DANNY KAYE

January 18, 1911

Danny Kaye was born David Daniel Kaminsky in Brooklyn, New York, in 1911, although he would later claim 1913.  A multi-talented performer, he was an actor, singer, dancer, comedian, and musician. A high school drop-out,

Kaye’s first break came in 1933 when he joined a vaudeville dance act that toured the United States and Asia. 

Kaye’s film debut came in 1937 with a series of low-budget shorts. The series ended when the studio shut down in 1938. 

On Broadway, Kaye appeared in The Straw Hat Revue (1939), Lady in the Dark (1941, above center), and Let’s Face It! (1941). 

 After a significant absence, Kaye returned to Broadway in 1970 to play Noah in the musical Two By Two. When he broke his leg, he performed the role in a cast using a crutch! 

Kaye’s first time on television was also his first time appearing with Lucille Ball: “The 24th Annual Academy Awards.” 

Some of Kaye’s best-loved motion pictures include White Christmas (1954), The Court Jester (1955), and On the Riviera (1951).  In 1955, he was given an honorary Oscar for “his unique talents, his service to the Academy, the motion picture industry, and the American people.” In 1980, he was the recipient of the Academy’s Jean Hersholt Humanitarian Award. 

Although Kaye never appeared on “I Love Lucy” he was mentioned in the dialogue. “Lucy Meets the Queen” (ILL S5;E15) was doubtless inspired by Danny Kaye’s November 1948 Command performance for King George and Princess Elizabeth at the Palladium Theatre. 

Lucy (to the Bellboy): Have you ever seen the Queen?
Bellhop: No, ma’am. But I came frightful close during the coronation. I just missed her. But I did catch a glimpse of him.
Lucy: Philip?
Bellhop: No, ma’am. Danny Kaye.

In a 1959 episode of “The Lucy–Desi Comedy Hour” Lucy complains about how many meals she’s cooked as a housewife:

Ricky (reading Variety): It says here that Danny Kaye is going to London to give another command performance for Queen Elizabeth.
Lucy: I wonder what the Queen is cooking for Phil tonight?

In 1960, Kaye signed a $1.5 million contract for three annual specials that would set the pattern for his later series. Lucille Ball joined him for “The Danny Kaye Show” on November 11, 1962.

Because it was the first television teaming of the two famous redheads, the special was hailed as “A Television First” and was also Lucille Ball’s first appearance in color.

Lucille Ball sang, danced the Twist, and did imitations of Judy Garland, Carol Channing, and Marlene Dietrich. The highlight of the special was undoubtedly their three-part sketch about the trend of internationally themed restaurants. 

Two years later, on November 4, 1964, Ball made a second appearance on the program.

Without the use of costumes or scenery, Kaye and Lucille Ball performed a sketch about a married couple forced to fire a maid who is monopolizing the care of their baby. 

Danny Kaye and Lucille Ball performed “The Balloonists,” which included making playful noises with the balloons as they sing and dance, ultimately popping every balloon on the stage.

The next sketch imagines what would happen if a snowstorm kept all but two actors in a traveling troupe from arriving at the theatre to perform a Victorian melodrama. It turns into a quick change act for the two actors.   

On December 28, 1964, Kaye repaid the favor by appearing on “The Lucy Show” in “Lucy Meets Danny Kaye” (S3;E15). Kaye played himself, and Lucy Carmichael was her usual star-struck self! 

In November 1965, Lucy and Danny were two of the performers on tap for a “Salute To Stan Laurel” who had died earlier in the year. The two have no scenes together. 

In November 1976, Kaye contributed to “CBS Salutes Lucy: The First 25 Years”. 
Kaye talks about Lucy’s skill at physical comedy.

Kaye: “Calling Lucille Ball ‘just’ a comedian is like calling Margot Fonteyne ‘just’ a dancer.”  

In 1985, Lucy and Danny were two of the celebrities in “Night of 100 Stars II” at Radio City Music Hall. 

In February 1986, Kaye made his final screen appearance as a Dentist on “The Cosby Show”. The role got him nominated for an Emmy Award, although he lost to Roscoe Lee Brown for a guest shot on the same series.  Coincidentally, Lucille Ball was a presenter at “The 38th Annual Primetime Emmy Awards”.

Kaye married Sylvia Fine in January 1940. They had one child (Dena) and were together until he died of heart failure on March 3, 1987, aged 76.   

“Life is a great big canvas; throw all the paint you can at it.” ~ Danny Kaye