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Dick Shawn Biography (1929-1987)

Born Richard Schulefand, December 1, 1929 (some sources say 1923), in Buffalo, NY; died April 17, 1987, of a heart attack in San Diego, CA; children: oneson, three daughters.

Nationality

American

Gender

Male

Birth Details

December 1, 1929

Buffalo, New York, United States

Death Details

April 17, 1987

San Diego, California, United States

Famous Works

• Credits
• BROADWAY DEBUT--(As Richy Shawn) Milton Rubin, For Heaven's Sake, Mother!, Belasco Theatre, 1948.
• Credits; PRINCIPAL STAGE APPEARANCES
• Member of company, Betty Hutton and Her All-Star International Show, Palace Theatre, New York City, 1953.
• Emile Magis, The Egg, Cort Theatre, New York City, 1962.
• Pseudolus, Prologus, A Funny Thing Happened on the Way to the Forum, Majestic Theatre, New York City, 1964.
• Peter, Peterpat, Longacre Theatre, New York City, 1965.
• Byron Prong, Fade Out--Fade In, Mark Hellinger Theatre, New York City, 1965.
• Yoni, Solomon, I'm Solomon, Mark Hellinger Theatre, 1968.
• Gordon Miller, Room Service, Edison Theatre, New York City, 1970.
• Tandy, Steambath, Truck and Warehouse Theatre, New York City, 1970.
• Major Upshaw, Stag at Bay, Hartman Theatre, Stamford, CT, 1976.
• Mendel, The World of Sholem Aleichem, Roundabout Theatre, New York City,1976.
• The Second Greatest Entertainer in the Whole Wide World (one-man show), Promenade Theatre, New York City, 1977.
• Also appeared in The Big House, Yale Repertory Theatre, New Haven CT, 1971; Halloween, Bucks County Playhouse, New Hope, PA, 1972;A Musical Jubilee, St. James Theatre, New York City, 1975; Bananas and Drums, Westport Country Playhouse, Westport, CT, 1976; Hey, Look Me Over!, Avery Fisher Hall, New YorkCity, 1981.
• Credits; MAJOR TOURS
• The Second Greatest Entertainer in the Whole Wide World (one-man show), U.S. cities, 1985.
• Credits; PRINCIPAL FILM APPEARANCES
• The Opposite Sex, Metro-Goldwyn-Mayer (MGM), 1956.
• Wake Me When It's Over, Twentieth-Century Fox, 1960.
• Wizard of Baghdad, Twentieth Century-Fox, 1961.
• It's a Mad, Mad, Mad, Mad World, United Artists, 1963.
• A Very Special Favor, Universal, 1965.
• What Did You Do in the War, Daddy?, United Artists, 1966.
• Penelope, MGM, 1966.
• Way, Way Out, Twentieth Century-Fox, 1966.
• The Producers, Embassy, 1968.
• The Happy Ending, Paramount, 1969.
• Looking Up, Levitt-Pickman, 1977.
• Love at First Bite, American International, 1979.
• Young Warriors, Cannon Films, 1983.
• Angel, New World, 1984.
• Water, Atlantic 1984.
• Appeared in The Secret Diary of Sigmund Freud, 1984.
• Beer, 1985.
• The Check Is in the Mail, 1985.
• The Perils of P.K., 1986.
• Maid to Order, 1987.
• Also The Goony Birds; The Solid Gold Show; Goodbye Cruel World; Rented Lips.
• Credits; PRINCIPAL TELEVISION APPEARANCES; EPISODIC
• The Jimmy Dean Show, ABC, 1963.
• Love Boat, ABC.
• Legmen, NBC, 1984.
• The Fall Guy, ABC.
• Tales from the Darkside, syndicated.
• St. Elsewhere, NBC.
• Amazing Stories, NBC.
• "The Emperor's New Clothes," Faerie Tale Theatre, 1984.
• Hail to the Chief.
• Credits; SERIES
• Mary, CBS, 1978.
• Mr. and Mrs. Dracula. Pilot: Marshall Bing Bell, Evil Roy Slade, NBC, 1972.
• You're Just Like Your Father, 1976.
• Credits; MOVIES
• Deke Edwards, Fast Friends, NBC, 1979.
• Credits; SPECIALS
• Max Liebman Presents, NBC, 1954-56.
• Comic Relief, HBO, 1986.
• Writings;SCREENPLAYS
• Co-author, Goodbye Cruel World.

Further Reference

OBITUARIES AND OTHER SOURCES:

• Variety, 22, 1987.