Who Am I? September, 2021

I was born in Yorkville to parents of German-Jewish extraction. In fact, I only spoke German for my first 6 years of life. Dad worked as an upholsterer; but, truth be told, we were dirt poor. My formal education ended when I was ordered to repeat 8th grade. Consequently, I dropped out of school in my young teens to earn a living in a juvenile vaudeville act. I consider myself to be self-educated.

My healthy baritone voice, my rubber face, and my raucous, funny, gestures on stage led to my successful career first on the Columbia Burlesque circuit and later on the Orpheum Time vaudeville circuit. I made appearances in ‘George White’s Musical Hall Varieties’ and in his ‘Scandals’ production as well as in Ziegfeld’s last extravaganza.

I perfected the role of the ‘comic Dutchman’ (that is, German-dialect) and did famous onstage sketches with my wife and partner where she played a sensual Spanish dancer and I played a drunk, poorly dressed cop.

For a time I had my own radio show but soon after I followed my own mantra which was “If you want to be a success in Hollywood, be sure and go to N.Y.” True to my beliefs, I headed to Hollywood and starred in films with the likes of Shirley Temple, Ethyl Merman, and Judy Garland. My usual venue was musical comedy but now and then I took a straight dramatic role. I’m credited with appearing in 18 Broadway plays and once won a Tony award for best actor. Ironically, my real life horoscope ties in nicely with the costumed film role I am best known for.

I have N.J. bona fides because I maintained a residence and vacationed at Lake Hopatcong. There’s a photo of me clowning around with some friends there below. Also, in the 1930’s I appeared in a mock boxing match at a Pompton Lakes training camp with a 3- time world champion boxer who held titles as a world featherweight, world lightweight, and light welterweight.

During WWII I became a member of the ‘Hollywood Victory Caravan’ that toured the country putting on shows in an effort to sell war bonds.

In the early 1950’s I made the cover of Time magazine. I was pretty proud of that. During my best years at MGM I earned $2500.per week for a few week’s work but I made much more money doing commercials on TV. 

The black arrow points to me in the photo below.

(1)Who Am I? (2a)Who was the producer at the Columbia Burlesque circuit that recognized my talent and potential and greatly advanced my budding career? (2b)Who was the boxer I sparred with in Pompton Lakes, NJ? Somewhere on the internet is a clip of our 'bout.' (3a)What play was I in that earned me my ‘Tony’? (3b) What was my favorite expletive? (Not to worry, it is suitable for a family publication!) (4a) Which commercial am I best known for? (4b) What phrase from its advertising copy might still stick in your mind? (5a)What team’s baseball cap was I wearing on my ‘Time’ magazine cover? (5b) Finally, what is the film role and title of the film you all know me by?