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Danny Kaye is a Actor and Scriptwriter American born on 18 january 1911 at New York City (USA)

Danny Kaye

Danny Kaye
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Birth name David Daniel Kaminsky
Nationality USA
Birth 18 january 1911 at New York City (USA)
Death 3 march 1987 (at 76 years) at Los Angeles (USA)
Awards Chevalier de la Légion d'Honneur, Emmy Award, Presidential Medal of Freedom, Jean Hersholt Humanitarian Award, Peabody Award

Danny Kaye (born David Daniel Kaminsky; January 18, 1911 – March 3, 1987) was an American actor, singer, dancer, and comedian. His performances featured physical comedy, idiosyncratic pantomimes, and rapid-fire novelty songs.

Kaye starred in 17 movies, notably Wonder Man (1945), The Kid from Brooklyn (1946), The Secret Life of Walter Mitty (1947), The Inspector General (1949), Hans Christian Andersen (1952), White Christmas (1954), and The Court Jester (1956). His films were popular, especially his bravura performances of patter songs and favorites such as "Inchworm" and "The Ugly Duckling". He was the first ambassador-at-large of UNICEF in 1954 and received the French Legion of Honor in 1986 for his years of work with the organization.

Biography

Kaye and Sylvia Fine grew up in Brooklyn, living a few blocks apart, but they did not meet until they were working on an off-Broadway show in 1939. Sylvia was an audition pianist.

Sylvia discovered that Danny had worked for her father Samuel Fine, a dentist. Kaye, working in Florida, proposed on the telephone; the couple were married in Fort Lauderdale on January 3, 1940. Their daughter, Dena, was born on December 17, 1946.

Kaye said in a 1954 interview, "Whatever she wants to be she will be without interference from her mother nor from me." When she was very young, Dena did not like seeing her father perform because she did not understand that people were supposed to laugh at what he did.

On 18 January 2013, during a 24-hour salute to Kaye on Turner Classic Movies in celebration of what TCM thought was his 100th birthday, Kaye's daughter Dena revealed to TCM host Ben Mankiewicz that Kaye's stated birth year of 1913 was incorrect, and that he was actually born in 1911.



After Kaye and his wife became estranged, circa 1947, he was publicly seen partnered with a succession of women, although he and Fine never divorced.

Producer Perry Lafferty reported: "People would ask me, 'Is he gay? Is he gay?' I never saw anything to substantiate that in the time I was with him." Kaye's last girlfriend, Marlene Sorosky, reported that he told her, "I've never had a homosexual experience in my life. I've never had any kind of gay relationship. I've had opportunities, but I never did anything about them."

Best films

Wonder Man (1945)
(Actor)

Usually with

Norman Panama
Norman Panama
(3 films)
Melvin Frank
Melvin Frank
(3 films)
Sylvia Fine
Sylvia Fine
(7 films)
Bess Flowers
Bess Flowers
(6 films)
Source : Wikidata

Filmography of Danny Kaye (27 films)

Display filmography as list

Actor

Trumbo
Trumbo (2015)
, 2h4
Directed by Jay Roach
Origin USA
Genres Drama, Biography
Themes Films about writers, Political films
Actors Elle Fanning, Bryan Cranston, Diane Lane, John Goodman, Helen Mirren, Alan Tudyk
Roles Self (archive footage) (uncredited)
Rating73% 3.697783.697783.697783.697783.69778
In 1947, Dalton Trumbo (Bryan Cranston) was Hollywood’s top screenwriter until he and other artists were jailed and blacklisted for their political beliefs. Trumbo (directed by Jay Roach) recounts how Dalton used words and wit to win two Academy Awards and expose the absurdity and injustice under the blacklist, which entangled everyone from gossip columnist Hedda Hopper (Helen Mirren) to John Wayne, Kirk Douglas and Otto Preminger. The film also stars Diane Lane, John Goodman, Louis CK, Elle Fanning, and Michael Stuhlbarg.
Skokie
Skokie (1981)
, 2h5
Directed by Herbert Wise
Origin USA
Genres Drama, Historical
Themes Films about religion, Political films, Films about Jews and Judaism
Actors Danny Kaye, Eli Wallach, Carl Reiner, George Dzundza, Brian Dennehy, Ed Flanders
Roles Max Feldman
Rating71% 3.585473.585473.585473.585473.58547
The peace of Skokie, a comfortable Chicago suburb, is threatened when Frank Collin (George Dzundza), a politically astute neo-Nazi organizer, selects the place as the site of his next rally. Close to 40 percent of the town’s population is Jewish, and many of them are survivors of the Holocaust. They see the march as a warning and reminder of their days as concentration camp prisoners.
Here Comes Peter Cottontail, 55minutes
Directed by Arthur Rankin Jr., Jules Bass
Origin USA
Genres Adventure, Musical, Animation
Themes Time travel films, Musical films, Children's films
Actors Danny Kaye, Casey Kasem, Vincent Price, Joan Gardner, Paul Frees
Roles Seymour S. Sassafras/Colonel Wellington B. Bunny/Antoine (voice)
Rating73% 3.688383.688383.688383.688383.68838
Peter Cottontail is a young Easter Bunny who lives in April Valley, where the Chief Easter Bunny supervises colored eggs and chocolate candy for Easter.
The Madwoman of Chaillot, 2h12
Directed by John Huston, Bryan Forbes
Origin United-kingdom
Genres Drama, Comedy, Comedy-drama
Themes Théâtre, Films based on plays
Actors Katharine Hepburn, Paul Henreid, Oskar Homolka, Margaret Leighton, Yul Brynner, Giulietta Masina
Roles The Ragpicker
Rating60% 3.0017253.0017253.0017253.0017253.001725
The story is of a modern society endangered by power and greed and the rebellion of the "little people" against corrupt and soulless authority.
The Man from the Diners' Club, 1h36
Directed by Frank Tashlin
Origin USA
Genres Comedy
Actors Danny Kaye, Cara Williams, Martha Hyer, Telly Savalas, Everett Sloane, George Kennedy
Roles Ernest Klenk
Rating60% 3.048923.048923.048923.048923.04892
Foots Pulardos is a mobster who intends to go on the lam to Mexico with his moll, Sugar Pye. In the meantime, he applies for a Diner's Club card that is mistakenly approved by a meek clerk, Ernie Klenk, who is told to go get it back.
On the Double, 1h32
Directed by Melville Shavelson
Origin USA
Genres Science fiction, War, Comedy, Action
Themes Military humor in film, Political films
Actors Danny Kaye, Dana Wynter, Wilfrid Hyde-White, Margaret Rutherford, Diana Dors, Gregory Walcott
Roles Pfc. Ernie Williams
Rating63% 3.199743.199743.199743.199743.19974
The year is 1944. The place is an Allied army camp in southeast England, full of soldiers waiting for the D-day invasion.
On the Double, 1h32
Directed by Melville Shavelson
Origin USA
Genres Science fiction, War, Comedy, Action, Adventure
Actors Danny Kaye, Dana Wynter, Wilfrid Hyde-White, Margaret Rutherford, Diana Dors, Allan Cuthbertson
Roles Pfc. Ernie Williams
Rating63% 3.199743.199743.199743.199743.19974
Le soldat de 2e classe Ernie Williams a du mal à se faire à la discipline militaire. Peu avant le débarquement, il s'échappe d'un campement mais est repris aussitôt. On lui propose alors de prendre la place d'un général dont la vie est menacée par les nazis. Ernie accepte à contre-cœur. Maggie, l'épouse du général malheureuse dans son couple, arrive à l'improviste et commence à s'attacher à ce mari de remplacement. Mais Ernie est capturé par les Allemands puis emmené à Berlin où il est interrogé par la Gestapo. Après avoir fourni de fausses informations, Ernie parvient à s'évader avant d'être poursuivi par des agents nazis.
The Millionairess, 1h30
Directed by Anthony Asquith
Origin United-kingdom
Genres Comedy, Romantic comedy, Romance
Themes Théâtre, Films based on plays, Children's films
Actors Sophia Loren, Peter Sellers, Alastair Sim, Vittorio De Sica, Dennis Price, Gary Raymond
Rating54% 2.7029852.7029852.7029852.7029852.702985
By the terms of her late father's will, spoiled London heiress Epifania Parerga, the richest woman in the world, cannot marry unless her prospective husband is able to turn £500 into £15,000 within a three-month period. When Epifania becomes smitten with Alastair, a muscular tennis player, she rigs the contest by giving him £500 in stock and then buying it back for £15,000. Alastair is unable to live with the domineering Epifania, however, and leaves her for the more domestic Polly Smith.
The Five Pennies, 1h57
Directed by Melville Shavelson
Origin USA
Genres Drama, Biography, Musical
Themes Films about music and musicians, Musical films
Actors Danny Kaye, Barbara Bel Geddes, Harry Guardino, Bob Crosby, Tuesday Weld, Bobby Troup
Roles Red Nichols
Rating70% 3.544433.544433.544433.544433.54443
Red Nichols (Kaye) is a small-town cornet player who moves to New York City in the 1920s and finds work in a band led by Wil Paradise (Crosby). He meets and marries singer Willia Stutsman, a.k.a. "Bobbie Meredith" (Bel Geddes), and the two form their own Dixieland band called "The Five Pennies" (a play on Nichols' name, since a nickel equals five pennies). As their popularity peaks, their young daughter Dorothy (Susan Gordon) contracts polio and the family leaves the music business, moving to Los Angeles. When Dorothy becomes a teen (Tuesday Weld) she learns of her father's music career and persuades him go on a comeback tour. The tour borders on failure until several notable musicians from Nichols' past appear to save the day.
Me and the Colonel, 1h49
Directed by Peter Glenville
Origin USA
Genres War, Comedy
Themes Political films, Films based on plays, Buddy films
Actors Danny Kaye, Curd Jürgens, Nicole Maurey, Françoise Rosay, Akim Tamiroff, Martita Hunt
Roles S.L. Jacobowsky
Rating69% 3.4871653.4871653.4871653.4871653.487165
In Paris during the World War II invasion of France by Nazi Germany, Jewish refugee S. L. Jacobowsky (Danny Kaye) seeks to leave the country before it falls. Meanwhile, Polish diplomat Dr. Szicki (Ludwig Stössel) gives antisemitic, autocratic Polish Colonel Prokoszny (Curt Jürgens) secret information that must be delivered to London by a certain date.
Merry Andrew, 1h43
Directed by Michael Kidd
Origin USA
Genres Comedy, Romantic comedy, Musical, Romance
Themes Circus films, Musical films
Actors Danny Kaye, Pier Angeli, Patricia Cutts, Noel Purcell, Robert Coote, Rex Evans
Roles Andrew Larabee
Rating65% 3.2955653.2955653.2955653.2955653.295565
Andrew Larabee teaches at a school run by his headmaster father Matthew, a traditional man who disapproves of his son's unconventional methods despite their popularity with the students. Andrew's special interest is archaeology, and he hopes to earn his father's respect through this field of study.
The Court Jester, 1h41
Directed by Norman Panama, Bernard McEveety, Melvin Frank
Origin USA
Genres Comedy, Action, Adventure, Musical
Themes Musical films
Actors Danny Kaye, Glynis Johns, Basil Rathbone, Angela Lansbury, Cecil Parker, Mildred Natwick
Roles Hubert Hawkins
Rating77% 3.895813.895813.895813.895813.89581
Set in medieval England, the plot concerns the struggle to restore to the throne the rightful heir, a baby with a distinguishing birthmark, the purple pimpernel on his posterior. Danny Kaye plays Hubert Hawkins, an ex-carnival entertainer who becomes minstrel to the Black Fox, a Robin Hood-type character who leads a band of rebels in the forest in support of the true infant-king.
White Christmas, 2h
Directed by Michael Curtiz, Robert Alton
Origin USA
Genres Comedy, Romantic comedy, Musical, Romance
Themes Films about music and musicians, Christmas films, Musical films
Actors Bing Crosby, Danny Kaye, Rosemary Clooney, Vera-Ellen, Dean Jagger, Mary Wickes
Roles Phil Davis
Rating74% 3.7483653.7483653.7483653.7483653.748365
On Christmas Eve, 1944, somewhere in Europe, two World War II U.S. Army soldiers, one a Broadway entertainer, Captain Bob Wallace (Bing Crosby), the other an aspiring entertainer, Private Phil Davis (Danny Kaye), perform for the 151st Division. But word has come down that their beloved commanding officer, Major General Thomas F. Waverly (Dean Jagger), is being relieved of command. He arrives for the end of the show and delivers an emotional farewell. The men give him a rousing send-off ("The Old Man").