One of the most recognizable character actors in the history of
film, he is most likely remembered by latter generations for his
equally recognizable voice. Small, slight, bespectacled with
horn-rimmed glasses, bulgy eyes and a voice that was a sort of
high-pitched nasally, gargly yodel, he was cast most often as impish,
nerdy types. He was born on September 28, 1925 in Chelsea,
Massachusetts and grew up in the Boston area.
He began his show business career at the age of 10 when he
successfully auditioned for radio’s “Horn and Hardart’s
Children’s Hour.”
“It’s a Mad, Mad, Mad, Mad World” (1963) as Ray,
a service station attendant who gets involved in a wild and hilarious
brawl with Jonathan Winters; “Skidoo” (1968) as Harry;
“Hercules in New York” (1970) with Arnold Schwarzenegger,
as Pretzie; “Ghost Dad” (1990) as Mr. Cohen and “Dennis
the Menace” (1993) with Walter Matthau, as Photographer. He was
the “voice” of Herman the Mouse in the “Herman and
Katnip” series of cartoons which ran throughout the 1940’s and
1950’s. He is probably best remembered as the spokesman for Chunky
candy bars in a series of very successful commercials in which he
exclaimed in his yodelly voice, “What a chunk of chocolate!”
On TV he was extremely active as a regular on the series:
“School House” (1949) a variety series as a Regular;
“The Goldbergs” (1954-55) as Seymour; “Henry Morgan’s
Talent Hunt” (1951) as Gerard; “The Name’s the Same”
(1954) a game show, as a Panelist; “Don Corkle” (1952) as
Winfield Dill; “The Milton Berle Show” (1953-55) as Frances
the Stagehand, who would run out with a giant powderpuff and slap
Berle in the face with it yelling, “Makeup!”; “Top
Cat” (1961-62) animated series as the voice of Top Cat and
“Broadside” (1965) as Ship’s Cook Stanley Stubbs. He has
also guest starred on such series as: “Wagon Train”;
“Bonanza”; “Emergency!” and “Tales from the
Darkside.” In recent years he has retired from show business.
