Stuart Erwin (February 14, 1903 – December 21, 1967) was an American actor of stage, film, and television.

Early years

Erwin was born in Squaw Valley, Fresno County, California. He attended Porterville High School and the

University of California The University of California (UC) is a public land-grant research university system in the U.S. state of California. The system is composed of the campuses at Berkeley, Davis, Irvine, Los Angeles, Merced, Riverside, San Diego, San Fran ...

Career

Erwin began acting in college in the 1920s, having first appeared on stage. From there, he acted in stock theater in Los Angeles.

Film career

He broke into films in 1928 in ''Mother Knows Best''. In 1934, he was cast as Joe Palooka in the film '' Palooka''. In 1932, he co-starred with

Bing Crosby Harry Lillis "Bing" Crosby Jr. (May 3, 1903 – October 14, 1977) was an American singer, musician and actor. The first multimedia star, he was one of the most popular and influential musical artists of the 20th century worldwide. He was a ...

in the comedy '' The Big Broadcast'', where he played Texas oil tycoon Leslie McWhinney. In 1936, he was cast in '' Pigskin Parade'', for which he was nominated for the

Academy Award for Best Supporting Actor The Academy Award for Best Supporting Actor is an award presented annually by the Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences (AMPAS). It is given in honor of an actor who has delivered an outstanding performance in a supporting role while work ...

. In 1940, he played Howie Newsome, the dairy delivery vendor, in the film adaptation of '' Our Town'', based on the Thornton Wilder play. In Walt Disney's ''

Bambi ''Bambi'' is a 1942 American animated drama film directed by David Hand (supervising a team of sequence directors), produced by Walt Disney and based on the 1923 book '' Bambi, a Life in the Woods'' by Austrian author and hunter Felix Sal ...

'', Erwin performed the voice of a tree squirrel. Later, Erwin appeared in the

Disney The Walt Disney Company, commonly known as Disney (), is an American multinational mass media and entertainment conglomerate headquartered at the Walt Disney Studios complex in Burbank, California. Disney was originally founded on October ...

films '' Son of Flubber'' and '' The Misadventures of Merlin Jones''.

Radio career

In 1946, Erwin starred in ''Phone Again Finnegan'' on CBS. He played an apartment house manager in the comedy-drama. He also played various roles on '' Theater Guild on the Air'', '' Lux Radio Theatre'', ''The Old Gold Radio Theatre'' and '' Cavalcade of America''.

Television career

In 1950, Erwin made the transition to television, in which he starred in ''Trouble with Father'', which was retitled '' The Stu Erwin Show'', with his co-star and real-life wife June Collyer. In 1963–1964, he played Otto King on '' The Greatest Show on Earth''. Erwin guest-starred on '' Crossroads'', ''

Angel In various theistic religious traditions an angel is a supernatural spiritual being who serves God. Abrahamic religions often depict angels as benevolent celestial intermediaries between God (or Heaven) and humanity. Other roles inc ...

'', ''

Bonanza ''Bonanza'' is an American Western television series that ran on NBC from September 13, 1959, to January 16, 1973. Lasting 14 seasons and 432 episodes, ''Bonanza'' is NBC's longest-running western, the second-longest-running western series on ...

'', '' The Donna Reed Show'', '' Straightaway'', ''

Gunsmoke ''Gunsmoke'' is an American radio and television Western drama series created by director Norman Macdonnell and writer John Meston. It centers on Dodge City, Kansas, in the 1870s, during the settlement of the American West. The central chara ...

'' and '' Our Man Higgins''. Erwin made four guest appearances on '' Perry Mason'', including the role of murderer Clem P. "Sandy" Sandover in the 1962 episode "The Case of the Double-Entry Mind" and murderer Everett Stanton in the 1964 episode "The Case of the Scandalous Sculptor". Erwin guest-starred on '' Father Knows Best'' in the episode titled "Family Contest" in the role of Mr. Hensley and on ''

The Andy Griffith Show ''The Andy Griffith Show '' is an American situation comedy television series that aired on CBS from October 3, 1960, to April 1, 1968, with a total of 249 half-hour episodes spanning eight seasons—159 in black and white and 90 in color. Th ...

'', season 1, episode 8, portraying Tom Silby who was presumed dead, but returned to town after a two-year absence.

Personal life

Erwin married actress June Collyer on July 22, 1931, in Yuma, Arizona.

Death

Erwin died of a heart attack on December 21, 1967 in Beverly Hills, Los Angeles, California at age 64 and was interred at the Chapel of the Pines Crematory in Los Angeles.

Recognition

Erwin has a star at 6270 Hollywood Boulevard in the Television section of the

Hollywood Walk of Fame The Hollywood Walk of Fame is a historic landmark which consists of more than 2,700 five-pointed terrazzo and brass stars embedded in the sidewalks along 15 blocks of Hollywood Boulevard and three blocks of Vine Street in Hollywood, Calif ...

. It was dedicated February 8, 1960.

Partial filmography

* '' Mother Knows Best'' (1928) - Ben * '' New Year's Eve'' (1929) - Landlady's Son * '' Speakeasy'' (1929) - Cy Williams * ''Thru Different Eyes'' (1929) - Reporter * '' The Exalted Flapper'' (1929) - Bimbo Mehaffey * '' Dangerous Curves'' (1929) - Rotarian * '' The Sophomore'' (1929) - Radio Broadcast Technician (uncredited) * '' Happy Days'' (1929) - Jig * '' The Cock-Eyed World'' (1929) - Buckley * '' Sweetie'' (1929) - Axel Bronstrup * '' The Trespasser'' (1929) - Reporter (uncredited) * '' This Thing Called Love'' (1929) - Fred * '' Men Without Women'' (1930) - Radioman Jenkins * '' Young Eagles'' (1930) - Pudge Higgins * '' Paramount on Parade'' (1930) - Marine (The Montmartre Girl) * '' Dangerous Nan McGrew'' (1930) - Eustace Macy * '' Love Among the Millionaires'' (1930) - Clicker Watson * '' Playboy of Paris'' (1930) - Paul Michel * '' Only Saps Work'' (1930) - Oscar * '' Along Came Youth'' (1930) - Ambrose * '' No Limit'' (1931) - Ole Olson * '' Dude Ranch'' (1931) - Chester Carr * '' Up Pops the Devil'' (1931) - Stranger * '' The Magnificent Lie'' (1931) - Elmer Graham * '' Working Girls'' (1931) - Pat Kelly * '' Two Kinds of Women'' (1932) - Hauser * '' Strangers in Love'' (1932) - Stan Kenney * '' Misleading Lady'' (1932) - Boney * '' Make Me a Star'' (1932) - Merton Gill * '' The Big Broadcast'' (1932) - Leslie McWhinney * '' Face in the Sky'' (1933) - Lucky * '' The Crime of the Century'' (1933) - Dan McKee * '' He Learned About Women'' (1933) - Peter Potter Kendall II * '' Under the Tonto Rim'' (1933) - 'Tonto' Daily * ''

International House International House or International Student(s) House may refer to: Australia *International House, Sydney, a heritage-listed building in Sydney, New South Wales *International House (University of Melbourne), a residential college on the campus o ...

'' (1933) - Tommy Nash * '' Hold Your Man'' (1933) - Al Simpson * '' The Stranger's Return'' (1933) - Simon Bates * '' Before Dawn'' (1933) - Dwight Wilson * ''

Day of Reckoning __NOTOC__ Day of reckoning refers to the Last Judgment of God in Christian and Islamic belief during which everyone after death is called to account for their actions committed in life. Day of Reckoning may also refer to: Music * ''Day of Reckoni ...

'' (1933) - Jerry * '' Going Hollywood'' (1933) - Ernest P. Baker * '' Palooka'' (1934) - Joe Palooka * '' Viva Villa!'' (1934) - Jonny Sykes * '' Bachelor Bait'' (1934) - Mr. William Watts * '' The Party's Over'' (1934) * '' Chained'' (1934) - John L. 'Johnnie' Smith * '' Have a Heart'' (1934) - Gus Anderson * '' The Band Plays On'' (1934) - Stuffy Wilson * '' After Office Hours'' (1935) - Hank Parr * '' Ceiling Zero'' (1936) - Texas Clarke * '' Exclusive Story'' (1936) - Timothy Aloysius Higgins * '' Absolute Quiet'' (1936) - 'Chubby' Rudd * '' Women Are Trouble'' (1936) - Matt Casey * '' All American Chump'' (1936) - Elmer Lamb * '' Pigskin Parade'' (1936) - Amos Dodd * '' Slim'' (1937) - Stumpy * '' Dance Charlie Dance'' (1937) - Andrew 'Andy' Tucker * '' Small Town Boy'' (1937) - Henry Armstrong * '' Sunday Night at the Trocadero'' (1937) * ''

Second Honeymoon A honeymoon is a vacation taken by newlyweds immediately after their wedding, to celebrate their marriage. Today, honeymoons are often celebrated in destinations considered exotic or romantic. In a similar context, it may also refer to the phase ...

'' (1937) - Leo MacTavish * ''

I'll Take Romance ''I'll Take Romance'' is an album by saxophonist Bud Shank released on the World Pacific label.Edwards, D., Eyries, P. and Callahan, M.World Pacific Album Discography accessed January 9, 2016 Reception In an AllMusic review by Jason Ankeney, ...

'' (1937) - 'Pancho' Brown * '' Checkers'' (1937) - Edgar Connell * '' Mr. Boggs Steps Out'' (1938) - Oliver Boggs * '' Three Blind Mice'' (1938) - Mike Brophy * '' Passport Husband'' (1938) - Henry Cabot * ''

Back Door to Heaven ''Back Door to Heaven'' is a 1939 American crime drama film directed by William K. Howard and starring Wallace Ford, Aline MacMahon, Stuart Erwin and Patricia Ellis. Plot The story revolves around a delinquent boy later to become a convict, ...

'' (1939) - Jud Mason * '' It Could Happen to You'' (1939) - Mackinley Winslow * '' Hollywood Cavalcade'' (1939) - Pete Tinney * '' The Honeymoon's Over'' (1939) - Donald Todd * '' Our Town'' (1940) - Howie Newsome * '' When the Daltons Rode'' (1940) - Ben Dalton * '' A Little Bit of Heaven'' (1940) - Cotton * '' Sandy Gets Her Man'' (1940) - Bill Kerry * '' Cracked Nuts'' (1941) - Lawrence Trent * ''

The Bride Came C.O.D. ''The Bride Came C.O.D.'' is a 1941 American screwball romantic comedy starring James Cagney as an airplane pilot and Bette Davis as a runaway heiress, and directed by William Keighley. Although the film was publicized as the first screen pairi ...

'' (1941) - Tommy Keenan * '' The Adventures of Martin Eden'' (1942) - Joe Dawson * '' Drums of the Congo'' (1942) - Congo Jack * '' Blondie for Victory'' (1942) - Pvt. Herschel Smith * '' He Hired the Boss'' (1943) - Hubert Wilkins * ''

The Great Mike ''The Great Mike'' is a 1944 American film directed by Wallace Fox. The film is also known as ''Great Mike Wins'' (American TV title). Plot summary Young Jimmy Dolan, who sounds like he's about to burst into tears any minute throughout the fil ...

'' (1944) - Jay Spencer * '' Pillow to Post'' (1945) - Captain Jack Ross * '' Killer Dill'' (1947) - Johnny 'Killer' Dill * '' Heaven Only Knows'' (1947) - Sheriff Matt Bodine * '' Heading for Heaven'' (1947) - Henry Elkins * '' Doctor Jim'' (1947) - Dr. James (Jim) Gateson * ''Strike It Rich'' (1948) - Delbart Lane * '' Father Is a Bachelor'' (1950) - Constable Pudge Barnham * ''

Main Street to Broadway ''Main Street to Broadway'' is a 1953 American romantic musical comedy-drama film by independent producer Lester Cowan, his final credit, in collaboration with The Council of the Living Theatre, which provided tie-up with a number of well-known B ...

'' (1953) - Stuart Erwin - First Nighter (uncredited) * '' For the Love of Mike'' (1960) - Dr. Mills * '' Son of Flubber'' (1963) - Coach Wilson * '' The Misadventures of Merlin Jones'' (1964) - Police Captain Loomis

References

External links

* * * {{DEFAULTSORT:Erwin, Stuart 1903 births 1967 deaths American male film actors American male stage actors American male radio actors American male television actors Burials at Chapel of the Pines Crematory People from Fresno County, California Male actors from Los Angeles 20th-century American male actors