Jack Albertson

Jonathan "Jack" Albertson (June 6, 1910 - November 25, 1981) was considered a complete entertainer from the old school. He was an Academy Award-winning American actor (dating back to Vaudeville), comedian, dancer, singer, and musician, and he performed on stage, radio, movies, and television.

Early life and career in Vaudeville

Albertson was born in Malden, Massachusetts to Jewish parents - Flora Craft, a Russian immigrant, and Leo Albertson, a Polish immigrant. He had an older sister, Mabel Albertson, and a brother, Frank, who were also actors. Albertson dropped out of high school and traveled to New York City in an attempt make it big in show business. He was too poor to get a room in a flophouse, so in the winter he would sleep on the subway for a nickle, and hide out when the transit workers would clear out the train at the end of the line. In the summer he would sleep in Central Park. His first real job in show business was with a vaudeville road troupe, the Dancing Verselle Sisters.

From Vaudeville to Broadway

Albertson soon worked in burlesque as a hoofer (soft shoe dancer) and straight man to Phil Silvers on the Minsky's Burlesque Circuit. Besides vaudeville and burlesque, he appeared on the stage in many Broadway plays 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). He was also known for two radio programs, Just Plain Bill and The Jack Albertson Comedy Show.

Albertson's move to the movies

Jack Albertson had a prolific movie career as well, mostly playing supporting roles.

Notable among these were:

a bit part as the postal worker who redirected all of Santa Claus' mail to the New York Courthouse in Miracle on 34th Street (1947);
a film version of Top Banana (1953), teamed again with his friend Phil Silvers;
The Subject was Roses (1968), for which he won a best supporting actor Oscar;
Charlie's Grampa Joe in Willy Wonka and the Chocolate Factory'' (1971), which younger fans might recognize him from;
The Poseidon Adventure (1972, where he was the husband who encouraged his wife, the former swimming champion (played by Shelley Winters) to swim for safety in her Oscar-nominated role).

Other films he appeared in include:

Big Business Girl (1931)
Don't Go Near the Water (1957)
Monkey on My Back (1957)
Teacher's Pet (1958)
Period of Adjustment (1962)
Days of Wine and Roses (1962)
Kissin' Cousins (1964)
How To Murder Your Wife (1965)
The Flim-Flam Man (1967)
How To Save A Marriage and Ruin Your Life (1968)
Justine, Changes, The Monk (all 1969)
Squeeze A Flower (1970)
Rabbit, Run (1970)
Once Upon A Dead Man (1971)
The Late Liz (1971)
Pickup on 101 (1972)
Where Eagles Fly (1972)
Charlie and the Great Balloon Chase (1978)
The Comedy Company (1978)
Marriage is Alive and Well (1979)
Charlie's Balloon (1981)
The Fox and the Hound (1981)
Dead and Buried (1981)

Albertson said that his one regret was that he was not asked to reprise his role in the movie version of The Sunshine Boys.

Albertson's career on television

Television also saw much of Albertson's talent. He had recurring or starring roles on:

The Burns and Allen Show
The Thin Man
Ensign O'Toole
Chico and the Man, probably his most famous television role, Albertson won an Emmy (for his portrayal of Ed Brown, "the Man"--Chico's boss), making him one of the few entertainers to win the triple crown of entertainment (a Tony, an Oscar, and an Emmy). The tragedy of his success was this his co-star, Freddie Prinze, committed suicide during a bout of depression in what several news sources described at the time as "an accidental shooting."
Grandpa goes to Washington

He also guest starred on numerous TV shows, including:

Personal life and death

Albertson was married to Wallace (Wally) Thompson and had one daughter, Maura. He resided for years in West Hollywood, California. In 1978 he was diagnosed with colon cancer, but kept this information from the public so he could continue to act. He made one movie, My Body, My Child (1982) and one TV movie, Grandpa, Will You Run With Me? (1982) before his death that were released posthumously.

Jack Albertson died on November 25, 1981, at 1:30 P.M. at the age of 71 from cancer, survived by his wife, daughter and his older sister, Mabel. He was cremated and his ashes scattered in the Pacific Ocean.

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