Stuart Erwin

{{Infobox person

| name = Stuart Erwin

| image = Stuart Erwin in Mr. Boggs Steps Out (1938).jpg

| image_size =

| caption = Erwin in Mr. Boggs Steps Out (1938)

| birth_name =

| birth_date = {{Birth date|1903|02|14|mf=yes}}

| birth_place = Squaw Valley, Fresno County, California, U.S.

| death_date = {{Death date and age|1967|12|21|1903|02|14|mf=yes}}

| death_place = Beverly Hills, California, U.S.

| resting_place = Chapel of the Pines Crematory

| other_names =

| occupation = Actor

| years_active = 1922–1967

| spouse = {{marriage|June Collyer|1931}}

| children = 2

| relatives = Bud Collyer (brother-in-law)
Marian Shockley (sister-in-law)
Lori Chavez-DeRemer (great-grandniece)

}}

Stuart Erwin (February 14, 1903 – December 21, 1967) was an American actor of stage, film, and television.

Early years

Erwin was born in Squaw Valley, Fresno County, California.{{cite news|title=Stu Erwin, Film, Video Actor, Dies|url=https://www.newspapers.com/clip/12963205/valley_news/|work=Valley News|date=December 22, 1967|location=California, Van Nuys|page=36|via = Newspapers.com|access-date = August 8, 2017}} {{Open access}} He attended Porterville High School and the University of California.{{cite news|title=Talkies' Funny Man, Bride Return to Hollywood Home|url=https://www.newspapers.com/clip/7067817/oakland_tribune/|work=Oakland Tribune|date=July 28, 1931|location=California, Oakland|page=26|via = Newspapers.com|access-date = August 8, 2017}} {{Open access}}

Career

Erwin began acting in college in the 1920s, having first appeared on stage. From there, he acted in stock theater in Los Angeles.

=Film career=

File:Ceiling Zero (1936) 1.jpg, Martha Tibbetts, James Cagney, and June Travis in Ceiling Zero (1936)]]

He broke into films in 1928 in Mother Knows Best. In 1934, he was cast as Joe Palooka in the film Palooka. In 1932, he co-starred with Bing Crosby in the comedy The Big Broadcast, where he played Texas oil tycoon Leslie McWhinney.

In 1936, he was cast in Pigskin Parade, for which he was nominated for the Academy Award for Best Supporting Actor. In 1940, he played Howie Newsome, the dairy delivery vendor, in the film adaptation of Our Town, based on the Thornton Wilder play.

In Walt Disney's Bambi, Erwin performed the voice of a tree squirrel. Later, Erwin appeared in the Disney films Son of Flubber and The Misadventures of Merlin Jones.

=Radio career=

In 1946, Erwin starred in Phone Again Finnegan on CBS. He played an apartment house manager in the comedy-drama.{{cite news|title='Phone Again Finnegan,' New Comedy Series on WHP, Stars Stu Erwin|newspaper=Harrisburg Telegraph |date=June 22, 1946 |url=https://www.newspapers.com/clip/2079512/phone_again_finnegan/|agency=Harrisburg Telegraph|issue=June 22, 1946|page=21|via = Newspapers.com|access-date = March 27, 2015}} {{Open access}}

He also played various roles on Theater Guild on the Air, Lux Radio Theatre, The Old Gold Radio Theatre and Cavalcade of America.

=Television career=

In 1950, Erwin made the transition to television, in which he starred in Trouble with Father,{{r|etvs|page1=1109}} which was retitled The Stu Erwin Show, with his co-star and real-life wife June Collyer. In 1963–1964, he played Otto King on The Greatest Show on Earth.{{cite book|last1=Terrace|first1=Vincent|title=Encyclopedia of Television Shows, 1925 through 2010|date=2011|publisher=McFarland & Company, Inc., Publishers|location=Jefferson, N.C.|isbn=978-0-7864-6477-7|page=415|edition=2nd}}

Erwin guest-starred on Crossroads, Angel, Bonanza, The Donna Reed Show, Straightaway, Gunsmoke and Our Man Higgins.

Erwin made four guest appearances on Perry Mason, including the role of Clem P. "Sandy" Sandover in the 1962 episode "The Case of the Double-Entry Mind" and Everett Stanton in the 1964 episode "The Case of the Scandalous Sculptor".

Erwin guest-starred on Father Knows Best in the episode titled "Family Contest" in the role of Mr. Hensley and on The Andy Griffith Show, season 1, episode 8, portraying Tom Silby who was presumed dead, but returned to town after a two-year absence.

Personal life

Erwin married actress June Collyer on July 22, 1931, in Yuma, Arizona.{{cite news|title=June Collyer Weds|url=https://www.newspapers.com/clip/12962408/the_scranton_republican/|work=The Scranton Republican|agency=Associated Press|date=July 23, 1931|location=Pennsylvania, Scranton|page=4|via = Newspapers.com|access-date = August 8, 2017}} {{Open access}} Together they had two children, including producer Stuart Erwin Jr. (1932–2014).{{cite web |title=Stu Erwin, Development Executive at Universal, Dies at 82 |url=https://www.yahoo.com/entertainment/stu-erwin-development-executive-universal-dies-82-234017721.html?guccounter=1&guce_referrer=aHR0cHM6Ly93d3cuZ29vZ2xlLmNvbS8&guce_referrer_sig=AQAAAKUH2--Xsqfq5sDFxr9jFdPfH06zuAy5_aIOyYmE2wf5VTVMp-YfN_XgwlBYzEJMtkMbiaT3dtHLrJgqNZkX_DN8Tj1iHnptJ0yM0IGItEjm5P3V_gRwon9LhOoFchPv-pmF_aALhbyzfua6_eAtUGLHYrib44B-7mDYH3rWsEEc |website=www.yahoo.com}}{{cite web |title=Stu Erwin, Development Executive at Universal, Dies at 82 |url=https://variety.com/2014/tv/news/stu-erwin-development-executive-at-universal-dies-at-82-1201382133/ |website=variety.com}}

Death

Erwin died of a heart attack on December 21, 1967, in Beverly Hills, California, at age 64. He was interred at the Chapel of the Pines Crematory in Los Angeles.{{cite book|last1=Ellenberger|first1=Allan R.|title=Celebrities in Los Angeles Cemeteries: A Directory|date=2001|publisher=McFarland|isbn=9780786409839|page=24|url=https://books.google.com/books?id=8bOJCgAAQBAJ&q=%22Stuart+Erwin%22+actor&pg=PA24|access-date=9 August 2017|language=en}}

Recognition

Erwin has a star at 6270 Hollywood Boulevard in the Television section of the Hollywood Walk of Fame. It was dedicated February 8, 1960.{{cite web|title=Stu Erwin|url=http://www.walkoffame.com/stu-erwin|website=Hollywood Walk of Fame|access-date=9 August 2017|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20170809000412/http://www.walkoffame.com/stu-erwin|archive-date=9 August 2017}}