Fred Gwynne - Biography - IMDb Fred Gwynne Biography Showing all 28 items Jump to: Overview (4) | Mini Bio (1) | Spouse (2) | Trade Mark (4) | Trivia (16) | Personal Quotes (1) Overview (4) 6' 5" (1.96 m) Mini Bio (1) Fred Gwynne was an enormously talented character actor most famous for starring in the television situation comedies Car 54, Where Are You? (1961) (as Officer Francis Muldoon) and The Munsters (1964) (as the Frankenstein clone Herman Munster). He was very tall and had a resonant, baritone voice that he put to good use in Broadway musicals. Born Frederick Hubbard Gwynne in New York City on July 10, 1926, to a wealthy stockbroker father, he attended the exclusive prep school Groton, where he first appeared on stage in a student production of William Shakespeare 's "Henry V".

After serving in the United States Navy as a radioman during World War II, he went on to Harvard, where he majored in English and was on the staff of the "Harvard Lampoon". At Harvard, he studied drawing with artist R.S. Merryman and was active in dramatics. A member of the Hasty Pudding Club, he performed in the dining club's theatricals, appearing in the drag revues of 1949 and 1950. After graduating from Harvard with the class of 1951, Gwynne acted in Shakespeare with a Cambridge, Massachusetts repertory company before heading to New York City, where he supported himself as a musician and copywriter. His principal source of income for many years came from his work as a book illustrator and as a commercial artist. His first book, "The Best in Show", was published in 1958. On February 20, 1952, he made his Broadway debut as the character "Stinker", in support of Helen Hayes , in the comic fantasy "Mrs. McThing".

The play, written by " Harvey (1950)" author Mary Chase , had a cast featuring Ernest Borgnine , the future "Professor" Irwin Corey and Brandon De Wilde , the young son of the play's stage manager, Frederick DeWilde . The play ran for 320 performances and closed on January 10, 1953. He next appeared on Broadway in Burgess Meredith 's staging of Nathaniel Benchley 's comedy "The Frogs of Spring", which opened at the Broadhurst Theatre on October 21, 1953. The play flopped, closing on Halloween Day after but 15 performances. He did not appear on Broadway again for almost seven years. Gwynne made his movie debut, unbilled, as one of Johnny Friendly's gang of thugs who menace Marlon Brando in Elia Kazan 's classic On the Waterfront (1954).

From 1956 - 1963, he appeared on the television dramatic showcases Studio One in Hollywood (1948), The Kaiser Aluminum Hour (1956), Kraft Theatre (1947), The DuPont Show of the Month (1957), The DuPont Show of the Week (1961) and The United States Steel Hour (1953). But it was in situation comedies that he made his name and his fame. In 1955, he made a memorable guest appearance as Private Honigan on The Phil Silvers Show (1955). He played a soldier with an enormous appetite that Phil Silvers ' Sgt. Bilko entered into a pie-eating contest, only to discover he could only eat like a trencherman when he was depressed. The spot led to him coming back as a guest in more episodes.

While appearing on Broadway as the pimp Polyte-Le-Mou in the Peter Brook -directed hit "Irma La Douce" (winner of the 1961 Tony Award for Best Musical), "Bilko" producer-writer Nat Hiken cast him in one of the lead roles in the situation comedy Car 54, Where Are You? (1961). The series, in which he revealed his wonderful flair for comedy, had Gwynne appearing as New York City police officer Francis Muldoon, who served in a patrol car in the Bronx with the dimwitted Officer Gunther Toody, played by co-star Joe E. Ross ("Oooh! Oooh!"). Car 54, Where Are You? (1961) lasted only two seasons, but it was so fondly remembered by Baby Boomers, it inspired a feature film version in 1994. He also served as Lamb Chop's doctor on another Baby Boomer classic, The Shari Lewis Show (1960).

Another one of his "Car 54, Where Are You?" co-stars, Al Lewis , not only became a lifelong friend, he appeared as Gwynne's father-in-law in his next situation comedy. Gwynne was cast as the Frankenstein's monster-like paterfamilias in The Munsters (1964), which also lasted two seasons. In addition to wearing heavy boots with four-inch lifts on them, Gwynne had to wear 40 - 50 lbs of padding and makeup for the role and he reportedly lost ten pounds in one day of filming under the hot lights. He made guest appearances as Herman Munster, most notably on The Red Skelton Hour (1951), appearing on April 27, 1965, along with Billy J. Kramer and the Dakotas, a pop band from The Beatles ' native Liverpool. Gwynne appeared in character as Herman Munster in a "Freddie the Freeloader" comedy sketch.

When "The Munsters" was canceled after the 1965-1966 season, Gwynne returned to the theatre to escape television typecasting, although he did return for a featured appearance in the televised version of Arsenic and Old Lace (1969), playing the psychotic Jonathan Brewster in an all-star cast, including with his "Mrs. McThing" co-star Helen Hayes , Lillian Gish , Bob Crane , Sue Lyon , Jack Gilford and David Wayne . He appeared twice on television in Mary Chase 's "Harvey" (1950), the first time in 1958 on the "Dupont Show of the Month" version broadcast by CBS, in which he appeared in support of Art Carney as Elwood P. Dodd. Others in the cast included Elizabeth Montgomery , Jack Weston and Larry Blyden . He appeared as the cab driver in the 1972 version, Harvey (1972), in which James Stewart reprised his role as Elwood P. Dodd, in which he was reunited with his Broadway co-star Helen Hayes .

In 1968, he made a television series pilot for Screen Gems, "Guess What I Did Today?", co-starring Bridget Hanley , who later played Candy Pruit on Here Come the Brides (1968). The pilot, which was made for NBC, was not picked up by the network. Gwynne had trouble making producers forget his character Herman Munster and he started refusing to have anything to do with or even to speak of the show. One of the few visual productions to utilise his beautiful singing voice was The Littlest Angel (1969), a musical produced as part of the Hallmark Hall of Fame (1951). His movie and television appearances were sporadic throughout the 1970s as he worked on- and off-Broadway. He had used his singing voice again to great effect in Meredith Wilson 's musical "Here's Love", which opened at the Shubert Theatre on October 20, 1963 and played for 334 performances, closing on July 25, 1964.

Exactly nine years from the "Here's Love" opening, he appeared at the Plymouth as "Abraham Lincoln" in the Broadway play "The Lincoln Mask", a flop that lasted but one week of eight performances. His most distinguished performance on Broadway (and the favourite of all of his theatrical roles, was as Big Daddy in the 1974 Broadway revival of Tennessee Williams ' "Cat on a Hot Tin Roof". Though not as cutting as Burl Ives had been in the original production, his Big Daddy was lyrical and powerful, so much so that he overpowered Keir Dullea in the role of "Brick". However, Elizabeth Ashley won a Tony Award for playing Maggie the Cat in the production, which gave Tennessee Williams his first big success in a decade, albeit in a revival. Gwynne also was memorable as the elderly Klansman in the first two parts of "The Texas Trilogy" in 1977 season. His last appearance on Broadway was in Anthony Shaffer 's "Whodunnit", which opened at the Biltmore Theatre on December 30, 1983 and closed May 15, 1983 after 157 total performances.

Before saying goodbye to the Broadway stage in a hit, he had appeared on the Great White Way in two flops in 1978: "Angel", the musical version of Thomas Wolfe 's "Look Homeward, Angel" (which lasted but five performances) and the Australian professional football club drama "Players" (which lasted 23 performances). For the Joseph Papp Public Theatre/New York Shakespeare Festival, he had appeared in Off-Broadway in "More Than You Deserve" in the 1973-1974 season and, in "Grand Magic", during the 1978-1979 season, for which he won an Obie Award. On the radio, Gwynne appeared in 79 episodes of "The CBS Radio Mystery Theatre" between 1975 and 1982.

With time, his characterisation of Herman Munster began to fade and he began establishing himself as a film character actor of note in the 1980s with well-reviewed appearances in The Cotton Club (1984), Ironweed (1987), Disorganized Crime (1989) and Pet Sematary (1989), in which his character, Jud Crandall, was based on author Stephen King , who himself is quite tall. Gwynne also made a memorable turn as the judge who battles with the eponymous My Cousin Vinny (1992), his last film.

Critic and cinema historian Mick LaSalle cited Gwynne's performance as Judge Chamberlain Haller in his August 2003 article "Role call of overlooked performances is long", writing: "Half of what made Joe Pesci funny in this comedy was the stream of reactions of Gwynne, as the Southern Judge, a Great Dane to Joe Pesci's yapping terrier." Gwynne sang professionally, painted, sculpted, wrote & illustrated children's books, including: "The King Who Rained" (1970); "A Chocolate Moose for Dinner" (1976); "A Little Pigeon Toad" (1988) and "Pondlarker" (1990). He wrote 10 books in all and "The King Who Rained", "A Chocolate Moose for Dinner" and "A Little Pigeon Toad", which all were published by the prestigious house Simon & Schuster, are still in print. In the first part of his professional life, Gwynne lived a quiet life in suburban Bedford, New York and avoided the Hollywood and Broadway social scenes. He married his first wife Foxy in 1952.

They had five children and divorced in 1980. He and his second wife Deb, whom he married in 1981, lived in a renovated farmhouse in rural Taneytown, Maryland. His neighbors described him as a good friend and neighbor who kept his personal and professional lives separate. Fred Gwynne died on July 2, 1993, in Taneytown, Maryland, after a battle with cancer of the pancreas. He was just eight days shy of turning 67 years old. He is sorely missed by Baby Boomers who grew up delighted by his Officer Francis Muldoon and Herman Munster and were gratified by his late-career renaissance on film. Joe E. Ross Dies at 67 - Actor in TV's 'Car 54' - NYTimes.com Joe E. Ross Dies at 67; Actor in TV's 'Car 54' AP Published: August 15, 1982 LOS ANGELES, Aug. 14— Joe E.

Ross, an actor best known for his role as the chunky policeman Gunther Toody in the television series ''Car 54, Where Are You?,'' died Friday, apparently of a heart attack, a family spokesman said. He was 67 years old. Mr. Ross was stricken while performing in the clubhouse of his apartment building in suburban Van Nuys, according to Joe Seide, a friend and former publicist. He was pronounced dead at St. Joseph Medical Center in Burbank. Mr. Ross, a New Jersey native, went to Hollywood in the 1950's to play Sgt. Rupert Ritzik on ''The Phil Silvers Show'' on CBS from 1955 to 1959. He and Fred Gwynne starred as two patrolmen frequently in hot water in ''Car 54,'' broadcast on NBC from 1961 to 1963. Mr. Ross also appeared in ''It's About Time,'' a short-lived comedy series on CBS about two astronauts whose space capsule lands in the Stone Age. He played the caveman and Imogene Coca portrayed his wife. In recent years, he made club appearances and had guest roles on television.

He is survived by his wife, Arlene. Actor Fred Gwynne, 66, dies | Variety Actor Fred Gwynne, 66, dies Print July 6, 1993 | 12:00AM PT Actor Fred Gwynne, perhaps best known for his role as the lovable ghoul Herman Munster in the 1960s TV series “The Munsters,” died at his home in Taneytown, near Baltimore, on Friday at the age of 66. Gwynne succumbed to pancreatic cancer, according to Roger Haber, his legal representative. Besides “The Munsters,” the 6-foot, 5-inch Gwynne appeared in another popular comedy TV series, “Car 54, Where Are You?,” which ran from 1961 to 1963. In it he played a hapless New York City police officer, Francis Muldoon, who was constantly at the mercy of his over-eager and anxious partner Gunther Toody, portrayed by Joe E. Ross.

A year later Gwynne was enlisted to don platform shoes and plugs in his neck to portray a gentle Frankenstein-type monster opposite actress Yvonne DeCarlo as his wife, Lily Munster, and character actor Al Lewis. The happy couple and their kin lived at 1313 Mockingbird Lane and, like “The Addams Family,” caused unintentional havoc. In 1966, he starred in a feature film version of the series, “Munster, Go Home,” and in 1981, appeared for the last time as Herman in “Munster’s Revenge” on TV. Like “Car 54,””The Munsters” was only on the air for three seasons. But thanks to constant reruns, both shows have been on the air almost constantly for the past 30 years. Gwynne is also recognized for his basso profundo voice, which lent authority to countless commercials and voiceovers in documentaries. Though he is best known for comedy, Gwynne distinguished himself as a serious stage and screen actor and was also a writer and illustrator of children’s books , the last of which, “Easy to See Why,” will be published later this year.

In 1979 he won an Obie award for his performance in the off-Broadway production “Grand Magic.” His last film role was as a non-nonsense Southern judge in last year’s comedy hit “My Cousin Vinny.” Frederick Hubbard Gwynne was born in New York on July 10, 1926, the son of a stockbroker. After serving in the Navy in World War II, he graduated from Harvard University in 1951 and a year later made his acting debut in a featured role in “Mrs. McThing,” starring Helen Hayes. He subsequently appeared in such plays as “Irma la Douce,””Twelfth Night, “”Our Town” and “A Texas Trilogy.” He played Big Daddy in the 1974 revival of “Cat on a Hot Tin Roof,” a stage role he listed as his favorite. His last Broadway appearance was in the 1983 production “Whodunnit.” Throughout the 1950s, Gwynne was featured regularly on television in dramatic productions on such anthology programs as “Kraft Theater,””Studio One,””Du Pont Show of the Month,””Play of the Week” and “U.S.

Steel Hour.” His film debut came in a minor role in Elia Kazan’s “On the Waterfront.” He also had supporting roles in such films as “The Cotton Club,””Ironweed, “”FatalAttraction,””Pet Sematary” and “The Secret of My Success.” As an author and illustrator, he published his first book in 1958, entitled “Best in Show.” His books over the years include “The Battle of the Frogs and the Mice: An Homeric Fable,””God’s First World,””The Story of Ick,””Ick’s ABC, “”A Chocolate Moose for Dinner” and “A Little Pigeon Toad.” Gwynne is survived by his wife, Deborah, and four children. Funeral services will be private. Car 54 Where Are You? [DVD] [NTSC]: Amazon.co.uk: Joe E. Ross, Fred Gwynne, Paul Reed, Al Lewis, Beatrice Pons, Hank Garrett, Ruth Masters, Charlotte Rae, Albert Henderson, Nipsey Russell, Nat Hiken: DVD & Blu-ray Car 54 Where Are You?

[DVD] [NTSC] Â£29.77 In stock. Get it as soon as 25 Jan. - 3 Feb. when you choose Standard Delivery at checkout. Details Dispatched from and sold by RAREWAVES USA . 6 new from Â£29.77 3 used from Â£23.92 LOVEFiLM By Post Â£29.77 In stock. Dispatched from and sold by RAREWAVES USA . Special Offers and Product Promotions Discover more great music in our Proper Music store , and read about the very best of Proper Music's latest and forthcoming releases in Properganda Issue 19 (online flash version) . These items are dispatched from and sold by different sellers. Show details Buy the selected items together This item:Car 54 Where Are You? [DVD] [NTSC] by Joe E. Ross DVD Â£29.77 In stock. Sent from and sold by RAREWAVES USA. Â£1.26 delivery Only 1 left in stock. Sent from and sold by Amazon. FREE Delivery in the UK. Details What Other Items Do Customers Buy After Viewing This Item?

Format: Box set, Black & White, DVD-Video, NTSC Language: English DVD Release Date: 12 April 2011 Run Time: 780 minutes Would you like to update product info or give feedback on images ? Product Description Car 54 Where Are You, one of the best loved and funniest TV shows of all time, finally comes to DVD for the first time. All 30 episodes of the first season (1961-62) are included in a set of 4 DVDs, each newly remastered from the only known set of 35 mm fine grain prints. The show stars Joe E. Ross as Gunther Toody and Fred Gwynne as Francis Muldoon, a lovably inept squad car team that patrols the Bronx's 53rd precinct. Muldoon plays the long-suffering voice of reason who invariably reins in his short stocky partner's dimwitted schemes and patiently listens to his hilariously inane prattle.

The perfectly cast ensemble of supporting actors includes Beatrice Pons as Toody¹s domineering shrew of a wife, Al Lewis as the rubber-faced, irascible Officer Leo Schnauser, Charlotte Rae as Schnauser's moody, hot-tempered wife and Paul Reed as the perpetually exasperated captain Block. Each episode was filled out with talent drawn from New York's pool of seasoned film and TV veterans, borscht belt comedians and Broadway stage actors, and the first season features memorable guest star appearances by show biz pros Molly Picon, Wally Cox, Jan Murray, Maureen Stapleton, Jake La Motta and many more. The show was the brainchild of Nat Hiken, already famous for his highly acclaimed Sgt. Bilko show, and many critics feel Car 54, with its quirky story lines, offbeat characters and hilarious dialogue even surpassed Bilko as a comic masterpiece. Drawing on his 25 years of writing experience for top comedy shows on radio and television (Fred Allen, Milton Berle, Martha Raye), Hiken created a show rich with New York humor and offbeat characters in scripts that were polished jewels of comedy.

Soon television would opt for more formulaic programming, and Car 54 Where Are You was the last gasp of an early golden era of New York television. Specifically shot as a bonus extra for this release is a brand-new free-wheeling round table conversation between Bronx-raised comedian Robert Klein and two of the regular cast members --Charlotte Rae, who played Sylvia Schnauser, and Hank Garrett, who played Officer Ed Nicholson, one of the cops of the 53rd precinct. Rae and Garrett share stories, anecdotes and memories with Klein (a fan of Hiken¹s work) that shed light on what went on behind the scenes. Customers Who Bought This Item Also Bought Page 1 of 1 Start over Page 1 of 1 This shopping feature will continue to load items. In order to navigate out of this carousel please use your heading shortcut key to navigate to the next or previous heading. Joe E. Ross - IMDb IMDb Actor | Soundtrack Gravel-voiced comedian Joe E. ("Oooh! Oooh!") Ross was born in Manhattan and began his career, ironically enough, as a singing waiter in speakeasy clubs.

Comedy came to the forefront, however, and he steadily built up his image as a stand-up comic and impressionist, announcing and emceeing at burlesque clubs and various niteries around and about ... See full bio » Born: a list of 845 people created 26 Aug 2012 a list of 42 people created 15 Mar 2015 a list of 35 images created 23 Sep 2015 a list of 723 people created 03 Jan 2016 a list of 1109 people created 4 months ago Do you have a demo reel? Add it to your IMDbPage How much of Joe E. Ross's work have you seen? User Polls Car 54, Where Are You? Officer Gunther Toody / Toody (1961-1963) The Phil Silvers Show MSgt. Rupert Ritzik / MSgt. Rupert B.

Ritzik (1956-1959) 1981 No Man's Valley (TV Short) Daniel (voice) 1978 The Love Boat (TV Series) Mr. Ross 1977 C B Bears (TV Series) Roll (voice) 1975 The Lost Saucer (TV Series) General Kuback 1973 Love, American Style (TV Series) (segment "Love and the Sexpert") 1971 McMillan & Wife (TV Series) The Doorman - The Pied-Eyed Piper (1968) ... Clancy the Cop 1967 Batman (TV Series) 1966-1967 It's About Time (TV Series) Gronk 1959 Goodyear Theatre (TV Series) Big Moe 1961-1962 Car 54, Where Are You? (TV Series) (performer - 4 episodes) - Stop Thief (1962) ... (performer: "The First Noel", "Deck The Halls" - uncredited) - A Man Is Not an Ox (1962) ...

(performer: "Beautiful Dreamer" - uncredited) - Christmas at the 53rd (1961) ... (performer: "You're Nobody Till Somebody Loves You", "Mutual Admiration Society" - uncredited) Hide 1962 The Tonight Show (TV Series) Himself - Comedian / Actor 1962 Here's Hollywood (TV Series) Himself Print ad: Chef Boy-Ar-Dee Pizza Mix. See more » Height: Did You Know? Trivia: He and his wife were living in a housing complex in Los Angeles and he was hired to do a stand-up act for the residents for $100. In the middle of the show he felt ill, and sat down on the edge of the stage. Almost immediately he keeled over and died, apparently from a heart attack. When his wife later went to the management to collect the $100 he was to be paid, they only gave her $50, saying, "... See more » Trademark: Catchphrase: "Do you mind?...

DO-YOU-MIND?" See more » Star Sign: There's a Holdup in the Bronx, Brooklyn's Broken out in Fights — but Who Gives a Damn? Joe E. Ross and Fred Gwynne, not as funny as I remembered them in Nat Hiken's Car 54, Where Are You? - Bright Lights Film Journal January 31, 2012 You can go home again; it’s just not a lot of fun when you get there “She’s so Jewish!” That’s what the Jewish woman who sat next to me said to the Jewish woman who sat across from me about the Jewish woman who handled our mailings at Plus Publications, back in the yellow foolscap/typewriter days of yore. And she was Jewish, too, almost as Jewish as nice Jewish boy Nat Hiken, who dreamed of a world where all men would be brothers, where men and women of all races, religions, and colors would live as one.

Yes, Nat Hiken was a nice Jewish boy, but he also had affection for bad Jewish boys — gamblers, bookies, Broadway hustlers, conmen, and sharpies — all those fellows who come out when the sun goes down and people want to spend some money and have a good time. And World War II had given him an affection for slow-moving, all-male, back-scratching, ass-covering, nest-feathering outfits like the United States Army. Hiken had the smarts to put these enthusiasms together to create black-and-white TV sitcom gold, You’ll Never Get Rich: The Phil Silvers Show, telling the tale of Master Sgt. Ernie T. Bilko (Silvers) and his never-ending war against Col. John T. Hall (Paul Ford), the Eternal Gentile, earnest, affable, slow-witted, always determined not to lose his temper but always destined to fail, Bugs Bunny and Elmer Fudd set down in Ft. Baxter, Kansas, the most boring, least important base in the U.S. Army.

1 Hiken, writer-producer of the show, left after two seasons (the show lasted two more), in part due to differences with Silvers, whose compulsiveness clashed with Hikens’ own. When the Bilko show fell apart, 2 Hiken scooped up Bilko cast members Joe E. Ross (Mess Sgt. Rupert Ritzik), Fred Gwynne (occasional guest star), and Beatrice Pons (Emma Ritzik, wife of Rupert) and converted the U.S. Army into the New York Police Department. Ross became Gunther Toody, New York’s dumbest if not finest, married to harridan Lucille and partnered with nice Irish boy Francis Muldoon (Gwynne). Also featured heavily were Al Lewis as Officer Leo Schnauser and Charlotte Rae as his exuberant wife Sylvia (both Lewis and Rae had appeared several times on the Bilko show). Nipsey Russell and Ossie Davis both turned up from time to time to add local color, while Jake “Raging Bull” LaMotta added some muscle. And now Shanachie has given us the first year (of two) of the show on DVD.

I loved both shows as a boy, 3 but watching them today, well, half a century can change a guy. Hiken was a superior comedy writer, turning out tight, clever plots week after week rather than a simple collection of tired, unrelated gags. He loved “cascading confusion,” the way simple rumors and misunderstandings (accidental or deliberate) can spin wildly out of control. Perhaps the most famous was the Bilko episode “The Strange Case of Harry Speakup,” in which a WAC’s misunderstood command “Hurry, speak up” leads to the induction of a chimp in the army. 4 So why aren’t I laughing? Part of the trouble is that in Hiken’s scripts, virtually every line of dialogue is plot-driven. The stories never breathe. Once you see where the story is going, actually getting there can seem a little mechanical. The primitive production values — frequent close-ups of the actors earnestly repeating their lines, the lack of background music, the dingy sets and costumes — give the shows the desiccated odor of things that have dried and died.

Fortunately the first season contains my favorite Car 54, wittily titled “Today I Am A Man.” Muldoon, tired of being ridiculed as a mama’s boy, pretends to have a date at the fashionable Club Chi-Chi. Unfortunately, anticipation at the 43rd precinct runs so high that his fellow officers tail him on the night of the “date,” forcing Muldoon to actually go to the club to maintain the charade. Once we’re inside the club we cut to a hopelessly square couple, accompanied by their young daughter, who appears terrified, her hair in a tight bun and staring out at the world through coke-bottle glasses (also known as “Hillary Clintons”). “Well, daughter,” her father says, “you wanted to go to a night club on your twenty-first birthday. I hope you’re satisfied. These people must all be gangsters — gangsters and molls.” “Yes, papa,” she responds. Muldoon naturally sits at their table and asks them to pretend they know him. He reaches for a champagne bottle to make things more festive, revealing his sidearm. A gangster! Those policemen must be after him! The terrified family does everything he says.

Muldoon, trying to keep an eye on his buddies, never notices that his new-found friends regard him as a murderer. They quit the club and go home. The pursuing officers keep up a running commentary, redolent of fifties prudery: “He put his arm around her! What a wolf!” Eventually, Muldoon thinks he’s stayed long enough to establish his bona fides with his buddies and gets ready to leave. The daughter suddenly loosens her hair, throws off her glasses, and launches herself at Muldoon. “Take me with you! I’ll be your woman! I’ll go anywhere! I’ll do anything!” “I’ll be your woman”? That was a line you didn’t hear too often on TV back in 1962. 5 Afterwords A whole lotta afterwords, actually. I’ll number them. 1. Car 54 fans sound off at the myriad inadequacies of the Shanachie reissue here , calling for the head of designer Lorien Babajian, whom I somehow suspect of not being a real person. 2. Did you know that lovable Joe E. Ross was in fact a complete shithead?

Well, he was, according to “ Klip Nesteroff ” who may in fact be related to Lorien Babajian. . For whatever reason, Klip has devoted a massive amount of time and energy detailing what a huge slob Joe E. Ross was, including the fact that he had eight ex-wives, all of them former hookers. Well, I have only one ex-wife, and she was a violinist, not a hooker, but somehow I think Klip could make me look as bad as Joe E. if he tried. Still, I’m very much in debt to Klip, for embedding a clip from Irving Klaw’s immortal epic Teaserama (1955), a sadly neglected film that preserves the golden age of fifties burlesque for all mankind and for all time. Looking at these overweight, overage, pasty-faced babes strut their stuff should make every one of us get down on our knees and give thanks to God that we’re living in the age of such miracles as lipo, implants, and tan in a bottle. 6 3. After the demise of Car 54, Ross appeared briefly in the famously bad sitcom It’s About Time.

Gwynne, however, moved smoothly into the famous The Munsters, taking Al Lewis (“Grandpa”) with him. Gwynne, who mugs pretty furiously in Car 54, matured into a highly successful and (I guess I can say it) even beloved character actor. 4. Post Bilko but pre Car 54, Hiken teamed with Phil Silvers for two offbeat TV movies, The Ballad of Louie the Louse and The Slowest Gun in the West (also starring Jack Benny), which happened to be my Jewish high school girlfriend Carol’s first and second favorite TV shows of all time. The Slowest Gun I could get, but Louie was waaay over my head. Unfortunately, neither seems to be available on disc or download. 5. My fondest memory of Phil comes not from Bilko or Louie or Slowest Gun but rather The Ed Sullivan Show, when he introduced me to meta-humor. Phil was doing some sort of routine and asked the band for a downbeat, which they refused to supply.

After some back and forth, Phil went to Ed and said “Ed, the band isn’t cooperating.” Ed turned to the band and said “Guys, you want to play ball with Phil?” Two band members stood up, wearing baseball gloves, and started throwing a baseball back and forth. Phil turned to Ed: “Funny, Ed, funny! You’re a funny man! Funny!” 7 6. For more on Phil, check out Christopher Sandford’s excellent piece for BL, “ The King of Chutzpah .”. For more on Bilko, go here The final episode of the show ended with Bilko in jail, saying to the audience “The-the-that’s all, folks!” (Actually Porky Pig’s line, but you get the picture.) Seinfeld co-creator Larry David is a huge Bilko fan, which is probably why Seinfeld also ended with the cast in jail. [ ↩ ] Supposedly, the show ended its run because the cast was so large. They couldn’t fire people? [ ↩ ] I still remember the jolt when Bilko “moved” from Ft. Baxter to Camp Fremont in California for the last season. Why do things have to change?

[ ↩ ] Col. Hall wants to prove that Ft. Baxter can induct men quicker than any other post, which means that no one has the nerve to stop the line. [ ↩ ] Naturally, she becomes Muldoon’s date, not his woman, at the end of the episode. [ ↩ ] For most, the main attraction has got to be that tap-dancing rage, Bettie Page. Yes, the queen of B&D and S&M could also tap, just like Gloria Steinem. Sadly lacking, however, is my favorite fifties stripper, Stormy Abramowitz, the Sultry Semite. [ ↩ ] More meta: In 1951 Silvers appeared in a Broadway show, Top Banana, bouncing off the then incandescent career of Milton Berle. A filmed version of a live performance of the show was made, which I saw on TV about twenty years ago. Jack Albertson, “the Man” on the star-crossed NBC sitcom Chico and the Man, played a comedy writer.

The show included lines like “It was so hot the Hoboken ferry went out without her slip!” TB is not out on disc as far as I know, but apparently was once available on VHS (maybe). If you’re dying to know more, the IMBD has six (six!) reviews here . [ ↩ ] POLICE NY NYPD on TV 1958-59 1960-63 James Franciscus (1958-59), Paul Burke, Horace McMahon and Harry Belaver as detectives of the 65th Squad in Manhattan. The emphasis was more on drama than on policework. An excellent show with many appearances by actors who later became big stars. Filmed in New York City. BRENNER 1959-60 Edward Binns and James Broderick as father and son detectives whose assignments often cross. A good show but unfortunately short lived. Filmed in New York City. 87th PRECINCT 1961-62 Robert Lansing, Norman Fell, Ron Harper and Gregory Walcott as the detectives from Ed McBain's series of novels.

A good show but it could have been a great show if they finally admitted that it was supposed to be New York and actually filmed it in New York. CAR 54, WHERE ARE YOU? 1961-63 Joe E. Ross and Fred Gwynne A service comedy about a radio car team in the 53rd Precinct in the Bronx. This was, and still is, a great, funny show. Filmed in - THE BRONX! Burt Reynolds as a detective assigned to the Manhattan D.A.'s squad. More emphasis on Burt and action (he was a stunt man before an actor) than on police work. Look for Pontiacs as radio cars again (as in Naked City). Filmed in New York City. NYPD 1967-69 Jack Warden, Robert Hooks and Frank Converse as the 27th detective squad in Manhattan. A good solid show that should have lasted longer. Filmed in New York City. I AM THE LAW 1952-53 George Raft as a detective Lieutenant in the New York City Police Department. Probably the first program based on the NYPD.

THE D.A.'s MAN What ever happened to….: Herman Munster - Played by actor Fred Gwynne Sunday, October 23, 2011 Herman Munster - Played by actor Fred Gwynne Frederick Hubbard Gwynne was born on July 10, 1926 in New York, New York. He is most famous for playing the role of the Frankenstein like Herman Munster on the TV show The Munsters in the 1960s. He is also well known for his role as Officer Francis Muldoon on Car 54, Where Are You? Fred Gwynne played the role of Herman Munster on the TV comedy The Munsters Fred landed his TV debut in a 1953 episode of You Are There as Davy Crockett. The following year he made his first uncredited film appearance in On the Waterfront starring Marlon Brando, Karl Malden, Rod Steiger and Lee J. Cobb.

For the next eight years, Gwynne would spend his time making appearances in television theater shows and variety shows such as The Phil Silvers Show starring Phil Silvers, Harvey Lembeck and Paul Ford (2 episodes, 1955-56); Studio One in Hollywood co-starring Malcolm Brodrick, Betty Furness, Richard Kiley, and Lee Remick (1956); The Kaiser Aluminum Hour co-starring Kenneth Bowers, Nanette Fabray, Gene Nelson, and Paul Ford (1957); Suspicion co-starrng Burgess Meredith and Cathleen Nesbitt (1957); Kraft Theatre co-starring Tammy Grimes, Ferlin Husky, Patty Duke, and Bert Lahr (2 episodes, 1957); The Steve Allen Plymouth Show co-starring Steve Allen, Jill Corey, Sam Cooke, Alan Copeland, Don Knotts , and Virginia Gibson (1958); The DuPont Show of the Month co-starring Larry Blyden, Art Carney, Charlotte Rae, Elizabeth Montgomery, Barbara Bel Geddes , Richard Harris, Jackie Cooper, Don Murray and Rex Everhart (2 episodes, 1958); and Play of the Week co-st

arring Sally Ann Howes and Albert Salmi (1961).

Fred Gwynne in his younger days It was in 1961 that Fred landed the role of Officer Francis Muldoon on the TV comedy Car 54, Where Are You? He co-starred with Joe E. Ross (Officer Gunther Toody), Paul Reed (Captain Martin Block), Beatrice Pons (Lucille Toody), Hank Garrett (Officer Ed Nicholson), and future Munsters co-star Al Lewis (Officer Leo Schnauser). Fred would play the role of Officer Muldoon until the show ended in 1963. Fred Gwynne (Officer Francis Muldoon) and Joe E. Ross (Officer Gunther Toody) in the TV comedy Car 54, Where Are You? Joe E. Ross (Officer Gunther Toody) and Fred Gwynne (Officer Francis Muldoon) in the TV comedy Car 54, Where Are You? After his run on Car 54, Where Are You? in 1964, Gwynne immediately landed the role of Herman Munster in the TV comedy The Munsters .

He co-starred with Al Lewis (Grandpa Munster), Yvonne De Carlo (Lily Munster), Butch Patrick (Eddie Munster), Beverly Owen (Marilyn Munster, 1964), and Pat Priest (Marilyn Munster, 1964-1966). Gwynne played the role of Herman for two years until the show ended in 1966. The cast of The Munsters Fred Gwynne (Herman), Yvonne De Carlo (Lily Munster), Butch Patrick (Eddie Munster), Al Lewis (Grandpa Munster), and Pat Priest (Marilyn Munster) Fred Gwynne played the role of Herman Munster on the TV comedy The Munsters Fred Gwynne as Herman Munster on the TV comedy The Munsters had one of the best laughs in show biz That would not be the last we saw of Herman Munster however. The same year the show ended would come the release of the movie Munster, Go Home!

He co-starred with Yvonne De Carlo , Al Lewis, Butch Patrick , Debbie Watson (Marilyn), Hermione Gingold, Robert Pine, Terry-Thomas, Bernard Fox, Richard Dawson, Maria Lennard, John Carradine, and Jeanne Arnold. The cast of Munsters, Go Home! 1966 Fred Gwynne in the movie Munsters, Go Home! 1966 After The Munsters, Fred appeared in numerous TV movies and shows such as NET Playhouse co-starring Eileen Brennan, Julie Herrod, Tony Hendra, Michael Kearney, and Frances Sternhagen (1967); Mad Mad Scientist co-starring Bridget Hanley, Pamelyn Ferdin, and Reta Shaw (1968); Arsenic and Old Lace co-starring Lillian Gish, Helen Hayes, Jack Gilford, Bob Crane, Sue Lyon, Bob Dishy, and Billy De Wolfe (1969); and Anderson and Company co-starring Abby Dalton, Heather Harrison and Cindy Eilbacher (1969).

Fred Gwynne, Jack Gilford and Bob Crane in Arsenic and Old Lace 1969 Gwynne showed off his singing talent in The Littlest Angel co-starring Johnny Whitaker, Cab Calloway, Tony Randall, Connie Stevens, and E.G. Marshall (1969). He went on to star in The Police co-starring Bob Dishy, Murray Hamilton, Neva Patterson, John McGiver, and Steven Pringle (1971); Dames at Sea co-starring Ann-Margret, Harvey Evans, Ann Miller, Anne Meara, and Dick Shawn (1971); Norman Corwin Presents: Aunt Dorothy's Playroom co-starring Diane Baker, Bonnie Brooks and Norman Corwin (1972); Harvey co-starring James Stewart, Arlene Francis, Dorothy Blackburn, Helen Hayes, Martin Gabel, Madeline Kahn, Marian Hailey, Richard Mulligan, and John McGiver (1972); and Great Performances: Paradise Lost co-starring George Bartenieff, MacIntyre Dixon, Cliff Gorman and Jay Garner (1974).

It was in 1974 that Fred Gwynne made his Broadway debut in a revival of Cat on a Hot Tin Roof sharing the stage with Kate Reid, Elizabeth Ashley and Keir Dullea. The following year he appeared in the production of Our Town presented by the American Shakespeare Theatre. In 1976 he returned to the Broadway stage in the production of A Texas Trilogy.

He would return to the TV movies in the mini-series Captains and the Kings co-starring Richard Jordan, Harvey Jason, Jane Seymour, Patty Duke, Robert Vaughn, Blair Brown, Charles Durning, Joanna Pettet, Vic Morrow, Barbara Parkins, Terry Kiser, Beverly D'Angelo, Henry Fonda, Celeste Holm, and John Houseman (1976); Captains Courageous co-starring Karl Malden, Jonathan Kahn, Ricardo Montalban , Neville Brand and Johnny Doran (1977); Sanctuary of Fear co-starring Barnard Hughes, Michael McGuire, Elizabeth Wilson, George Hearn, David Rasche, Kay Lenz, and Saul Rubinek (1979); and Luna aka La luna Jill Clayburgh, Matthew Barry, Renato Salvatori, Veronica Lazar and Roberto Benigni (1979).

In 1980 Fred starred in A Day with Conrad Green co-starring David Garrison and Julia Campanelli (1980); Simon co-starring Alan Arkin, Madeline Kahn, Austin Pendleton, Max Wright, William Finley, and Judy Graubart (1980); and The Man That Corrupted Hadleyburg co-starring Robert Preston, Tom Aldredge, and Frances Sternhagen (1980). Gwynne revived his role as Herman Munster one last time in the 1981 TV movie The Munsters' Revenge. He co-starred with Yvonne De Carlo , Al Lewis, K.C. Martel, Jo McDonnell, Bob Hastings, Peter Fox, Sid Caesar, Herb Voland, Colby Chester, and Charles Macaulay.

The cast of The Munsters' Revenge 1981 Gwynne would continue on starring in So Fine co-starring Ryan O'Neal, Jack Warden, Mariangela Melato, Richard Kiel, Angela Pietropinto, and Joel Stedman (1981); American Playhouse: Any Friend of Nicholas Nickleby Is a Friend of Mine co-starring Brian Svrusis, Donna Gibbons, Sadie Hawkins, Deanna Dunagan, George Womack, and Les Podewell (1982); The Mysterious Stranger co-starring Chris Makepeace, Bernhard Wicki, Christoph Waltz and Herbert Fux (1982); and The Cotton Club co-starring Richard Gere, Gregory Hines, Bob Hoskins, Diane Lane, Lonette McKee, Nicolas Cage, Lisa Jane Persky, and Laurence Fishburne (1984). Fred Gwynne in The Cotton Club 1984 In 1984, Fred actually tried out for the role of Henry in the TV show Punky Brewster starring a young Soleil Moon Frye .

However, when he was allegedly referred to as Herman Munster during the audition instead of his actual name, he was apparently offended and withdrew from the audition. He would go on to star in Water with Michael Caine, Valerie Perrine, Brenda Vaccaro, Billy Connolly, Jimmie Walker, Dennis Dugan, and Leonard Rossiter (1985); and Kane & Abel co-starring Peter Strauss, Sam Neill, Alberta Watson, Jill Eikenberry, Ron Silver, David Dukes, Veronica Hamel, Richard Anderson and Thomas Byrd (1985).

Fred Gwynne in Water 1985 Gwynne would star in Off Beat co-starring Judge Reinhold, Meg Tilly, Cleavant Derricks, Amy Wright, Anthony Zerbe, Harvey Keitel, and Joe Mantegna (1986); Vanishing Act co-starring Mike Farrell , Margot Kidder, Elliott Gould, Heather Ward Siegel, and Graham Jarvis (1986); The Boy Who Could Fly co-starring Lucy Deakins, Jay Underwood, Bonnie Bedelia, Colleen Dewhurst, and Fred Savage (1986); The Christmas Star co-starring Edward Asner , Rene Auberjonois, Jim Metzler, Karen Landry, and Susan Tyrrell (1986); Jake's M.O. co-starring James Avery, Raye Birk, Eileen Conn, Caroline McWilliams, James Handy, Claudette Nevins and Jeff McCracken (1987); Murder by the Book co-starring Robert Hays, Catherine Mary Stewart, Christopher Murney, Jonathan Moore, and Celeste Holm (1987); The Secret of My Success co-starring Michael J.

Fox, Helen Slater, John Pankow, Margaret Whitton, Richard Jordan, Elizabeth Franz, Mercedes Ruehl, and Susan Kellermann (1987); Fatal Attraction co-starring Michael Douglas, Glenn Close, Anne Archer, Stuart Pankin, Ellen Hamilton Latzen, and Ellen Foley (1987); Ironweed co-starring Jack Nicholson, Meryl Streep, Carroll Baker, Diane Venora, Michael O'Keefe, and Nathan Lane (1987); and Disorganized Crime co-starring Hoyt Axton, Corbin Bernsen, Lou Diamond Phillips, Rubén Blades, Ed O'Neill, and Marie Butler (1989). Fred Gwynne in Disorganized Crime 1989 In 1989, Gwyne would star in one his most memorable film roles as Jud Crandall in Stephen King's Pet Sematary co-starring Dale Midkiff, Denise Crosby, Brad Greenquist, Miko Hughes, Michael Lombard, and Blaze Berdahl.

He would go on to star in Murder in Black and White co-starring Richard Crenna, Diahann Carroll, Cliff Gorman, Keith David, Sam Coppola, and Caroline Kava (1990); the animated Earthday Birthday co-starring Christopher Reeve, Lainie Kazan, Meghan Andrews, Jonathan Goch, Jonathan Gold, and John Canemaker (voice, 1990); Shadows and Fog co-starring Woody Allen, Mia Farrow, David Ogden Stiers , Michael Kirby, James Rebhorn, John Malkovich, Madonna, Lily Tomlin, Victor Argo, and Donald Pleasence (1991); and My Cousin Vinny co-starring Joe Pesci, Marisa Tomei, Mitchell Whitfield, Ralph Macchio , and Bruce McGill (1992).

Fred Gwynne in Pet Semarary 1989 Marisa Tomei, Joe Pesci, and Fred Gwynne in My Cousin Vinny 1992 Fred Gwynne's last role would be a voice narrative in the 1992 biography Lincoln co-starring Jason Robards, James Earl Jones, Glenn Close, Arnold Schwarzenegger, Richard Thomas, Burgess Meredith, Richard Widmark, Maureen Stapleton, Ned Beatty, Blythe Danner, Oprah Winfrey, Keith Carradine, Barnard Hughes, and Stacy Keach. On July 2, 1993 Fred Gwynne lost a battle with pancreatic cancer and passed away. Gwynne also left a legacy other than his work on film and television. He also wrote and illustrated children's books, including titles such as A Chocolate Moose for Dinner, It's Easy to See Why, A Little Pigeon Toad, The King Who Rained, and The Battle of the Frogs and Mice. He will be sorely missed.

Question: Joe E Ross and Fred Gwynne starred in which comedy police series on TV?
Answer: Car 54