Paul Winchell
Ventriloquist, voice ator, inventor
Paul Winchell Rank
About Paul Winchell
Paul Winchell was one of America's greatest ventriloquists and comedians. His career saw greats during the 1950s and 1960s. He was also an inventor.
Background & Early Life
Winchell was of Jewish origin. However, he grew up in New York. He started making ventriloquist kits when he was in elementary school. His teacher, Mr. Magon, was supportive and allowed him to make jokes in front of his class.
In 1938, he won the American talent competition "Major Bowes Amateur Hour." The award allowed him to tour and perform in several theaters.
He met the famous musician Ted Weems on tour, and he offered the comedian a professional employment contract. After his acceptance, he became a professional ventriloquist at the age of 14.
Career Highlights
His famous ventriloquist dummies were "Knucklehead Smiff" and "Jerry Mahoney." Between 1950 and 1954, he hosted the popular NBC show "The Paul Winchell Show." In addition, he also hosted his children's TV series, "Winchell-Mahoney Time," from 1965 until 1968.
The ventriloquist made several guest appearances on Award-winning television series in the 1950s and 1970s. He also did many original voice-acting characters in several animation movies.
Invention
From his experience in medical training, he built and patented the first mechanical artificial heart that could be implanted in a chest cavity.
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F.A.Q. about Paul Winchell
When is his birthday?
Paul Winchell's birthday is on December 21, 1922.
In how many days is his birthday?
Paul's birthday is in 262 days
How old was Paul when he died?
He was 82 years old.
When did he die?
He died in June 24, 2005.
How old would he be today?
Paul Winchell would be 102 years old if he was alive today.
Where was Paul from?
He was born in New York City, New York, U.S..