Danny Kaye

Photo of Danny Kaye

Biography

Gifted, energetic and immensely charismatic comedic entertainer who honed his skills as a rapid-fire patter singer, a comedian and a master of fractured foreign accents and mimicry on the "Borscht Belt" circuit of Catskill resorts and in vaudeville, before moving to Broadway and films in the early 1940s. With clever songs and special material tailored to showcase his comedic gifts and light sweet voice written by Sylvia Fine (whom he married …
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Job Title

Actor, Producer, Music

Born

January 18, 1913

Career Milestones

1986

Made guest appearance playing a dentist on "The Bill Cosby Show"

1981

TV movie debut, "Skokie"

Returned to Broadway as Noah in the Richard Rodgers-Martin Charnin musical "Two By Two"

1969

Played character part of ragpicker in final film, "The Madwoman of Chaillot"

1966

Toured Vietnam war fronts with the USO

1963

Starred on "The Danny Kaye Show" on TV

1953

Signed with MGM to film a musical version of "Huckleberry Finn" co-starring Gene Kelly; film postponed, then project abandoned

1952

Formed Dena Productions with Sylvia Fine

1948

First performed at the London Palladium

1945

Premiere of "The Danny Kaye Show" on CBS radio

1944

Feature film debut in "Up in Arms"

1943

Signed contract with Samuel Goldwyn who insisted he lighten his hair to blond; Sylvia Fine also signed by Goldwyn to write special material for husband

1941

Rejected MGM contract at $3,000 per week

1941

Headlined a vaudeville revue at the Palace Theater in NY

1941

Starred in the Cole Porter musical "Let's Face It" on Broadway

1941

Gained first major notice for his high-speed novelty number, "Tchaikovsky" in the Kurt Weill-Ira Gershwin Broadway musical, "Lady in the Dark"

1939

Broadway debut in "The Straw Hat Revue", comprised of skit material from summer camp in Pennsylvania that he, Sylvia Fine, Max Liebman and Imogene Coca had worked in

1939

New York stage debut, "Left of Broadway"

Stage debut in a vaudeville revue that toured US and Asia, "La Vie Paris"

1938

Performed in cabaret show at the Dorchester in London

1938

Starred in "Getting an Eyeful" and "Cupid Takes a Holiday", short subjects for Educational Pictures; three shorts were later compiled into film titled, "The Danny Kaye Story/Birth of a Star" (1944)

1937

Short film debut, "Dime a Dance" (two-reel short; produced by small independent film company, Educational Pictures)

Toured with Abe Lyman's Band

Travelled to the Orient with A.B. Marcus Show

Worked as a performing busboy at Catskill summer camps; worked as a soda jerk between engagements

Awards

1986

Primetime Emmy Award for Outstanding Guest Performer In a Comedy Series in The Cosby Show

1982

Screen Actors Guild Award for Life Achievement

1981

Golden Globe Award for Best Performance by an Actor in a Mini-series or Motion Picture Made for Television in Skokie

1965

Primetime Emmy Award for Outstanding Individual Achievements In Entertainment in The Danny Kaye Show

1964

Primetime Emmy Award for Outstanding Performance In a Variety or Musical Program in The Danny Kaye Show

1963

Primetime Emmy Award for Outstanding Performance In a Variety or Musical Program in The Danny Kaye Show

1958

Golden Globe Award for Best Performance by an Actor in a Motion Picture - Comedy Or Musical in Me and the Colonel

1956

Golden Globe Award for Best Performance by an Actor in a Motion Picture - Comedy Or Musical in The Court Jester

1952

Golden Globe Award for Best Performance by an Actor in a Motion Picture - Comedy Or Musical in Hans Christian Andersen

1951

Golden Globe Award for Best Performance by an Actor in a Motion Picture - Comedy Or Musical in On the Riviera