Wynn, Ed, 1886-1966

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Born Isaiah Edwin Leopold, Nov. 9, 1886 of European immigrants in Philadelphia; entered show business at 15; became successful NY vaudeville comic headliner by 17; appeared in Ziegfeld follies; wrote and produced his own shows on Broadway in 1920s and 1930s, featuring songs by Rodgers and Hart, Sammy Fain, and other well-known composers, and billing himself as The perfect fool, featuring his lisp, giggle, fluttering hands, outlandish costumes and inventions, and outrageous puns; starred on radio as Texaco fire chief in 1930s; suffered nervous breakdown late 1930s; returned to Broadway in 1940s; appeared in television and films through 1950s and 1960s in both comic and dramatic roles; father of Keenan Wynn; died of cancer in Beverly Hills on June 19, 1966.

From the description of Papers, 1920-1938 bulk 1931-1938. (University of California, Los Angeles). WorldCat record id: 37761404

Biography

Born Isaiah Edwin Leopold, November 9, 1886 of European immigrants in Philadelphia; entered show business at 15; became successful New York vaudeville comic headliner by 17; appeared in Ziegfeld follies; wrote and produced his own shows on Broadway in 1920s and 1930s, featuring songs by Rodgers and Hart, Sammy Fain, and other well-known composers, and billing himself as The perfect fool, featuring his lisp, giggle, fluttering hands, outlandish costumes and inventions, and outrageous puns; starred on radio as Texaco fire chief in 1930s; suffered nervous breakdown late 1930s; returned to Broadway in 1940s; appeared in television and films through 1950s and 1960s in both comic and dramatic roles; father of Keenan Wynn; died of cancer in Beverly Hills on June 19, 1966.

From the guide to the Ed Wynn Papers, 1920-1938 bulk 1931-1938, (University of California, Los Angeles. Library. Department of Special Collections.)

Archival Resources
Role Title Holding Repository
creatorOf Paula Stone papers Univerisity of Wyoming. American Heritage Center.
referencedIn Alfred Bendiner caricatures and related papers, 1929-1992 The New York Public Library. Billy Rose Theatre Division.
creatorOf Ed Wynn Papers, 1920-1938 bulk 1931-1938 University of California, Los Angeles. Library Special Collections.
creatorOf Wynn, Ed, 1886-1966. Papers, 1920-1938 bulk 1931-1938. University of California, Los Angeles
referencedIn Lawrence and Lee papers, 1917-1974 The New York Public Library. Billy Rose Theatre Division.
referencedIn John Mason Brown papers, 1922-1967. Houghton Library
referencedIn American Vaudeville Museum collection, 1845-2007, (bulk 1910-1940) University of Arizona Libraries, Library Special Collections
creatorOf Wynn, Ed, 1886-1966. The Ed Wynn show. [No. 15], The music lovers / story and screenplay by Devery Freeman. University of Illinois at Urbana Champaign
creatorOf Records of the Office of the Secretary of Defense. 1921 - 2008. Audio Recordings. 1945 - 1965. THE ADVENTURES OF W. C. FIELDS National Archives at College Park
referencedIn Bennett Cerf Papers, ca. 1898-1977. Columbia University. Rare Book and Manuscript Library
referencedIn Theatre Arts Monthly, collection of portraits, ca., ca., 1924-1939 (bulk), 1916-1964 (inclusive). Harvard Theater Collection, Houghton Library, Harvard College Library, Harvard University
referencedIn Cerf, Bennett, 1898-1971. Bennett Cerf papers, ca. 1898-1977. Columbia University in the City of New York, Columbia University Libraries
referencedIn Butterfield, Charles E., 1892-1958. Papers, 1931-1957. Wisconsin Historical Society, Newspaper Project
referencedIn The Railroad hour, radio program [sound recording], 1948-1954 The New York Public Library. Rodgers and Hammerstein Archives of Recorded Sound.
creatorOf Murphy, Frank, 1890-1949. Frank Murphy autograph book, 1930-1942. Bentley Historical Library
referencedIn Alexander Woollcott correspondence, ca. 1856-1943 (inclusive), 1920-1943 (bulk). Houghton Library
Role Title Holding Repository
Relation Name
associatedWith American Museum of Vaudeville corporateBody
associatedWith Bendiner, Alfred person
correspondedWith Brown, John Mason, 1900-1969 person
associatedWith Butterfield, Charles E., 1892-1958. person
associatedWith Cerf, Bennett, 1898-1971. person
associatedWith Cullen, Frank, 1936- person
associatedWith Fain, Sammy, 1902-1989. person
associatedWith Hart, Lorenz, 1895-1943. person
associatedWith Hayes, Helen, 1900-1993 person
associatedWith Lawrence, Jerome, 1915-2004 person
associatedWith McNeilly, Donald, 1945- person
associatedWith Murphy, Frank, 1890-1949. person
associatedWith Railroad Hour Radio Program corporateBody
associatedWith Rodgers, Richard, 1902- person
associatedWith Rodgers, Richard, 1902-1979. person
associatedWith Stone, Paula. person
correspondedWith Woollcott, Alexander, 1887-1943 person
Place Name Admin Code Country
United States
Subject
Comedians
Musical theater
Musical theater
Occupation
Comedians
Activity

Person

Birth 1886-11-09

Death 1966-06-19

Americans

English

Information

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