Biography for
Eddie Albert

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Date of Birth

22 April 1906, Rock Island, Illinois, USA

Date of Death

26 May 2005, Pacific Palisades, California, USA (pneumonia)

Birth Name

Edward Albert Heimberger

Height

5' 10" (1.78 m)

Mini Biography

A graduate of the University of Minnesota, Eddie Albert was a circus trapeze flier before becoming a stage and radio actor. He made his film debut in 1938 and has worked steadily since, often cast as the friendly, good-natured buddy of the hero but occasionally being cast as a villain; one of his most memorable roles was as the cowardly, glory-seeking army officer in Robert Aldrich's World War 2 film, Attack (1956).

IMDb Mini Biography By: frankfob2@yahoo.com

Mini Biography

Eddie Albert's television career is the earliest of any other performer. It began years before electronic television was introduced to the public. In June of 1936 Eddie appeared in RCA/NBC's first private live performance for their radio licensees in New York City. This was very early experimental all electronic television system. Due to the primitive nature of these early cameras it was necessary for him to apply heavy make-up and endure tremendous heat from studio lighting. The basic makeup was green toned with purple lipstick for optimal image transmission by RCA's iconoscope pick up cameras. Since television was experimental Eddie applied his own make-up and even wrote the script for this performance. His co-star was Grace Brandt.

IMDb Mini Biography By: Steve Restelli

Spouse

Margo

(5 December 1945 - 17 July 1985) (her death) 2 children

Trade Mark

Often played cowardly and bad guy roles with unethical values.

Trivia

Father of actor Edward Albert and Maria Albert Zucht. Two granddaughters.

Served in the United States Navy during WWII

Was an active participant in the battle of Tarawa (Nov. 1943), one of the bloodiest battles of World War II and in the history of the U.S. Marine Corps. Albert was credited with rescuing up to 70 wounded Marines while under enemy fire. He was awarded the Bronze Star with a combat "V". He did not speak about this publicly until it was mentioned in several television documentaries about the battle in the 1990s.

Because of his his early work with environmental causes and groups, when International Earth Day was created, it was decided it must be held on April 22 because that was his birthday.

Father-in-law of actress Katherine Woodville.

Was popular on Broadway before WWII, playing the leads in "Room Service" and "The Boys from Syracuse". He later replaced Robert Preston in the original Broadway version of "The Music Man".

Replaced Robert Preston on Broadway as "The Music Man" in 1960.

He and his wife Margo, a Mexican actress/singer, whom he married after the war, had a nightclub act.

An avid environmentalist, he shared his concerns on TV on the "The Tonight Show Starring Johnny Carson" (1962) and "Today" (1952) shows and lectured everywhere from high schools and industrial conventions. He produced films to aid in campaigns against pollution. He also helped to launch the very first "Earth Day" on April 22, 1970, his birthday.

Son Edward Albert was his primary caregiver during his last years battling with Alzheimer's disease. Was healthy and physically active a month before his death at age 99.

Father was a real estate agent.

Attended the University of Minnestoa where he studied drama.

Hired by the government, he went on "sailing" expeditions and reported Nazi and Japanese activity in the Baja, California and Mexico areas He once joined a Mexican circus act owned by the Escalante Brothers and while touring as a "flyer" in a trapeze act gathered intelligence.

Also presided over a game show and two variety shows in the early 1950s.

His real name was Eddie Albert Heimberger. He changed his name early on while he was singing on radio with a trio. It seems the announcer kept introducing him as "Eddie Hamburger" so he dropped his last name and adopted his middle name as his last.

Turned down the lead series roles in "My Three Sons" (1960) and "Mister Ed" (1961) in order to actively pursue his movie career.

Buried not too far from his "Green Acres" (1965) co-star Eva Gabor at Westwood Memorial in Los Angeles, California.

Grandfather of Thais Albert.

He wrote the first original drama for television in 1936 as well as writing dozens of small scripts for RCA.

Graduated from Minneapolis Central High school in 1926 in the same class as Harriete Lake aka Ann Sothern.

Classmate of actress Ann Sothern also known as: Harriette Lake.

Was very good friends with Jane Wyman, Eva Gabor, Shirley Jones and Gregory Peck.

His son, Edward Albert Jr., died less than a year after his father's, to lung cancer.

His future "Switch" (1975) co-star, Robert Wagner, had watched him in the movie Brother Rat (1938). He said of Albert as an 8-year-old kid that he was impressed by his mentor's talent.

The last three surviving cast of "Green Acres" (1965) attended his funeral, with the exception of co-star, Tom Lester, on 26 May 2005. Albert once stated Lester was his closest and best friend.

He had 12 hobbies: jogging, swimming, golfing, world travel, organic gardening, sculpting, beekeeping, wine making, sailing, boating, reading and playing guitar.

Began his contract career for Warner Bros. in 1936.

Before he was a successful actor, he almost did everything at an early age, from working as a newspaper boy to that of an insurance salesman.

Best remembered by the public for his starring role as the big-city lawyer turned farmer Oliver Wendell Douglas in "Green Acres" (1965).

Biography in: "The Scribner Encyclopedia of American Lives". Volume 7, 2003-2005, pages 5-7. Farmington Hills, MI: Thomson Gale, 2007.

Personal Quotes

[on "Green Acres" (1965)] The comedy is like "Pickwick Papers", or "Gulliver's Travels", or Voltaire. It's so far out that it becomes truth, deep truth.

I don't really care how I am remembered as long as I bring happiness and joy to people.

[on why he accepted the role on "Green Acres" (1965)] Everyone gets tired of the rat race. Everyone would like to chuck it all and grow some carrots. It's basic. Sign me. I knew it would be successful. Had to be. It's about the atavistic urge, and people have been getting a charge out of that ever since Aristophanes wrote about the plebes and the city folk.

[on his post-war career] I took everything they could throw at me, pictures like The Dude Goes West (1948) and The Fuller Brush Girl (1950). I worked myself back up, but I never wanted to be a star. I was aiming to play the star's best friend.

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