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, University of California, Irvine, Irvine, University of Califor ...

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 ''Joe Palooka'' was an American comic strip about a heavyweight boxing champion, created by cartoonist Ham Fisher. The strip debuted on April 19, 1930 and was carried at its peak by 900 newspapers. It was cancelled in 1984. The strip was adapt ...

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 ''The Big Broadcast'' is a 1932 American pre-Code musical comedy film directed by Frank Tuttle and starring Bing Crosby, Stuart Erwin, and Leila Hyams. Based on the play ''Wild Waves'' by William Ford Manley, the film is about a radio-sing ...

'', where he played Texas oil tycoon Leslie McWhinney. In 1936, he was cast in ''

Pigskin Parade ''Pigskin Parade'' is a 1936 American musical comedy film which tells the story of husband-and-wife college football coaches who convince a backwoods player to play for their team so they can go to the big game. It was written by William M. Consel ...

'', 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 worki ...

. In 1940, he played Howie Newsome, the dairy delivery vendor, in the film adaptation of ''

Our Town ''Our Town'' is a 1938 metatheatrical three-act play by American playwright Thornton Wilder which won the Pulitzer Prize for Drama. The play tells the story of the fictional American small town of Grover's Corners between 1901 and 1913 thr ...

'', based on the

Thornton Wilder Thornton Niven Wilder (April 17, 1897 – December 7, 1975) was an American playwright and novelist. He won three Pulitzer Prizes — for the novel '' The Bridge of San Luis Rey'' and for the plays ''Our Town'' and '' The Skin of Our Teeth'' — ...

play. In Walt Disney's '' Bambi'', 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 ''Son of Flubber'' is a 1963 American science fiction comedy film directed by Robert Stevenson and produced by Walt Disney Productions. The sequel to ''The Absent-Minded Professor'' (1961), Fred MacMurray reprises his role from the first film as N ...

'' and ''

The Misadventures of Merlin Jones ''The Misadventures of Merlin Jones'' is a 1964 American science-fiction comedy film directed by Robert Stevenson and produced by Walt Disney Productions. The film stars Tommy Kirk as a college student who experiments with mind-reading and hypn ...

''.

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 June Collyer (born Dorothea Heermance, August 19, 1906 – March 16, 1968) was an American film actress of the 1920s and 1930s. Early life Born in New York City, Collyer chose to use her mother's maiden name when she decided to pursue acti ...

. In 1963–1964, he played Otto King on '' The Greatest Show on Earth''. Erwin guest-starred on ''

Crossroads Crossroads, crossroad, cross road or similar may refer to: * Crossroads (junction), where four roads meet Film and television Films * ''Crossroads'' (1928 film), a 1928 Japanese film by Teinosuke Kinugasa * ''Cross Roads'' (film), a 1930 Brit ...

'', ''

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 ...

'', ''

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 sitcom, 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 colo ...

'', 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 A myocardial infarction (MI), commonly known as a heart attack, occurs when blood flow decreases or stops to the coronary artery of the heart, causing damage to the heart muscle. The most common symptom is chest pain or discomfort which ma ...

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 In the Gregorian calendar, New Year's Eve, also known as Old Year's Day or Saint Sylvester's Day in many countries, is the evening or the entire day of the last day of the year, on 31 December. The last day of the year is commonly referred to ...

'' (1929) - Landlady's Son * '' Speakeasy'' (1929) - Cy Williams * ''Thru Different Eyes'' (1929) - Reporter * ''

The Exalted Flapper ''The Exalted Flapper'' is a 1929 American comedy film directed by James Tinling and written by H. H. Caldwell, Ray Harris and Matt Taylor. The film stars Sue Carol, Barry Norton, Irene Rich, Albert Conti, Sylvia Field and Stuart Erwin. The f ...

'' (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 ''Playboy of Paris'' is a 1930 American pre-Code musical comedy film directed by Ludwig Berger and starring Maurice Chevalier, Frances Dee (in her film debut), and O.P. Heggie. It was based on a 1911 play '' The Little Cafe'' by Tristan Berna ...

'' (1930) - Paul Michel * '' Only Saps Work'' (1930) - Oscar * '' Along Came Youth'' (1930) - Ambrose * '' No Limit'' (1931) - Ole Olson * ''

Dude Ranch A guest ranch, also known as a dude ranch, is a type of ranch oriented towards visitors or tourism. It is considered a form of agritourism. History Guest ranches arose in response to the romanticization of the American West that began to occur ...

'' (1931) - Chester Carr * ''

Up Pops the Devil ''Up Pops the Devil'' is a 1931 American pre-Code comedy drama film directed by A. Edward Sutherland. The screenplay concerns an advertising man (Norman Foster) who quits his job to become a novelist, upsetting his wife (Carole Lombard) and stra ...

'' (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 * ''

'' (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'' (1933) - Tommy Nash * ''

Hold Your Man ''Hold Your Man '' is a 1933 American pre-Code romantic drama film directed by an uncredited Sam Wood and starring Jean Harlow and Clark Gable, the third of their six films together.Landazuri, Margarit"Hold Your Man" (TCM article)/ref> The scre ...

'' (1933) - Al Simpson * ''

The Stranger's Return ''The Stranger's Return'' is a 1933 American Pre-Code drama film directed by King Vidor and starring Miriam Hopkins, Lionel Barrymore and Franchot Tone. It was released by Metro-Goldwyn-Mayer. Miriam Hopkins was loaned out to MGM for the pictur ...

'' (1933) - Simon Bates * '' Before Dawn'' (1933) - Dwight Wilson * '' Day of Reckoning'' (1933) - Jerry * ''

Going Hollywood ''Going Hollywood'' is a 1933 American pre-Code musical film directed by Raoul Walsh and starring Marion Davies and Bing Crosby. It was written by Donald Ogden Stewart and based on a story by Frances Marion. ''Going Hollywood'' was released by ...

'' (1933) - Ernest P. Baker * '' Palooka'' (1934) - Joe Palooka * '' Viva Villa!'' (1934) - Jonny Sykes * ''

Bachelor Bait ''Bachelor Bait'' is a 1934 American comedy film about a man (William Watts) who is fired from his job issuing marriage licenses at city hall because of the actions of a co-worker. He starts a match making business which becomes very successful ...

'' (1934) - Mr. William Watts * ''

The Party's Over The Party's Over may refer to: Film and TV * ''The Party's Over'' (1934 film), starring Stuart Erwin and Ann Sothern, based on the 1933 Broadway play * ''The Party's Over'' (1965 film), directed by Guy Hamilton, starring Oliver Reed, with a ...

'' (1934) * '' Chained'' (1934) - John L. 'Johnnie' Smith * '' Have a Heart'' (1934) - Gus Anderson * ''

The Band Plays On ''The Band Plays On'' is the debut album from Back Street Crawler, fronted by ex- Free guitarist Paul Kossoff. Keyboard player Mike Montgomery composed six songs and co-wrote two others on the album, in addition to singing lead vocals on "All ...

'' (1934) - Stuffy Wilson * ''

After Office Hours ''After Office Hours'' is a 1935 crime drama film directed by Robert Z. Leonard and starring Clark Gable and Constance Bennett. The screenplay was written by Herman Mankiewicz. Plot Jim Branch (Clark Gable), a newspaper editor, falls for weal ...

'' (1935) - Hank Parr * '' Ceiling Zero'' (1936) - Texas Clarke * '' Exclusive Story'' (1936) - Timothy Aloysius Higgins * ''

Absolute Quiet ''Absolute Quiet'' is a 1936 American drama film directed by George B. Seitz and written by Harry Clork. The film stars Lionel Atwill, Irene Hervey, Raymond Walburn, Stuart Erwin, Ann Loring and Louis Hayward. A Metro-Goldwyn-Mayer picture, it ...

'' (1936) - 'Chubby' Rudd * '' Women Are Trouble'' (1936) - Matt Casey * '' All American Chump'' (1936) - Elmer Lamb * ''

'' (1936) - Amos Dodd * '' Slim'' (1937) - Stumpy * ''

Dance Charlie Dance ''Dance Charlie Dance'' is a 1937 American comedy film directed by Frank McDonald and written by Crane Wilbur and William Jacobs, based on the play ''The Butter and Egg Man'' by George S. Kaufman, which opened on Broadway on September 23, 192 ...

'' (1937) - Andrew 'Andy' Tucker * '' Small Town Boy'' (1937) - Henry Armstrong * '' Sunday Night at the Trocadero'' (1937) * '' Second Honeymoon'' (1937) - Leo MacTavish * '' I'll Take Romance'' (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, t ...

'' (1939) - Jud Mason * '' It Could Happen to You'' (1939) - Mackinley Winslow * '' Hollywood Cavalcade'' (1939) - Pete Tinney * '' The Honeymoon's Over'' (1939) - Donald Todd * ''

'' (1940) - Howie Newsome * ''

When the Daltons Rode ''When the Daltons Rode'' is a 1940 American Western film directed by George Marshall and starring Randolph Scott, Kay Francis and Brian Donlevy. Based on the 1931 book of the same name by Emmett Dalton, a member of the Dalton Gang, and Jack Jun ...

'' (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 pairin ...

'' (1941) - Tommy Keenan * '' The Adventures of Martin Eden'' (1942) - Joe Dawson * '' Drums of the Congo'' (1942) - Congo Jack * ''

Blondie for Victory ''Blondie for Victory'' is a 1942 American comedy film directed by Frank R. Strayer and starring Penny Singleton and Arthur Lake. It is the 12th entry in the Blondie series. Plot Blondie Bumstead forms a civilian defense group, Housewives of ...

'' (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 film ...

'' (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 ''Father Is a Bachelor'' is a 1950 American musical romantic comedy film directed by Abby Berlin and Norman Foster. It stars William Holden and Coleen Gray. Plot Carefree vagabond Johnny Rutledge is stuck in a small town when his medicine show ...

'' (1950) - Constable Pudge Barnham * '' Main Street to Broadway'' (1953) - Stuart Erwin - First Nighter (uncredited) * '' For the Love of Mike'' (1960) - Dr. Mills * ''

'' (1963) - Coach Wilson * ''

'' (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