Ed Wynn
Author: Trudy Stroup
Ed Wynn is one of those actors that you can't quite recall. The name may be familiar, but you can't quite figure out where you have seen him or for what type of part he is famous. Even when a couple of his movies are mentioned, you continue to search your memory of the films to place the character. Anyway, that's how it was for me. But then...Ed Wynn was born Isaiah Edward Leopold on November 9th, 1886, in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, to Jewish immigrants from Prague. His desire to perform began at an early age. As a youth, he would be the stage assistant for W. C. Fields. Legend has it that W. C. caught Ed silently hamming for the audience during his performance in the play "Pool Room" and Fields clocked him with the pool cue, which in turn sparked a very long feud. They would eventually reconcile later in life.
In 1902, Ed made his debut with The Thurber-Nasher Repertoire Company in Norwich Connecticut where he earned the nickname "The Perfect Fool". From there, Ed moved to the limelight and became one of the best pratfall comedians of all time. His stage performances were becoming increasingly popular and his use of stage props and costumes only enhanced his attraction. In 1910, he hit the "big stage", Broadway, in the production of "The Deacon and The Lady." In 1914, he joined The Ziegfield Folies and performed with the company for two years; adding to his cache of stage characters as he went.
Then, in 1919, Ed made a career killing mistake. He organized an actor's strike, for which he paid dearly. The conditions of actors at the time were deplorable. Exploitation was the norm, and the actors had come to expect that type of treatment. They considered it "suffering for the art". Rehearsal time was unpaid, salaries unguaranteed, benefits were unheard of. They were required to pay their own travel expenses and they had to make, buy, steal, and borrow their costumes; all of which they were required to maintain on their own. Actors, popular or not, were not considered the same as industrial workers and had not previously thought they were entitled to anything more. The Actors Equity Association was formed, though Ed's involvement is unclear, and the strike began on August 7th, 1919, and lasted until September 6th of that year. Ed was all-of-a-sudden untouchable. Producers, directors, and writers wouldn't give him a second glance. His efforts, however, didn't go unrewarded. The Actors Equity Association continued to work with both performers and movie staff to stabilize pay and benefits for all actors in the industry. Ed on the other hand, couldn't get an unpaid acting job in a soup line. And things stayed this way for a few years.
Ed decided that if filmmakers wouldn't have him, then he would go at it alone. In 1921, he wrote "The Perfect Fool"; a play that made it all the way to Broadway and would later have the pleasure of being the first Broadway play to be performed in its entirety on radio; a medium known to chop out large parts of a play or movie to make it fit the half hour or hour long programming time. He developed his own one-man stage performances. He had his props (an eleven foot pole, for those he wouldn't touch with a ten foot pole), his costumes and his popularity. He was the man known as a genius for making audiences laugh, and the public still loved him. In 1927, he made his movie debut in the film "Rubber Heels". His movies were filled with outlandish costumes and lots of pratfalls and wild props.
Although his popularity in films continued to grow, Ed didn't forsake his first love of the stage. He wrote, produced and performed in many plays on the stage, and as the 30's faded away, so did the boycott on working with Ed. He drew the attention of none other than Walt Disney. In 1939, Ed was offered the part of the Wizard in “The Wizard of Oz”, but turned it down thinking the part too small and thus not worth his time. But Disney didn't give up and Ed would be featured in many Disney films over the years, taking on large parts, small parts, voiceovers, and even characters in animated form. Just to name a few: 1951's “Alice in Wonderland” as the Mad Hatter (voice and character image), 1961's “The Absent-Minded Professor” as the fire chief, 1963's “The Son of Flubber” as A.J. Allen, and 1964's “Mary Poppins” as the wacky Uncle Albert. In fact, Ed was a part of so many Disney productions that he was posthumously named an official Disney Legend on August 10th of 2013.
At the urging of his only son, Ed even made a foray into dramatic roles as well. He won an Emmy in 1956 for his role on "Requiem for a Heavyweight". In 1959, he joined the cast of "The Diary of Anne Frank" for which he was nominated for an Academy Award. He also took a part in 1965's "The Greatest Story Ever Told." As new mediums of entertainment developed, Ed took part; never giving up one medium to make room for another. He performed in radio and television as well, making appearances on variety shows, sitcoms, and even his own short lived comedy/variety television show. To break for a commercial Ed would always say, "I'll be back in a flash with more trash". He continued to work throughout the remainder of his life.
Sadly, Ed passed away due to throat cancer on June 19th, 1966. His last film was another Disney production, "The Gnome-Mobile"(1967), which didn't finish production until after his death. On his headstone is the epitaph "Dear God, Thank You" So if you are a fan of old Disney films like I am, keep your eye out for "The Perfect Fool". He shows up in unexpected places.
© 2015-2016 Trudy Stroup. All rights reserved.
Author: Trudy Stroup
Ed Wynn is one of those actors that you can't quite recall. The name may be familiar, but you can't quite figure out where you have seen him or for what type of part he is famous. Even when a couple of his movies are mentioned, you continue to search your memory of the films to place the character. Anyway, that's how it was for me. But then...Ed Wynn was born Isaiah Edward Leopold on November 9th, 1886, in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, to Jewish immigrants from Prague. His desire to perform began at an early age. As a youth, he would be the stage assistant for W. C. Fields. Legend has it that W. C. caught Ed silently hamming for the audience during his performance in the play "Pool Room" and Fields clocked him with the pool cue, which in turn sparked a very long feud. They would eventually reconcile later in life.
In 1902, Ed made his debut with The Thurber-Nasher Repertoire Company in Norwich Connecticut where he earned the nickname "The Perfect Fool". From there, Ed moved to the limelight and became one of the best pratfall comedians of all time. His stage performances were becoming increasingly popular and his use of stage props and costumes only enhanced his attraction. In 1910, he hit the "big stage", Broadway, in the production of "The Deacon and The Lady." In 1914, he joined The Ziegfield Folies and performed with the company for two years; adding to his cache of stage characters as he went.
Then, in 1919, Ed made a career killing mistake. He organized an actor's strike, for which he paid dearly. The conditions of actors at the time were deplorable. Exploitation was the norm, and the actors had come to expect that type of treatment. They considered it "suffering for the art". Rehearsal time was unpaid, salaries unguaranteed, benefits were unheard of. They were required to pay their own travel expenses and they had to make, buy, steal, and borrow their costumes; all of which they were required to maintain on their own. Actors, popular or not, were not considered the same as industrial workers and had not previously thought they were entitled to anything more. The Actors Equity Association was formed, though Ed's involvement is unclear, and the strike began on August 7th, 1919, and lasted until September 6th of that year. Ed was all-of-a-sudden untouchable. Producers, directors, and writers wouldn't give him a second glance. His efforts, however, didn't go unrewarded. The Actors Equity Association continued to work with both performers and movie staff to stabilize pay and benefits for all actors in the industry. Ed on the other hand, couldn't get an unpaid acting job in a soup line. And things stayed this way for a few years.
Ed decided that if filmmakers wouldn't have him, then he would go at it alone. In 1921, he wrote "The Perfect Fool"; a play that made it all the way to Broadway and would later have the pleasure of being the first Broadway play to be performed in its entirety on radio; a medium known to chop out large parts of a play or movie to make it fit the half hour or hour long programming time. He developed his own one-man stage performances. He had his props (an eleven foot pole, for those he wouldn't touch with a ten foot pole), his costumes and his popularity. He was the man known as a genius for making audiences laugh, and the public still loved him. In 1927, he made his movie debut in the film "Rubber Heels". His movies were filled with outlandish costumes and lots of pratfalls and wild props.
Although his popularity in films continued to grow, Ed didn't forsake his first love of the stage. He wrote, produced and performed in many plays on the stage, and as the 30's faded away, so did the boycott on working with Ed. He drew the attention of none other than Walt Disney. In 1939, Ed was offered the part of the Wizard in “The Wizard of Oz”, but turned it down thinking the part too small and thus not worth his time. But Disney didn't give up and Ed would be featured in many Disney films over the years, taking on large parts, small parts, voiceovers, and even characters in animated form. Just to name a few: 1951's “Alice in Wonderland” as the Mad Hatter (voice and character image), 1961's “The Absent-Minded Professor” as the fire chief, 1963's “The Son of Flubber” as A.J. Allen, and 1964's “Mary Poppins” as the wacky Uncle Albert. In fact, Ed was a part of so many Disney productions that he was posthumously named an official Disney Legend on August 10th of 2013.
At the urging of his only son, Ed even made a foray into dramatic roles as well. He won an Emmy in 1956 for his role on "Requiem for a Heavyweight". In 1959, he joined the cast of "The Diary of Anne Frank" for which he was nominated for an Academy Award. He also took a part in 1965's "The Greatest Story Ever Told." As new mediums of entertainment developed, Ed took part; never giving up one medium to make room for another. He performed in radio and television as well, making appearances on variety shows, sitcoms, and even his own short lived comedy/variety television show. To break for a commercial Ed would always say, "I'll be back in a flash with more trash". He continued to work throughout the remainder of his life.
Sadly, Ed passed away due to throat cancer on June 19th, 1966. His last film was another Disney production, "The Gnome-Mobile"(1967), which didn't finish production until after his death. On his headstone is the epitaph "Dear God, Thank You" So if you are a fan of old Disney films like I am, keep your eye out for "The Perfect Fool". He shows up in unexpected places.
© 2015-2016 Trudy Stroup. All rights reserved.