Jimmy Durante

Comedian, Vaudevillian

About

Also Known As

James Frances Durante

Birth Place

New York City, New York, USA

Born

February 10, 1893

Died

January 29, 1980

Cause of Death

Pneumonia

Biography

Filmography

That's Entertainment! III (1994)

Entertaining the Troops (1989)

Himself

It's Showtime (1976)

Himself

It's a Mad, Mad, Mad, Mad World (1963)

Photos & Videos

View All

On An Island With You (1948) — (Movie Clip) Nightingale (Dance)

Pepe (1960) -- (Movie Clip) How Humiliatin'!

Family & Companions

Jeanne Olson

Wife

Singer. Married from 1921 until her death in 1943; inspiration for his catch-line "Goodnight, Mrs. Calabash, where ever you are".

Marjorie Little

Wife

Hat check girl, switchboard operator. Married from 1960 until his death.

Bibliography

"Inka-Dinka-Doo"

Biography

A big-nosed, ingratiating performer of stage, screen and radio, Jimmy Durante possessed a unique gravelly voice, a raucous manner and a persona which later in life radiated a love of the old showbiz traditions of vaudeville and slapstick. He began his career playing honky-tonk piano in New York saloons, working his way into a vaudeville act with partners Lou Clayton and Eddie Jackson. The three opened the Club Durant in 1919, a speakeasy which rocketed them to fame. The trio spent the 1920s entertaining from their club as well as on the vaudeville circuit, including a long run at the Palace Theater. They also appeared in Ziegfeld's "Show Girl" (1929) and Cole Porter's "The New Yorkers" (1930). Durante--with his brash, lovable mien and cries of "hotcha-cha!"--branched out alone in such Broadway shows as "Strike Me Pink" (1933), Billy Rose's "Jumbo" (1935) with a score by Richard Rodgers and Lorenz Hart and book by Charles MacArthur and Ben Hecht, and another Cole Porter musical, "Red, Hot and Blue." He also made numerous radio appearances in the 30s and 40s.

Durante's film career started rockily with "Roadhouse Nights" (1930). He was successfully teamed with Marion Davies in "Blondie of the Follies" (1932), but then MGM unwisely paired him with Buster Keaton in four films which did nothing for either performer. Durante appeared in a total of 21 films in the 30s, but the only ones of note were "The Phantom President" (1932), with George M. Cohan, the all-star "Hollywood Party" (1934), in which he served as host, and "Palooka" (1934), which introduced his theme song, "Inka-Dinka-Doo." He made another 15 films, mostly as an avuncular character actor and sidekick. Among his best were the Frank Sinatra musical "It Happened in Brooklyn" (1947), the Esther Williams splasher "On an Island with You" (1948), "Billy Rose's Jumbo" (1962) and his swan song, literally "kicking the bucket" in the all-star "It's a Mad, Mad, Mad, Mad World" (1963).

The small screen gave Durante a second lease on life as his film career floundered. He guested on numerous shows through the early 50s, finally earning his own popular series from 1954-57 (first on NBC, then CBS). He continued popping up on variety specials through the early 70s, and narrated the frequently re-run Christmas special "Frosty the Snowman" (CBS, 1969). A kind and much-loved man on-stage and off, Durante's rasped exclamations "Everybody wants ta get into th' act!," "Stop da music!" and "Surrounded by assassins!" have entered the American consciousness.

Filmography

Life Events

1909

Hired as ragtime pianist in Bowery nightclubs, NY

1919

Opened Club Durant with Eddie Jackson and Lou Clayton

1929

First Broadway performance in Ziegfeld's "Show Girl"

1930

Film acting debut in "Roadhouse Nights"

1954

Had own TV show (NBC and CBS)

1964

Final film, "It's a Mad, Mad, Mad, Mad World"

1972

Confined to wheelchair after fall

Photo Collections

Billy Rose's Jumbo - Group Publicity Stills

Here are a few group photos taken to help publicize Billy Rose's Jumbo (1962), starring Doris Day, Jimmy Durante, Martha Raye, and Stephen Boyd. Publicity stills were specially-posed photos, usually taken off the set, for purposes of publicity or reference for promotional artwork.

The Man Who Came to Dinner - Lobby Card

Here is a Lobby Card from Warner Bros' The Man Who Came to Dinner (1942), starring Monty Woolley. Lobby Cards were 11" x 14" posters that came in sets of 8. As the name implies, they were most often displayed in movie theater lobbies, to advertise current or coming attractions.

It Happened in Brooklyn - Movie Posters

Here are a few original release movie posters from It Happened in Brooklyn (1947), starring Frank Sinatra, Kathryn Grayson, and Peter Lawford.

Two Sisters from Boston - Publicity Stills

Here are several Publicity Stills from Two Sisters from Boston (1946). Publicity stills were specially-posed photos, usually taken off the set, for purposes of publicity or reference for promotional artwork.

This Time for Keeps (1947) - Movie Poster

Here is an original release movie poster for This Time for Keeps (1947), starring Esther Williams. This poster is an insert, which measures 14" x 36"