Milton Berle
About
Biography
Filmography
Family & Companions
Bibliography
Notes
Berle has written the lyrics to many songs, notably the novelty number "Sam, You Made the Pants Too Long".
"My mother had wanted to be an actress. But in those days, being an actress was considered like being a harlot, so she never did it. Instead, she poured all of her drive and passion for show business into me and my career.I did whatever my mother wanted. I wanted whatever she wanted. She was the ultimate stage mother--she made Gypsy Rose Lee's mother look like Mary Poppins."--Berle quoted in special tribute issue of The Hollywood Reporter, July 1990
Biography
In a career that has spanned eight decades, and included everything from silent films to vaudeville to Broadway to radio, Milton Berle qualifies as one of the personifications of "show business." Despite making a mark in each of the aforesaid media, Berle achieved his greatest success as the first acknowledged superstar of television. Between 1948 and 1956, Tuesday nights belonged to the comedian. The success of his weekly variety show earned him the honorific titles of 'Mr. Television' and 'Uncle Miltie'. Famous for his extremely high energy level and for a series of outlandish characterizations--especially those featuring the star in drag--Berle was at the top of the TV ratings for several seasons, but when the inevitable fade occurred, he was unable to find a subsequent suitable vehicle for his talents. He did, however, stay prominent in the public eye via many TV specials, both those built around him and in guest star spots, where his trademark cigar, snide wisecracks, unctuous manner and withering glare at the camera were put to good use.
Berle began his career as a child model, posing for the advertising campaign for Buster Brown shoes. He entered films in 1914, appearing in the serial "The Perils of Pauline" and Mack Sennett's "Tillie's Punctured Romance." Reportedly, he appeared in over 50 silent films as a child performer. Berle began to perform on stage in 1920 in the Broadway production of "Floradora." Appearances in vaudeville, where the comedian perfected his wiseguy persona, led to engagements in editions of "Earl Carroll Vanities" and the "Ziegfeld Follies." He returned to features in "New Faces of 1937" (1937) and made sporadic appearances in the 1940s, including "Sun Valley Serenade" (1941) and "Always Leave Them Laughing" (1949).
After establishing himself in the developing medium of TV, Berle returned to features and the stage, searching for the role that would duplicate his success on the small screen. Like others comics who became TV personalities (e.g., Lucille Ball, Red Skelton, Carol Burnett, Sid Caesar), Berle had trouble shaking the public's perception of him as anything other than Uncle Miltie. His return to Broadway in Herb Gardner's play "The Goodbye People" (1968) was short-lived. He had moderate success touring in Neil Simon's "Last of the Red Hot Lovers" (1970) and later in the sex farce "Norman, Is That You?" (1975).
His feature work since 1960 has also been sporadic. He appeared as himself, hired to coach a showgirl (Marilyn Monroe) in comedy in George Cukor's "Let's Make Love" (1960), was a henpecked motorist in Stanley Kramer's all-star "It's a Mad, Mad, Mad, Mad World" (1963), partnered with Margaret Leighton as a mourner in Tony Richardson's sardonic "The Loved One" (1965), and delivered a dramatic portrayal of a Jewish gangster in "Lepke" (1975). He has continued to work into the 1990s, appearing in the 1995 direct-to-video children's film "Storybook."
On TV, Berle has made numerous guest appearances on comedies, variety shows and specials and dramas. An attempt to revive his variety show in the mid-60s failed to attract audience attention. Berle has proven himself capable as a dramatic performer on the small screen. He earned a Best Actor Emmy nomination for his dramatic performance in the "Doyle Against the House" episode of "The Dick Powell Show" (NBC, 1961) and a Best Guest Actor Emmy nomination for his turn as a veteran actor struggling with Alzheimer's Disease in an episode of "Beverly Hills, 90210" (Fox, 1995).
Filmography
Cast (Feature Film)
Music (Feature Film)
Misc. Crew (Feature Film)
Cast (Special)
Producer (Special)
Cast (Short)
Cast (TV Mini-Series)
Life Events
1913
Won a Charlie Chaplin impersonation contest
1913
Worked as child model for Buster Brown shoes
1914
Film acting debut, "The Perils of Pauline"; also featured in "Tillie's Punctured Romance", directed by Charlie Chaplin
1920
Broadway debut "Floradora"
1932
Featured on Broadway in "Earl Carroll Vanities"
1936
Appeared on stage with "Ziegfeld Follies"
1937
Featured in the film "New Faces of 1937"
1948
Hosted and starred on the radio series "Texaco Star Theater"
1948
Hosted and starred on the TV series, "Texaco Star Theater" (NBC)
1949
Last feature for eleven years, "Always Leave THem Laughing"
1960
Returned to features with "The Bellboy" and "Let's Make Love"
1963
Toured in stage production "Top Banana"
1968
Returned to Broadway after a thirty-year absence to play role of Max Silverman in Herb Gardner's "The Goodbye People"
1975
Played dramatic role in the feature "Lepke"
1984
Played himself in Woody Allen's "Broadway Danny Rose"
1995
Earned Emmy nomination for guest performance on "Beverly Hills, 90210"
1995
Had featured role in "Storybook"
1997
Launched <i>Milton</i>, a gaming magazine, published by his wife Lorna and edited by his daughter Susan
1998
Suffered mild stroke in December
Photo Collections
Videos
Movie Clip
Trailer
Promo
Family
Companions
Bibliography
Notes
Berle has written the lyrics to many songs, notably the novelty number "Sam, You Made the Pants Too Long".
"My mother had wanted to be an actress. But in those days, being an actress was considered like being a harlot, so she never did it. Instead, she poured all of her drive and passion for show business into me and my career.I did whatever my mother wanted. I wanted whatever she wanted. She was the ultimate stage mother--she made Gypsy Rose Lee's mother look like Mary Poppins."--Berle quoted in special tribute issue of The Hollywood Reporter, July 1990
Inducted into the Television Academy Hall of Fame (1984)
He was the first inductee into the International Comedy Hall of Fame (1991)
Berle presides as the Abbot Emeritus of the Friars Club
