Charles Nelson Reilly facts for kids

Quick facts for kids Charles Nelson Reilly
Reilly as "Randy Robinson" on the CBS television series Arnie in 1971
Born	(1931-01-13)January 13, 1931 New York City, New York, U.S.
Died	May 25, 2007(2007-05-25) (aged 76) Beverly Hills, California, U.S.
Education	Hartt School of Music
Occupation	Actor director opera director stand-up comedian drama teacher
Years active	1957–2007
Height	6 ft 2 in (1.88 m)
Partner(s)	Patrick Hughes (1980–2007; his death)
Awards	Tony Award for Best Featured Actor in a Musical 1962 How to Succeed in Business Without Really Trying

Charles Nelson Reilly (born January 13, 1931 – died May 25, 2007) was a talented American actor, comedian, and director. He was well-known for his funny roles on stage, in movies, and on TV.

Charles Reilly starred in famous Broadway musicals like Bye Bye Birdie, Hello, Dolly!, and How to Succeed in Business Without Really Trying. For his role in How to Succeed, he won a special award called a Tony Award. On television, you might remember him from The Ghost & Mrs. Muir or as a regular guest on the game show Match Game. Later in his life, he created a one-man show about his life, which was made into a movie.

Early life and interests

Charles Nelson Reilly was born in New York City on January 13, 1931. His father was Irish-Catholic, and his mother was Swedish-Lutheran. When he was a boy, he loved to put on puppet shows. His mother often told him to "save it for the stage," which became a famous saying for him.

When he was 13, Charles survived a big circus fire in Hartford, Connecticut, in 1944. This event was very scary for him. Because of it, he rarely liked to sit in large audiences, even when he was directing a play. He preferred to sit near the exits, just in case.

Charles loved opera and first wanted to be an opera singer. He studied music at the Hartt School of Music. However, he later realized he didn't have the natural singing talent for a big opera career. Still, opera remained a huge passion for him throughout his life. He often talked about opera on radio shows and even directed opera productions for several companies, like the Chicago Opera Theater and Dallas Opera.

Career highlights

On stage

Charles Nelson Reilly started his acting career on stage. He appeared in many plays in New York City. His big break came in 1960 with the very popular Broadway musical Bye Bye Birdie. He had a small part and was also the understudy for the main role played by Dick Van Dyke.

In 1961, Charles was part of another Broadway hit, How to Succeed in Business Without Really Trying. He played the memorable character Bud Frump. For this role, he won a Tony Award in 1962, which is a very important award for theater actors.

He continued his success in 1964, joining the original cast of Hello, Dolly!. This was another huge Broadway show. He played Cornelius Hackl and received another Tony Award nomination for his performance.

On television

While Charles kept acting on Broadway, he became even more famous for his work on TV. In the 1960s, he was a regular guest on many shows. He appeared on the quiz show What's My Line? and made commercials for products like Excedrin and Bic crayons.

From 1968 to 1970, he played the funny character Claymore Gregg in the TV series The Ghost & Mrs. Muir. He even received an Emmy nomination for this role. He also appeared on The Dean Martin Show and made guest appearances on popular shows like Here's Lucy and The Love Boat. In 1971, he played the evil magician Hoodoo in Lidsville, a children's show.

Charles was a very frequent guest on The Tonight Show Starring Johnny Carson, appearing over 100 times! He was known for being a lively and funny guest. He lived close to the studio, so he was often asked to fill in when other guests couldn't make it.

He was also a regular on game shows, especially Match Game. He was one of the longest-running panelists on the show. He often joked around with fellow panelist Brett Somers. Charles was known for his witty comments and funny answers.

He also starred in another children's show called Uncle Croc's Block from 1975 to 1976.

Later career

Starting in 1976, Charles Nelson Reilly spent a lot of his time teaching acting and directing for TV and theater. He directed famous actress Julie Harris in her one-woman Broadway play The Belle of Amherst. In 1997, he received another Tony Award nomination, this time for Best Director of a Play, for the revival of The Gin Game.

In 1988, he hosted a game show called Sweethearts. He also made guest appearances in the 1990s on shows like The Drew Carey Show and Family Matters. He even voiced the character Jose Chung in The X-Files and Millennium. For these roles, he was nominated for Emmy Awards in 1998 and 1999.

Kids might also know his voice from animated movies by Don Bluth. He voiced the character Killer in All Dogs Go to Heaven (1989), Hunch in Rock-a-Doodle (1991), and King Llort in A Troll in Central Park (1994). In these films, he often played the villain's not-so-smart sidekick who eventually became good. He also voiced the Dirty Bubble in the cartoon series SpongeBob SquarePants.

Charles was a long-time acting teacher at HB Studio. Some of his famous students included Lily Tomlin and Bette Midler.

Later life and passing

Reilly in 2000

In his later years, Charles Nelson Reilly toured the U.S., directing plays and operas. He also performed his one-man show, Save It for the Stage: The Life of Reilly. This show gave audiences a look into his background and personal life. In 2004, his last two performances of this show were recorded to make a movie called The Life of Reilly.

Charles had some health problems while filming The Life of Reilly. He stopped directing and performing right after the movie was finished in 2004. The movie was shown for the first time in March 2006. Charles's performance in the film was highly praised.

Charles Nelson Reilly passed away on May 25, 2007, due to complications from pneumonia. After his passing, the Game Show Network showed some of his funniest episodes of Match Game to honor him.

Filmography

Film

Stage

Television

Video games

Images for kids

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  Charles Nelson Reilly as Randy Robinson in Arnie (1971)

See also

In Spanish: Charles Nelson Reilly para niños