Jimmy Durante

Biography

Comedian, composer, actor, singer and songwriter ("Inka Dinka Doo") Jimmy Durante was educated in New York public schools. He began his career as a Coney Island pianist, and organized a five-piece band in 1916. He opened the Club Durant with Eddie Jackson and Lou Clayton, with whom he later formed a comedy trio for vaudeville and on television. He appeared in the Broadway musicals "Show Girl", "The New Yorkers", "Strike Me Pink", "Jumbo", "Red Hot and Blue", and "Stars in Your Eyes". By 1936, he had appeared at the Palladium in London. Later he had his own radio and television shows, and was a featured headliner in night clubs. Biographer Gene Fowler wrote his biography, "Schnozzola". Joining ASCAP in 1941, he collaborated musically with Jackie Barnett and Ben Ryan, and his other popular song compositions include "I'm Jimmy That Well-Dressed Man", "I Know Darn Well I Can Do Without Broadway", "I Ups to Him and He Ups to Me", "Daddy Your Mamma Is Lonesome For You", "Umbriago", "Any State In the Forty-Eight", "Chidabee Chidabee Chidabee", and "I'm Jimmy's Girl".

Known For

The Lucy Show

The Ed Sullivan Show

What's My Line?

The Oscars

The Colgate Comedy Hour

The Colgate Comedy Hour

The Steve Allen Show

The Bob Hope Show

All Movies (76)

• Nice Girls Don't Stay for Breakfast2019 · as Self - Comedian (archive footage)
• JFK: The Lost Inaugural Gala2017 · as Self
• Don Knotts: Tied Up with Laughter2011 · as Himself
• Checking Out: Grand Hotel2004 · as (archive footage)
• Marlene Dietrich: Her Own Song2002 · as Self (archive footage) (uncredited)
• The Best of Bob Hope: 50 Years of Laughter — Volume 12001 · as Self (archive footage)
• Hollywood Musicals of the 40's2000 · as Self (archive footage)
• Vaudeville1997 · as Self (archive footage)
• Hidden Hollywood: Treasures from the 20th Century Fox Film Vaults1997 · as Self (Archival Footage)
• That's Entertainment! III1994 · as (archive footage)
• Hollywood Scandals and Tragedies1988 · as (archive footage) (uncredited)
• Happy Birthday, Bob: 50 Stars Salute Your 50 Years with NBC1988 · as Self (archive footage) (uncredited)
• Going Hollywood: The '30s1984 · as (archive footage)
• Showbiz Goes to War1982 · as (archive footage)
• Bob Hope's World of Comedy1976 · as Self (archive footage)
• That's Entertainment, Part II1976 · as (archive footage)
• It's Showtime1976 · as Self (archive footage)
• Brother, Can You Spare a Dime?1975 · as Self (archive footage)
• That's Entertainment!1974 · as (archive footage) (uncredited)
• Brasileiros em Hollywood1970 · as Self (archive footage)
• Frosty the Snowman1969 · as Narrator (voice)
• The Movie Orgy1968 · as Self (archive footage)
• Alice Through the Looking Glass1966 · as Humpty Dumpty
• Murder at N.B.C.1966
• It's a Mad, Mad, Mad, Mad World1963 · as Smiler Grogan
• Billy Rose's Jumbo1962 · as Anthony ('Pop') Wonder
• The New March of Dimes Presents: The Scene Stealers1962 · as Self - Host
• The Last Judgment1961 · as The man with the large nose
• Pepe1960 · as Jimmy Durante
• The Frank Sinatra Timex Show1959 · as Self
• The All-Star Christmas Show1958 · as Self
• Beau James1957 · as Jimmy Durante
• The Milkman1950 · as Breezy Albright
• The Great Rupert1950 · as Mr. Louie Amendola
• On an Island with You1948 · as Buckley
• This Time for Keeps1947 · as Ferdi Farro
• It Happened in Brooklyn1947 · as Nick Lombardi
• Two Sisters from Boston1946 · as 'Spike'
• Music for Millions1944 · as Andrews
• Two Girls and a Sailor1944 · as Billy Kipp / Julian Kipp
• Breakdowns of 19421942 · as Self
• You're in the Army Now1941 · as Homer "Jeeper" Smith
• The Man Who Came to Dinner1941 · as Banjo
• Melody Ranch1940 · as Cornelius J. Courtney
• Little Miss Broadway1938 · as Jimmy Clayton
• Sally, Irene and Mary1938 · as Jefferson Twitchel
• Start Cheering1938 · as Willie Gumbatz
• Land Without Music1936 · as Jonah J. Whistler
• Screen Snapshots (Series 16, No. 1)1936 · as Self
• Carnival1935 · as Fingers
• Student Tour1934 · as Hank Merman
• Hollywood Party1934 · as Jimmy Durante
• Strictly Dynamite1934 · as Moxie
• Hollywood on Parade No. B-91934 · as Self
• Hollywood on Parade No. B-101934 · as Self
• George White's Scandals1934 · as Happy McGillicuddy
• Palooka1934 · as Knobby Walsh
• Meet the Baron1933 · as Joe McGoo
• Broadway to Hollywood1933 · as Jimmy
• Hell Below1933 · as Ptomaine' - Ships Cook
• What! No Beer?1933 · as Jimmy Potts
• Give a Man a Job1933
• Prohibition Newsreel No. 71933 · as Self
• Plumber in love1932 · as Tony
• Hollywood on Parade No. A-31932 · as Self
• The Phantom President1932 · as Curly
• Blondie of the Follies1932 · as Jimmy
• Speak Easily1932 · as James
• Hollywood on Parade1932 · as Self
• The Wet Parade1932 · as Abe Shilling
• The Passionate Plumber1932 · as Julius J. McCracken
• The Christmas Party1931 · as Santa Claus (uncredited)
• The Cuban Love Song1931 · as O.O. Jones
• New Adventures of Get Rich Quick Wallingford1931 · as Schnozzle
• The March of Time1930 · as Self
• Roadhouse Nights1930 · as Daffy (as Durante)

All TV Shows (20)

• The Sonny & Cher Comedy Hour1971
• The Pearl Bailey Show1971 · as Self
• The Don Knotts Show1970 · as Self
• Jimmy Durante Presents the Lennon Sisters1969 · as Self
• The Mothers-in-Law1967 · as Jimmy Durante
• The Hollywood Palace1964 · as Self
• The Jerry Lewis Show1963 · as Self
• The Lucy Show1962 · as Jimmy Durante
• The Dinah Shore Chevy Show1956 · as Self
• The Steve Allen Show1956 · as Self
• The Jimmy Durante Show1954 · as Self - Host
• Summer Playhouse1954
• The Oscars1953 · as Self
• Four Star Revue1950 · as Host
• The Colgate Comedy Hour1950 · as Self
• The Colgate Comedy Hour1950 · as Self - Cameo
• The Bob Hope Show1950 · as Self
• The Bob Hope Show1950 · as Self (uncredited)
• What's My Line?1950 · as Self - Mystery Guest
• The Ed Sullivan Show1948 · as Self