EDDIE QUILLAN

March 31, 1907

Eddie Quillan was born in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, into a family of vaudeville performers. 

He made his stage debut at the age of seven alongside his parents and siblings in their act titled ‘The Rising Generation’. 

Mack Sennett Studios signed Quillan to a contract in 1922. 

He made his screen debut for Sennett in a 1926 silent short called A Love Sundae. He

went on to appear in such classic films as Young Mr. Lincoln (1939), The Grapes of Wrath (1940), and Brigadoon (1954).

He didn’t get into television until March 1958, when he did an episode of “The Thin Man”, a series based on the Nick and Nora Charles films. 

From then on, he found regular work on television, including playing various characters on five episodes of Desilu’s “The Real McCoys” from 1958 to 1963.

In June 1962, he appeared on an episode of “My Three Sons” (filmed at Desilu Studios) featuring William Frawley. 

On October 29, 1962, he finally appeared with Lucille Ball on an episode of “The Lucy Show” titled “Lucy Buys a Sheep” (TLS S1;E5). He shared a scene with veteran character actor Charles Lane (above right), who played Mr. Barnsdahl. Before he returned to the series for a second appearance, he also did an episode of Desilu’s “Glynis” in November 1963. 

When he finally got back to “The Lucy Show” in October 1965, Mrs. Carmichael had moved to California, and was trying to break into show business in “Lucy the Stunt Man” (TLS S4;E5). 

The following month he was back on the Desilu lot for an appearance as a bell hop on “The Andy Griffith Show,” although it was not set in Mayberry, but in Hollywood, where the Taylors were visiting to make a movie about Andy’s life. The episode also featured “Lucy” regulars Herb Vigran, Sid Melton, Ross Elliott, and Hayden Rorke.

Like many “Lucy” cast members, Quillan was featured on “Batman”, playing a Newsie in “Batman’s Anniversary” in February 1967.

He also made two appearances on “Gomer Pyle USMC” which was filmed on Desilu / Paramount. The series once did a cross-over episode with “The Lucy Show” in November 1966 featuring Jim Nabors as Gomer Pyle. Quillan’s episodes aired in 1967 and 1968, the second of which was titled “Goodbye, Dolly!” Coincidentally, in 1969 Quillan had an uncredited role in the movie musical of Hello, Dolly! starring Barbra Streisand. The musical was also the inspiration for an episode of “The Lucy Show” in 1965. 

From 1968 to 1971, Quillan had a recurring role on TV’s groundbreaking series, “Julia”. He played Eddie Edson for 17 of their 86 episode run. 

Both Quillan and Lucille Ball had roles in the 1967 feature film A Guide for the Married Man.

In December 1970,Quillan played a cab driver on “Here’s Lucy” episode “Lucy, The Part-Time Wife” (HL S3;E14).  

“Casting directors are so young these days they haven’t a clue as to who I am or what I’ve done. How do you tell someone you’ve been in over 100 movies?“ ~ Eddie Quillan, 1972

His last appearance with Lucille Ball was also the last episode of “Here’s Lucy,” “Lucy Fights The System” (HL S6;E24) in March 1974. Quillan played Mr. Jackson, part of the ‘No Reservations’ foursome at the restaurant where much of the action is set. 

He continued acting on television, making his final screen appearance on a 1987 episode of “Matlock,” which re-united him with Andy Griffith. 

Quillan died on July 19, 1990, at age 83.