Milton Berle Biography (1908-2002)

Born Mendal Berlinger, July 12, 1908, in New York, NY; son of Moses and Sarah(maiden name, Glantz) Berlinger; married Joyce Mathews, 1941 (divorced, 1947); remarried Joyce Mathews, 1949 (divorced, 1950); married Ruth Cosgrove Rosenthal, December 9, 1953 (died, 1989); married Lorna Adams (a clothing designer and publisher), 1991; children: (first marriage) two children; (third marriage) Vicki, Billy; (fourth marriage) Susan Moll (stepchild; a clothing designer). Addresses: Agent: Media Artists Group, 8383 Wilshire Blvd., SuiteF, Studio City, CA 91604.

Nationality
American
Gender
Male
Occupation
Comedian, actor, producer, writer, lyricist, songwriter
Birth Details
July 12, 1908
New York, New York, United States
Death Details
March 27, 2002
Beverly Hills, California

Famous Works

  • CREDITS
  • Stage Appearances
  • Floradora, Globe Theatre, Atlantic City, NJ, then Century Theatre,New York City, both 1920
  • Earl Carroll Vanities, 1932
  • Windy Walker, Saluta, Imperial Theatre, New York City, 1934
  • Arthur Lee, See My Lawyer, Biltmore Theatre, New York City, 1939
  • I'll Take the High Road, Ritz Theatre, New York City, 1943
  • Seventeen, Broadhurst Theatre, New York City, 1951
  • Max Silverman, The Goodbye People, Ethel Barrymore Theatre, New York City, 1968
  • Noah, Two by Two, State Fair Music Hall, Dallas, TX, 1971
  • The Milton Berle Show, Westbury Music Fair, Long Island, NY, 1971
  • Barney Cashman, Last of the Red Hot Lovers, Westbury Music Fair, 1971
  • Ben Chambers, Norman, Is That You?, Westchester County Playhouse, Westchester County, NY, 1973
  • The Best of Everybody, Studebaker Theatre, Chicago, IL, 1975
  • The Sunshine Boys, Arlington Park, IL, 1976
  • Charles Busch's Dressing Up, Town Hall, New York City, 1994
  • Stage Producer
  • (With Clifford Hayman) I'll Take the High Road, Ritz Theatre,1943
  • (With Sammy Lambert and Bernie Foyer) Seventeen, Broadhurst Theatre, 1951
  • Major Tours
  • Life Begins at 8:40, U.S. cities, 1935
  • Walter Gribble, Spring in Brazil, U.S. cities, 1945
  • Jerry Biffle, Top Banana, U.S. cities, 1963
  • Barney Cashman, Last of the Red Hot Lovers, U.S. cities, 1970
  • Ben Chambers, Norman, Is That You?, U.S. cities, 1975
  • Also toured with the Ziegfeld Follies, 1936; and toured with his own company.
  • Cabaret Appearances
  • Las Vegas, NV
  • Desert Inn, 1964
  • Desert Inn, 1972
  • Caesar's Palace, 1972
  • Frontier Hotel, 1974
  • Sands Hotel, 1974
  • Other Cabaret Appearances
  • Playboy Plaza, Miami Beach, FL, 1972
  • Hyatt Regency O'Hare, Chicago, IL, 1975
  • Film Appearances
  • A small child, Tillie's Punctured Romance (silent; also knownas For the Love of Tillie, Marie's Millions, Tillie's Big Romance, and Tillie's Nightmare), Keystone Film Company,1914
  • (As Milton Berlinger) Child, The Perils of Pauline, 1914
  • (Uncredited) Man, The Mask of Zorro, 1920
  • (As Milton Berlinger) Birthright, 1920
  • Elmer Brown, Poppin' the Cork (short), 1933
  • (Uncredited) Himself, Hollywood Hobbies, 1934
  • Wellington Wedge, New Faces of 1937, RKO, 1937
  • Teddy Jordan, Radio City Revels, RKO, 1938
  • Frosty, Tall, Dark, and Handsome, Twentieth Century-Fox, 1941
  • Nifty Allen, Sun Valley Serenade, Twentieth Century-Fox, 1941
  • Seabiscuit, Rise and Shine, Twentieth Century-Fox, 1941
  • H. H. Van Buren, Whispering Ghosts, Twentieth Century-Fox, 1942
  • Lucky Cullen, A Gentleman at Heart, Twentieth Century-Fox, 1942
  • Jason Cordry, Over My Dead Body, Twentieth Century-Fox, 1943
  • Moe Finkelstein, Margin for Error, Twentieth Century-Fox, 1943
  • Kip Cooper, Always Leave Them Laughing, Warner Bros., 1949
  • (Uncredited) Himself, Let's Make Love (also known as The Billionaire and The Millionaire), Twentieth Century-Fox, 1960
  • Himself and a bellboy, The Bellboy, Paramount, 1960
  • J. Russell Finch, It's a Mad Mad Mad Mad World, United Artists, 1963
  • Mr. Kenton, The Loved One, Metro-Goldwyn-Mayer, 1965
  • Star Spangled Salesman (documentary), U.S. Treasury Department, 1966
  • Kappy Kapstetter, The Oscar, Embassy, 1966
  • Cameo appearance, Don't Worry , We'll Think of a Title, 1966
  • Luther Burton, Who's Minding the Mint?, Columbia, 1967
  • Fred, The Happening, Columbia, 1967
  • Film director, Where Angels Go, Trouble Follows (also known as Where Angels Go ... Trouble Follows), Columbia, 1968
  • Mr. Parker, For Singles Only, Columbia, 1968
  • Goodtime Eddie Filth, Can Hieronymus Merkin Ever Forget Mercy Humppe and Find True Happiness?, Regional, 1969
  • Voice of the Cowardly Lion, Journey Back to Oz (animated), Filmation, 1971
  • Mr. Meyer, Lepke, Warner Bros., 1974
  • Blind man, Won Ton Ton, The Dog Who Saved Hollywood (also known asWon Ton Ton), Paramount, 1976
  • Mad Man Mooney, The Muppet Movie, Associated Films, 1979
  • Female patient, Cracking Up (also known as Smorgasbord), Warner Bros., 1983
  • Himself, Broadway Danny Rose, Orion, 1984
  • (Uncredited) Himself, Pee-Wee's Big Adventure, Warner Bros., 1985
  • (Uncredited) Himself, Babes Ahoy, 1989
  • Hotel clerk, Driving Me Crazy (also known as Trabbi Goes to Hollywood), Motion Picture Corporation of America, 1991
  • Himself, A Century of Cinema (documentary), 1994
  • Illuzor, Storybook, Republic Pictures, 1995
  • The History of Rock 'N' Roll, Volume 2 (also known as Good Rockin' Tonight), 1995
  • Himself, The Legend of Forrest Tucker, 1997
  • Himself, Let Me In, I Hear Laughter, 1999
  • Also appeared in numerous Biograph films as a child.
  • Host and Narrator of Educational Films
  • Health in the Later Years, Churchill Films, 1983
  • Nutrition in the Later Years, Churchill Films, 1983
  • Physical Fitness in the Later Years, Churchill Films, 1983
  • Stress in the Later Years, Churchill Films, 1983
  • Television Appearances
  • Series
  • The Texaco Star Theater (also known as The Milton Berle Show), NBC, 1948-53
  • The Milton Berle Show (also known as The Buick-Berle Show),NBC, 1953-55
  • The Milton Berle Show, NBC, 1955-56
  • Milton Berle Starring in the Kraft Music Hall (also known as Kraft Music Hall), NBC, 1958-59
  • Host, Jackpot Bowling Starring Milton Berle (also known as Jackpot Bowling), NBC, 1960-61
  • The Milton Berle Show, ABC, 1966-67
  • Guest performer, The Jackie Gleason Show, 1967-70
  • Movies
  • Sam Fuller, Seven in Darkness, ABC, 1969
  • Harry Fern, Evil Roy Slade, NBC, 1972
  • Jesse, The Legend of Valentino, ABC, 1975
  • Henry Foster, Off Your Rocker, 1980
  • Isaiah, Family Business, 1983
  • Abe Mercer, Side by Side, CBS, 1988
  • Episodic
  • Himself, The Colgate Comedy Hour, 1952
  • Max Liebman Presents, NBC, 1955
  • "Material Witness," Kraft Television Theater, NBC, 1958
  • Person to Person, CBS, 1959
  • Himself, "Milton Berle Hides Out at the Ricardos," The Lucy Ball-DesiArnaz Show, CBS, 1959
  • The Music Shop, NBC, 1959
  • "Danny and Milton Quit Show Business," The Danny Thomas Show (alsoknown as Make Room for Daddy), CBS, 1959
  • "The Milton Berle Show," The Jack Benny Show, CBS, 1960
  • "Dear Charlie," The Barbara Stanwyck Show, NBC, 1961
  • Eddie Doyle, "Doyle against the House," The Dick Powell Show, NBC,1961
  • The Andy Williams Show, 1962 , 1964
  • "A Show of His Own," The Joey Bishop Show, NBC, 1962
  • "Thunder in a Forgotten Town," The Dick Powell Show, NBC, 1963
  • Host, "Charlie's Duet," The Dick Powell Show, NBC, 1963
  • "Joey and Milton and Baby Makes Three," The Joey Bishop Show, NBC,1963
  • "The Candidate," Bob Hope Presents the Chrysler Theater, NBC, 1963
  • "Dead End on Flugel Street," Trials of O'Brien, CBS, 1965
  • "Lucy Saves Milton Berle," The Lucy Show, CBS, 1965
  • Wise Owl, "The Great Troop Robbery," F-Troop, ABC, 1966
  • Lofty (Batclimb cameo), "Ma Parker," Batman, 1966
  • "Murder at NBC," Bob Hope Presents the Chrysler Theater, NBC, 1966
  • Josiah Freeman, "A Flock of Trouble," The Big Valley, ABC, 1967
  • Charlie, "Second Greatest Con Artist in the World," I Dream of Jeannie, NBC, 1967
  • Louie the Lilac, "Louie the Lilac," Batman, ABC, 1967
  • Himself, "Lucy Meets the Berles," The Lucille Ball Show, 1967
  • Louie the Lilac, "Louie's Lethal Lilac Time," Batman, ABC, 1968
  • Motel clerk, "Don't Look Back," Get Smart, NBC, 1968
  • "I, the People," Ironside, NBC, 1968
  • Cheerful Charlie, "Lucy and the Used Car Dealer," Here's Lucy,CBS, 1969
  • "Love and the Older Boyfriend," Love, American Style, ABC, 1970
  • Make Room for Granddaddy, ABC, 1971
  • "Those Friars," That Girl, ABC, 1971
  • "Love and the Vacationers," Love, American Style, ABC, 1971
  • "And a Little Child Shall Bleed Them," The Mod Squad, ABC, 1971
  • "Night Shade," Mannix, CBS, 1971
  • "Give My Regards to Broadway," McCloud, NBC, 1972
  • "A Purge of Madness," The Bold Ones: The Doctors, NBC, 1972
  • Himself, "Milton Berle Is the Life of the Party," Here's Lucy,1974
  • Don Adams' Screen Test, syndicated, 1975
  • "Gotcha," The Love Boat, ABC, 1977
  • The Muppet Show, syndicated, 1977
  • "The Harder They Fall," The Love Boat, ABC, 1979
  • Himself, "The Great 5K Star Race and Boulder Wrap Party: Parts 1 & 2," CHiPs, NBC, 1980
  • Himself, "The Rich Get Richer," The Fall Guy, ABC, 1981
  • "Zeke and Zelda," The Love Boat, ABC, 1981
  • Mickey Miller, General Hospital, ABC, 1981
  • "Family Business," American Playhouse, PBS, 1983
  • "CPR, I.O.U.," The Love Boat, ABC, 1983
  • Fantasy Island, ABC, 1983
  • "The Kids from Fame Concert," Fame, 1983
  • Rabbi Morris, "The Bar Mitzvah Boy," Diff'rent Strokes, NBC, 1984
  • Leopold, "Grandpa's Secret Life," Gimme a Break, NBC, 1984
  • Lew Feldman, "Broadway Malady," Murder, She Wrote, CBS, 1985
  • Nathan Adler, "Coco Returns," Fame, syndicated, 1985
  • "Vladimir Zworykin," An American Portrait, CBS, 1985
  • Lionel Cooper, "Hidden Treasure," The Love Boat, ABC, 1985
  • Himself, "Fine Tuning," Amazing Stories, NBC, 1985
  • "Who Killed Maxwell Thorn?," The Love Boat, ABC, 1987
  • Max Jakey, The Fresh Prince of Bel-Air, NBC, 1991
  • Alan King: Inside the Comedy Mind, Comedy Central, 1991
  • Max, "Ill Will," The Fresh Prince of Bel-Air, 1992
  • Harvey Chase, "Last Laugh," Matlock, ABC, 1993
  • Saul Howard, "Sentenced to Life," Beverly Hills, 90210, Fox, 1994
  • "Milton Berle: Mr. Television," Biography, Arts and Entertainment,1994
  • "Who Killed the Host at the Roast?," Burke's Law, 1994
  • Uncle Manny, "The Party's Over," The Nanny, CBS, 1995
  • Shelley Litvak, "Body Language," Due South, CBS, 1995
  • Leoc, Fudge, ABC and CBS, 1995
  • Edgar Boggs, "The Volunteers," Sister, Sister, ABC, 1995
  • Roseanne, ABC, 1995
  • The History of Rock 'n' Roll (also known as Good Rockin' Tonight), syndicated, 1995
  • Voice of himself, "I Can't Believe It's a Clip Show," The Critic (animated), 1995
  • Interviewee, "Liberace: Mr. Showmanship," Biography, Arts and Entertainment, 1995
  • Interviewee, "Danny Thomas: Make Room for Danny," Biography, Artsand Entertainment, 1996
  • Interviewee, "Sonja Henie: Fire on Ice," Biography, Arts and Entertainment, 1997
  • Interviewee, "Phil Silvers: Top Banana," Biography, Arts and Entertainment, 1997
  • Also appeared as a guest host, Hollywood Palace, ABC; as a guest host, Saturday Night Live (also known as NBC's Saturday Night, Saturday Night, and SNL), NBC; as Wise Owl, "Celebrity Roast," Kraft Music Hall, NBC; in "Jack Adopts a Son," The Jack Benny Program; and in Johnny Mann's Stand Up and Cheer, syndicated.
  • Specials
  • Host, Damon Runyon Memorial Fund (telethon), NBC, 1949
  • Host, Damon Runyon Memorial Fund (telethon), NBC, 1950
  • The Big Time, NBC, 1955
  • Milton Berle Special (two specials), NBC, 1959
  • Milton Berle Special, NBC, 1962
  • Joys (also known as Bob Hope Special: Bob Hope in "Joys"),NBC, 1976
  • "Have I Got a Christmas for You," Hallmark Hall of Fame, NBC, 1977
  • Actor in archival footage, The Great Standups (also known as The Great Standups: Sixty Years of Laughter), 1984
  • Bob Hope Buys NBC?, NBC, 1985
  • NBC's 60th Anniversary Celebration, NBC, 1986
  • George Burns' 90th Birthday Special (also known as Kraft Salutes the George Burns 90th Birthday Special), CBS, 1986
  • "Jonathan Winters: On the Ledge" (also known "The Jonathan Winters Show"), Showtime Comedy Spotlight, Showtime, 1987
  • It's Howdy Doody Time: A 40-Year Celebration (also known as Howdy Doody's 40th Anniversary and Howdy Doody's 40th Birthday Special), syndicated, 1987
  • Mr. Fox, NBC Investigates Bob Hope, NBC, 1987
  • Milton Berle: The Second Time Around, syndicated, 1988
  • Happy Birthday, Bob--50 Stars Salute Your 50 Years with NBC (alsoknown as Happy Birthday, Bob! 50 Stars Salute Your 50 Years with NBC),NBC, 1988
  • The 75th Anniversary of Beverly Hills (also known as Beverly Hills 75th Diamond Jubilee), ABC, 1989
  • "The World of Jewish Humor," Great Performances, PBS, 1990
  • Himself, Happy Birthday, Bugs: 50 Looney Years (also known as Happy Birthday, Bugs! 50 Looney Years and Hollywood Celebrates Bugs Bunny's 50th Birthday), CBS, 1990
  • Bob Hope's Don't Shoot, It's Only Me, NBC, 1990
  • "Just for Laughs: The Montreal International Comedy Festival" (also knownas "Just for Laughs IV," "Juste pour Rire IV," and "The Montreal International Comedy Festival"), Showtime Comedy Spotlight, Showtime, 1991
  • George Burns' 95th Birthday Party, CBS, 1991
  • Elvis: The Great Performances, CBS, 1992
  • The Class of the 20th Century, Arts and Entertainment, 1992
  • A Celebration of Eddy Arnold, TNN, 1992
  • Bob Hope and Other Young Comedians: The World Laughs, Young and Old (also known as The Comedy Olympics: Starring Bob Hope and Other Young Comedians), NBC, 1992
  • More of the Best of the Hollywood Palace, ABC, 1993
  • Laughing Matters (also known as Funny Business), Showtime,1993
  • Bob Hope: The First Ninety Years, NBC, 1993
  • Actor in archival footage, The Unknown Marx Brothers, 1993
  • TV Nation: Year-in-Review Special, NBC, 1994
  • The Ed Sullivan All-Star Comedy Special (also known as Ed Sullivan's All-Star Comedy Special and The Very Best of Ed Sullivan IV), CBS, 1995
  • Voice of Jerry Labello, Jingle Bell Rock (animated), ABC, 1995
  • Funny, ABC, 1996
  • Interviewee, "Nichols and May--Take Two," American Masters, PBS, 1996
  • Steve Allen's 75th Birthday Celebration, PBS, 1997
  • 50 Years of Television: A Celebration of the Academy of Television Arts and Sciences Golden Anniversary, HBO, 1997
  • Comic Relief VIII, HBO, 1998
  • NYTV: By the People Who Made It, PBS, 1998
  • James Bacon: The E! True Hollywood Story, E! Entertainment Television, 1999
  • Let Me In, I Hear Laughter: A Salute to the Friars, Comedy Central, 1999
  • Norman Jewison on Comedy in the 20th Century: Funny Is Money, Showtime, 1999
  • The Rat Pack, HBO, 1999
  • AFI's 100 Years ... 100 Laughs (also known as AFI's 100Years, 100 Laughs: America's Funniest Movies), CBS, 2000
  • Awards Presentations
  • The Television Academy Hall of Fame, NBC, 1986
  • The 38th Annual Emmy Awards, 1986
  • The 41st Annual Emmy Awards, 1989
  • The Television Academy Hall of Fame (also known as The 6th Annual Television Academy Hall of Fame), Fox, 1990
  • The 9th Annual Television Academy Hall of Fame, The Disney Channel, 1993
  • The First Annual Comedy Hall of Fame (also known as The ComedyHall of Fame), NBC, 1993
  • Presenter, 1993 MTV Video Music Awards (also known as MTV VideoMusic Awards), MTV, 1993
  • The Second Annual Comedy Hall of Fame (also known as The 2nd Annual Comedy Hall of Fame), NBC, 1994
  • Presenter, The 1996 Emmy Awards, 1996
  • Pilots
  • Sheila, CBS, 1977
  • Other Television Appearances
  • Appeared in The Best of Everybody.
  • Television Work
  • Specials
  • Producer, Milton Berle: The Second Time Around, syndicated, 1988
  • Radio Appearances
  • Host, The Texaco Star Theater, 1947-49
  • Host, The Philip Morris Playhouse, 1947
  • Also appeared as the host of other shows, including the Berle-Buick Show.
  • RECORDINGS
  • Music Videos
  • Appeared in Ratt's "Round and Round," 1989.
  • WRITINGS
  • Nonfiction
  • Laughingly Yours, 1939
  • Out of My Trunk, 1945
  • Earthquake, 1959
  • (With Haskel Frankel) Milton Berle: An Autobiography, Delacorte (New York City), 1974
  • B.S. I Love You, 1987
  • Milton Berle's Private Joke File: Over 10,000 of His Best Gags, Anecdotes, and One-Liners, Crown Publishers (New York City), 1989
  • More of the Best of Milton Berle's Private Joke File: 10,000 of the World's Funniest Gags, Anecdotes, and One-Liners, edited by Milt Rosen, Morrow (New York City), 1993
  • Also contributed to periodicals, including Sport and Variety.
  • Television Episodes
  • Provided jokes for Picket Fences, CBS.
  • Film Songs
  • Title song, Li'l Abner (also known as Trouble Chaser),1940
  • Film song lyrics
  • (Uncredited) Title song lyrics, For Singles Only, 1968
  • "I'd Give a Million Dollars," Manifesto, 1988
  • Song Lyrics
  • Wrote the song lyrics to I'm So Happy I Could Cry, Leave the Dishes in the Sink, Ma, and Sam, You Made the Pants Too Long.

Further Reference

OTHER SOURCES

    Periodicals:
    • Entertainment Weekly, December 31, 1993, p. 67.
    • People Weekly, October 27, 1997, pp. 99-100.