John Davidson (entertainer)
Encyclopedia
John Hamilton Davidson, Sr. (born December 13, 1941) is an American
singer
, actor
and game show host known for hosting That's Incredible!
, Time Machine
, and Hollywood Squares
in the 1980s, and a revival of The $100,000 Pyramid
in 1991.
and graduated from high school in White Plains, New York
before entering Denison University
. His boyish good looks, broad smile, and telegenic charm gained him entry to such TV venues as sitcoms
, game show
s, variety show
s, and talk show
s . He is perhaps best known for hosting 1980-84's That's Incredible!
, a human interest/stunt-themed series created in the tradition of the 1950s TV show You Asked for It
.
During an appearance on the game show Scrabble
in 1987, he told the national TV audience that he appeared as an underwear model in the 1959 Sears catalogue; he would have been 17 at the time . Davidson made his Broadway
debut in the 1964 production of Foxy, which starred Bert Lahr
. He also appeared in State Fair
in 1996. He was a member of the regular repertory
company on the short-lived CBS
variety show
The Entertainers
(1964–65). He made more than one hundred appearances on the original Hollywood Squares
during its 1966–1981 run. He was a regular player on many anthology and variety series
of the 1970s-1980s, including such shows as The Ed Sullivan Show
, The Bobby Goldsboro Show, The Sonny and Cher Comedy Hour, Love American Style, Love Boat
, Fantasy Island
, and Spenser: For Hire
. Davidson also hosted the eponymously-named, The John Davidson Show from 1980-1982.
In 1974, Davidson guest starred on the TV show The Streets of San Francisco
in the episode "Mask of Death", portraying a cross-dressing lounge singer who murders his/her fans. In the episode, Davidson sings in drag impersonating such notables as Carol Channing
, singing "Diamonds are a Girl's Best Friend
". In 1974, Davidson posed near-nude (with a strategically placed towel) for the magazine Cosmopolitan.
In the late 1970s, the actor became one of four regular guest hosts (along with Joey Bishop
, McLean Stevenson
and Joan Rivers
) on The Tonight Show
. The performer hosted his own talk show, produced by Westinghouse Broadcasting/Group W
which aired daily in syndication from 1980 to 1982. In 1985, he hosted the NBC daytime game show
, Time Machine.
He later hosted a revival of Hollywood Squares
, which ran from 1986 to 1989. In addition to his stint as host, Davidson has made numerous "Hollywood Squares
" appearances, and is considered the greatest bluffer in the history of the show. No one was more convincing at getting contestants to believe his (often ridiculous) answers to questions posed by Peter Marshall. Most times, Marshall could barely contain his laughter as Davidson started in on some long-winded but seemingly true explanation for his answer, often prefaced with something to the effect of: "I just read about that in the New England Journal of Medicine, it was a fascinating study, and it said that...". Davidson sold these preposterous stories with such sincerity that contestants agreed with him multiple times in a show, even after having been fooled earlier in the program.
In addition, he also hosted a 170-episode revival of The $100,000 Pyramid
in 1991. Davidson also appeared on the Carpenters
Television specials "Space Encounters" (1977) and "Music! Music! Music!" (1980).
Davidson has recorded twelve albums and performed in various musicals. His latest album CD John Hamilton Davidson Is a Funny Guy was released late 2006 to show both his skills at comedy and singing. He acted in many movies including The Happiest Millionaire
(1967), The One and Only, Genuine, Original Family Band
(1968), Coffee, Tea or Me (1973), The Concorde ... Airport '79 (1979), Dallas Cowboy Cheerleaders II (1980), and Edward Scissorhands
(1990), as well as the sitcom
The Girl with Something Extra
(1973–74) with Sally Field
. John was also a featured guest on several of The Carpenters
' TV specials.
He was the scheduled headline act at the Beverly Hills Supper Club in Southgate, Kentucky
, the night the structure burned down, killing 165 persons, on May 28, 1977. He was not injured and later participated in a charity concert to raise funds for the families of fire victims.
Davidson has appeared in recent productions of "A Funny Thing Happened on The Way to the Forum", "Kismet, "State Fair", "Man of La Mancha", & "Chicago", and, most recently, "Will Rogers' Follies", at the Surflight Theatre in Long Beach Island, NJ
. He is also performing in his own play "Father/Son and Holy Ghost" an autobiographical play about his relationship with his father who was a minister, which received generally negative reviews. Davidson is one of the most popular musical performers never to appear on the Billboard Hot 100
(Pop) chart. He has placed several singles on their "Adult Contemporary" survey, the most popular being "Everytime I Sing A Love Song", which reached #7 in 1976.
In July 1991, Davidson appeared in summer stock with Sacramento Music Circus of Sacramento, California in The Music Man alongside Susan Watson, Richard Paul, Carol Swarbrick and the Delta Music Society Quartet of Sacramento. A few trivia notes: John has said that The Music Man was his favorite show to do. When playing Professor Harold Hill, he had the holes of his pitch pipe taped so that the only open hole was for the pitch he needed to blow; on one occasion, the barbershop quartet's bass (Chuck Kenney) had a working pitch pipe to loan him on stage when John's didn't work. John also owned a copy of the famous booklet "Captain Billy's Whizbang" (mentioned in the lyrics of the song "Trouble") which he carried with him in the production.
Davidson and his wife, Rhonda, have three children, and now live in San Miguel de Allende
, Mexico
.
United States
The United States of America is a federal constitutional republic comprising fifty states and a federal district...
singer
Singing
Singing is the act of producing musical sounds with the voice, and augments regular speech by the use of both tonality and rhythm. One who sings is called a singer or vocalist. Singers perform music known as songs that can be sung either with or without accompaniment by musical instruments...
, actor
Actor
An actor is a person who acts in a dramatic production and who works in film, television, theatre, or radio in that capacity...
and game show host known for hosting That's Incredible!
That's Incredible!
That's Incredible! was an American reality television show that aired on the ABC television network from 1980 to 1984.-Synopsis:In the tradition of You Asked For It, Ripley's Believe It or Not! and Real People, the show featured people performing stunts and reenactments of allegedly paranormal events...
, Time Machine
Time Machine (game show)
Time Machine is an American game show where contestants competed to answer trivia questions about popular culture and recent history to win prizes. The show aired on NBC from January 7 through April 26, 1985 and was hosted by John Davidson. Charlie Tuna was the announcer, with Rich Jeffries as his...
, and Hollywood Squares
Hollywood Squares
Hollywood Squares is an American panel game show in which two contestants play tic-tac-toe to win cash and prizes. The "board" for the game is a 3 × 3 vertical stack of open-faced cubes, each occupied by a celebrity seated at a desk and facing the contestants...
in the 1980s, and a revival of The $100,000 Pyramid
Pyramid (game show)
Pyramid is an American television game show which has aired several versions. The original series, The $10,000 Pyramid, debuted March 26, 1973 and spawned seven subsequent Pyramid series...
in 1991.
Biography
Davidson was born to two Baptist ministers in Pittsburgh, PennsylvaniaPittsburgh, Pennsylvania
Pittsburgh is the second-largest city in the US Commonwealth of Pennsylvania and the county seat of Allegheny County. Regionally, it anchors the largest urban area of Appalachia and the Ohio River Valley, and nationally, it is the 22nd-largest urban area in the United States...
and graduated from high school in White Plains, New York
White Plains, New York
White Plains is a city and the county seat of Westchester County, New York, United States. It is located in south-central Westchester, about east of the Hudson River and northwest of Long Island Sound...
before entering Denison University
Denison University
Denison University is private, coeducational, and residential college of liberal arts and sciences founded in 1831. It is located in Granville, Ohio, United States, approximately 30 miles east of Columbus, the state capital...
. His boyish good looks, broad smile, and telegenic charm gained him entry to such TV venues as sitcoms
Situation comedy
A situation comedy, often shortened to sitcom, is a genre of comedy that features characters sharing the same common environment, such as a home or workplace, accompanied with jokes as part of the dialogue...
, game show
Game show
A game show is a type of radio or television program in which members of the public, television personalities or celebrities, sometimes as part of a team, play a game which involves answering questions or solving puzzles usually for money and/or prizes...
s, variety show
Variety show
A variety show, also known as variety arts or variety entertainment, is an entertainment made up of a variety of acts, especially musical performances and sketch comedy, and normally introduced by a compère or host. Other types of acts include magic, animal and circus acts, acrobatics, juggling...
s, and talk show
Talk show
A talk show or chat show is a television program or radio program where one person discuss various topics put forth by a talk show host....
s . He is perhaps best known for hosting 1980-84's That's Incredible!
That's Incredible!
That's Incredible! was an American reality television show that aired on the ABC television network from 1980 to 1984.-Synopsis:In the tradition of You Asked For It, Ripley's Believe It or Not! and Real People, the show featured people performing stunts and reenactments of allegedly paranormal events...
, a human interest/stunt-themed series created in the tradition of the 1950s TV show You Asked for It
You Asked For It
You Asked for It is a popular human-interest show created and hosted by Art Baker. Initially titled The Art Baker Show, the program originally aired on American television between 1950 and 1959...
.
During an appearance on the game show Scrabble
Scrabble (game show)
Scrabble is an American television game show that was based on the Scrabble board game. The show was co-produced by Exposure Unlimited and Reg Grundy Productions. It ran from July 2, 1984 to March 23, 1990, and again from January 18 to June 11, 1993, both runs on NBC. A total of 1,335 episodes were...
in 1987, he told the national TV audience that he appeared as an underwear model in the 1959 Sears catalogue; he would have been 17 at the time . Davidson made his Broadway
Broadway theatre
Broadway theatre, commonly called simply Broadway, refers to theatrical performances presented in one of the 40 professional theatres with 500 or more seats located in the Theatre District centered along Broadway, and in Lincoln Center, in Manhattan in New York City...
debut in the 1964 production of Foxy, which starred Bert Lahr
Bert Lahr
Bert Lahr was an American actor and comedian. Lahr is remembered today for his roles as the Cowardly Lion and Kansas farmworker Zeke in The Wizard of Oz, but was also well-known for work in burlesque, vaudeville, and on Broadway.-Early life:Lahr was born in New York City, of German-Jewish heritage...
. He also appeared in State Fair
State Fair (musical)
State Fair is a musical with a book by Tom Briggs and Louis Mattioli, lyrics by Oscar Hammerstein II, and music by Richard Rodgers.Rodgers and Hammerstein originally adapted the Phil Stong novel of the same name for a 1945 movie musical, which was remade in 1962...
in 1996. He was a member of the regular repertory
Repertory
Repertory or rep, also called stock in the United States, is a term used in Western theatre and opera.A repertory theatre can be a theatre in which a resident company presents works from a specified repertoire, usually in alternation or rotation...
company on the short-lived CBS
CBS
CBS Broadcasting Inc. is a major US commercial broadcasting television network, which started as a radio network. The name is derived from the initials of the network's former name, Columbia Broadcasting System. The network is sometimes referred to as the "Eye Network" in reference to the shape of...
variety show
Variety show
A variety show, also known as variety arts or variety entertainment, is an entertainment made up of a variety of acts, especially musical performances and sketch comedy, and normally introduced by a compère or host. Other types of acts include magic, animal and circus acts, acrobatics, juggling...
The Entertainers
The Entertainers
The Entertainers was a one-hour American variety show that aired on CBS from September 25, 1964 through March 27, 1965 on the 1964–1965 United States network television schedule. The series, produced by Joe Hamilton, featured three stars, Hamilton's wife Carol Burnett, Caterina Valente, and Bob...
(1964–65). He made more than one hundred appearances on the original Hollywood Squares
Hollywood Squares
Hollywood Squares is an American panel game show in which two contestants play tic-tac-toe to win cash and prizes. The "board" for the game is a 3 × 3 vertical stack of open-faced cubes, each occupied by a celebrity seated at a desk and facing the contestants...
during its 1966–1981 run. He was a regular player on many anthology and variety series
Variety show
A variety show, also known as variety arts or variety entertainment, is an entertainment made up of a variety of acts, especially musical performances and sketch comedy, and normally introduced by a compère or host. Other types of acts include magic, animal and circus acts, acrobatics, juggling...
of the 1970s-1980s, including such shows as The Ed Sullivan Show
The Ed Sullivan Show
The Ed Sullivan Show is an American TV variety show that originally ran on CBS from Sunday June 20, 1948 to Sunday June 6, 1971, and was hosted by New York entertainment columnist Ed Sullivan....
, The Bobby Goldsboro Show, The Sonny and Cher Comedy Hour, Love American Style, Love Boat
Love Boat
The Overseas Compatriot Youth Formosa Study Tour to Taiwan, informally known as the Love Boat, is currently a four-week summer program for about 400–600 college-aged Overseas Chinese. In Chinese, it is also colloquially referred to as mei-jia-ying - America and Canada Camp, a reference to where...
, Fantasy Island
Fantasy Island
Fantasy Island is the title of two separate but related American fantasy television series, both originally airing on the ABC television network.-Original series:...
, and Spenser: For Hire
Spenser: For Hire
Spenser: For Hire is a mystery television series based on Robert B. Parker's Spenser novels. The series, developed for TV by John Wilder, differs from the novels, mostly in its lesser degree of detail....
. Davidson also hosted the eponymously-named, The John Davidson Show from 1980-1982.
In 1974, Davidson guest starred on the TV show The Streets of San Francisco
The Streets of San Francisco
The Streets of San Francisco is a 1970s television police drama filmed on location in San Francisco, California, and produced by Quinn Martin Productions, with the first season produced in association with Warner Bros...
in the episode "Mask of Death", portraying a cross-dressing lounge singer who murders his/her fans. In the episode, Davidson sings in drag impersonating such notables as Carol Channing
Carol Channing
Carol Elaine Channing is an American singer, actress, and comedienne. She is the recipient of three Tony Awards , a Golden Globe and an Oscar nomination...
, singing "Diamonds are a Girl's Best Friend
Diamonds Are a Girl's Best Friend
"Diamonds Are a Girl's Best Friend" is a song introduced by Carol Channing in the original Broadway production of Gentlemen Prefer Blondes , which was written by Jule Styne and Leo Robin...
". In 1974, Davidson posed near-nude (with a strategically placed towel) for the magazine Cosmopolitan.
In the late 1970s, the actor became one of four regular guest hosts (along with Joey Bishop
Joey Bishop
Joey Bishop was an American entertainer who was perhaps best known for being a member of the "Rat Pack" with Frank Sinatra, Peter Lawford, Sammy Davis, Jr., and Dean Martin...
, McLean Stevenson
McLean Stevenson
Edgar McLean Stevenson, Jr. , better known as McLean Stevenson, was an American actor most recognized for his role as Lt. Colonel Henry Blake on the TV series M*A*S*H...
and Joan Rivers
Joan Rivers
Joan Rivers is an American comedian, television personality and actress. She is known for her brash manner; her loud, raspy voice with a heavy New York accent; and her numerous cosmetic surgeries...
) on The Tonight Show
The Tonight Show
The Tonight Show is an American late-night talk show that has aired on NBC since 1954. It is the longest currently running regularly scheduled entertainment program in the United States, and the third longest-running show on NBC, after Meet the Press and Today.The Tonight Show has been hosted by...
. The performer hosted his own talk show, produced by Westinghouse Broadcasting/Group W
Westinghouse Broadcasting
The Westinghouse Broadcasting Company, also known as Group W, was the broadcasting division of Westinghouse Electric Corporation. It owned several radio and television stations across the United States and distributed television shows for syndication....
which aired daily in syndication from 1980 to 1982. In 1985, he hosted the NBC daytime game show
Game show
A game show is a type of radio or television program in which members of the public, television personalities or celebrities, sometimes as part of a team, play a game which involves answering questions or solving puzzles usually for money and/or prizes...
, Time Machine.
He later hosted a revival of Hollywood Squares
Hollywood Squares
Hollywood Squares is an American panel game show in which two contestants play tic-tac-toe to win cash and prizes. The "board" for the game is a 3 × 3 vertical stack of open-faced cubes, each occupied by a celebrity seated at a desk and facing the contestants...
, which ran from 1986 to 1989. In addition to his stint as host, Davidson has made numerous "Hollywood Squares
Hollywood Squares
Hollywood Squares is an American panel game show in which two contestants play tic-tac-toe to win cash and prizes. The "board" for the game is a 3 × 3 vertical stack of open-faced cubes, each occupied by a celebrity seated at a desk and facing the contestants...
" appearances, and is considered the greatest bluffer in the history of the show. No one was more convincing at getting contestants to believe his (often ridiculous) answers to questions posed by Peter Marshall. Most times, Marshall could barely contain his laughter as Davidson started in on some long-winded but seemingly true explanation for his answer, often prefaced with something to the effect of: "I just read about that in the New England Journal of Medicine, it was a fascinating study, and it said that...". Davidson sold these preposterous stories with such sincerity that contestants agreed with him multiple times in a show, even after having been fooled earlier in the program.
In addition, he also hosted a 170-episode revival of The $100,000 Pyramid
Pyramid (game show)
Pyramid is an American television game show which has aired several versions. The original series, The $10,000 Pyramid, debuted March 26, 1973 and spawned seven subsequent Pyramid series...
in 1991. Davidson also appeared on the Carpenters
The Carpenters
Carpenters were an American vocal and instrumental duo, consisting of sister Karen and brother Richard Carpenter. The Carpenters were the #1 selling American music act of the 1970s. Though often referred to by the public as "The Carpenters", the duo's official name on authorized recordings and...
Television specials "Space Encounters" (1977) and "Music! Music! Music!" (1980).
Davidson has recorded twelve albums and performed in various musicals. His latest album CD John Hamilton Davidson Is a Funny Guy was released late 2006 to show both his skills at comedy and singing. He acted in many movies including The Happiest Millionaire
The Happiest Millionaire
The Happiest Millionaire is a 1967 musical film starring Fred MacMurray and based upon the true story of Philadelphia millionaire Anthony J. Drexel Biddle. The film received an Academy Award nomination for Costume Design by Bill Thomas. The musical song score is by Robert and Richard Sherman...
(1967), The One and Only, Genuine, Original Family Band
The One and Only, Genuine, Original Family Band
The One and Only, Genuine, Original Family Band is a 1968 musical film based on a biography by Laura Bower Van Nuys, directed by Michael O'Herlihy, with original music and lyrics by the Sherman Brothers...
(1968), Coffee, Tea or Me (1973), The Concorde ... Airport '79 (1979), Dallas Cowboy Cheerleaders II (1980), and Edward Scissorhands
Edward Scissorhands
Edward Scissorhands is a 1990 romantic fantasy film directed by Tim Burton and starring Johnny Depp. The film shows the story of an artificial man named Edward, an unfinished creation, who has scissors for hands. Edward is taken in by a suburban family and falls in love with their teenage daughter...
(1990), as well as the sitcom
Situation comedy
A situation comedy, often shortened to sitcom, is a genre of comedy that features characters sharing the same common environment, such as a home or workplace, accompanied with jokes as part of the dialogue...
The Girl with Something Extra
The Girl with Something Extra
The Girl with Something Extra is an American fantasy-based sitcom that aired on NBC for one season during 1973-1974. The series was created by Bernard Slade and produced by Screen Gems Television.-Synopsis:...
(1973–74) with Sally Field
Sally Field
Sally Margaret Field is an American actress, singer, producer, director, and screenwriter. In each decade of her career, she has been known for major roles in American TV/film culture, including: in the 1960s, for Gidget or Sister Bertrille on The Flying Nun ; in the 1970s, for Sybil , Smokey and...
. John was also a featured guest on several of The Carpenters
The Carpenters
Carpenters were an American vocal and instrumental duo, consisting of sister Karen and brother Richard Carpenter. The Carpenters were the #1 selling American music act of the 1970s. Though often referred to by the public as "The Carpenters", the duo's official name on authorized recordings and...
' TV specials.
He was the scheduled headline act at the Beverly Hills Supper Club in Southgate, Kentucky
Southgate, Kentucky
Southgate is a city in Campbell County, Kentucky, United States, a part of metropolitan Cincinnati, Ohio. The population was 3,472 at the 2000 census.-History:...
, the night the structure burned down, killing 165 persons, on May 28, 1977. He was not injured and later participated in a charity concert to raise funds for the families of fire victims.
Davidson has appeared in recent productions of "A Funny Thing Happened on The Way to the Forum", "Kismet, "State Fair", "Man of La Mancha", & "Chicago", and, most recently, "Will Rogers' Follies", at the Surflight Theatre in Long Beach Island, NJ
Long Beach Township, New Jersey
Long Beach Township is a Walsh Act Township in Ocean County, New Jersey, United States. As of the United States 2010 Census, the township population was 3,051....
. He is also performing in his own play "Father/Son and Holy Ghost" an autobiographical play about his relationship with his father who was a minister, which received generally negative reviews. Davidson is one of the most popular musical performers never to appear on the Billboard Hot 100
Billboard Hot 100
The Billboard Hot 100 is the United States music industry standard singles popularity chart issued weekly by Billboard magazine. Chart rankings are based on radio play and sales; the tracking-week for sales begins on Monday and ends on Sunday, while the radio play tracking-week runs from Wednesday...
(Pop) chart. He has placed several singles on their "Adult Contemporary" survey, the most popular being "Everytime I Sing A Love Song", which reached #7 in 1976.
In July 1991, Davidson appeared in summer stock with Sacramento Music Circus of Sacramento, California in The Music Man alongside Susan Watson, Richard Paul, Carol Swarbrick and the Delta Music Society Quartet of Sacramento. A few trivia notes: John has said that The Music Man was his favorite show to do. When playing Professor Harold Hill, he had the holes of his pitch pipe taped so that the only open hole was for the pitch he needed to blow; on one occasion, the barbershop quartet's bass (Chuck Kenney) had a working pitch pipe to loan him on stage when John's didn't work. John also owned a copy of the famous booklet "Captain Billy's Whizbang" (mentioned in the lyrics of the song "Trouble") which he carried with him in the production.
Davidson and his wife, Rhonda, have three children, and now live in San Miguel de Allende
San Miguel de Allende
San Miguel de Allende is a city and municipality located in the far eastern part of the state of Guanajuato in central Mexico. It is 274 km from Mexico City and 97 km from the state capital of Guanajuato...
, Mexico
Mexico
The United Mexican States , commonly known as Mexico , is a federal constitutional republic in North America. It is bordered on the north by the United States; on the south and west by the Pacific Ocean; on the southeast by Guatemala, Belize, and the Caribbean Sea; and on the east by the Gulf of...
.