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Wikipedia

Frank Gorshin

Frank John Gorshin Jr. (April 5, 1933 – May 17, 2005) was an American actor, comedian and impressionist. He made many guest appearances on The Ed Sullivan Show and Tonight Starring Steve Allen.

Frank Gorshin
Gorshin as the Riddler, 1966
Born
Frank John Gorshin Jr.

(1933-04-05)April 5, 1933
Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania, U.S.
DiedMay 17, 2005(2005-05-17) (aged 72)
Resting placeCalvary Catholic Cemetery
EducationCarnegie Mellon University
Occupations
  • Actor
  • comedian
  • impressionist
Years active1956–2005
Spouse
Christina Randazzo
(m. 1957)
Children1
Military service
AllegianceUnited States
Service/branchUnited States Army
Years of service1953–1954

As an actor, he played the Riddler on the live-action television series Batman and was nominated for an Emmy Award for the performance.

Early life

Gorshin was born on April 5, 1933, in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania, the son of Catholic parents Frances, a seamstress, and Frank Gorshin Sr., a railroad worker.[1][2][3] He was of Slovenian ancestry. His father, Frank Sr., was a second-generation Slovenian-American whose parents emigrated to America from Slovenia. His mother, Frances or Fanny, née Prešeren, came to the United States as a young girl from Regrča Vas, near Novo Mesto, the main city of Lower Carniola, in Slovenia. Both of his parents were active in Pittsburgh's Slovenian community. They sang in the Slovenian Singing Society Prešeren, named after the great Slovenian poet France Prešeren.

In an interview, Frances said that her son, being the product of a Slovenian home, spoke mostly Slovene before going to school.[4][5] At the age of 15, he took a part-time job as a cinema usher at the Sheridan Square Theatre.[6] He memorized the mannerisms of the screen stars he saw and created an impressionist act. He was still in high school when he obtained his first paid employment, which he secured as the prize in a Pittsburgh talent contest in 1951: a one-week engagement at Jackie Heller's New York nightclub, Carousel. His parents insisted that he take the engagement, even though his 15-year-old brother had been hit by a car and killed just two nights before.[6]

After graduation from Peabody High School, Gorshin attended the Carnegie Tech School of Drama (now known as Carnegie Mellon University) in Pittsburgh. When not studying, he worked in local plays and nightclubs.[6]

In 1953, Gorshin was drafted into the United States Army and posted to Germany. He served for a year and a half as an entertainer attached to Special Services. While in the Army, Gorshin met Maurice Bergman, who later introduced him to Hollywood agent Paul Kohner. Gorshin's Army service record was later destroyed in the U.S. National Personnel Records Center fire of 1973.

Career

When Gorshin left the Army, he returned to public performance, and in 1956, he became a prolific film actor. He also appeared on various television series, including the role of Hank Butts, with Michael Landon cast as Jim Mason, in the 1958 episode "Shadow of Belle Starr" of the syndicated Western series Frontier Doctor, starring Rex Allen. In 1959, he was cast in three episodes as Seaman Pulaski on Jackie Cooper's CBS military sitcom/drama Hennesey. Thereafter, Gorshin played roles in ABC's crime drama The Untouchables. In 1961, Gorshin gave a tour de force performance as an impressionist who kills his fiancée under the influence of one of his celebrity characters in The Defenders. He guest-starred twelve times on CBS's The Ed Sullivan Show, the first having been on June 17, 1962. On February 9, 1964, the same night that The Beatles and Davy Jones debuted, he also appeared.[7] In 1963, Gorshin had a guest-starring role in the long-running ABC military series Combat! as Pvt. Wharton who took false credit for the heroism of his dead friend, but redeemed himself later, saving Sgt. Saunders, as well as in 1965 in which he played Pvt. Gavin, a tank operator who had washed out of U.S. Army Armor tank operations training.

Gorshin was a popular act at nightclubs, notably those of Las Vegas, where he was the first impressionist to headline the main showrooms.[6] He was also the first impressionist headliner at the Empire Room of New York's Waldorf-Astoria Hotel.[6] Among his most popular impressions were of Burt Lancaster (exaggerating Lancaster's hand gestures) and Kirk Douglas (exaggerating Douglas' gritted teeth), as well as Marlon Brando (spoofing his squint). He was also popular for simulating bodily and facial resemblances, and pitch-perfect imitations of voice, accent, and vocal inflections and mannerisms. Gorshin's slender athletic build, wide mouth, and pale eyes under strong brows were ideal characteristics for screen henchmen.

In 1957, he fell asleep at the wheel of his car after driving from Pittsburgh for thirty-nine hours without sleep and subsequently, the vehicle crashed. He was on his way to a Hollywood screen test for the role of Petty Officer Ruby in Run Silent, Run Deep. He sustained a fractured skull and spent four days in a coma; a Los Angeles newspaper incorrectly reported that he had been killed.[6] The role went to Don Rickles.[8]

Gorshin's first film role was Between Heaven and Hell. In the late 1950s, Gorshin had roles in B-movies such as Hot Rod Girl (1956), Dragstrip Girl (1957) and Invasion of the Saucer Men (1957). In 1960, he was featured in Bells are Ringing, playing the Method Actor while doing a Marlon Brando impression. As a dramatic actor, he often played "tough guys" like those played by one of his favorite targets of impressions, James Cagney, whom he was said to resemble. He did take a comic turn, though, as the hipster jazz bassist Basil (paired with singer Connie Francis) in Where the Boys Are (1960), as a bumbling kidnapper in the Hayley Mills vehicle That Darn Cat! (1965), and as a boss-behind-bars for laughs in Otto Preminger's comedy Skidoo (1968).

In 1962, Gorshin was cast as Billy Roy Fix in the episode "The Fire Dancer" of the NBC modern Western television series Empire, starring Richard Egan as the rancher Jim Redigo.

He was nominated for an Emmy Award (Outstanding Performance by an Actor in a Supporting Role in a Comedy) for his role as The Riddler on ABC's 1960s live-action television series Batman, starring Adam West and Burt Ward. Gorshin's portrayal of the character included a high-pitched, deranged cackle, inspired by that of Tommy Udo (Richard Widmark) in Kiss of Death (1947). Gorshin disliked the unitard costume concept from the comics, and had a green business suit and bowler hat marked with question marks created as an alternative, a variant of which would be later adapted in the comics itself as the villain's preferred outfit. He played the Riddler in ten episodes of the series as well as the theatrical movie, although John Astin made two appearances in 1967 in the role on an occasion when Gorshin was unavailable. Gorshin was very angry about being replaced by Astin as the Riddler, but he agreed to return to Batman as the Riddler in Season 3 in an episode entitled "Ring Around The Riddler". He reprised the role in the 1979 television movie Legends of the Superheroes.

Gorshin also had a memorable role in the 1969 Star Trek episode "Let That Be Your Last Battlefield" as the bigoted half-whiteface, half-blackface alien Bele from the planet Cheron. Contrary to popular rumor and several news articles, Gorshin did not receive an Emmy nomination for this role.[9]

In the early 1970s, Gorshin appeared on Broadway in Jimmy (1969) and Guys and Dolls (1971). He made numerous guest-starring appearances on such television series as The Name of the Game (1969) Ironside (1974), Hawaii Five-O (1974), Get Christie Love! (1975), Charlie's Angels (1977) and Wonder Woman (1977). In 1979, he played interplanetary assassin Seton Kellogg in a two-part episode of the television series Buck Rogers in the 25th Century titled "Plot to Kill a City".

In 1982, Gorshin acted and sang the role of irascible King Gama in a TV production of the Gilbert and Sullivan opera Princess Ida (as part of the PBS series The Compleat Gilbert and Sullivan, and subsequently in live performance at other venues.[10]

He also appeared as the villainous Dan Wesker in the miniseries Goliath Awaits (1981); and played the role of Smiley Wilson on the ABC soap opera The Edge of Night (1981–82), where he used his impersonation talents to mimic other performers on the series. During this decade, he also guest starred in episodes of series such as The Fall Guy (1984), Murder, She Wrote (1988) and Monsters (1989).

During the 1990s, he featured as a mobster kingpin in The Meteor Man (1993), played the evil sorcerer Brother Septimus in "The Tale of the Carved Stone" episode of Are You Afraid of the Dark? (1993), voiced the character of Reverend Jack Cheese in an episode of The Ren and Stimpy Show (1995). Notably, he appeared in Terry Gilliam's 12 Monkeys (1995) as the gruff superior to Madeleine Stowe's psychiatrist.

In his final years, Gorshin portrayed the famous comedian George Burns on Broadway in the one-man show Say Goodnight, Gracie (2002), which was nominated for a 2003 Tony Award for best play[11][12] and was reunited with several of his Batman colleagues in the television movie Return to the Batcave: The Misadventures of Adam and Burt, in which he appeared as himself. Gorshin died on the day of the telefilm's DVD release. He played the strict legendary Harvard Law School Professor, John H. Keynes, in the Korean drama Love Story in Harvard (2004), and voiced villain Hugo Strange in three 2005 episodes of The Batman animated series. He also voiced the characters Marius and Lysander in the computer role playing game Diablo II.

Gorshin's last television appearance was in "Grave Danger", an episode of the CBS series CSI: Crime Scene Investigation which aired two days after his death; the episode, which was directed by Quentin Tarantino, was dedicated to his memory. While he was known for his impressions, his role on CSI was as himself.

Gorshin's final role was as a voice actor in the unreleased animated feature film Firedog.

Personal life

On April 8, 1957, Gorshin married Christina Randazzo. They had one son, Mitchell, and later separated but remained married until his death.[8]

Death

Gorshin's final live appearance was a Memphis performance of Say Goodnight, Gracie, in which he portrayed George Burns. He finished the performance and boarded a plane for Los Angeles on April 25, 2005. After he experienced severe breathing difficulty during the flight, the crew administered emergency oxygen. An ambulance met the plane upon landing and transported him to a Burbank hospital, where he died on May 17, 2005, at the age of 72 from lung cancer, complicated by emphysema and pneumonia.[13] Gorshin had been a heavy smoker for most of his adult life, consuming up to five packs of cigarettes a day. Adam West once claimed that "Frank could reduce a cigarette to ash with one draw." When he did nightclub performances or live shows, audiences were warned not to attend if they disliked smoking, as he often smoked onstage.

He is interred at Calvary Catholic Cemetery in the Hazelwood section of Pittsburgh.

Filmography

Film

Year Title Role Notes
1956 The Proud and Profane Harry Uncredited
1956 Hot Rod Girl Flat Top
1956 Between Heaven and Hell Pvt. Millard - Co. G Uncredited
1956 Runaway Daughters Tommy Burns
1957 The True Story of Jesse James Charley Ford
1957 Dragstrip Girl Tommy Burns
1957 The Delicate Delinquent Wise Guy on Street Uncredited
1957 Invasion of the Saucer Men Joe Gruen
1957 Portland Expose Joe
1958 Tank Battalion PFC 'Skids' Madigan
1958 Torpedo Run Sub Crewman Uncredited
1959 Night of the Quarter Moon Racist Punk Uncredited
1959 Warlock Billy Gannon Uncredited
1960 Bells are Ringing Blake Barton
1960 Studs Lonigan Kenny Killarney
1960 The Great Imposter Barney
1960 Where the Boys Are Basil
1961 Ring of Fire Frank Henderson
1961 The George Raft Story Moxie Cusack
1961 Sail a Crooked Ship George M. Wilson
1965 That Darn Cat! Iggy
1966 Ride Beyond Vengeance Tod Wisdom
1966 Batman Edward Nigma / The Riddler
1968 Skidoo The Man
1969 ’’Star Trek:TOS’’ Commissioner Bele
1978 Record City Chameleon
1981 Underground Aces Fred Kruger
1981 The Uppercrust [de] Harry Werner, alias Nash
1985 Hot Resort Mr. Green
1986 Uphill All the Way Pike
1986 Hollywood Vice Squad Walsh
1987 The Gnomes' Great Adventure Holler / Carlo / Omar / Prince Gustav Voice
1989 Beverly Hills Bodysnatchers Doc
1989 Midnight Ron Saphier
1989 Singapore Harbor
1992 Body Trouble Johnny Zero
1992 The Hollywood Beach Murders Zoran
1992 Sweet Justice Billy Joe Rivas
1993 The Meteor Man Anthony Beyer (Drug Lord)
1993 Amore! Asino
1994 Hail Caesar Pete Dewitt
1994 The Big Story Cub Reporter / Editor / Older Reporter Voice, Short
1995 12 Monkeys Dr. Fletcher
1995 Mr. Payback: An Interactive Movie Himself Cameo
1996 Superior Duck Daffy Duck / Foghorn Leghorn Voice, Short
1997 Pullet Surprise Foghorn Leghorn Voice, Looney Tunes Short
1997 From Hare to Eternity Yosemite Sam Voice, Short
1997 Bloodmoon Chief William Hutchins
1997 Twilight of the Ice Nymphs Cain Ball
1997 Threshold
1997 Better Than Ever Will
1997 After the Game (aka The Last Hand) Benny Walsh
1997 Guy Maddin: Waiting for Twilight Documentary
1999 Man of the Century Roman Navarro
1999 Final Rinse Chief
1999 Game Day Sam Segal
1999 The Rules (For Men)
1999 The Art of Murder Uncredited
1999 All Shook Up Sheriff Dudston
2000 Luck of the Draw Sterling Johnson
2000 Beethoven's 3rd Uncle Morrie Newton Video
2000 The Curio Trunk Harold Belfast Short
2000 Castlerock Mack
2002 High Times' Potluck The Slim Man
2002 Manna from Heaven Ed
2003 Mail Order Bride Russian Doctor
2005 Angels with Angles George Burns / Shelleen
2005 The Best of Frank Gorshin Himself Video
2005 Buckaro Judge
2005 Firedog Voice
2006 The Creature of the Sunny Side Up Trailer Park Burdus

Television

Year Title Role Notes
1956 Alfred Hitchcock Presents Autograph seeker Episode: "The Decoy"
1957 Navy Log Captain Ray Duncan Episode: "Operation Lend Lease Adti: Amscray!"
1957 The Restless Gun Cowboy with Singer Episode: "Duel at Lockwood"
1958 The Silent Service Torpedoman 1st Class Larkin Episode: "The Thresher Story"
1959 The Millionaire Hal Episode: "The Doctor Joseph Frye Story"[14]
1959 Hennesey Seaman Pulaski / Shore Patrol / USN 3 episodes
1959 The Detectives Billy McGirth Episode: "The Streger Affair"
1959 Have Gun - Will Travel Marty (Bully) Episode: "Sons of Aaron Murdock"
1959 Frontier Doctor Hank Butts Episode: "Shadow of Belle Starr"
1960 Mr. Lucky Jerry Musco Episode:"The Last Laugh"
1961 The Defenders Harry Simms Episode:"The Hundred Lives of Harry Simms"
1962 Insight Alessandro Serenelli Episode: "The Killer"
1962 The Untouchables Herbie Catcher Episode: "The Pea"
1963 Combat! Pvt. Wharton Episode: "The Medal"
1963 Naked City Alan Starkie Season 4, Episode 19: "Beyond This Place There Be Dragons"
1964 The Alfred Hitchcock Hour Lew Rydell Episode: "The Second Verdict"
1964 The Regis Philbin Show Himself Episode: "Episode #1.23"
1965 Combat! Pvt. Gavin Episode: "The Hell Machine"
1966 A Man Called Shenandoah Otto Episode: "The Clown"
1966 Password All-Stars Himself (Celebrity Contestant) Episode - 11-25-1966
1966 The Munsters Fair Deal Dan Episode: "Herman, the Tire Kicker"
1966 The Roger Miller Show Himself Episode: "Episode #1.14"
1966 The Danny Kaye Show Himself Episode: "Episode #4.11"
1966 The Red Skelton Hour Nasty McMean Episode: "What Did You Do in the Dump, Daddy?"
1966 The Dean Martin Show Himself Episode: "#2.3 & #2.21"
1966 The Sammy Davis, Jr. Show Himself Episode: "Episode #1.11"
1966-1967 Batman Edward Nigma / The Riddler 10 episodes
1967 Garrison's Gorillas Dustin Episode: "Thieves' Holiday"
1969 Star Trek Bele Episode: "Let That Be Your Last Battlefield"
1969 The High Chaparral Stinky Flanagan Episode: "Stinky Flanagan"
1969 The Movie Game Himself Episode: "12-9-1969"
1970 The Virginian Dutch Miley Episode: "Follow the Leader"
1970 Kraft Music Hall Himself Episode: "The Kopykats"
1971 The Interns Joe Calico Episode: "The Challenger"
1971 O'Hara, U.S. Treasury Little Willie Episode: "Operation: Bribery"
1971 The Merv Griffin Show Himself Episode: "Salute to Horror"
1969-1971 Rowan & Martin's Laugh-In Himself (Guest Performer) Episodes: "#2.17" & "#5.5"
1971-1972 The Hollywood Squares Guest Appearance 5 episodes
1972 The ABC Comedy Hour (aka The Kopykats) Himself, regular cast 7 episodes
1974 Dr. Simon Locke Charlie Kreber Episode: "Borrowed Trouble"
1974 Ironside Dorian Episode: "What's New with Mark?"
1974 Movin' On Tucker J. Paulsen Episode: "Good for Laughs"
1974 Hawaii Five-O Stash Episode: "Welcome to Our Branch Office"
1975 Sky Heist Ben Hardings TV movie
1975 S.W.A.T. Johnny Rizi Episode: "Ordeal"
1975 Police Woman David Griffin Episode: "Glitter with a Bullet"
1975 The Dean Martin Celebrity Roast: Sammy Davis Jr. Himself TV Special
1975 The Dean Martin Celebrity Roast: Jackie Gleason Himself TV Special
1976 Rudolph's Shiny New Year Sir 1023 / Quart Voice, TV Movie
1976 Dinah! Himself episode - Episode #2.138"
1977 Charlie's Angels Harry Dana Episode: "Angels at Sea"
1977 Wonder Woman Hoffman / Toyman Episode: "The Deadly Toys"
1978 Greatest Heroes of the Bible Ocran Episode: "The Story of Moses: Parts 1 & 2"
1979 Legends of the Superheroes The Riddler Episode: "The Challenge"
1979 Death Car on the Freeway Ralph Chandler TV movie
1979 Buck Rogers in the 25th Century Seton Kellogg Episode: "The Plot to Kill a City: Parts 1 & 2 "
1981 Goliath Awaits Dan Wesker TV movie
1982 Treasure Island Ben Gunn TV movie
1982 Princess Ida King Gama TV movie
1986 A Masterpiece of Murder Pierre Rudin TV movie
1988 Murder, She Wrote Arnold Goldman Episode: "Mourning Among the Wisterias"
1988 The New Hollywood Squares Guest Appearance Episode: "5-30-1988"
1988 The Late Show Himself Episode: "4-28-1988"
1990 Comic Book Collector Himself Documentary short
1994 Are You Afraid of the Dark? Brother Septimus Episode: "The Tale of the Carved Stone"
1995 Lois & Clark: The New Adventures of Superman Sharpie Lawyer a.k.a. Kill, Kill, Kill lawyer Episode: "Whine, Whine, Whine"
1995 The Ren & Stimpy Show The Reverend Jack Cheese (voice) Episode: "Reverend Jack Cheese"
1997 Johnny Bravo Barney Stone / Clovy (voice) Episode: "Blarney Buddies"
1999 The Bold and the Beautiful George the homeless man TV Serial
1999 VH-1 Where Are They Now? Himself TV Series documentary, Episode: "Superheroes"
2000 Biography Himself Episode: "Adam West: Behind the Cowl"
2001 Black Scorpion Benjamin Tickerman / Clockwise Episode: "Crime Time"
2003 The 57th Annual Tony Awards Himself TV Special
2003 Return to the Batcave: The Misadventures of Adam and Burt Himself TV Movie
2004 Love Story in Harvard Professor John Keynes TV Movie
2004 Biography Himself Episode: "Catwoman: Her Many Lives"
2005 The Batman Professor Hugo Strange Voice, 3 Episodes
2005 CSI: Crime Scene Investigation Himself Episode: "Grave Danger"
2006 Dr. Vegas Edgar Rhodes Episode: "For Love or Money"
2006 Dreamweaver Mr. Rem TV movie, (final film role)

Video games

Year Title Role Notes
2000 Diablo II Marius / Lysander Voice

Stage appearances

Discography

References

  1. ^ "Frank Gorshin Biography (1934-)". Filmreference.com. Retrieved June 17, 2010.
  2. ^ "Star Files: Frank Gorshin". Broadway.com. Retrieved November 27, 2007.
  3. ^ . The Daily Telegraph. London. May 19, 2005. Archived from the original on November 4, 2007. Retrieved November 27, 2007.
  4. ^ Gobetz, Edward (July 16, 2015). "Frank Gorshin". Slovenian American Times. Cleveland.
  5. ^ Bergan, Ronald (May 20, 2005). "Frank Gorshin". The Guardian. London.
  6. ^ a b c d e f Martin, Terry. . John Stacks Productions. Archived from the original on January 29, 2007. Retrieved September 14, 2017.{{cite web}}: CS1 maint: unfit URL (link)
  7. ^ Frank Gorshin on Ed Sullivan February 9, 1964 on YouTube
  8. ^ a b . Pabook.libraries.psu.edu. Archived from the original on June 11, 2010. Retrieved June 17, 2010.
  9. ^ "Frank Gorshin". Television Academy.
  10. ^ Koznin, Allan (January 18, 2000). "MUSIC REVIEW; A Graceful Surrender for Gilbert and Sullivan's Uppity Feminist". The New York Times.
  11. ^ . Archived from the original on March 16, 2006.
  12. ^ Buckley, Michael (October 8, 2002). . Theatermania.com. Archived from the original on December 24, 2010. Retrieved June 17, 2010.
  13. ^ McKinley, Jesse (May 19, 2005). "Frank Gorshin, 'Batman' Riddler, Dies at 72". The New York Times.
  14. ^ Gianakos, L.J. (1980). Television Drama Series Programming: A Comprehensive Chronicle, 1947-1959 (in Basque). Scarecrow Press. ISBN 978-0-8108-1330-4. Retrieved November 22, 2022.
  15. ^ "Frank Gorshin – The Riddler" at Discogs

External links

frank, gorshin, frank, john, gorshin, april, 1933, 2005, american, actor, comedian, impressionist, made, many, guest, appearances, sullivan, show, tonight, starring, steve, allen, gorshin, riddler, 1966bornfrank, john, gorshin, 1933, april, 1933pittsburgh, pen. Frank John Gorshin Jr April 5 1933 May 17 2005 was an American actor comedian and impressionist He made many guest appearances on The Ed Sullivan Show and Tonight Starring Steve Allen Frank GorshinGorshin as the Riddler 1966BornFrank John Gorshin Jr 1933 04 05 April 5 1933Pittsburgh Pennsylvania U S DiedMay 17 2005 2005 05 17 aged 72 Burbank California U S Resting placeCalvary Catholic CemeteryEducationCarnegie Mellon UniversityOccupationsActorcomedianimpressionistYears active1956 2005SpouseChristina Randazzo m 1957 wbr Children1Military serviceAllegianceUnited StatesService wbr branchUnited States ArmyYears of service1953 1954As an actor he played the Riddler on the live action television series Batman and was nominated for an Emmy Award for the performance Contents 1 Early life 2 Career 3 Personal life 4 Death 5 Filmography 5 1 Film 5 2 Television 5 3 Video games 6 Stage appearances 7 Discography 8 References 9 External linksEarly life EditGorshin was born on April 5 1933 in Pittsburgh Pennsylvania the son of Catholic parents Frances a seamstress and Frank Gorshin Sr a railroad worker 1 2 3 He was of Slovenian ancestry His father Frank Sr was a second generation Slovenian American whose parents emigrated to America from Slovenia His mother Frances or Fanny nee Preseren came to the United States as a young girl from Regrca Vas near Novo Mesto the main city of Lower Carniola in Slovenia Both of his parents were active in Pittsburgh s Slovenian community They sang in the Slovenian Singing Society Preseren named after the great Slovenian poet France Preseren In an interview Frances said that her son being the product of a Slovenian home spoke mostly Slovene before going to school 4 5 At the age of 15 he took a part time job as a cinema usher at the Sheridan Square Theatre 6 He memorized the mannerisms of the screen stars he saw and created an impressionist act He was still in high school when he obtained his first paid employment which he secured as the prize in a Pittsburgh talent contest in 1951 a one week engagement at Jackie Heller s New York nightclub Carousel His parents insisted that he take the engagement even though his 15 year old brother had been hit by a car and killed just two nights before 6 After graduation from Peabody High School Gorshin attended the Carnegie Tech School of Drama now known as Carnegie Mellon University in Pittsburgh When not studying he worked in local plays and nightclubs 6 In 1953 Gorshin was drafted into the United States Army and posted to Germany He served for a year and a half as an entertainer attached to Special Services While in the Army Gorshin met Maurice Bergman who later introduced him to Hollywood agent Paul Kohner Gorshin s Army service record was later destroyed in the U S National Personnel Records Center fire of 1973 Career EditWhen Gorshin left the Army he returned to public performance and in 1956 he became a prolific film actor He also appeared on various television series including the role of Hank Butts with Michael Landon cast as Jim Mason in the 1958 episode Shadow of Belle Starr of the syndicated Western series Frontier Doctor starring Rex Allen In 1959 he was cast in three episodes as Seaman Pulaski on Jackie Cooper s CBS military sitcom drama Hennesey Thereafter Gorshin played roles in ABC s crime drama The Untouchables In 1961 Gorshin gave a tour de force performance as an impressionist who kills his fiancee under the influence of one of his celebrity characters in The Defenders He guest starred twelve times on CBS s The Ed Sullivan Show the first having been on June 17 1962 On February 9 1964 the same night that The Beatles and Davy Jones debuted he also appeared 7 In 1963 Gorshin had a guest starring role in the long running ABC military series Combat as Pvt Wharton who took false credit for the heroism of his dead friend but redeemed himself later saving Sgt Saunders as well as in 1965 in which he played Pvt Gavin a tank operator who had washed out of U S Army Armor tank operations training Gorshin was a popular act at nightclubs notably those of Las Vegas where he was the first impressionist to headline the main showrooms 6 He was also the first impressionist headliner at the Empire Room of New York s Waldorf Astoria Hotel 6 Among his most popular impressions were of Burt Lancaster exaggerating Lancaster s hand gestures and Kirk Douglas exaggerating Douglas gritted teeth as well as Marlon Brando spoofing his squint He was also popular for simulating bodily and facial resemblances and pitch perfect imitations of voice accent and vocal inflections and mannerisms Gorshin s slender athletic build wide mouth and pale eyes under strong brows were ideal characteristics for screen henchmen In 1957 he fell asleep at the wheel of his car after driving from Pittsburgh for thirty nine hours without sleep and subsequently the vehicle crashed He was on his way to a Hollywood screen test for the role of Petty Officer Ruby in Run Silent Run Deep He sustained a fractured skull and spent four days in a coma a Los Angeles newspaper incorrectly reported that he had been killed 6 The role went to Don Rickles 8 Gorshin s first film role was Between Heaven and Hell In the late 1950s Gorshin had roles in B movies such as Hot Rod Girl 1956 Dragstrip Girl 1957 and Invasion of the Saucer Men 1957 In 1960 he was featured in Bells are Ringing playing the Method Actor while doing a Marlon Brando impression As a dramatic actor he often played tough guys like those played by one of his favorite targets of impressions James Cagney whom he was said to resemble He did take a comic turn though as the hipster jazz bassist Basil paired with singer Connie Francis in Where the Boys Are 1960 as a bumbling kidnapper in the Hayley Mills vehicle That Darn Cat 1965 and as a boss behind bars for laughs in Otto Preminger s comedy Skidoo 1968 In 1962 Gorshin was cast as Billy Roy Fix in the episode The Fire Dancer of the NBC modern Western television series Empire starring Richard Egan as the rancher Jim Redigo He was nominated for an Emmy Award Outstanding Performance by an Actor in a Supporting Role in a Comedy for his role as The Riddler on ABC s 1960s live action television series Batman starring Adam West and Burt Ward Gorshin s portrayal of the character included a high pitched deranged cackle inspired by that of Tommy Udo Richard Widmark in Kiss of Death 1947 Gorshin disliked the unitard costume concept from the comics and had a green business suit and bowler hat marked with question marks created as an alternative a variant of which would be later adapted in the comics itself as the villain s preferred outfit He played the Riddler in ten episodes of the series as well as the theatrical movie although John Astin made two appearances in 1967 in the role on an occasion when Gorshin was unavailable Gorshin was very angry about being replaced by Astin as the Riddler but he agreed to return to Batman as the Riddler in Season 3 in an episode entitled Ring Around The Riddler He reprised the role in the 1979 television movie Legends of the Superheroes Gorshin also had a memorable role in the 1969 Star Trek episode Let That Be Your Last Battlefield as the bigoted half whiteface half blackface alien Bele from the planet Cheron Contrary to popular rumor and several news articles Gorshin did not receive an Emmy nomination for this role 9 In the early 1970s Gorshin appeared on Broadway in Jimmy 1969 and Guys and Dolls 1971 He made numerous guest starring appearances on such television series as The Name of the Game 1969 Ironside 1974 Hawaii Five O 1974 Get Christie Love 1975 Charlie s Angels 1977 and Wonder Woman 1977 In 1979 he played interplanetary assassin Seton Kellogg in a two part episode of the television series Buck Rogers in the 25th Century titled Plot to Kill a City In 1982 Gorshin acted and sang the role of irascible King Gama in a TV production of the Gilbert and Sullivan opera Princess Ida as part of the PBS series The Compleat Gilbert and Sullivan and subsequently in live performance at other venues 10 He also appeared as the villainous Dan Wesker in the miniseries Goliath Awaits 1981 and played the role of Smiley Wilson on the ABC soap opera The Edge of Night 1981 82 where he used his impersonation talents to mimic other performers on the series During this decade he also guest starred in episodes of series such as The Fall Guy 1984 Murder She Wrote 1988 and Monsters 1989 During the 1990s he featured as a mobster kingpin in The Meteor Man 1993 played the evil sorcerer Brother Septimus in The Tale of the Carved Stone episode of Are You Afraid of the Dark 1993 voiced the character of Reverend Jack Cheese in an episode of The Ren and Stimpy Show 1995 Notably he appeared in Terry Gilliam s 12 Monkeys 1995 as the gruff superior to Madeleine Stowe s psychiatrist In his final years Gorshin portrayed the famous comedian George Burns on Broadway in the one man show Say Goodnight Gracie 2002 which was nominated for a 2003 Tony Award for best play 11 12 and was reunited with several of his Batman colleagues in the television movie Return to the Batcave The Misadventures of Adam and Burt in which he appeared as himself Gorshin died on the day of the telefilm s DVD release He played the strict legendary Harvard Law School Professor John H Keynes in the Korean drama Love Story in Harvard 2004 and voiced villain Hugo Strange in three 2005 episodes of The Batman animated series He also voiced the characters Marius and Lysander in the computer role playing game Diablo II Gorshin s last television appearance was in Grave Danger an episode of the CBS series CSI Crime Scene Investigation which aired two days after his death the episode which was directed by Quentin Tarantino was dedicated to his memory While he was known for his impressions his role on CSI was as himself Gorshin s final role was as a voice actor in the unreleased animated feature film Firedog Personal life EditOn April 8 1957 Gorshin married Christina Randazzo They had one son Mitchell and later separated but remained married until his death 8 Death EditGorshin s final live appearance was a Memphis performance of Say Goodnight Gracie in which he portrayed George Burns He finished the performance and boarded a plane for Los Angeles on April 25 2005 After he experienced severe breathing difficulty during the flight the crew administered emergency oxygen An ambulance met the plane upon landing and transported him to a Burbank hospital where he died on May 17 2005 at the age of 72 from lung cancer complicated by emphysema and pneumonia 13 Gorshin had been a heavy smoker for most of his adult life consuming up to five packs of cigarettes a day Adam West once claimed that Frank could reduce a cigarette to ash with one draw When he did nightclub performances or live shows audiences were warned not to attend if they disliked smoking as he often smoked onstage He is interred at Calvary Catholic Cemetery in the Hazelwood section of Pittsburgh Filmography EditFilm Edit Year Title Role Notes1956 The Proud and Profane Harry Uncredited1956 Hot Rod Girl Flat Top1956 Between Heaven and Hell Pvt Millard Co G Uncredited1956 Runaway Daughters Tommy Burns1957 The True Story of Jesse James Charley Ford1957 Dragstrip Girl Tommy Burns1957 The Delicate Delinquent Wise Guy on Street Uncredited1957 Invasion of the Saucer Men Joe Gruen1957 Portland Expose Joe1958 Tank Battalion PFC Skids Madigan1958 Torpedo Run Sub Crewman Uncredited1959 Night of the Quarter Moon Racist Punk Uncredited1959 Warlock Billy Gannon Uncredited1960 Bells are Ringing Blake Barton1960 Studs Lonigan Kenny Killarney1960 The Great Imposter Barney1960 Where the Boys Are Basil1961 Ring of Fire Frank Henderson1961 The George Raft Story Moxie Cusack1961 Sail a Crooked Ship George M Wilson1965 That Darn Cat Iggy1966 Ride Beyond Vengeance Tod Wisdom1966 Batman Edward Nigma The Riddler1968 Skidoo The Man1969 Star Trek TOS Commissioner Bele1978 Record City Chameleon1981 Underground Aces Fred Kruger1981 The Uppercrust de Harry Werner alias Nash1985 Hot Resort Mr Green1986 Uphill All the Way Pike1986 Hollywood Vice Squad Walsh1987 The Gnomes Great Adventure Holler Carlo Omar Prince Gustav Voice1989 Beverly Hills Bodysnatchers Doc1989 Midnight Ron Saphier1989 Singapore Harbor1992 Body Trouble Johnny Zero1992 The Hollywood Beach Murders Zoran1992 Sweet Justice Billy Joe Rivas1993 The Meteor Man Anthony Beyer Drug Lord 1993 Amore Asino1994 Hail Caesar Pete Dewitt1994 The Big Story Cub Reporter Editor Older Reporter Voice Short1995 12 Monkeys Dr Fletcher1995 Mr Payback An Interactive Movie Himself Cameo1996 Superior Duck Daffy Duck Foghorn Leghorn Voice Short1997 Pullet Surprise Foghorn Leghorn Voice Looney Tunes Short1997 From Hare to Eternity Yosemite Sam Voice Short1997 Bloodmoon Chief William Hutchins1997 Twilight of the Ice Nymphs Cain Ball1997 Threshold1997 Better Than Ever Will1997 After the Game aka The Last Hand Benny Walsh1997 Guy Maddin Waiting for Twilight Documentary1999 Man of the Century Roman Navarro1999 Final Rinse Chief1999 Game Day Sam Segal1999 The Rules For Men 1999 The Art of Murder Uncredited1999 All Shook Up Sheriff Dudston2000 Luck of the Draw Sterling Johnson2000 Beethoven s 3rd Uncle Morrie Newton Video2000 The Curio Trunk Harold Belfast Short2000 Castlerock Mack2002 High Times Potluck The Slim Man2002 Manna from Heaven Ed2003 Mail Order Bride Russian Doctor2005 Angels with Angles George Burns Shelleen2005 The Best of Frank Gorshin Himself Video2005 Buckaro Judge2005 Firedog Voice2006 The Creature of the Sunny Side Up Trailer Park BurdusTelevision Edit Year Title Role Notes1956 Alfred Hitchcock Presents Autograph seeker Episode The Decoy 1957 Navy Log Captain Ray Duncan Episode Operation Lend Lease Adti Amscray 1957 The Restless Gun Cowboy with Singer Episode Duel at Lockwood 1958 The Silent Service Torpedoman 1st Class Larkin Episode The Thresher Story 1959 The Millionaire Hal Episode The Doctor Joseph Frye Story 14 1959 Hennesey Seaman Pulaski Shore Patrol USN 3 episodes1959 The Detectives Billy McGirth Episode The Streger Affair 1959 Have Gun Will Travel Marty Bully Episode Sons of Aaron Murdock 1959 Frontier Doctor Hank Butts Episode Shadow of Belle Starr 1960 Mr Lucky Jerry Musco Episode The Last Laugh 1961 The Defenders Harry Simms Episode The Hundred Lives of Harry Simms 1962 Insight Alessandro Serenelli Episode The Killer 1962 The Untouchables Herbie Catcher Episode The Pea 1963 Combat Pvt Wharton Episode The Medal 1963 Naked City Alan Starkie Season 4 Episode 19 Beyond This Place There Be Dragons 1964 The Alfred Hitchcock Hour Lew Rydell Episode The Second Verdict 1964 The Regis Philbin Show Himself Episode Episode 1 23 1965 Combat Pvt Gavin Episode The Hell Machine 1966 A Man Called Shenandoah Otto Episode The Clown 1966 Password All Stars Himself Celebrity Contestant Episode 11 25 19661966 The Munsters Fair Deal Dan Episode Herman the Tire Kicker 1966 The Roger Miller Show Himself Episode Episode 1 14 1966 The Danny Kaye Show Himself Episode Episode 4 11 1966 The Red Skelton Hour Nasty McMean Episode What Did You Do in the Dump Daddy 1966 The Dean Martin Show Himself Episode 2 3 amp 2 21 1966 The Sammy Davis Jr Show Himself Episode Episode 1 11 1966 1967 Batman Edward Nigma The Riddler 10 episodes1967 Garrison s Gorillas Dustin Episode Thieves Holiday 1969 Star Trek Bele Episode Let That Be Your Last Battlefield 1969 The High Chaparral Stinky Flanagan Episode Stinky Flanagan 1969 The Movie Game Himself Episode 12 9 1969 1970 The Virginian Dutch Miley Episode Follow the Leader 1970 Kraft Music Hall Himself Episode The Kopykats 1971 The Interns Joe Calico Episode The Challenger 1971 O Hara U S Treasury Little Willie Episode Operation Bribery 1971 The Merv Griffin Show Himself Episode Salute to Horror 1969 1971 Rowan amp Martin s Laugh In Himself Guest Performer Episodes 2 17 amp 5 5 1971 1972 The Hollywood Squares Guest Appearance 5 episodes1972 The ABC Comedy Hour aka The Kopykats Himself regular cast 7 episodes1974 Dr Simon Locke Charlie Kreber Episode Borrowed Trouble 1974 Ironside Dorian Episode What s New with Mark 1974 Movin On Tucker J Paulsen Episode Good for Laughs 1974 Hawaii Five O Stash Episode Welcome to Our Branch Office 1975 Sky Heist Ben Hardings TV movie1975 S W A T Johnny Rizi Episode Ordeal 1975 Police Woman David Griffin Episode Glitter with a Bullet 1975 The Dean Martin Celebrity Roast Sammy Davis Jr Himself TV Special1975 The Dean Martin Celebrity Roast Jackie Gleason Himself TV Special1976 Rudolph s Shiny New Year Sir 1023 Quart Voice TV Movie1976 Dinah Himself episode Episode 2 138 1977 Charlie s Angels Harry Dana Episode Angels at Sea 1977 Wonder Woman Hoffman Toyman Episode The Deadly Toys 1978 Greatest Heroes of the Bible Ocran Episode The Story of Moses Parts 1 amp 2 1979 Legends of the Superheroes The Riddler Episode The Challenge 1979 Death Car on the Freeway Ralph Chandler TV movie1979 Buck Rogers in the 25th Century Seton Kellogg Episode The Plot to Kill a City Parts 1 amp 2 1981 Goliath Awaits Dan Wesker TV movie1982 Treasure Island Ben Gunn TV movie1982 Princess Ida King Gama TV movie1986 A Masterpiece of Murder Pierre Rudin TV movie1988 Murder She Wrote Arnold Goldman Episode Mourning Among the Wisterias 1988 The New Hollywood Squares Guest Appearance Episode 5 30 1988 1988 The Late Show Himself Episode 4 28 1988 1990 Comic Book Collector Himself Documentary short1994 Are You Afraid of the Dark Brother Septimus Episode The Tale of the Carved Stone 1995 Lois amp Clark The New Adventures of Superman Sharpie Lawyer a k a Kill Kill Kill lawyer Episode Whine Whine Whine 1995 The Ren amp Stimpy Show The Reverend Jack Cheese voice Episode Reverend Jack Cheese 1997 Johnny Bravo Barney Stone Clovy voice Episode Blarney Buddies 1999 The Bold and the Beautiful George the homeless man TV Serial1999 VH 1 Where Are They Now Himself TV Series documentary Episode Superheroes 2000 Biography Himself Episode Adam West Behind the Cowl 2001 Black Scorpion Benjamin Tickerman Clockwise Episode Crime Time 2003 The 57th Annual Tony Awards Himself TV Special2003 Return to the Batcave The Misadventures of Adam and Burt Himself TV Movie2004 Love Story in Harvard Professor John Keynes TV Movie2004 Biography Himself Episode Catwoman Her Many Lives 2005 The Batman Professor Hugo Strange Voice 3 Episodes2005 CSI Crime Scene Investigation Himself Episode Grave Danger 2006 Dr Vegas Edgar Rhodes Episode For Love or Money 2006 Dreamweaver Mr Rem TV movie final film role Video games Edit Year Title Role Notes2000 Diablo II Marius Lysander VoiceStage appearances EditWhat Makes Sammy Run playing Sammy Glick at Valley Music Theatre Los Angeles 1966 Jimmy playing James J Walker at Winter Garden Theatre Broadway 1969 The Prisoner of Second Avenue playing Mel Edison at Parker Playhouse Florida 1973 Whodunnit standing in as Andreas Capodistriou at Biltmore Theatre Broadway 1982 On the Twentieth Century playing Oscar Jaffe on a tour of the United States 1986 Ah Wilderness playing Nat Miller at American Heartland Theatre Kansas City Mo 1987 Best of Burlesque sketch comedy and impressionist Showboat Dinner Theater Clearwater FL 1994 Guys and Dolls as a performer in Las Vegas 1995 The Sunshine Boys as Willie Clark on a tour of the United States 2001 Say Goodnight Gracie as George Burns at Helen Hayes Theatre Broadway 2002 Discography Edit The Riddler composed by Mel Torme B side Never Let Her Go composed by David A Gates 1966 15 References Edit Frank Gorshin Biography 1934 Filmreference com Retrieved June 17 2010 Star Files Frank Gorshin Broadway com Retrieved November 27 2007 Obituary Frank Gorshin The Daily Telegraph London May 19 2005 Archived from the original on November 4 2007 Retrieved November 27 2007 Gobetz Edward July 16 2015 Frank Gorshin Slovenian American Times Cleveland Bergan Ronald May 20 2005 Frank Gorshin The Guardian London a b c d e f Martin Terry Official Frank Gorshin Website Biography John Stacks Productions Archived from the original on January 29 2007 Retrieved September 14 2017 a href Template Cite web html title Template Cite web cite web a CS1 maint unfit URL link Frank Gorshin on Ed Sullivan February 9 1964 on YouTube a b Frank Gorshin Pabook libraries psu edu Archived from the original on June 11 2010 Retrieved June 17 2010 Frank Gorshin Television Academy Koznin Allan January 18 2000 MUSIC REVIEW A Graceful Surrender for Gilbert and Sullivan s Uppity Feminist The New York Times 2003 Tony Award Winners and Nominees Archived from the original on March 16 2006 Buckley Michael October 8 2002 A review of Gorshin as George Burns 2002 with photograph Theatermania com Archived from the original on December 24 2010 Retrieved June 17 2010 McKinley Jesse May 19 2005 Frank Gorshin Batman Riddler Dies at 72 The New York Times Gianakos L J 1980 Television Drama Series Programming A Comprehensive Chronicle 1947 1959 in Basque Scarecrow Press ISBN 978 0 8108 1330 4 Retrieved November 22 2022 Frank Gorshin The Riddler at DiscogsExternal links Edit Biography portal Pennsylvania portal New York state portal California portal Theatre portal Film portal Television portalFrank Gorshin at IMDb Frank Gorshin at the TCM Movie Database Frank Gorshin at AllMovie Frank Gorshin at the Internet Broadway Database Frank Gorshin at Memory Alpha a Star Trek wiki Frank Gorshin The Riddler 1 at the Wayback Machine archived April 23 2008 Retrieved from https en wikipedia org w index php title Frank Gorshin amp oldid 1128811599, wikipedia, wiki, book, books, library,

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