Jack Albertson

Harold "Jack" Albertson (June 16, 1907 – November 25, 1981) was an American actor, comedian, dancer and singer who also performed in vaudeville.[1] Albertson was a Tony, Oscar, and Emmy winning actor, which ranks him among a rare stature of 24 actors who have been awarded the "Triple Crown of Acting".’
For his performance as John Cleary in the 1964 play The Subject Was Roses and its 1968 film adaptation, he won the Tony Award for Best Featured Actor in a Play, and the Academy Award for Best Supporting Actor. This again places him amongst a select status as one of eleven peers who have won both awards for the same role. His other roles include Grandpa Joe in Willy Wonka & the Chocolate Factory (1971), Manny Rosen in The Poseidon Adventure (1972), and Ed Brown in the television sitcom Chico and the Man (1974–1978), for which he won an Emmy. For his contributions to the television industry, Albertson was honored with a star on the Hollywood Walk of Fame in 1977 at 6253 Hollywood Boulevard.[2]
== Early life[edit] ==
Albertson was born on June 16, 1907, in Malden, Massachusetts,[3] the son of Russian-Jewish immigrants Flora (née Craft) and Leopold Albertson.[4][5] His older sister was actress Mabel Albertson. Their mother, a stock actress, supported the family by working in a shoe factory.[4] Until the age of 22, Albertson was known as "Harold Albertson".[4] His father abandoned his mother before Jack was born, and the boy was raised by his stepfather, Alex Erlich, a barber.
During a 1972 New York Daily News interview with Sidney Fields, Albertson reminisced:"I was bright but disruptive. I didn't do homework. To cover, I made wisecracks and funny faces at the teachers. They told me to take my business elsewhere."Albertson dropped out of high school, ending his formal education after a single year. He worked at several different jobs including: the local General Electric plant; in one of many shoe factories in the Lynn, Massachusetts area; and as a rack boy in neighborhood pool parlors, where he was a fairly good pool hustler, although he was always on guard to avoid playing anyone who could "out-hustle" him. The pool hall provided Albertson with an opportunity to learn a few tap dance routines from his fellow hustlers.
When he was eighteen, he began to be paid for his prize winning shows. His sister Mabel taught him the first "time steps" in tap dancing, and he picked up additional routines by watching vaudeville acts that played his hometown. Around this time, he started singing with a group called "The Golden Rule Four," who held their practice sessions beneath a railroad bridge.[6]
== Career[edit] ==
=== Broadway[edit] ===
Albertson joined the vaudeville road troupe known as the Dancing Verselle Sisters. He then worked in burlesque as a hoofer (soft shoe dancer) and straight man to Phil Silvers on the Minsky's Burlesque Circuit.[7] Besides vaudeville and burlesque, he appeared on the stage in many Broadway plays and musicals, including High Button Shoes, Top Banana, The Cradle Will Rock, Make Mine Manhattan, Show Boat, Boy Meets Girl, Girl Crazy, Meet the People, The Sunshine Boys – for which he received a Tony Award nomination for Best Actor, and The Subject Was Roses – for which he won a Tony for Best Supporting Actor.[8]
=== Film[edit] ===
Albertson appeared in more than 30 films. He had an early minor role in Miracle on 34th Street as a postal worker who redirects dead letters addressed to "Santa Claus" to the courthouse where Kris Kringle is on trial. He won an Academy Award for Best Supporting Actor for his role in the 1968 film The Subject Was Roses.[9] He later apologized to child actor and fellow nominee Jack Wild for winning the award; Albertson expected Wild to win for his role in Oliver! Also nominated was Albertson's later Willy Wonka & the Chocolate Factory co-star Gene Wilder, for his role in The Producers.
Albertson appeared as Charlie Bucket's Grandpa Joe in Willy Wonka & the Chocolate Factory (1971), and in The Poseidon Adventure (1972), where he played Manny Rosen,[9] husband to Belle, played by Shelley Winters.
Albertson said that his one regret was that he did not reprise his role in the movie version of The Sunshine Boys. When producer Ray Stark acquired the film rights from Neil Simon in 1973, Albertson was expected to play the part, but by the time MGM had bought the rights in 1974 and was preparing to begin filming in February 1975, Albertson was not available because he was appearing on Chico and the Man on TV.[10]
=== Radio[edit] ===
Albertson was a radio performer early in his career. Among the shows he appeared on were Just Plain Bill, Lefty, That's My Pop and The Jack Albertson Comedy Show. In the late 1940s he was for a time a regular on the Milton Berle Show.[11]
=== Television[edit] ===
Albertson appeared in many television series, such as Hey, Jeannie! with Jeannie Carson, the syndicated Western series Frontier Doctor with Rex Allen, Rod Cameron's syndicated crime drama State Trooper, and the 1961–1962 drama series Bus Stop. He guest-starred on the David Janssen crime-drama series Richard Diamond, Private Detective.
From 1960 to 1961, Albertson was cast in three episodes of Pete and Gladys, with Harry Morgan and Cara Williams. On January 2, 1961, Albertson was cast as Sampson J. Binton, with DeForest Kelley as Alex Jeffords, in "Listen to the Nightingale", the series finale of Riverboat, starring Darren McGavin.[12] Albertson had a recurring role as the neighbor Walter Burton in eight episodes of the 1962 ABC sitcom Room for One More, with Andrew Duggan and Peggy McCay. He had recurring roles in Ensign O'Toole (1962–63)[13] and Run, Buddy, Run (1966). Between 1961 and 1964, Albertson appeared seven times on Mister Ed as Paul Fenton, brother-in-law (later just brother) to Wilbur Post's next-door-neighbor Kay, appearing as a stopgap regular for several episodes after the death of Larry Keating in 1963.
Other 1960s series on which Albertson appeared were: NBC's sitcom Happy, starring Ronnie Burns; Glynis, starring Glynis Johns; and Keith Andes, which aired for 13 weeks in the fall of 1963. Albertson appeared in two episodes of The Twilight Zone.[14] In a 1967 episode of The Andy Griffith Show, he played the ne'er-do-well cousin, Bradford J. Taylor, of series character Aunt Bee (Frances Bavier). He also appeared in a 1969 episode of the TV series The Virginian entitled "Girl in the Shadows." He appeared in The Big Valley episode "The Battle of Mineral Springs" (1969). In 1970, Albertson appeared as Billy "Moose" Valentine in The Men From Shiloh, the rebranded name for The Virginian in the episode titled "With Love, Bullets and Valentines".
From 1971 to 1972, he co-starred, with actor Sam Groom, in the Canadian television series Dr. Simon Locke. He then co-starred as "The Man" Ed Brown on the popular series Chico and the Man with Freddie Prinze. He stayed for its entire run from 1974 to 1978. He earned an Emmy Award for that role in 1976, which was his second; his first one was for an appearance on the variety show Cher in 1975.[15]
== Personal life[edit] ==
He resided for many years in West Hollywood, California. In 1978, he was diagnosed with colorectal cancer, but kept this information private and continued to act. Two of his last roles were in the television movies, My Body, My Child (1982) and Grandpa, Will You Run with Me? (1983), both filmed in 1981 and released posthumously. His final theatrical role was as the hunter, Amos Slade, in Disney's 24th animated feature, The Fox and the Hound, originally released in the summer of 1981, four months before his death.
He and his wife, June, had a daughter, Maura Dhu.[16]
== Death[edit] ==
On the morning of November 25, 1981, Albertson died at his Los Angeles home in the Hollywood Hills[15] at the age of 74 from colon cancer.[8] He and his elder sister, Bewitched actress Mabel Albertson (who died ten months later from Alzheimer's disease), were cremated and their ashes were scattered in the Pacific Ocean.[3]
== Filmography[edit] ==
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=== Film[edit] ===
Year	Title 	Role 	Notes
1938	Next Time I Marry 	Reporter 	
1940	Strike Up the Band 	Barker 	Uncredited
1947	Miracle on 34th Street 	Al 	Uncredited
1952	Anything Can Happen 	Flower Vendor 	Uncredited
1954	Top Banana 	Vic Davis 	
1955	Bring Your Smile Along 	Mr. Jenson 	
1956	Over-Exposed 	Les Bauer 	
1956	The Harder They Fall 	Pop 	
1956	The Eddy Duchin Story 	Piano tuner 	Uncredited
1956	The Unguarded Moment 	Prof 	
1956	You Can't Run Away from It 	Third proprietor 	
1957	Monkey on My Back 	Sam Pian 	
1957	Man of a Thousand Faces 	Dr. J. Wilson Shields 	
1957	Don't Go Near the Water 	Rep. George Jansen 	
1958	Teacher's Pet 	Guide 	
1959	Never Steal Anything Small 	Sleep-Out Charlie Barnes	
1959	The Shaggy Dog 	Reporter 	Uncredited
1961	The George Raft Story 	Milton 	
1961	Lover Come Back 	Fred 	
1962	Convicts 4 	Art Teacher 	
1962	Period of Adjustment 	Desk Sergeant 	
1962	Who's Got the Action? 	Officer Hodges 	
1962	Days of Wine and Roses 	Trayner 	
1963	Son of Flubber 	Mr. Barley 	
1964	Kissin' Cousins 	Capt. Robert Jason Salbo	
1964	A Tiger Walks 	Sam Grant 	
1964	The Patsy 	Theatergoer with Helen 	
1964	Roustabout 	Lou (tea house manager) 	
1965	How to Murder Your Wife 	Dr. Bentley 	
1967	The Flim-Flam Man 	Mr. Packard 	
1968	How to Save a Marriage and Ruin Your Life	Mr. Slotkin 	
1968	The Subject Was Roses 	John Cleary 	Academy Award for Best Supporting Actor[17]
1969	Changes 	The Father 	
1969	Justine 	Cohen 	
1970	Squeeze a Flower 	Alfredo Brazzi 	
1970	Rabbit, Run 	Marty Tothero 	
1971	Willy Wonka & the Chocolate Factory 	Grandpa Joe Bucket 	
1971	The Late Liz 	Reverend Gordon Rogers 	
1972	Pickup on 101 	Jedediah Bradley 	
1972	The Poseidon Adventure 	Manny Rosen 	
1981	Dead & Buried 	William G. Dobbs 	
1981	The Fox and the Hound 	Amos Slade 	Voice, final theatrical role
=== Television[edit] ===
Year 	Title 	Role 	Notes
1956 	Burns and Allen 	Eddie 'Bozo Schultz' Wilson 	Episode: "Burlesque"
1956 	I Love Lucy 	Helicopter Dispatcher 	Episode: "Bon Voyage"
1956 	Crusader 	Ernie Duchek 	Episode: "The Syndicate"
1956 	Sheriff of Cochise 	Greenbriar Merritt 	Episode: "Closed for Repairs"
1957–1959	The Thin Man 	Lt. Harry Evans 	14 episodes
1957–1960	Have Gun – Will Travel 	Mayor Whiteside
Jason Coldwell
Bookie	3 episodes
1958 	Bachelor Father 	Charlie Sharpe
Salesman 	2 episodes
1958 	The People's Choice 	Luther Jenkins 	Episode: "Daisies Won't Tell", with Jackie Cooper
1959 	Richard Diamond, Private Detective 	Fallace 	Episode: "Boomerang Bait"
1959–1961	The Many Loves of Dobie Gillis 	Bison Lodge Member
Police Sergeant
Newspaper Reporter
Mr. Quimby
Police chief	5 episodes
1959–1962	The Jack Benny Program 	Reporter 	6 episodes
1960 	The Gale Storm Show 	Freddy Morell 	Episode: "Show Biz"
1960 	The Tab Hunter Show 	Coach 	Episode: "My Darling Teacher"
1960 	The Ann Sothern Show 	Mr. Dooley 	Episode: "Billy"
1960 	Happy 	Ed Langley 	Episode: "Chris' Night Out"
1960 	Klondike 	Eskimo Eddie 	Episode: "Sure Thing, Men"
1961 	Riverboat 	Sampson J. Binton 	Episode: "Listen to the Nightingale"'
1961 	The Tab Hunter Show 	Harry
Dr. Hocker
P. T. Bailey 	Episode: "Weekend on Ice"
Episode: "Me and My Shadow"
Episode: "Crazy Over Horses"
1961 	The Twilight Zone 	Jerry Harlowe 	Episode: "The Shelter"[14]
1961–1964	Mister Ed 	Paul Fenton 	7 episodes
1962 	The Dick Van Dyke Show 	Mr. Eisenbauer 	Episode: "The Twizzle"
1962 	Bus Stop 	Lawson 	Episode: "Turn Home Again"
1962 	Lawman 	Doc Peters 	Episode: "The Unmasked"
1962 	Saints and Sinners 	Dr. Felixson 	Episode: "All the Hard Young Men"
1962 	Room for One More 	Walter Burton 	8 episodes
1962–1963	Ensign O'Toole 	Lt. Cdr. Virgil Stoner 	32 episodes[13]
1963 	Glynis 	Al 	Episode: "The Pros and Cons"[13]
1963 	The Twilight Zone 	The Genie 	Episode: "I Dream of Genie"[14]
1963 	The Lieutenant 	District Attorney George O'Leery	Episode: "Cool of the Evening"
1964 	Death Valley Days 	Pearlman 	Episode: "Sixty-Seven Miles of Gold"
1966–1967	Run for Your Life 	Harry Krissel 	2 episodes
1967 	The Andy Griffith Show 	Bradford J. Taylor 	Episode: "Aunt Bee's Cousin"
1968 	Ironside 	Money Howard 	Episode: "Side Pocket"'
1968 	Here Come the Brides 	role as Merlin 	S1, E10 "A Man and His Magic"
1968–1972	Bonanza 	Jonathan May
Enos Blessing 	2 episodes
1969 	The Big Valley 	Judge Ben Moore 	Episode: "The Battle of Mineral Springs"
1969 	The Monk 	Tinker 	ABC Movie of the Week
1969–1970	Land of the Giants 	Professor Kirmus
Inidu 	2 episodes
1969–1970	The Virginian 	Billy "Moose" Valentine
Nathaniel E. "Doc" Watson	2 episodes
1969–1974	Gunsmoke 	Moses Darby
Joshua Finch
Lucius Prince
Danny Wilson	3 episodes
1970 	Marcus Welby, M.D. 	Mr. Chambers 	Episode: "Go Get 'Em, Tiger"
1970 	The Immortal 	Dr. Koster 	Episode: "Reflections on a Lost Tomorrow"
1970 	Daniel Boone 	Sweet 	Episode: "Run for the Money"
1970 	Nanny and the Professor 	Edwin Higgenbotham Botkin 	Episode: "The Haunted House"
1971 	Sarge 	Harry Wainwright 	Episode: "A Terminal Case of Vengeance"
1971 	Love, American Style 	Archie 	Segment: "Love and the Second Time"
1971–1972	Dr. Simon Locke 	Dr. Andrew Sellers 	
1972 	Night Gallery 	Bullivant 	Episode: "Dead Weight"
1973 	The Streets of San Francisco 	Tim Murphy 	Episode: "The Set-Up"
1974 	Gunsmoke 	Moses Darby 	Episode: "Cowtown Hustler" S19E22 Aired on May 11, 1974 Archived March 3, 2019, at the Wayback Machine
1974–1978	Chico and the Man 	Ed Brown 	88 episodes
Primetime Emmy Award for Outstanding Lead Actor in a Comedy Series (1976)[17]
Nominated – Primetime Emmy Award for Outstanding Lead Actor in a Comedy Series (1975, 1977)[17]
1975 	Tony Orlando and Dawn 	Himself 	Episode: #1.20
1975 	Mitzi and 100 Guys 	Himself 	TV movie
1975 	Cher 	Himself 	Episode: "Episode #1.4"
Primetime Emmy Award for Outstanding Continuing or Single Performance by a Supporting Actor in Variety or Music[17]
1975 	Match Game '75 	Himself 	5 episodes
1976 	Donny & Marie 	Himself 	1 Episode dated April 6, 1976
1976 	Andy 	Himself 	1 Episode dated October 6, 1976
1978 	Grandpa Goes to Washington 	Senator Joe Kelley 	7 episodes[13]
1980 	Charlie's Angels 	Edward Jordan 	Episode: "Angel in Hiding"
1981 	Charlie and the Great Balloon Chase	Charlie Bartlett 	TV movie
1982 	My Body, My Child 	Poppa MacMahon 	TV movie; filmed in 1981; released posthumously; final television role
Nominated – Primetime Emmy Award for Outstanding Supporting Actor in a Limited Series or a Special
1982 	Terror at Alcatraz 	George 'Deacon' Wheeler 	TV movie, (final film role)
=== Theater[edit] ===
Year	Title 	Role 	Notes
1940	Meet the People 	 	
1942	Strip for Action 	Eddie 	
1944	Allah Be Praised! 	Caswell / Emir 	
1945	A Lady Say Yes 	Dr. Bartoli 	
1947	High Button Shoes 	Mr. Pontdue (replacement)	
1947	The Cradle Will Rock 	Yasha 	
1950	Tickets, Please! 	Roller Derby 	
1951	Top Banana 	Vic Davis 	
1964	The Subject Was Roses	John Cleary 	Tony Award for Best Featured Actor in a Play
1972	The Sunshine Boys 	Willie Clark 	Drama Desk Award for Outstanding Performance
Nominated – Tony Award for Best Leading Actor in a Play
== Awards and nominations[edit] ==
Year	Award 	Category 	Nominated work 	Results 	Ref.
1968	Academy Awards 	Best Supporting Actor 	The Subject Was Roses	Won 	[18]
1973	Drama Desk Awards 	Outstanding Performance 	The Sunshine Boys 	Won 	[19]
1975	Primetime Emmy Awards	Outstanding Continuing or Single Performance by a Supporting Actor in Variety or Music	Cher 	Won 	[20]
1975	Primetime Emmy Awards	Outstanding Lead Actor in a Comedy Series 	Chico and the Man 	Nominated 	[20]
1976	Primetime Emmy Awards	Outstanding Lead Actor in a Comedy Series 	Chico and the Man 	Won 	[20]
1977	Primetime Emmy Awards	Outstanding Lead Actor in a Comedy Series 	Chico and the Man 	Nominated 	[20]
1982	Primetime Emmy Awards	Outstanding Supporting Actor in a Limited Series or a Special 	My Body, My Child 	Nominated†[a]	[20]
1965	Tony Awards 	Best Featured Actor in a Play 	The Subject Was Roses	Won 	[21]
1973	Tony Awards 	Best Leading Actor in a Play 	The Sunshine Boys 	Nominated 	[22]
== See also[edit] ==
* Triple Crown of Acting
== Notes[edit] ==
# ^ Albertson received this nomination posthumously, having died in '81 prior to those two succeeding '82 events: the television premiere of the film and the subsequent Emmys ceremony.
== References[edit] ==
# ^ Obituary Variety, December 2, 1981.
# ^ 
# ^ Jump up to:a b 
# ^ Jump up to:a b c Jack Albertson's Kinship to Cloris Leachman Archived October 8, 2016, at the Wayback Machine, genealogymagazine.com; accessed October 19, 2015.
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# ^ "Current Biography 1976". The H.W. Wilson Company. 1976. P#3-4
# ^ 
# ^ Jump up to:a b Jack Albertson at the Internet Broadway Database
# ^ Jump up to:a b Jack Alberston on TCM.com
# ^ Neil Simon's The Sunshine Boys at the American Film Institute Catalog
# ^ Terrace, Vincent. (1998) Radio Programs, 1924–1984: A Catalog of More Than 1800 Shows. McFarland. p.229 ISBN 9780786445134
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# ^ Jump up to:a b c d 
# ^ Jump up to:a b c 
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