Ned Glass was his secret understudy in case something ''did'' happen before air time.) On live broadcast night, Wynn surprised everyone with his pitch-perfect performance, and his quick ad libs to cover his mistakes. A dramatization of what happened during the production was later staged as an April 1960 ''Westinghouse Desilu Playhouse'' episode, "The Man In the Funny Suit", starring both senior and junior Wynns, with key figures involved in the original production also portraying themselves. Ed and his son also worked together in the Jose Ferrer film ''The Great Man'', with Ed again proving his unexpected skills in drama.

''Requiem'' established Wynn as serious dramatic actor who could easily hold his own with the best. His role in ''The Diary of Anne Frank'' (1959) won him an Academy Award nomination for Best Supporting Actor.

Also in 1959, Wynn appeared on Serling's TV series ''The Twilight Zone'' in "One for the Angels". Serling, a longtime admirer, had written that episode especially for him, and Wynn later starred in the episode "Ninety Years Without Slumbering". For the rest of his life, Ed skillfully moved between comic and dramatic roles. He appeared in feature films and anthology television, endearing himself to new generations of fans.

Cartoons

Wynn had been caricatured in 1933 in the ''Merrie Melodies'' cartoon short ''Shuffle Off to Buffalo'', and as a pot of jam in the 1934 Betty Boop short ''Betty in Blunderland''.

Films

He appeared as the Fairy Godfather in Jerry Lewis' ''Cinderfella''. His performance as Paul Beaseley in the 1958 film ''The Great Man'' earned him nominations for a "Best Supporting Actor" Golden Globe Award and a "Best Foreign Actor" BAFTA Award. The following year saw him receive his first (and only) nomination for an Academy Award for Best Supporting Actor for his role as Mr. Dussell in ''The Diary of Anne Frank'' (1959).Six years later he would also appear in the epic motion picture masterpiece ''The Greatest Story Ever Told''.

Work with Disney

Wynn provided the voice of the Mad Hatter in Walt Disney's film, ''Alice in Wonderland'', but many baby boomer children though, remember him most fondly for his brief appearances as The Toymaker alongside Mouseketeer Annette Funicello and Tommy Sands in Walt Disney's ''Babes in Toyland'' released in 1961.

Possibly his best-remembered film appearance, though, was as Uncle Albert in Walt Disney's ''Mary Poppins'' (1964). His segment involved the eccentric man floating around just beneath the ceiling in uncontrollable mirth, singing "I Love to Laugh " and was one of the film's highlights.

Re-teaming with the Disney team the following year, in ''That Darn Cat!'' (1965) featuring Dean Jones, Wynn filled out the character of Mr. Hofstedder, the watch jeweler with his bumbling charm. His final performance, as Rufus in Walt Disney's ''The Gnome-Mobile'' was released a few months after his death.

In addition to Disney films, Wynn was also popular character in the Disneyland production ''The Golden Horseshoe Review.''

Death

Wynn died June 19, 1966 in Beverly Hills, California of throat cancer, aged 79. He was interred at Forest Lawn Memorial Park in Glendale, and his gravestone reads "Dear God, Thanks... Ed Wynn".

Legacy

The distinctive voice which Wynn created for his "Perfect Fool" character has remained much imitated. Hanna-Barbera's Wally Gator's voice, performed by Daws Butler, was an impersonation of the Perfect Fool, as was Paul Frees's Captain Peter Peachfuzz character in ''The Rocky and Bullwinkle Show''. Other notable characters inspired by Wynn include: Doctor Blinky in ''H.R. Pufnstuf'', Mayor McCheese in commercials for "McDonaldland", and Multo in the PBS animated series ''Zula Patrol''.

Quotations

"A comedian says funny things. A comic says things funny."

"Life, liberty, and the pursuit of happiness? Heck, I'll take that and more!"

Broadway and films

''The Deacon and the Lady'' (1910) - musical - actor/performer

''Ziegfeld Follies of 1914'' (1914) - revue - actor/performer

''Ziegfeld Follies of 1915'' (1915) - revue - actor/performer

''The Passing Show of 1916'' (1916) - revue - actor/performer

''Sometime'' (1918) - play - actor

''Ed Wynn's Carnival'' (1920) - revue - composer, lyricist, book-writer and performer/actor

''The All-Star Idlers of 1921'' (1921) - revue - actor/performer

''The Perfect Fool'' (1921) - revue - composer, lyricist, book-writer, director and actor/performer

''The Grab Bag'' (1924) - revue - producer, composer, lyricist, book-writer and actor/performer

''Manhattan Mary'' (1927) - musical - actor in the role of "Crickets"

''Simple Simon'' (1930) - musical - co-book-writer and actor

*Revived in 1931 (was also producer in addition to above roles)

''The Laugh Parade'' (1931) - revue - producer, co-book-writer, director, originator and star actor/performer

''The Chief'' (1933) - actor (as Henry Summers)

''Alice Takat'' (1936) - play - producer

''Hooray for What!'' (1937) - musical - actor in the role of "Chuckles"

''Morose Thoughts (1941) - revue - producer, book co-author, and actor

''Boys and Girls Together'' (1940) - revue - producer, co-book-writer, originator, director and actor/performer

''Laugh, Town, Laugh!'' (1942) - revue - producer, book-writer and director

''Stage Door Canteen'' (1943) - as himself

''Alice in Wonderland'' (1951) - voice actor (as Mad Hatter)

''Marjorie Morningstar'' (1958) - actor (as uncle Samson)

''The Diary of Anne Frank'' (1959) - actor (as Fritz Pfeffer)

''Cinderfella'' (1960) - actor (as the fairy godfather)

''Babes in Toyland'' (1961) - actor (as The Toy Maker)

''The Absent-Minded Professor (1961 film)'' - actor (as Fire Chief)

''Son of Flubber (1963 film)'' - actor (as Dept. of Agriculture agent)

''Mary Poppins'' (1964) - actor (as Uncle Albert)

''That Darn Cat!'' (1965) - actor (as Mr. Hofstedder)

''Those Calloways'' (1965) - actor (as Ed Parker)

''The Daydreamer (film)'' (1966) - voice actor (as The Emperor)

''The Gnome-Mobile'' (1967) - actor (as Rufus) - released after his death

Listen to

Radio Journeys: ''Texaco Fire Chief'' (July 26, 1932)

Those Calloways (1965)

References

External links

Ed Wynn on Great Character Actors site

The Ed Wynn Show at Classic TV Info.

Four Star Revue/All Star Revue at Classic TV Info.

Category:American film actors Category:American humorists Category:American radio actors Category:American radio personalities Category:American television actors Category:American Jews Category:American people of Czech-Jewish descent Category:American people of Romanian-Jewish descent Category:American people of Ottoman-Jewish descent Category:Vaudeville performers Category:RCA Victor artists Category:People from Philadelphia, Pennsylvania Category:Deaths from esophageal cancer Category:Cancer deaths in California Category:1886 births Category:1966 deaths Category:1930s American radio programs Category:Jewish comedians

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