Danny Kaye
German postcard by Kunst und Bild, no. A 444. Photo: RKO Radio Film. Publicity still for The Secret Life of Walter Mitty (Norman Z. MacLeod, 1947).
Danny Kaye (1911-1987) was an American actor, singer, dancer, comedian and musician. His performances featured physical comedy, idiosyncratic pantomimes and tongue-twisting songs. He left school at the age of 13 to work in the so-called Borscht Belt of Jewish resorts in the Catskill Mountains. It was there he learned the basics of show biz. In 1939, he made his Broadway debut in Straw Hat Revue, but it was the stage production of the musical Lady in the Dark in 1940 that brought him acclaim and notice from agents. Also in 1940, he married Sylvia Fine, who went on to manage his career. Samuel Goldwyn put him in a series of Technicolor musicals, starting with Up in Arms (1944). Kaye starred in 17 movies, notably Wonder Man (1945), The Kid from Brooklyn (1946), The Secret Life of Walter Mitty (1947), The Inspector General (1949), Hans Christian Andersen (1952), White Christmas (1954) and The Court Jester (1956). His films were popular, especially his performances of patter songs and favorites such as "Inchworm" and "The Ugly Duckling". Later he appeared on TV in The Danny Kaye Show (1963–1967). Kaye was the first ambassador-at-large of UNICEF in 1954 and received the French Legion of Honour in 1986 for his years of work with the organisation.
Sources: Tony Fontana (IMDb), Wikipedia and IMDb.
Danny Kaye
German postcard by Kunst und Bild, no. A 444. Photo: RKO Radio Film. Publicity still for The Secret Life of Walter Mitty (Norman Z. MacLeod, 1947).
Danny Kaye (1911-1987) was an American actor, singer, dancer, comedian and musician. His performances featured physical comedy, idiosyncratic pantomimes and tongue-twisting songs. He left school at the age of 13 to work in the so-called Borscht Belt of Jewish resorts in the Catskill Mountains. It was there he learned the basics of show biz. In 1939, he made his Broadway debut in Straw Hat Revue, but it was the stage production of the musical Lady in the Dark in 1940 that brought him acclaim and notice from agents. Also in 1940, he married Sylvia Fine, who went on to manage his career. Samuel Goldwyn put him in a series of Technicolor musicals, starting with Up in Arms (1944). Kaye starred in 17 movies, notably Wonder Man (1945), The Kid from Brooklyn (1946), The Secret Life of Walter Mitty (1947), The Inspector General (1949), Hans Christian Andersen (1952), White Christmas (1954) and The Court Jester (1956). His films were popular, especially his performances of patter songs and favorites such as "Inchworm" and "The Ugly Duckling". Later he appeared on TV in The Danny Kaye Show (1963–1967). Kaye was the first ambassador-at-large of UNICEF in 1954 and received the French Legion of Honour in 1986 for his years of work with the organisation.
Sources: Tony Fontana (IMDb), Wikipedia and IMDb.