Danny Kaye



Danny Kaye was a comedian, dancer, singer and actor in the Golden Age of Hollywood. He specialized in physical comedy, pantomime and rapid-fire delivery of often nonsensical patter.

He was born David Daniel Kaminski on January 18, 1913, in Brooklyn, New York. He started his show business career in vaudeville, branching out later into film, Broadway, radio and television, achieving considerable success in each medium. His variety show on CBS won four Emmys and a Peabody award. He is best remembered for his films, including The Court Jester, Hans Christian Andersen, The Inspector General and The Secret Life of Walter Mitty.

He died on March 3, 1987.

His career provides examples of:

 * Improv: Very much part of his act.
 * Motor Mouth: He was a grandmaster.
 * Patter Song: Motor mouthing to music.
 * Slapstick: A staple of his routines.
 * Supreme Chef: In real life.
 * Vaudeville: Where he got his start.