Biography
One-of-a-kind nightclub comedian/singer Dick Shawn (ne Richard Schulefand) was as off-the-wall as they came and, as such, proved to be rather an acquired taste. Way ahead of his time most say, it was extremely difficult indeed to know how to properly tap into this man's eclectic talents. Shawn began inching toward the forefront during the be-bop 50s and early 60s with his odd penchant for playing cool cats.During his mild bid for film stardom, he was top-billed as a hip, laid back genie in the thoroughly dismal satire The Wizard of Baghdad (1960), but seemed to have better luck when taken in smaller doses. He fared quite well opposite another "way-out-there" comedian, Ernie Kovacs, in Wake Me When It's Over (1960) as a hustling soldier out to make a buck in the Far East. Also on the plus side, he replaced Zero Mostel in the bawdy musical "A Funny Thing Happened on the Way to the Forum" on Broadway and stole a small scene in the all-star epic comedy It's a Mad Mad Mad Mad World (1963). By far, the one role that completely overshadows all of his other hard work is his mock portrayal of a singing Adolf Hitler in the show-within-a-movie The Producers (1968). In the film, which starred Mostel and Gene Wilder as two con artists deliberately producing a stage "bomb" called "Springtime for Hitler," Shawn sang the hammy, absurdly narcissistic song "Love Power." The movie finally captured Shawn in his element, but this stroke of genius of matching actor to role would never happen again for him. For the most part his roles came off slick and smarmy, and were stuck in mediocre material.Shawn won a huge fan base, however, touring in one-man stage shows which contained a weird mix of songs, sketches, satire, philosophy and even pantomime. A bright, innovative wit, one of his best touring shows was called "The Second Greatest Entertainer in the World." During the show's intermission, Shawn would lie visibly on the stage floor absolutely still during the entire time. By freakish coincidence, Shawn was performing at the University of California at San Diego in 1987 when he suddenly fell forward on the stage during one of his spiels about the Holocaust. The audience, of course, laughed, thinking it was just a part of his odd shtick. In actuality, the 63-year-old married actor with four children had suffered a fatal heart attack. A not surprising end for this thoroughly offbeat and intriguing personality.
Filmography
all 61
Movies 35
TV Shows 26
self 17
Voice 1
Leave 'em Laughing (2020)
Batman & Robin (1997)
Something a Little Less Serious: A Tribute to 'It's a Mad Mad Mad Mad World' (1991)
The Tommy Chong Roast (1989)
Rented Lips (1987)
Maid to Order (1987)
Captain EO (1986)
The Making of Captain EO (1986)
The Perils of P.K (1986)
The Check Is in the Mail... (1986)
The Emperor's New Clothes (1985)
Amazing Stories (1985)
The Twilight Zone (1985)
If the Shoes Fit... (1985)
Hail to the Chief (1985)
Water (1985)
Tales from the Darkside (1984)
Angel (1984)
Best Chest in the West (1984)
Young Warriors (1983)
Good-bye Cruel World (1983)
St. Elsewhere (1982)
Madame's Place (1982)
Faerie Tale Theatre (1982)
Magnum, P.I. (1980)
Playboy's 25th Anniversary Celebration (1979)
Love at First Bite (1979)
Fast Friends (1979)
The Love Boat (1977)
Looking Up (1977)
Laverne & Shirley (1976)
The Year Without a Santa Claus (1974)
Evil Roy Slade (1972)
Dames at Sea (1971)
Annie: the Women in the Life of a Man (1970)
The Happy Ending (1969)
Medical Center (1969)
The Dick Cavett Show (1968)
The Producers (1968)
Personality (1967)
Penelope (1966)
Way... Way Out (1966)
ABC Stage 67 (1966)
That Girl (1966)
What Did You Do in the War, Daddy? (1966)
A Very Special Favor (1965)
The Judy Garland Show (1963)
It's a Mad, Mad, Mad, Mad World (1963)
Bob Hope Presents the Chrysler Theatre (1963)
The Lucy Show (1962)
The Tonight Show Starring Johnny Carson (1962)
The Mike Douglas Show (1961)
The Wizard of Baghdad (1961)
Wake Me When It's Over (1960)
The DuPont Show with June Allyson (1959)
The Opposite Sex (1956)
The Dinah Shore Chevy Show (1956)
Max Liebman Presents (1954)
General Electric Theater (1953)
The Ed Sullivan Show (1948)
Here's Edie
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Information
Known ForActing
GenderMale
Birthday1923-12-01
Deathday1987-04-17 (63 years old)
Birth PlaceBuffalo, United States of America
CitizenshipsUnited States of America
Also Known AsRichard Schulefand
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