Dick Shawn
One-of-a-kind nightclub comedian and singer Dick Shawn (ne Richard Schulefand) was as off-the-wall as they came and, as such, proved to be rather an acquired taste. Way ahead of his time most say, it was extremely difficult indeed to know how to properly tap into this man's eclectic talents. Shawn began inching toward the forefront during the be-bop 50s and early 60s with his odd penchant for playing cool cats. During his mild bid for film stardom, he was top-billed as a hip, laid back genie in the thoroughly dismal satire The Wizard of Baghdad (1960), but seemed to have better luck when taken in smaller doses. He fared quite well opposite another "way-out-there" comedian, Ernie Kovacs, in Wake Me When It's Over (1960) as a hustling soldier out to make a buck in the Far East. Also on the plus side, he replaced Zero Mostel in the bawdy musical "A Funny Thing Happened on the Way to the Forum" on Broadway and stole a small scene in the all-star epic comedy It's a Mad Mad Mad Mad World (1963). By far, the one role that completely overshadows all of his other hard work is his mock portrayal of a singing Adolf Hitler in the show-within-a-movie The Producers (1968). In the film, which starred Mostel and Gene Wilder as two con artists deliberately producing a stage "bomb" called "Springtime for Hitler," Shawn sang the hammy, absurdly narcissistic song "Love Power." The movie finally captured Shawn in his element, but this stroke of genius of matching actor to role would never happen again for him. For the most part his roles came off slick and smarmy, and were stuck in mediocre material. Shawn won a huge fan base, however, touring in one-man stage shows which contained a weird mix of songs, sketches, satire, philosophy and even pantomime. A bright, innovative wit, one of his best touring shows was called "The Second Greatest Entertainer in the World." During the show's intermission, Shawn would lie visibly on the stage floor absolutely still during the entire time. By freakish coincidence, Shawn was performing at the University of California at San Diego in 1987 when he suddenly fell forward on the stage during one of his spiels about the Holocaust. The audience, of course, laughed, thinking it was just a part of his odd shtick. In actuality, the 63-year-old married actor with four children had suffered a fatal heart attack. A not-surprising end for this thoroughly offbeat and intriguing personality.
Known for
ActingBirthday
December 1, 1923Deathday
April 17, 1987Gender
MaleKnown Movie Credits
36Place of birth
Buffalo, New York, USAAlso known as
Richard SchulefandCast credits
Angel
MaeMaid to Order
Stan StarkeyThe Producers
Lorenzo St. DuBois (L.S.D.)Best Chest in the West
Himself (Host)Young Warriors
Professor HooverIt's a Mad, Mad, Mad, Mad World
Sylvester MarcusThe Year Without a Santa Claus
Snow Miser (voice)What Did You Do in the War, Daddy?
Captain Lionel CashLove at First Bite
Lieutenant Ferguson NYPDCaptain EO
Commander BogThe Happy Ending
Harry BrickerWay... Way Out
Igor ValkleinokovWake Me When It's Over
Gus BrubakerPenelope
Dr. Gregory MannixA Very Special Favor
Arnold PlumGood-bye Cruel World
Rodney Pointsetter / Ainsley PointsetterEvil Roy Slade
Marshal Bing BellThe Tommy Chong Roast
The Opposite Sex
SingerThe Wizard of Baghdad
Genii-Ali MahmudWater
Deke Halliday