Jack Albertson

From Grokipedia

Jack Albertson (June 16, 1907 – November 25, 1981) was an American actor, comedian, dancer, and singer renowned for his versatile character roles across vaudeville, Broadway, film, and television over a career spanning more than five decades. Born Harold Albertson in Malden, Massachusetts, to Russian-Jewish immigrant parents, he began performing in the 1930s as part of vaudeville acts and burlesque shows, often collaborating with entertainers like Phil Silvers and Bert Lahr. Albertson achieved the rare Triple Crown of Acting, becoming one of only 24 performers to win an Academy Award, a Tony Award, and an Emmy Award for acting.

His breakthrough came on Broadway with the Pulitzer Prize-winning play The Subject Was Roses (1964), where he originated the role of John Cleary and won the 1965 Tony Award for Featured Actor in a Play. He reprised the role in the 1968 film adaptation, earning the Academy Award for Best Supporting Actor in 1969. In film, Albertson delivered memorable performances as the kindly Grandpa Joe in Willy Wonka & the Chocolate Factory (1971) and the resilient Manny Rosen in the disaster epic The Poseidon Adventure (1972).

On television, he gained widespread recognition as the gruff but lovable Ed Brown, opposite Freddie Prinze, in the sitcom Chico and the Man (1974–1978), for which he won the Primetime Emmy Award for Outstanding Lead Actor in a Comedy Series in 1976. Earlier, he secured another Emmy in 1975 for Outstanding Continuing or Single Performance by a Supporting Actor in Variety or Music for his appearance on Cher. Albertson also made frequent guest appearances on classic shows such as I Love Lucy, The Jack Benny Program, and The Dick Van Dyke Show, showcasing his comedic timing and dramatic range. He was nominated posthumously for a Primetime Emmy Award for Outstanding Supporting Actor in a Limited Series or Special for My Body, My Child (1982).

In addition to his acting accolades, Albertson earned a star on the Hollywood Walk of Fame in 1977 and the American Theater Arts Lifetime Achievement Award in May 1980, shortly before his death from colon cancer at age 74. His sister, actress Mabel Albertson, also appeared in numerous television roles, and he was married to June Wallace for 29 years, with whom he had a daughter, Maura Dhu.

In brief

Harold "Jack" Albertson (June 16, 1907 – November 25, 1981) was an American actor, comedian, dancer and singer who also performed in vaudeville. Albertson was a Tony, Oscar, and Emmy winning actor, which ranks him among a rare stature of 24 actors who have been awarded the "Triple Crown of Acting". For his performance as John Cleary in the 1964 play The Subject Was Roses and its 1968 film adaptation, he won the Tony Award for Best Featured Actor in a Play, and the Academy Award for Best Supporting Actor.

This again places him among a select status as one of eleven peers who have won both awards for the same role. His other roles include Grandpa Joe in Willy Wonka & the Chocolate Factory (1971), Manny Rosen in The Poseidon Adventure (1972), and Ed Brown in the television sitcom Chico and the Man (1974–1978), for which he won an Emmy. For his contributions to the television industry, Albertson was honored with a star on the Hollywood Walk of Fame in 1977 at 6253 Hollywood Boulevard.