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Dick Shawn
Actor

Dick Shawn

1 Dec 1923Born
17 Apr 1987Died
63Age at death
44Credits

Biography

Dick Shawn (December 1, 1923 – April 17, 1987) was an American actor. Way ahead of his time most say, it was extremely difficult indeed to know how to properly tap into this man's eclectic talents. Shawn began inching toward the forefront during the be-bop 50s and early 60s with his odd penchant for playing cool cats. During his mild bid for film stardom, he was top-billed as a hip, laid back genie in the thoroughly dismal satire The Wizard of Baghdad (1960), but seemed to have better luck when taken in smaller doses. He fared quite well opposite another "way-out-there" comedian, Ernie Kovacs, in Wake Me When It's Over (1960) as a hustling soldier out to make a buck in the Far East.

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Also on the plus side, he replaced Zero Mostel in the bawdy musical "A Funny Thing Happened on the Way to the Forum" on Broadway and stole a small scene in the all-star epic comedy It's a Mad Mad Mad Mad World (1963). By far, the one role that completely overshadows all of his other hard work is his mock portrayal of a singing Adolf Hitler in the show-within-a-movie The Producers (1968). In the film, which starred Mostel and Gene Wilder as two con artists deliberately producing a stage "bomb" called "Springtime for Hitler," Shawn sang the hammy, absurdly narcissistic song "Love Power." The movie finally captured Shawn in his element, but this stroke of genius of matching actor to role would never happen again for him. For the most part his roles came off slick and smarmy, and were stuck in mediocre material. Shawn won a huge fan base, however, touring in one-man stage shows which contained a weird mix of songs, sketches, satire, philosophy and even pantomime. A bright, innovative wit, one of his best touring shows was called "The Second Greatest Entertainer in the World." During the show's intermission, Shawn would lie visibly on the stage floor absolutely still during the entire time. By freakish coincidence, Shawn was performing at the University of California at San Diego in 1987 when he suddenly fell forward on the stage during one of his spiels about the Holocaust. The audience, of course, laughed, thinking it was just a part of his odd shtick. In actuality, the 63-year-old married actor with four children had suffered a fatal heart attack. A not-surprising end for this thoroughly offbeat and intriguing personality.

Known for

Filmography

  1. 1997Batman & RobinFilm: Snow Miser (archive sound) (uncredited)
  2. 1988Rented LipsFilm: Charlie Slater
  3. 1987Maid to OrderFilm: Stan Starkey
  4. 1986Captain EOFilm: Commander Bog
  5. 1986The Perils of P.KFilm: The Psychiatrist
  6. 1986The Check is in the Mail...Film: Donald
  7. 1986The Tommy Chong RoastFilm
  8. 1985The Emperor's New ClothesFilm: Emperor
  9. 1985Amazing StoriesSeries: Joe Willoughby (1 episode)
  10. 1985The Twilight ZoneSeries: (segment "Cold Reading") (1 episode)
  11. 1985Hail to the ChiefSeries: Ivan Zolotov (7 episodes)
  12. 1985WaterFilm: Deke Halliday
  13. 1984Tales from the DarksideSeries: Bo Gumbs (1 episode)
  14. 1984The Secret Diary of Sigmund FreudFilm: The Ultimate Patient
  15. 1984AngelFilm: Mae
  16. 1983Young WarriorsFilm: Professor Hoover
  17. 1982St. ElsewhereSeries: Edgar Eisenberg (1 episode)
  18. 1982Good-bye Cruel WorldFilm: Rodney Pointsetter / Ainsley Pointsetter, Screenplay
  19. 1982Faerie Tale TheatreSeries: Guest Interviewee, Emperor (1 episode)
  20. 1980Magnum, P.I.Series: Buzz Benoit (1 episode)
  21. 1979Love at First BiteFilm: Lieutenant Ferguson NYPD
  22. 1979Fast FriendsFilm: Deke Edwards
  23. 1977The Love BoatSeries: David Jackson, Harvey Blanchard (1 episode)
  24. 1977Looking UpFilm: Manny Lander
  25. 1976Laverne & ShirleySeries (1 episode)
  26. 1974The Year Without a Santa ClausFilm: Snow Miser (voice)
  27. 1972Evil Roy SladeFilm: Marshal Bing Bell
  28. 1971Dames at SeaFilm: Lucky
  29. 1969The Happy EndingFilm: Harry Bricker
  30. 1969Medical CenterSeries (1 episode)
  31. 1968The ProducersFilm: Lorenzo St. DuBois (L.S.D.)
  32. 1966PenelopeFilm: Dr. Gregory Mannix
  33. 1966Way... Way OutFilm: Igor Valkleinokov
  34. 1966ABC Stage 67Series: Paul Benderhof (1 episode)
  35. 1966That GirlSeries (1 episode)
  36. 1966What Did You Do in the War, Daddy?Film: Captain Lionel Cash
  37. 1965A Very Special FavorFilm: Arnold Plum
  38. 1963It's a Mad, Mad, Mad, Mad WorldFilm: Sylvester Marcus
  39. 1962The Lucy ShowSeries: Ace Winthrop (1 episode)
  40. 1961The Wizard of BaghdadFilm: Genii-Ali Mahmud
  41. 1960Wake Me When It's OverFilm: Gus Brubaker
  42. 1959The DuPont Show with June AllysonSeries: Charlie Wilson (1 episode)
  43. 1956The Opposite SexFilm: Singer
  44. 1953General Electric TheaterSeries: Felix Franklin (1 episode)

Biography and credits from TMDB. This website uses TMDB and the TMDB APIs but is not endorsed, certified, or otherwise approved by TMDB.