Milton Berle

Milton Berle - Comedians, Birthday and Childhood

Violet FieldHome › AmericanMilton BerleJuly 12, 1908381 views

0 based on 0 rates
Milton Berle Biography Stories 

Milton Berle's Personal Details

Milton Berle was one of the highly acclaimed stand-up comedians of his time

InformationDetail
BirthdayJuly 12, 1908
Died onMarch 27, 2002
NationalityAmerican
FamousJewish Actors, Jewish Comedians, Film & Theater Personalities, Actors, Comedians
SpousesJoyce Mathews (m. 1949–1950), Lorna Adams (m. 1991–2002), Ruth Berle (m. 1953–1989)
ChildrensBill Berle, Bob Williams, Victoria Berle
Cause of death
  • Cancer
Birth PlaceNew York City, New York, U.S.
ReligionJewish
GenderMale
FatherMoses Berlinger
MotherSarah (Sadie) Glantz Berlinger
Sun SignCancer
Born inNew York City, New York, U.S.
Died at Age93

// Famous Actors

Jacob Elordi

Jacob Elordi

Jacob Elordi is an Australian actor. Let’s take a look at his childhood, family, personal life, career, etc.

Wentworth Miller

Wentworth Miller

Wentworth Miller is an American actor and screenwriter who achieved recognition for his role in the TV series ‘Prison Break’.

Shemar Moore

Shemar Moore

Shemar Moore is a model turned actor best known for his role in the television series ‘The Young and the Restless’. This biography of Shemar Moore provides detailed information about his childhood, life, achievements, works & timeline.

Milton Berle's photo

Who is Milton Berle?

‘I Live to Laugh and I Laugh to Live’ quoted by Milton Berle rightly describes his life as a whole. One of the ace stand-up comedians of his time, he was popularly referred to as ‘Mr Television’ and ‘Uncle Miltie’ during television’s Golden age. A prodigious child, he had inherent talent and acting skills, which is prominent from the fact that he took the entertainment industry by storm at the tender age of five. No sooner than at the age of twelve, he had carved a niche for himself with his inherent artistic talent. His debut television appearance with ‘Texaco Star Theatre’ only doubled his fame and glory making him a household name. Interestingly, he made his presence felt at all the major mediums of entertainment then, be it radio, television or live performance. People longed to hear him say or watch him show his antics on stage and television so much so that theatres, restaurants and business complexes closed their operations for an hour so as to not miss out on his antics. Even cinema halls reported fewer bookings for Tuesday night for shows that coincided with ‘Texaco Star Theatre’ timings. Being a stand-up comedian apart, he was a great philanthropist and a permanent fixture at charity benefits in the Hollywood area. He was instrumental in raising millions for charitable causes. To know more about his life and profile, read on.

// Famous Jewish Actors

Shia LaBeouf

Shia LaBeouf

Shia LaBeouf is one of the most popular American film and television actors. This biography profiles his childhood, career, works, achievements, life and timeline.

Jack Black

Jack Black

Jack Black is a renowned American actor-producer and voice artist. Explore this biography to learn more about his profile, childhood, career and timeline

Sean Penn

Sean Penn

Sean Justin Penn is an Academy award winning American actor, screenwriter and director, known for his films like ‘Mystic River’ and ‘Milk’. If you would like to learn more about his profile, childhood, life and timeline, scroll further.

Childhood & Early Life

Milton Berle was born in a Jewish family as Milton Berlinger to Moses Berlinger and Sarah Glantz Berlinger in the Harlem neighbourhood of Manhattan in 1908. His father was a paint and varnish salesman.

A prodigious child, he entered the world of showbiz at the tender age of five, mimicking the legendary comic personality of Charlie Chaplin in a talent contest and eventually winning the same.

No sooner his in-born talent and acting skills were recognized by the who’s who of the industry, who started offering young Berlinger acting roles. Some of the early silent films in which he was cast includes ‘The Perils of Pauline’, ‘The Mark of Zorro’ and ‘Tillie’s Punctured Romance’.

He was even part of other silent films of the decade including, ‘Bunny's Little Brother’, ‘Tess of the Storm Country’, ‘Birthright’, ‘Love's Penalty’, ‘Divorce Coupons’ and ‘Ruth of the Range’.

In 1916, he enrolled in the Professional Children’s School to further polish his acting skills.

Career

He made his official stage debut in 1920 in the revival of the musical comedy Florodora in Atlantic City, New Jersey. Four years later, he was roped in to serve as the MC or Master of Ceremonies in vaudeville. Same time, he officially changed his name to Milton Berle.

Beginning of the 1930s decade, he became a successful stand-up comedian. It was this rising popularity and newly received star status that earned him a role in Jack White’s topical musical theatrical ‘Poppin' the Cork’. In addition to acting, he even co-wrote the score for the film.

He continued his tryst with songwriting as well, penning the lyrics of the title song for the RKO Radio Pictures release ‘Li'l Abner’. Furthermore, he even wrote Spike Jones B-side, ‘Leave the Dishes in the Sink, Ma’.

He made his debut radio appearance in 1934 for the show, ‘The Rudy Vallee Hour’ which lasted until 1936. Furthermore, he became popular with ‘The Gillette Original Community Sing’ which was a comedy variety program on CBS. In 1939, he served as host for the show, ‘Stop Me If You've Heard This One’.

Though he gained a lot of popularity for his radio programs, it was his live acts that people waited for. As such, by 1940s, he became the highest paid night club performer. However, to make a flourishing career on the radio, he concentrated on the same.

He started with the comedy variety show, ‘Three Ring Time’ which was followed by a pogram by Campbell’s Soups Company. He was even part of the 1944-45 audience participation show, ‘Let Yourself Go’. The 1946 CBS show, ‘Kiss and Make Up’ had him serving as the judge. The program featured the problems of contestants decided by a jury from studio audiences.

‘The Texaco Star Theatre’ was his last radio series which began in 1948 and continued until 1949. Apart from him, the show had several other cast members including, Charles Irving, Kay Armen, and Al Kelly.

The successful radio career paved way for yet another experimentation as he tried to make a career in the then-emerging medium, television. Year 1948 had NBC launch ‘Texaco Star Theatre’ to television, with him being the permanent host for the series by October.

‘Texaco Star Theatre’ further augmented his popularity with viewers going gaga about his slapstick comedy and bizarre dressing sense. In no time, the show acquired the number 1 slot on in the Nielsen ratings with as much as 80% viewership.

By 1949, the sales graph of the television boxes witnessed a grand leap as more and more people tuned to ‘Texaco Star Theater’. The newly earned fame gave him a superstar status as he became reckoned as ‘Mr. Television’ and ‘Uncle Miltie’ by the people.

For keeping the gags meter on a roll, he joked aggressively and went on to extremes even dressing up as a woman to get the audience into splits of laughter. He used the newly found star status to the maximum by bringing on black performers on the show, the first-of-its-kind effort.

The upward escalating and ever-booming career witnessed a lag and then a decline when he lost the Texaco show as a sponsor. He later served as the host for the Buick car company show which was renamed, ‘The Buick-Berle Show’. The show was eventually renamed, ‘The Milton Berle Show’ in its final season.

Singing off from the 1955 ‘The Milton Berle Show’, he made several attempts to recapture the earlier success but in vain. He was cast opposite Phil Silvers in the latter’s show, ‘The Phil Silvers Show’. Furthermore, he made guest appearance in shows such as ‘The Love Boat’ and ‘Batman’. In the latter, he was seen in a recurring role of the villain ‘Louie the Lilac’.

From 1958 until 1959, he appeared in the Kraft Music Hall series. By 1960, his career profile was limited to serving as the host to the bowling program, ‘Jackpot Bowling’.

TV career apart, he regularly appeared on live shows in Las Vegas to packed audiences at Caesars Palace, the Sands, the Desert Inn and other casino hotels. Furthermore, other than clubbing, he was seen performing on Broadway in Herb Gardner's The Goodbye People in 1968

Some of the movies which had him as one of their casts includes, ‘’Always Leave Them Laughing’, ‘Let’s Make Love’,’It’s a Mad, Mad, Mad, Mad World’, ‘The Loved One’, ‘The Oscar’, ‘Who's Minding the Mint?’ and ‘Driving Me Crazy’.

His stint at television continued as he made appearances in a variety of shows including, ‘The Barbara Stanwyck Show’, ‘The Lucy Show’, ‘The Jackie Gleason Show’, ‘Get Smart’, ‘Laugh-In’, ‘The Sonny & Cher Comedy Hour’, ‘The Hollywood Palace’, ‘Ironside, F Troop’, ‘Fantasy Island’, and ‘The Jack Benny Program’.

Towards the end of his career, he served as the guest host for the NBC’s popular show, ‘Saturday Night Live’. However, this did not continue for long as he was banned from hosting the show again due to his peculiar stage antics. In fact, in the 2003 re-run his episode was not even aired on television.

He was cast in the 1992 series ‘The Fresh Prince of Bel-Air’. Other than this, he also appeared in ‘Beverly Hills 90210’ and ‘The Nanny’.

Year 2000 marked his last official appearance on television, as he guest starred in ‘Two Heads are Better than None’

Awards & Achievements

He was bestowed with an Emmy award for the first season of his show, Texaco Star Theatre’. Later on, he received an Emmy award nomination on the ‘Doyle Against The House’ for playing the lead character.

He was listed in the Guinness Book of World Records for the greatest number of charity performances made by a show-business performer.

He was conferred with an award for entertaining at stateside military bases in World War I as a child performer, in addition to traveling to foreign bases in World War II and Vietnam.

In 1984, he was one of the first seven people to be inducted into the Television Academy Hall of Fame.

In 1991, he became the first entertainer to be inducted into the International Comedy Hall of Fame.

In 2007, he was inducted into the California Hall of Fame by California Governor Arnold Schwarzenegger and First Lady Maria Shriver

Personal Life & Legacy

He twice married Joyce Mathews and divorced her before typing the nuptial knot with Ruth Cosgrove, a onetime publicist in December 1953. She died in 1989.

He remarried Lorna Adams in 1992, a fashion designer who was 30 years younger to him. The couple was blessed with two children, Victoria and William. He had two stepdaughters as well.

It was reported in April 2001 that he was suffering from cancerous tumor in his colon. Not willing to undergo an operation, he breathed his last the following year, on March 27, 2002, due to colon cancer.

Despite having made detailed arrangements of his cremation with his ex-wife Ruth at Mount Sinai Memorial Park Cemetery in Burbank, he was cremated and interred at Hillside Memorial Park Cemetery in Culver City, California

Trivia

Star of the ‘Texaco Star Theatre’ fame, he held the reputation of always opening the television show by making an entrance in a different costume each week.

// Famous Comedians

Meghan Rienks

Meghan Rienks

Check out all that you wanted to know about Meghan Rienks, the famous American YouTuber & vlogger; her birthday, her family and personal life, her boyfriends, fun trivia facts and more.

Desmond English

Desmond English

Check out all that you wanted to know about Desmond English, the famous YouTuber and Viner; his birthday, his family and personal life, his wife, fun trivia facts and more.

Meital Dohan

Meital Dohan

Meital Dohan is an award-winning Israeli theater, film, and television actress, comedian and singer. Check out this biography to know about her birthday, childhood, family life, achievements and fun facts about her.

Milton Berle's awards

YearNameAward

Primetime Emmy Awards

1950Most Outstanding Kinescope PersonalityWinner

Milton Berle biography timelines

  • // 12th Jul 1908
    Milton Berle was born in a Jewish family as Milton Berlinger to Moses Berlinger and Sarah Glantz Berlinger in the Harlem neighbourhood of Manhattan in 1908. His father was a paint and varnish salesman.
  • // 1916
    In 1916, he enrolled in the Professional Children’s School to further polish his acting skills.
  • // 1920
    He made his official stage debut in 1920 in the revival of the musical comedy Florodora in Atlantic City, New Jersey. Four years later, he was roped in to serve as the MC or Master of Ceremonies in vaudeville. Same time, he officially changed his name to Milton Berle.
  • // 1934
    He made his debut radio appearance in 1934 for the show, ‘The Rudy Vallee Hour’ which lasted until 1936. Furthermore, he became popular with ‘The Gillette Original Community Sing’ which was a comedy variety program on CBS. In 1939, he served as host for the show, ‘Stop Me If You've Heard This One’.
  • // 1946
    He started with the comedy variety show, ‘Three Ring Time’ which was followed by a pogram by Campbell’s Soups Company. He was even part of the 1944-45 audience participation show, ‘Let Yourself Go’. The 1946 CBS show, ‘Kiss and Make Up’ had him serving as the judge. The program featured the problems of contestants decided by a jury from studio audiences.
  • // 1948 To 1949
    ‘The Texaco Star Theatre’ was his last radio series which began in 1948 and continued until 1949. Apart from him, the show had several other cast members including, Charles Irving, Kay Armen, and Al Kelly.
  • // 1948
    The successful radio career paved way for yet another experimentation as he tried to make a career in the then-emerging medium, television. Year 1948 had NBC launch ‘Texaco Star Theatre’ to television, with him being the permanent host for the series by October.
  • // 1949
    By 1949, the sales graph of the television boxes witnessed a grand leap as more and more people tuned to ‘Texaco Star Theater’. The newly earned fame gave him a superstar status as he became reckoned as ‘Mr. Television’ and ‘Uncle Miltie’ by the people.
  • // 1953 To 1989
    He twice married Joyce Mathews and divorced her before typing the nuptial knot with Ruth Cosgrove, a onetime publicist in December 1953. She died in 1989.
  • // 1955
    Singing off from the 1955 ‘The Milton Berle Show’, he made several attempts to recapture the earlier success but in vain. He was cast opposite Phil Silvers in the latter’s show, ‘The Phil Silvers Show’. Furthermore, he made guest appearance in shows such as ‘The Love Boat’ and ‘Batman’. In the latter, he was seen in a recurring role of the villain ‘Louie the Lilac’.
  • // 1958 To 1959
    From 1958 until 1959, he appeared in the Kraft Music Hall series. By 1960, his career profile was limited to serving as the host to the bowling program, ‘Jackpot Bowling’.
  • // 1968
    TV career apart, he regularly appeared on live shows in Las Vegas to packed audiences at Caesars Palace, the Sands, the Desert Inn and other casino hotels. Furthermore, other than clubbing, he was seen performing on Broadway in Herb Gardner's The Goodbye People in 1968
  • // 1984
    In 1984, he was one of the first seven people to be inducted into the Television Academy Hall of Fame.
  • // 1991
    In 1991, he became the first entertainer to be inducted into the International Comedy Hall of Fame.
  • // 1992
    He was cast in the 1992 series ‘The Fresh Prince of Bel-Air’. Other than this, he also appeared in ‘Beverly Hills 90210’ and ‘The Nanny’.
  • // 1992
    He remarried Lorna Adams in 1992, a fashion designer who was 30 years younger to him. The couple was blessed with two children, Victoria and William. He had two stepdaughters as well.
  • // 2000
    Year 2000 marked his last official appearance on television, as he guest starred in ‘Two Heads are Better than None’
  • // 27th Mar 2002
    It was reported in April 2001 that he was suffering from cancerous tumor in his colon. Not willing to undergo an operation, he breathed his last the following year, on March 27, 2002, due to colon cancer.
  • // 2007
    In 2007, he was inducted into the California Hall of Fame by California Governor Arnold Schwarzenegger and First Lady Maria Shriver

// Famous Film & Theater Personalities

Jacob Elordi

Jacob Elordi

Jacob Elordi is an Australian actor. Let’s take a look at his childhood, family, personal life, career, etc.

Wentworth Miller

Wentworth Miller

Wentworth Miller is an American actor and screenwriter who achieved recognition for his role in the TV series ‘Prison Break’.

Skai Jackson

Skai Jackson

Skai Jackson is an American child actress with huge fan following. Find more about her family & personal life, relationships, facts and more.

Shemar Moore

Shemar Moore

Shemar Moore is a model turned actor best known for his role in the television series ‘The Young and the Restless’. This biography of Shemar Moore provides detailed information about his childhood, life, achievements, works & timeline.

Riele Downs

Riele Downs

Riele Downs is a Canadian-American actress & Musical.ly star. Let’s take a look at her family and personal life including age, birthday, net worth, boyfriends and fun facts.

Jacob Tremblay

Jacob Tremblay

Jacob Tremblay is a Canadian child actor. Let’s have a look at his family & personal life including age, birthday, relationships, net worth and fun facts.

Milton Berle's FAQ

  • What is Milton Berle birthday?

    Milton Berle was born at 1908-07-12

  • When was Milton Berle died?

    Milton Berle was died at 2002-03-27

  • Where was Milton Berle died?

    Milton Berle was died in Los Angeles, California, U.S.

  • Which age was Milton Berle died?

    Milton Berle was died at age 93

  • Where is Milton Berle's birth place?

    Milton Berle was born in New York City, New York, U.S.

  • What is Milton Berle nationalities?

    Milton Berle's nationalities is American

  • Who is Milton Berle spouses?

    Milton Berle's spouses is Joyce Mathews (m. 1949–1950), Lorna Adams (m. 1991–2002), Ruth Berle (m. 1953–1989)

  • Who is Milton Berle childrens?

    Milton Berle's childrens is Bill Berle, Bob Williams, Victoria Berle

  • What is Milton Berle's cause of dead?

    Milton Berle dead because of Cancer

  • What is Milton Berle's religion?

    Milton Berle's religion is Jewish

  • Who is Milton Berle's father?

    Milton Berle's father is Moses Berlinger

  • Who is Milton Berle's mother?

    Milton Berle's mother is Sarah (Sadie) Glantz Berlinger

  • What is Milton Berle's sun sign?

    Milton Berle is Cancer