Lou Holtz (actor)
Encyclopedia
Lou Holtz was an American
vaudevillian
and comic actor
.
He was discovered by vaudevillian Elsie Janis
in San Francisco while still in his teens, and came to New York. He appeared in his first Broadway show in 1913, World of Pleasure. He appeared on Broadway in other shows with small parts, then became a star in George White's Scandals of 1919
. He reappeared in the Scandals in 1920 and 1921. A good friend of George Gershwin
, Gershwin even wrote a musical for Holtz in 1925, Tell Me More, which was not received favorably and was short-lived on Broadway.
Several years later, Holtz had a big hit on Broadway in 1931 when he hired his pianist to write a show for him. The pianist, Harold Arlen
, would go on to write the music for The Wizard of Oz
in 1939. Holtz produced You Said It. In the 1920s, Holtz became the highest paid entertainer on Broadway, with articles touting his salary as an unheard of $6,000 per week. Unfortunately for Holtz, all of that money was invested in the stock market. He later told friends that he came out of the 1929 crash with $500, while he had been worth more than a million dollars the year before.
In the 1920s, Holtz' career alternated between musical comedies and vaudeville shows where he was the headliner. He reached one of his career milestones in 1925 when he played the Palace Theater as the headliner. The Palace was the most prestigious theatre in the country, and Holtz broke all records there by playing for 10 weeks. In vaudeville shows and radio, Holtz' comedy was based in telling long, character stories, usually with at least one character having a strong Jewish dialect. His most famous character, Sam Lapidus, stayed with Holtz for his entire career, including Holtz' guest stints on the Merv Griffin Show in the 1970s.
In the 1930s, while still appearing on Broadway, Holtz left New York twice for London and appeared in two hits at the London Palladium. Both shows were similar to his hit at the Palace years earlier. Also in the 1930s, Holtz became a regular on radio. He had long stints on The Rudy Vallee Show
, The Paul Whiteman Show
and many others. Holtz ended up with several radio shows of his own, including The Lou Holtz Laugh Club. One of the regulars on that show was Fanny Brice
. Holtz' last two shows on Broadway were Priorities of 1942 and Star Time (1944). After the latter, Holtz was 51 years old.
He went through a bitter divorce at that time, and decided to cut down on his work schedule and appearances. In an interview with the Los Angeles Times
in 1989, George Burns
was asked who the greatest comedian was that he ever saw. Burns replied that it was Jack Benny
, but Burns named Holtz and several others as coming right after Benny.
Holtz' career after the mid-40s consisted of high-end club dates, including headlining in Las Vegas, and television appearances on variety shows. He appeared on the Ed Sullivan Show twice in 1957 and the Tonight Show with Johnny Carson twice in the 1960s. He appeared on Jack Parr's Tonight Show more than 20 times, and appeared on Steve Allen's Tonight Show seven times. In 1973, Holtz turned 80 years old but still appeared on the Merv Griffin Show throughout the 1970s.
Holtz's other credits include the feature film "Follow The Leader" from 1930. This film starred Ed Wynn with a large supporting role for Holtz. The film was based on the musical that Wynn and Holtz starred in on Broadway called "Manhattan Mary." The film also was the first movie that stars Ginger Rogers and Ethel Merman appeared in. Holtz also starred in the Columbia musical short "School for Romance" in 1934, which co-starred a then unknown Betty Grable
. Holtz' early standup comedy routine was memorialized in a 1929 Vitaphone short.
While semi-retired in New York in the late 1950s, Holtz met his 3rd and final wife, Gloria, who would remain with him until his death in 1980.
In 1963, at the age of 70, Holtz and his wife moved to Los Angeles and gave birth to a son, Lou Jr. In 1965, the couple had another son, Richard. Holtz' final years were spent doing what he'd done on and off for more than 50 years: going to Hillcrest Country Club in Los Angeles for lunch daily and sitting at the famous round table of comedians, which included performers like Burns, Benny, the Marx Brothers
, Milton Berle
, and George Jessel
.
United States
The United States of America is a federal constitutional republic comprising fifty states and a federal district...
vaudevillian
Vaudeville
Vaudeville was a theatrical genre of variety entertainment in the United States and Canada from the early 1880s until the early 1930s. Each performance was made up of a series of separate, unrelated acts grouped together on a common bill...
and comic 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...
.
He was discovered by vaudevillian Elsie Janis
Elsie Janis
Elsie Janis was an American singer, songwriter, actress, and screenwriter. Entertaining the troops during World War I immortalized her as "the sweetheart of the AEF" .-Early career:...
in San Francisco while still in his teens, and came to New York. He appeared in his first Broadway show in 1913, World of Pleasure. He appeared on Broadway in other shows with small parts, then became a star in George White's Scandals of 1919
George White's Scandals
George White's Scandals were a long-running string of Broadway revues produced by George White that ran from 1919–1939, modelled after the Ziegfeld Follies. The "Scandals" launched the careers of many entertainers, including W.C. Fields, the Three Stooges, Ray Bolger, Helen Morgan, Ethel Merman, ...
. He reappeared in the Scandals in 1920 and 1921. A good friend of George Gershwin
George Gershwin
George Gershwin was an American composer and pianist. Gershwin's compositions spanned both popular and classical genres, and his most popular melodies are widely known...
, Gershwin even wrote a musical for Holtz in 1925, Tell Me More, which was not received favorably and was short-lived on Broadway.
Several years later, Holtz had a big hit on Broadway in 1931 when he hired his pianist to write a show for him. The pianist, Harold Arlen
Harold Arlen
Harold Arlen was an American composer of popular music, having written over 500 songs, a number of which have become known the world over. In addition to composing the songs for The Wizard of Oz, including the classic 1938 song, "Over the Rainbow,” Arlen is a highly regarded contributor to the...
, would go on to write the music for The Wizard of Oz
The Wizard of Oz (1939 film)
The Wizard of Oz is a 1939 American musical fantasy film produced by Metro-Goldwyn-Mayer. It was directed primarily by Victor Fleming. Noel Langley, Florence Ryerson and Edgar Allan Woolf received credit for the screenplay, but there were uncredited contributions by others. The lyrics for the songs...
in 1939. Holtz produced You Said It. In the 1920s, Holtz became the highest paid entertainer on Broadway, with articles touting his salary as an unheard of $6,000 per week. Unfortunately for Holtz, all of that money was invested in the stock market. He later told friends that he came out of the 1929 crash with $500, while he had been worth more than a million dollars the year before.
In the 1920s, Holtz' career alternated between musical comedies and vaudeville shows where he was the headliner. He reached one of his career milestones in 1925 when he played the Palace Theater as the headliner. The Palace was the most prestigious theatre in the country, and Holtz broke all records there by playing for 10 weeks. In vaudeville shows and radio, Holtz' comedy was based in telling long, character stories, usually with at least one character having a strong Jewish dialect. His most famous character, Sam Lapidus, stayed with Holtz for his entire career, including Holtz' guest stints on the Merv Griffin Show in the 1970s.
In the 1930s, while still appearing on Broadway, Holtz left New York twice for London and appeared in two hits at the London Palladium. Both shows were similar to his hit at the Palace years earlier. Also in the 1930s, Holtz became a regular on radio. He had long stints on The Rudy Vallee Show
Rudy Vallée
Rudy Vallée was an American singer, actor, bandleader, and entertainer.-Early life:Born Hubert Prior Vallée in Island Pond, Vermont, the son of Charles Alphonse and Catherine Lynch Vallée...
, The Paul Whiteman Show
Paul Whiteman
Paul Samuel Whiteman was an American bandleader and orchestral director.Leader of the most popular dance bands in the United States during the 1920s, Whiteman's recordings were immensely successful, and press notices often referred to him as the "King of Jazz"...
and many others. Holtz ended up with several radio shows of his own, including The Lou Holtz Laugh Club. One of the regulars on that show was Fanny Brice
Fanny Brice
Fanny Brice was a popular and influential American illustrated song "model," comedienne, singer, theatre and film actress, who made many stage, radio and film appearances and is known as the creator and star of the top-rated radio comedy series, The Baby Snooks Show...
. Holtz' last two shows on Broadway were Priorities of 1942 and Star Time (1944). After the latter, Holtz was 51 years old.
He went through a bitter divorce at that time, and decided to cut down on his work schedule and appearances. In an interview with the Los Angeles Times
Los Angeles Times
The Los Angeles Times is a daily newspaper published in Los Angeles, California, since 1881. It was the second-largest metropolitan newspaper in circulation in the United States in 2008 and the fourth most widely distributed newspaper in the country....
in 1989, George Burns
George Burns
George Burns , born Nathan Birnbaum, was an American comedian, actor, and writer.He was one of the few entertainers whose career successfully spanned vaudeville, film, radio, television and movies, with and without his wife, Gracie Allen. His arched eyebrow and cigar smoke punctuation became...
was asked who the greatest comedian was that he ever saw. Burns replied that it was Jack Benny
Jack Benny
Jack Benny was an American comedian, vaudevillian, and actor for radio, television, and film...
, but Burns named Holtz and several others as coming right after Benny.
Holtz' career after the mid-40s consisted of high-end club dates, including headlining in Las Vegas, and television appearances on variety shows. He appeared on the Ed Sullivan Show twice in 1957 and the Tonight Show with Johnny Carson twice in the 1960s. He appeared on Jack Parr's Tonight Show more than 20 times, and appeared on Steve Allen's Tonight Show seven times. In 1973, Holtz turned 80 years old but still appeared on the Merv Griffin Show throughout the 1970s.
Holtz's other credits include the feature film "Follow The Leader" from 1930. This film starred Ed Wynn with a large supporting role for Holtz. The film was based on the musical that Wynn and Holtz starred in on Broadway called "Manhattan Mary." The film also was the first movie that stars Ginger Rogers and Ethel Merman appeared in. Holtz also starred in the Columbia musical short "School for Romance" in 1934, which co-starred a then unknown Betty Grable
Betty Grable
Elizabeth Ruth "Betty" Grable was an American actress, dancer and singer.Her iconic bathing suit photo made her the number-one pin-up girl of the World War II era. It was later included in the LIFE magazine project "100 Photos that Changed the World"...
. Holtz' early standup comedy routine was memorialized in a 1929 Vitaphone short.
While semi-retired in New York in the late 1950s, Holtz met his 3rd and final wife, Gloria, who would remain with him until his death in 1980.
In 1963, at the age of 70, Holtz and his wife moved to Los Angeles and gave birth to a son, Lou Jr. In 1965, the couple had another son, Richard. Holtz' final years were spent doing what he'd done on and off for more than 50 years: going to Hillcrest Country Club in Los Angeles for lunch daily and sitting at the famous round table of comedians, which included performers like Burns, Benny, the Marx Brothers
Marx Brothers
The Marx Brothers were an American family comedy act, originally from New York City, that enjoyed success in Vaudeville, Broadway, and motion pictures from the early 1900s to around 1950...
, Milton Berle
Milton Berle
Milton Berlinger , better known as Milton Berle, was an American comedian and actor. As the manic host of NBC's Texaco Star Theater , in 1948 he was the first major star of U.S. television and as such became known as Uncle Miltie and Mr...
, and George Jessel
George Jessel
George Jessel may refer to:*George Jessel , American actor*George Jessel , English jurist*George Jessel of the Jessel Baronets...
.