Jonathan Winters facts for kids

Quick facts for kids Jonathan Winters
Winters in 1963
Birth name	Jonathan Harshman Winters III
Born	(1925-11-11)November 11, 1925 Dayton, Ohio, U.S.
Died	April 11, 2013(2013-04-11) (aged 87) Montecito, California, U.S.
Medium	Stage, film, television, painting, literature
Years active	1949–2013
Genres	Character comedy, improvisational comedy
Spouse	Eileen Schauder ​ ​ (m. 1948; died 2009)​
Children	2
Military career
Allegiance	United States
Service/branch	United States Marine Corps
Years of service	1943–1946
Rank	Corporal

Jonathan Harshman Winters III (November 11, 1925 – April 11, 2013) was a famous American comedian, actor, author, TV host, and artist. He was known for his amazing ability to make up characters and scenes on the spot.

Winters started as a stand-up comedian. He later became a well-known actor in movies and on television. He won many awards, including two Grammy Awards and a Primetime Emmy Award. He also received a star on the Hollywood Walk of Fame in 1960. In 1999, he was honored with the Mark Twain Prize for American Humor.

He recorded many comedy albums, starting in 1960. He was nominated for 11 Grammy Awards. He won a Grammy for Best Album for Children in 1975 for his work on The Little Prince. In 1996, he won another Grammy for Best Spoken Comedy Album.

Winters worked for over 60 years. He appeared in hundreds of TV shows and films. Some of his famous roles were on The Steve Allen Show and Mork & Mindy. He was nominated for a Golden Globe Award for his role in the 1963 film It's a Mad, Mad, Mad, Mad World. In 1991, he won an Primetime Emmy Award for his role in the TV show Davis Rules.

He also lent his voice to cartoon characters. He was Grandpa Smurf on The Smurfs TV series. Later, he voiced Papa Smurf in The Smurfs (2011) and The Smurfs 2 (2013). He finished recording for The Smurfs 2 just nine days before he passed away. The film was dedicated to his memory. Winters also enjoyed painting and showed his artwork in galleries. He wrote several books, including a book of short stories called Winters' Tales.

Early Life and Beginnings

Jonathan Winters was born in Dayton, Ohio. His father worked in insurance and investments. His family had a history in banking in Dayton. When he was seven, his parents separated. Winters moved to Springfield to live with his grandmother.

Winters said he felt alone in his room. He would create characters and talk to himself. He was not a good student in school. But he kept making strange sounds and characters. He often entertained his friends by imitating a race at the Indianapolis Motor Speedway. He learned to laugh at tough situations.

Joining the Marines

During his last year of high school, Winters left school. He joined the U.S. Marine Corps at age 17. He served for two and a half years during World War II in the Pacific. After the war, he went to Kenyon College. He later studied cartooning at the Dayton Art Institute. There, he met Eileen Schauder. They got married on September 11, 1948.

Starting His Comedy Career

"Johnny" Winters promoting Gambrinus Beer in the early 1950s for August Wagner Breweries, Inc. on WBNS-TV in Columbus, Ohio

Winters' comedy career began in a surprising way. After he married Eileen in 1948, they needed a new wristwatch. Eileen saw a talent contest where the first prize was a watch. She encouraged Jonathan to enter, and he won!

His performance led to a job as a disc jockey. He was supposed to introduce songs. But he started adding his own jokes and characters. Soon, his funny acts took over the show. He also performed comedy while studying at Kenyon College. He worked on local radio stations in Ohio. He was known as "Johnny Winters" on WBNS-TV in Columbus, Ohio.

Moving to New York

Winters promised his wife he would return to Dayton if he didn't succeed in a year. With only a little money, he moved to New York City. He started doing stand-up comedy in nightclubs. His first TV appearance was in 1954.

In 1956, Winters made TV history. He was part of the first public showing of color videotape. He used this new technology to play two characters at once. It looked like both characters were in the studio at the same time. This was a very clever trick!

His big break came when he worked on the CBS show Omnibus. In 1957, he performed in the first color TV show.

Winters performing a routine on The NBC Comedy Hour (1956)

From 1959 to 1964, Winters voiced talking beer steins in TV commercials. Later, he became a spokesperson for trash bags. He played a fancy garbageman and other characters, like "Maude Frickert."

Winters recorded many classic comedy albums. One of his most famous characters was "Maude Frickert." She was a sweet-looking old lady with a sharp wit. Winters was a favorite guest of Jack Paar, who hosted The Tonight Show. He often appeared on Paar's show.

He also acted in a dramatic role on The Twilight Zone in 1961. On The Tonight Show Starring Johnny Carson, Winters often played different characters. Carson usually didn't know what Winters would do next. He would try to learn about the character during their funny interviews.

It's a Mad, Mad, Mad, Mad World (1963)

Winters appeared in over 50 movies and many TV shows. He had notable roles in It's a Mad, Mad, Mad, Mad World and The Loved One. Other comedians who worked with him said he would entertain them for hours. He could become any character they suggested while waiting between scenes.

From 1967 to 1969, Winters had his own weekly variety show on CBS. It featured guest stars and his recurring characters. He would also do impressions of people or animals based on audience requests.

He also appeared on The Dean Martin Show and The Hollywood Squares. In the 1970s, he reviewed films on Good Morning America in a funny way. Winters also had his own syndicated show called The Wacky World of Jonathan Winters from 1972 to 1974.

Career in the 1980s and 1990s

Jonathan Winters was a guest star on The Muppet Show in 1980. In the fourth season of Mork & Mindy, Winters played Mearth. Mearth was Mork and Mindy's child. Because Orkans (Mork's alien race) aged backward, Mearth hatched from an egg as an older person. Winters was a big inspiration for Robin Williams, who played Mork.

Winters performing at a USO show in 1986

Winters became a regular on Hee Haw in 1983. He was the voice of Grandpa Smurf on The Smurfs from 1986 to 1990. He also did voice work for other cartoons.

In 1991, he had a supporting role in the sitcom Davis Rules. He played Gunny Davis, an unusual grandfather. He won a Primetime Emmy Award for this role.

He also voiced characters in The New Scooby-Doo Movies and was the narrator in Frosty Returns. This Christmas special still airs every year. Winters also voiced the thief in the animated film The Thief and the Cobbler.

In 1994, Winters appeared in The Flintstones movie. He also played a serious police chief in The Shadow. He won a Grammy Award for Best Spoken Comedy Album in 1996 for Crank(y) Calls.

In 1999, he received the Mark Twain Prize for American Humor. This award honors people who have made a big impact on American humor.

Later Years and Legacy

Winters continued to act in movies and TV shows in the early 2000s. In 2000, he appeared in The Adventures of Rocky and Bullwinkle. In 2004, Comedy Central ranked him as the 18th greatest stand-up comedian of all time.

In 2008, Robin Williams presented Winters with a Pioneer TV Land Award. Winters was featured in TV shows like Pioneers of Television and Make 'Em Laugh.

Winters came out of retirement to voice Papa Smurf in The Smurfs (2011). He also voiced Papa Smurf in The Smurfs 2 (2013). This was his last film project. He passed away shortly after finishing his voice work for the movie.

Personal Life and Hobbies

Jonathan and Eileen Winters had two children, Jonathan IV and Lucinda. They also had several grandchildren. Winters enjoyed painting and showed his artwork in many galleries. He loved to entertain people, even at his local bank.

Winters' wife, Eileen, passed away in 2009 after more than 60 years of marriage.

Death

Jonathan Winters died peacefully on April 11, 2013, in Montecito, California. He was 87 years old. He was survived by his two children and five grandchildren.

Fans placed flowers on his Hollywood Walk of Fame star. Many comedians and actors shared tributes to Winters. Robin Williams called him his "Comedy Buddha" and mentor. The movie The Smurfs 2 was dedicated to him.

His Unique Comedy Style

Winters was a pioneer of improvisational stand-up comedy. This means he made up his jokes and characters on the spot. He was amazing at imitating people and creating different personalities. He had a huge amount of creative energy.

Jack Paar once said, "If you were to ask me the funniest 25 people I've ever known, I'd say, 'Here they are—Jonathan Winters.'"

Winters was known for his rubber-faced expressions and impressions. He could imitate famous people like John Wayne and Groucho Marx. He was a regular on late-night TV for over six decades. He would often start his shows by telling the audience, "Please remain standing throughout the evening."

Winters played many different characters. These included country folk, city slickers, nervous airline pilots, Martians, and little old ladies. He once said he thought of himself more as a writer than a stand-up comedian. He wanted to be funny without just telling jokes.

Two of his most famous characters were "Maude Frickert" and "Elwood P. Suggins." These characters came from his early TV routines.

Jonathan Winters crashes through a wall in It's a Mad, Mad, Mad, Mad World (1963)

On and off stage, Winters was very unpredictable. This sometimes made producers nervous. But it also led to his memorable film career. His TV variety shows showed off his amazing talent for sketch comedy and impressions.

Winters inspired many famous performers. These include Johnny Carson, Billy Crystal, Steve Martin, Jim Carrey, and Robin Williams. Robin Williams even called Winters his comedy mentor.

In a 1991 interview, Winters compared the entertainment industry to the Olympics. He said he felt like he was "inside the box, underneath the guy receiving the gold medal." He meant he was happy to be a key part of comedy, even if he wasn't always in the spotlight.

Famous Sayings

• "If your ship doesn't come in, swim out to meet it."
• "I couldn't wait for success, so I went ahead without it."
• "Behold the turtle; the only time he makes progress is when he sticks out his head."

Film and TV Appearances

Comedy Albums

Images for kids

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  Winters in 1963

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  "Johnny" Winters promoting Gambrinus Beer in the early 1950s

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  Winters performing a routine on The NBC Comedy Hour (1956)

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  It's a Mad, Mad, Mad, Mad World (1963)

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  Winters performing at a USO show in 1986

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  Jonathan Winters crashes through a wall in It's a Mad, Mad, Mad, Mad World (1963)

See also

In Spanish: Jonathan Winters para niños