Jack Carter (comedian) facts for kids

Quick facts for kids Jack Carter
Carter in 1949
Born	Jack Chakrin (1922-06-24)June 24, 1922 Brooklyn, New York U.S.
Died	June 28, 2015(2015-06-28) (aged 93) Beverly Hills, California, U.S.
Occupation	Actor comedian host voice actor
Years active	1942–2014
Spouse(s)	Joan Mann ​ ​ (m. 1949; div. 1958)​ Paula Stewart ​ ​ (m. 1961; div. 1970)​ Roxanne Wander ​ ​ (m. 1971; div. 1977)​ ​ ​ (m. 1992⁠–⁠2015)​
Children	4
Signature

Jack Carter and Paula Stewart (1959)

Jack Carter (born Jack Chakrin; June 24, 1922 – June 28, 2015) was a famous American comedian, actor, and TV host. He was born in Brooklyn, New York. Jack Carter was known for his fast-paced comedy style. His act was similar to other quick-witted comedians like Milton Berle and Morey Amsterdam.

Early Life and Career Beginnings

Jack Carter was born in 1922 in Brighton Beach, Brooklyn, New York. His parents, Anna and Harry Chakrin, came from Russia. They owned a candy store where Jack started dancing on tables when he was just three years old!

During World War II, he served in the United States Army Air Forces. After the war, he began his career in entertainment.

Becoming a TV Host

Jack Carter hosted an early TV variety show called Cavalcade of Stars. This show was on the DuMont Network. Later, he moved to NBC to host his own program, The Jack Carter Show.

Carter suggested that Jackie Gleason take his place on Cavalcade of Stars. The Jack Carter Show was part of NBC's Saturday Night Revue. This was a long Saturday night block of shows. Carter's show lasted one hour each week. It was followed by Your Show of Shows. That show starred famous comedians like Sid Caesar and Imogene Coca. Jack Carter and Sid Caesar remained good friends for their whole lives.

Broadway and Guest Appearances

Jack Carter also performed on Broadway. He was in the musical Mr. Wonderful in 1956. In this show, he acted alongside Sammy Davis Jr.. Before that, he took over a role from Phil Silvers in another Broadway show called Top Banana.

He was a frequent guest on The Ed Sullivan Show in the 1960s and 1970s. He was especially known for his funny impression of Ed Sullivan. Jack Carter and his wife at the time, Paula Stewart, appeared as themselves on The Joey Bishop Show. He was also a regular guest on the TV game show Match Game. In 1975, he was a guest star on the quiz show $10,000 Pyramid.

Later Career and Film Roles

Starting in the 1970s, Jack Carter appeared on many Dean Martin Celebrity Roasts. These were TV specials where famous people would jokingly make fun of a guest of honor.

In 1981, he played the character Fagin in the stage musical Oliver!. He acted alongside Shani Wallis in this play.

Carter made guest appearances on many popular TV series. These include The Dick Van Dyke Show, The Love Boat, The Rockford Files, Monk, iCarly, and Desperate Housewives. He also did voice work for cartoons like King of the Hill and Family Guy. His last acting roles included a small part on New Girl. He was also a guest on Norm Macdonald's video podcast in 2014.

Jack Carter passed away on June 28, 2015. He was 93 years old. He died at his home in Beverly Hills, California, due to respiratory failure.

Selected Filmography