Lynn Aloysius Belvedere is a fictional character created by

Gwen Davenport Gwen Leys Davenport ( – )"Gwen Davenport." ''Gale Literature: Contemporary Authors'', Gale, 2002. ''Gale In Context: Biography.'' Accessed 5 Oct. 2022. was an American comic novelist. Gwen Leys was born on in Colón in the Panama Canal Zo ...

for her 1947 novel ''Belvedere'', and later adapted for film and television.

Novel

''Belvedere'' was written in 1947 by Gwen Davenport, and concerns an English housekeeper who goes to work for a dysfunctional American family to obtain material for a best-selling book.

In other media

Film

Three films featured the character, starring

Clifton Webb Webb Parmelee Hollenbeck (November 19, 1889 – October 13, 1966), known professionally as Clifton Webb, was an American actor, singer, and dancer. He worked extensively and was known for his stage appearances in the plays of Noël Coward, in ...

as Lynn Belvedere: * '' Sitting Pretty'' (1948), for which Webb received a nomination for

Academy Award for Best Actor The Academy Award for Best Actor is an award presented annually by the Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences (AMPAS). It is given to an actor who has delivered an outstanding performance in a leading role in a film released that year. The ...

. * '' Mr. Belvedere Goes to College'' (1949) * ''

Mr. Belvedere Rings the Bell ''Mr. Belvedere Rings the Bell'' is a 1951 American comedy film, the third and final one starring Clifton Webb as Lynn Belvedere. It follows on from '' Sitting Pretty'' (1948) and ''Mr. Belvedere Goes to College'' (1949). Plot Mr. Belvedere is ...

'' (1951) Harry and Tacey King hire Lynn Belvedere sight unseen as a nanny for their three young rambunctious boys, believing that "Lynn" is a woman. They are surprised that Lynn is a dapper older gentleman who has many skills and achievements. Belvedere declares that he detests children, but he quickly wins over the boys. Harry, however, is annoyed by Belvedere's superior attitude. After a number of misunderstandings and scandals, Belvedere writes a best-selling novel that exposes the secrets of the local residents. Subsequently, he goes to college to complete a four-year degree in one year, and explores the phenomenon of growing old.

Television

Multiple attempts failed to bring the character to television; three

pilots An aircraft pilot or aviator is a person who controls the flight of an aircraft by operating its directional flight controls. Some other aircrew members, such as navigators or flight engineers, are also considered aviators, because they a ...

based on the Belvedere character were made, with Reginald Gardiner in 1956, Hans Conried in 1959, and Victor Buono in 1965. A successful television series first aired on ABC in 1985, with

Christopher Hewett Christopher George Hewett (5 April 1921 – 3 August 2001) was an English actor and theatre director best known for his role as Lynn Aloysius Belvedere on the ABC sitcom ''Mr. Belvedere''. Career Hewett was born in Worthing, Sussex to Chris ...

in the role. In the series, Lynn Belvedere is hired by George (

Bob Uecker Robert George Uecker ( ; born January 26, 1934) is an American former Major League Baseball (MLB) player and current sportscaster, comedian, and actor. Facetiously dubbed "Mr. Baseball" by TV talk show host Johnny Carson, Uecker has served as a ...

) and Marsha Owens (

Ilene Graff Ilene Susan Graff (born February 28, 1949) is an American actress and singer. Life and career The Queens, New York native began her professional career as a teenager when she performed as a background singer and commercial actress while attendi ...

) as a housekeeper for their three children. They are surprised that Lynn is a dapper older gentleman. The three children are: oldest son Kevin ( Rob Stone), daughter Heather ( Tracy Wells) and youngest child Wesley ( Brice Beckham). Wesley in particular develops a very close relationship with Mr. Belvedere. Being a cultured man with many skills and achievements (having even once worked for

Winston Churchill Sir Winston Leonard Spencer Churchill (30 November 187424 January 1965) was a British statesman, soldier, and writer who served as Prime Minister of the United Kingdom twice, from 1940 to 1945 Winston Churchill in the Second World War, dur ...

), he also comes to serve as some sort of a "counselor" to the Owens clan, helping them solve their dilemmas and stay out of mischief. Each episode ends with Mr. Belvedere writing in his journal, recounting the events of the day (which is heard by the audience via his narration) with the Owens family and what he got out of it in terms of a lesson.

References

{{DEFAULTSORT:Belvedere Characters in British novels of the 20th century Comedy film characters Comedy television characters Fictional butlers Literary characters introduced in 1947 Fictional English people