Jimmy Durante
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Born Name:
James Francis Durante
Born Date: February 10, 1893
Born Place: New York City
Died Date: January 29, 1980
Died Place: Santa Monica, California
Occupations: Comedian, actor, singer, pianist
Brief Biography: Jimmy Durante whose career spanned five decades across vaudeville, radio, film, and television. Known as "The Great Schnozzola" for his prominent nose, he became one of the most familiar faces in entertainment with his distinctive gravelly voice, butchered English, and warm, "everyman" personality.
Early Life and Career:
Born in New York City's Lower East Side to Italian immigrant parents, he dropped out of school in seventh grade to become a ragtime pianist.
"Ragtime Jimmy": He began his career playing in Coney Island bars and piano bars throughout Manhattan.
Clayton, Jackson, and Durante: In the 1920s, he formed a legendary vaudeville trio that eventually opened the Club Durant in 1923, catapulting him to stardom.
Rise to National Fame:
Durante's transition into mainstream media made him a household name through several key platforms:
Signature Songs: He recorded his theme song, "Inka Dinka Doo," in 1934, which remained synonymous with his act for the rest of his life.
Radio: He became a top radio star in the 1940s, notably on The Jimmy Durante Show and as part of a popular duo with Garry Moore.
Film: His movie career included roles in The Man Who Came to Dinner (1942), Ziegfeld Follies (1945), and the ensemble comedy It's a Mad, Mad, Mad, Mad World (1963).
Television: He hosted various variety shows, including The Colgate Comedy Hour and The Jimmy Durante Show, earning a Peabody Award and an Emmy.
Key Trademarks and Legacy:
Catchphrases: He was famous for exclamations like "Ha-cha-cha-cha!" and "Everybody wants ta get into th' act!".
Mrs. Calabash: He famously ended his shows with the mysterious sign-off, "Goodnight, Mrs. Calabash, wherever you are," which was later revealed to be a tribute to his late first wife, Jeanne.
Frosty the Snowman: To modern audiences, he is widely recognized as the narrator and singer of the 1969 animated holiday classic Frosty the Snowman.
Born Date: February 10, 1893
Born Place: New York City
Died Date: January 29, 1980
Died Place: Santa Monica, California
Occupations: Comedian, actor, singer, pianist
Brief Biography: Jimmy Durante whose career spanned five decades across vaudeville, radio, film, and television. Known as "The Great Schnozzola" for his prominent nose, he became one of the most familiar faces in entertainment with his distinctive gravelly voice, butchered English, and warm, "everyman" personality.
Early Life and Career:
Born in New York City's Lower East Side to Italian immigrant parents, he dropped out of school in seventh grade to become a ragtime pianist.
"Ragtime Jimmy": He began his career playing in Coney Island bars and piano bars throughout Manhattan.
Clayton, Jackson, and Durante: In the 1920s, he formed a legendary vaudeville trio that eventually opened the Club Durant in 1923, catapulting him to stardom.
Rise to National Fame:
Durante's transition into mainstream media made him a household name through several key platforms:
Signature Songs: He recorded his theme song, "Inka Dinka Doo," in 1934, which remained synonymous with his act for the rest of his life.
Radio: He became a top radio star in the 1940s, notably on The Jimmy Durante Show and as part of a popular duo with Garry Moore.
Film: His movie career included roles in The Man Who Came to Dinner (1942), Ziegfeld Follies (1945), and the ensemble comedy It's a Mad, Mad, Mad, Mad World (1963).
Television: He hosted various variety shows, including The Colgate Comedy Hour and The Jimmy Durante Show, earning a Peabody Award and an Emmy.
Key Trademarks and Legacy:
Catchphrases: He was famous for exclamations like "Ha-cha-cha-cha!" and "Everybody wants ta get into th' act!".
Mrs. Calabash: He famously ended his shows with the mysterious sign-off, "Goodnight, Mrs. Calabash, wherever you are," which was later revealed to be a tribute to his late first wife, Jeanne.
Frosty the Snowman: To modern audiences, he is widely recognized as the narrator and singer of the 1969 animated holiday classic Frosty the Snowman.