Ed Wynn
About
Biography
Filmography
Family & Companions
Bibliography
Notes
"No one can exceed him in solid, impenetrable asininity. But no one can, at the same time, be more amiable, well-meaning and attractive. Nature gave him a large and solemn face which seemed to promise an unending series of well-intentioned blunders, and his art, succeeds, somehow, in giving the impression that his career has been more the result of the following with an admirable consistency Polonius's advise--"To thine own self be true.'"--Joseph Wood Krutch wrote in "The Nation" (quoted in "New York Times" obituary, June 20, 1966)
Wynn's name is honored in the last two call letters of radio station WNEW, the only vestige of the proposed Amalgamated Broadcasting System in which he played a prominent role.
Biography
Hugely popular vaudeville and Broadway comedian who, after being boycotted by the Shuberts for organizing an actor's strike, continued his success by writing and producing his own shows. Billed as "The Perfect Fool" after the title of one of his Broadway shows, Wynn was known for his trademark zany hats, misfit clothes, oversized shoes, lisping speech, fluttering hands, squeaky giggling and his exit line, "I'll be back in a flash with more trash." Progenitor of a topsy-turvy career, Wynn conquered radio with his first-time broadcast of a full-length comedy show to a radio audience in 1922 and followed with his own popular radio series as the Texaco "Fire Chief" (1932-35). He pioneered in combining his comedy routines with spoofs of the sponsor's commercial messages. Primarily a visual comic, he reemerged in the following decade as a popular figure in the new medium of television, winning the first Emmy Award as Most Outstanding Live Personality. In the late 50s, after having appeared in only a handful of films, Wynn began a successful career as a character actor, playing his first dramatic role in "The Great Man" (1956) and following with an Oscar-nominated performance as the Dutch dentist in "The Diary of Anne Frank" (1959). He alternated dramatic roles with the comedies "Cinderfella" (1960), "The Absentminded Professor" (1961) and "Mary Poppins" (1964). Father of actor Keenan Wynn (1916-86) who co-starred with him in "The Great Man" and the 1956 Rod Steiger teleplay "Requiem for a Heavyweight."
Filmography
Cast (Feature Film)
Cast (Special)
Cast (Short)
Life Events
1903
Began vaudeville career
1910
Broadway debut in short-lived musical, "The Deacon and the Lady"
1914
Made stage debut in "Ziegfeld Follies of 1914"
1919
Joined actor's strike, subsequently boycotted by Shuberts
1920
Wrote and produced own shows beginning with Broadway musical revue, "Ed Wynn's Carnival"
1922
Made first broadcast of a full-length comedy show to a radio audience
1927
Film debut, "Rubber Heels"
1930
First sound film, "Follow the Leader"
1932
Starred in his first radio series, "The Fire Chief"
1940
Returned to Broadway in "Boys and Girls Together"
1956
Played dramatic role in Rod Serling's teleplay, "Requiem for a Heavyweight" on "Playhouse 90"
1957
Played first straight dramatic film role in "The Great Man" (filmed 1956, released 1957)
1964
Had featured role in the Disney film "Mary Poppins"
Photo Collections
Videos
Movie Clip
Trailer
Family
Companions
Bibliography
Notes
"No one can exceed him in solid, impenetrable asininity. But no one can, at the same time, be more amiable, well-meaning and attractive. Nature gave him a large and solemn face which seemed to promise an unending series of well-intentioned blunders, and his art, succeeds, somehow, in giving the impression that his career has been more the result of the following with an admirable consistency Polonius's advise--"To thine own self be true.'"--Joseph Wood Krutch wrote in "The Nation" (quoted in "New York Times" obituary, June 20, 1966)
Wynn's name is honored in the last two call letters of radio station WNEW, the only vestige of the proposed Amalgamated Broadcasting System in which he played a prominent role.
