John Fiedler facts for kids

Quick facts for kids John Fiedler
Fiedler in 12 Angry Men (1957)
Born	John Donald Fiedler (1925-02-03)February 3, 1925 Platteville, Wisconsin, U.S.
Died	June 25, 2005(2005-06-25) (aged 80) Englewood, New Jersey, U.S.
Occupation	Actor
Years active	1949–2005

John Donald Fiedler (born February 3, 1925 – died June 25, 2005) was an American actor. He had a very long career, lasting over 55 years. He worked in many areas like theater, film, television, and radio.

John Fiedler was famous for playing gentle or nervous characters. One of his most well-known roles was the voice of Piglet in Disney's Winnie the Pooh movies and shows. He also played Juror #2 in the movie 12 Angry Men and Vinnie in The Odd Couple.

Early Life

John Fiedler was born in Platteville, Wisconsin. His father, Donald Fiedler, sold beer, and his mother was Margaret Phelan. His family had roots from Germany and Ireland.

When John was five, his family moved to Shorewood, Wisconsin. He finished high school there in 1943. After high school, he joined the United States Navy. He served in the Navy until World War II ended.

Career Highlights

After leaving the Navy, John Fiedler started acting in Manhattan, New York City. He first appeared on a radio comedy show called The Aldrich Family. He also acted on early television shows. One of his first TV roles was Cadet Alfie Higgins on Tom Corbett, Space Cadet.

His first movie role was in 12 Angry Men (1957). He played Juror 2, a quiet and nervous character. Many of his roles were similar, showing him as gentle or a bit shy. However, he also played different kinds of characters. For example, he was a lawyer in True Grit (1969). He also appeared in an episode of Star Trek called "Wolf in the Fold". In that episode, he played a character who was taken over by the spirit of Jack the Ripper.

From the Broadway play Raisin in the Sun. John Fiedler is on the right (1959).

John Fiedler was part of the first cast of the play A Raisin in the Sun. He played Karl Lindner, a person from a housing committee. He played this same role in the movie version from 1961 and a TV version in 1988. He was also in the movie The Odd Couple (1968) as Vinnie, a poker player. Later, he appeared in the TV show based on The Odd Couple. He was invited by his friend Jack Klugman, who starred in the show.

He made many guest appearances on popular TV shows. These included Columbo, Perry Mason, Bonanza, Gunsmoke, Bewitched, Get Smart, The Golden Girls, and Cheers. He also had a regular role as Mr. Peterson on The Bob Newhart Show.

John Fiedler worked a lot for Walt Disney Productions. He lent his voice to many Disney animated movies. He was the voice of Piglet in The Many Adventures of Winnie the Pooh (1977), The Tigger Movie (2000), Piglet's Big Movie (2003), and Pooh's Heffalump Movie (2005). He also voiced characters in Robin Hood (1973), The Rescuers (1977), The Fox and the Hound (1981), and The Emperor's New Groove (2000). His last film role was a voice part in Kronk's New Groove (2005). He also voiced Piglet in the video game Kingdom Hearts.

Death

John Fiedler passed away from cancer on June 25, 2005. He was 80 years old. He died in Englewood, New Jersey, at a special home for retired entertainers. His body was cremated, and his ashes were spread on Long Island, New York.