Ronnie Schell facts for kids
Quick facts for kids
Ronnie Schell
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Schell in Good Morning World, 1967
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| Born |
Ronald Ralph Schell
December 23, 1931 Richmond, California, U.S.
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| Occupation |
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| Years active | 1958–present |
| Spouse(s) |
Janet Rodeberg
(m. 1968) |
| Children | 2 |
Ronald Ralph Schell, born on December 23, 1931, is an American actor and stand-up comedian. He is famous for his funny performances and his roles on television. One of his most well-known parts was playing Duke Slater in the 1960s TV show Gomer Pyle, U.S.M.C.
Contents
Early Life and Beginnings
Ronnie Schell was born in Richmond, California. After finishing high school, he joined the United States Air Force and served for four years.
Schell started his comedy career at the hungry i nightclub in San Francisco. He even introduced the Kingston Trio on their 1962 album, College Concert. He also appeared on the TV quiz show You Bet Your Life in 1959, hosted by Groucho Marx.
Television Roles and Voice Acting
Ronnie Schell became very popular for his role as Duke Slater in Gomer Pyle, U.S.M.C.. For three seasons, he played a Marine private who was the best friend of Gomer Pyle. Duke Slater was shown as a smart, city-wise character, which was a fun contrast to Gomer Pyle's country character.
Schell left the show for a short time to star in his own sitcom called Good Morning World. In this show, he played a disc jockey. He later returned to Gomer Pyle, U.S.M.C. for its last season, this time as a corporal. In this role, Duke Slater often helped Gomer Pyle and Sgt. Carter get along.
Ronnie Schell also used his voice for many animated characters. He was the voice of "Jason" in the cartoon series Battle of the Planets. He also voiced "Mr. Brown" in The Mouseketeers at Walt Disney World episode of The Wonderful World of Disney. He was also the voice of Peter Puck, a hockey puck character that appeared during National Hockey League games on TV in the 1970s.
He appeared as a guest star on many other TV shows, including:
- The Andy Griffith Show
- The Golden Girls
- Saved by the Bell
- Happy Days
- Charlie's Angels
- The Love Boat
- Jessie
Because he slowly became more famous over time, Ronnie Schell earned the funny nickname "America's Slowest Rising Comedian."
Later Career and Other Projects
Ronnie Schell also appeared in commercials for Pacific Southwest Airlines (PSA). He was known for his funny lines in these ads. In the 1980s, he was in many TV commercials for Shakey's Pizza.
In 2007, Schell was part of a touring stage show called 5 Star Revue. He also starred in an off-Broadway show in 2009 called Don't Leave it All to Your Children!, which was a funny and musical show for older adults.
More recently, in 2019, Schell was a comedy advisor to actor Richard Dreyfuss for the Netflix movie The Last Laugh.
Personal Life
Ronnie Schell married Janet Rodeberg in 1968. They have two sons named Greg and Chris Schell.
Images for kids
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Ronnie Schell in Good Morning World, 1967
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Ronnie Schell and Goldie Hawn in Good Morning World (1967)
See also
In Spanish: Ronnie Schell para niños
