Scatman Crothers

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Scatman Crothers with Terrie Frankel during the filming of The Adventures of Natty Gann (1985)

Scatman Crothers , actually Benjamin Sherman Crothers , (born May 23, 1910 in Terre Haute , Indiana , † November 22, 1986 in Van Nuys , California ) was an American singer , composer and actor . He gained constant fame primarily through the role of Dick Hallorann in Shining and as a night watchman in One Flew Over the Cuckoo's Nest . Overall, Crothers acted in more than 120 films and television series. His career as a musician spanned more than 60 years.

Life

Crothers began his career after high school in the 1920s as a singer and comedian in jazz and night clubs. He taught himself to play the guitar and the drums. In the 1930s Crothers formed his own band, with which he spent eight years in Akron . He also got his own radio show on a local station in Dayton , which was broadcast five times a week. At this time his stage name Scatman was born , which was based on his Scat singing.

In the 1940s, Crothers moved to California with his wife, Helen, whom he married in 1937. This was followed by appearances in Los Angeles , Las Vegas and the Apollo Theater in Harlem . Capitol Records released several of its singles. During the Second World War he appeared for the United Service Organizations on the side of Bob Hope in front of US troops.

Crothers made his film debut in Meet Me at the Fair in 1953 . Appearances in several dozen films followed, mostly in supporting roles. So he played in 1961 in Jenseits des Ruwenzori at the side of Roger Moore . He also worked as a voice actor and so lent his voice to Swingy (in the original Scat Cat ; based on Crothers) in the cartoon Aristocats in 1970 . Crother's best-known film appearances include the night watchman in One Flew Over the Cuckoo's Nest from 1975 and his role as hotel chef Dick Hallorann in Stanley Kubrick's 1980 horror film Shining . Jack Nicholson played the leading role in both films , with whom he had already appeared in front of the camera twice before.

Crother's other film roles include the conductor Ralston in the comedy Trans-Amerika-Express (1976) and that of the farrier Moses in John Wayne's farewell work The Last Sniper (also 1976). After the success of Shining , he appeared in other horror films: In 1982 Crothers starred as George Faskins in Night Eyes and in 1983 as Mr. Bloom in Eerie Shadow Lights . He remained active as an actor until shortly before his death. Despite his involvement in over 60 cinema and television films as well as an equally large number of appearances in television series, Crothers remained primarily active as a singer and composer throughout his life.

Scatman Crothers contracted lung cancer in 1982 , from the consequences of which he died on November 22, 1986 at the age of 76 in Van Nuys. He left behind his wife Helen, with whom he was married for almost 50 years. Crothers Grave is in the Forest Lawn Memorial Park .

Filmography (selection)

Award

Web links

Individual evidence

  1. SCATMAN CROTHERS DIES AT 76; ACTOR GOT START IN SPEAKEASIES. In: The New York Times . November 23, 1986. Retrieved November 17, 2019 .
  2. ^ Scatman Crothers. In: Find a Grave . February 9, 1999, accessed November 17, 2019 .