Edgar Bergen
Edgar John Bergen ( actually Edgar John Bergren ; born February 16, 1903 in Chicago , Illinois , USA , † September 30, 1978 in Las Vegas , Nevada ) was an American actor and ventriloquist . He is the father of actress Candice Bergen .
life and career
The son of Swedish parents grew up in Decatur , Michigan . As a child he taught himself ventriloquism with the help of a brochure and had a wooden dummy named Charlie McCarthy made for him, which remained his trademark for a lifetime.
Bergen's appearances with Charlie were so successful that he received his own radio show in 1937. Although you couldn't see the wooden puppet Charlie and the ventriloquist on this radio show, the show became a big hit and ran until 1956. The speech duels between Charlie McCarthy and the comedian WC Fields were particularly popular . As a counterpoint to the subtle Charlie McCarthy, Bergen developed the " late bloomer " Mortimer Snerd and also the man-hungry Effie Klinker .
The success of his radio show soon brought Bergen numerous film offers. Among other things, he appeared in the comedy Honestly Lasts Longest , the drama Mystery of the Mother and the adventure film Käpt'n China .
From 1945 until his death in 1978 he was married to Frances Westerman , who was 20 years his junior and who used the stage name Frances Westcott as a model. The two had two children.
Edgar Bergen played the role of grandfather in The Homecoming: A Christmas Story (1971), the pilot for the television series The Waltons . In the series he was replaced by Will Geer .
Awards
- In 1938, Bergen was awarded an Honorary Oscar for services to the entertainment industry and for creating Charlie McCarthy. In allusion to the Charlie McCarthy doll, the Oscar statue was made of wood. In 1978 he received the Screen Actors Guild Life Achievement Award from the Screen Actors Guild for life's work.
- Bergen is dedicated to three stars on the Hollywood Walk of Fame . In 1990 he was inducted into the Radio Hall of Fame , and he is also in the Hall of Fame of the Society of American Magicians .
Filmography (selection)
- 1930: The Operation (short film)
- 1938: The Goldwyn Follies
- 1939: You Can't Cheat an Honest Man
- 1939: Charlie McCarthy, detective
- 1941: Look Who's Laughing
- 1942: Here We Go Again
- 1944: Song of the Open Road
- 1944: Fun and Fancy Free (Fun and Fancy Free)
- 1948: Mother's Secret (I Remember Mama)
- 1950: Käpt'n China (Captain China)
- 1953: Mystery Lake
- 1967: The bare facts (Do not Make Waves)
- 1971: The Homecoming: A Christmas Story (TV movie)
- 1971: The Waltons ( The Waltons ; TV Series, 1 episode)
- 1976: Won Ton Ton - The Dog Who Saved Hollywood (Won Ton Ton: The Dog Who Saved Hollywood)
- 1977: The Muppet Show (TV series, as special guest star)
- 1979: Muppet Movie (The Muppet Movie)
Web links
- Edgar Bergen
- Edgar Bergen in the Internet Movie Database (English)
Individual evidence
| personal data | |
|---|---|
| SURNAME | Bergen, Edgar |
| ALTERNATIVE NAMES | Bergen, Edgar John (full name); Berggren, Edgar John (real name) |
| BRIEF DESCRIPTION | American actor and ventriloquist |
| DATE OF BIRTH | February 16, 1903 |
| PLACE OF BIRTH | Chicago , Illinois , USA |
| DATE OF DEATH | September 30, 1978 |
| Place of death | Las Vegas , Nevada |