Freddie Prinze facts for kids
Quick facts for kids Freddie Prinze Sr. |
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Prinze in 1975
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| Birth name | Frederick Karl Pruetzel |
| Born | June 22, 1954 New York City, New York, U.S. |
| Died | January 29, 1977 (aged 22) Los Angeles, California, U.S. |
| Medium | Stand-up, television |
| Years active | 1973–1977 |
| Genres | Observational comedy, blue comedy, deadpan, satire |
| Subject(s) | Latin American culture, recreational ..., everyday life |
| Spouse |
Katherine Cochran
(m. 1975) |
| Partner(s) | Pam Grier (1973–1975) |
| Children | Freddie Prinze Jr. |
| Notable works and roles | Francisco "Chico" Rodriguez – Chico and the Man |
Frederick James Prinze Sr. (born Frederick Karl Pruetzel; June 22, 1954 – January 29, 1977) was a famous American stand-up comedian and actor. He was best known for starring in the TV show Chico and the Man on NBC from 1974 until he passed away in 1977. Freddie Prinze Sr. is also the father of actor Freddie Prinze Jr..
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Early Life and Discovering Comedy
Freddie Prinze Sr. was born Frederick Karl Pruetzel in Manhattan, New York City. His mother was Puerto Rican and his father was a German immigrant. Freddie grew up in a diverse neighborhood in Washington Heights, Manhattan.
When he was a young child, his mother enrolled him in ballet classes. This was to help him with a weight problem. Without telling his parents, Freddie secretly tried out for the LaGuardia High School of Performing Arts. There, he learned about drama and kept taking ballet lessons. He also found his talent for comedy by making people laugh in the boys' restroom. He left school in his senior year to become a stand-up comedian.
A Rising Star in Comedy
Freddie Prinze started performing at several comedy clubs in New York City. These included The Improv and Catch a Rising Star. He would often introduce himself as a "Hunga-rican," meaning part Hungarian and part Puerto Rican. While his mother was Puerto Rican, his father was German, not Hungarian.
To help his comedy career, he legally changed his last name to "Prinze." His friend David Brenner said that Freddie wanted to be known as the "king of comedy." But since Alan King already used that name, Freddie decided to be the "prince of comedy" instead.
In 1973, Freddie made his first TV appearance on Jack Paar Tonite. His biggest moment came in December 1973 when he appeared on The Tonight Show Starring Johnny Carson. He was the first young comedian to be invited to sit and chat with Johnny Carson on his very first appearance. Freddie Prinze appeared on The Tonight Show many more times, sometimes even hosting it. He also performed his comedy routine on The Midnight Special.
From September 1974 until his death in 1977, Prinze starred as Francisco "Chico" Rodriguez in the NBC TV show Chico and the Man. He acted alongside Jack Albertson. The show quickly became very popular. Freddie also appeared on The Dean Martin Celebrity Roasts, where comedians would playfully make fun of famous people. He roasted Sammy Davis, Jr. and Muhammad Ali.
In 1975, he released a comedy album called Looking Good. This was recorded live in Chicago and featured his famous catchphrase from Chico and the Man. In 1976, he starred in a TV movie called The Million Dollar Rip-Off. Freddie also had a hidden talent for singing. You could hear his voice in the background of a song by Tony Orlando and Dawn. He also sang on their variety show and sometimes on his own sitcom. About four months before he passed away, Freddie Prinze signed a big deal with NBC worth $6 million.
Family and Friends
On October 13, 1975, Freddie Prinze married Katherine (Kathy) Elaine Cochran. They had one child together, a son named Freddie Prinze Jr., who was born on March 8, 1976.
Freddie Prinze was very close friends with singer Tony Orlando. Tony Orlando appeared on Chico and the Man, and Freddie appeared on Tony's variety show. As Freddie started earning more money, he took martial arts lessons from Robert Wall. Robert Wall was a student of Bruce Lee and appeared in some of Bruce Lee's movies. Soon after, Robert Wall became the godfather to Freddie's newborn son.
Later Life and Passing
Freddie Prinze struggled with depression, which became more difficult in the weeks after his wife filed for divorce. On January 28, 1977, after speaking with his wife on the phone, Freddie Prinze was visited by his business manager. Later that night, Freddie Prinze was rushed to the UCLA Medical Center. He was placed on life support after emergency surgery. His family made the difficult decision to remove him from life support, and he passed away on January 29.
Freddie Prinze had a history of playing a dangerous game called Russian roulette to scare his friends. However, on the night he died, he made farewell phone calls to many family members and friends. He also left a note saying he had decided to end his life.
In a civil court case in 1983, brought by his mother, wife, and son, a jury found that his death was accidental. They determined it was caused by medication. This ruling allowed his family to receive money from his life insurance.
Freddie Prinze is buried at Forest Lawn Memorial Park (Hollywood Hills) in Los Angeles, near his father. His son, Freddie Prinze Jr., was less than one year old when his father died. He did not speak publicly about his father's death until the 2015 documentary Misery Loves Comedy.
Legacy
- Freddie Prinze's mother wrote a book about her son called The Freddie Prinze Story in 1978.
- A TV movie about his life, Can You Hear the Laughter? The Story of Freddie Prinze, was released in September 1979.
- Freddie Prinze's life and death were a part of the story in the 1980 movie Fame. This movie was set at his old school, the LaGuardia High School of Performing Arts.
- On December 14, 2004, Freddie Prinze received a star on the Hollywood Walk of Fame. This honored his important contributions to television. Actor and comedian George Lopez shared that he paid for Prinze's star.
See also
In Spanish: Freddie Prinze para niños
