Eddie Albert Biography, Life, Interesting Facts

Childhood And Early Life

Actor Eddie Albert was born on the 22 April 1906 in Rock Island, Illinois. He was the eldest child of Julia Jones and Frank Heimberger. When he was still a young child, his realtor father moved the family to Minneapolis.

Education

Eddie Albert graduated from Central High School in Minneapolis (1926) and then enrolled at the University of Minnesota where he did a degree in business studies. He also studied drama.

Rise To Fame

Upon leaving university, Eddie Albert started working in the business world, but this coincided with the stock market crash of 1929. Forced to look for work wherever he could find gainful employment, he worked as a trapeze artist, entertainer, and salesman. He also began to find work on radio and was co-host of The Honeymooners - Grace and Eddie Show. He soon found work on stage and appeared in Brother Rat (1936), Room Service (1937-1938) and The Boys From Syracuse (1938-1939). 

He was exposed to television for the first time and became one of the earliest actors in the U.S. to work in the medium. His play, The Love Nest, specially written for television was broadcast in 1937. Eddie Albert appeared on Broadway in the musical The Boys from Syracuse (1938) and the same year made his film debut alongside Ronald Reagan and Jane Wyman in Brother Rat (1938). He went on to star in On Your Toes
 
In World War II  Eddie Albert was in the U.S. Coast Guard (1942-1943) and was then made a lieutenant in the U.S. Naval Reserve. He distinguished himself in a rescue operation and was awarded the Bronze Star

During the 1940s and 1950s, Eddie Albert continued acting in film including The Fuller Brush Girl (1950), Carrie (1952), Roman Holiday (1953).  Oklahoma! (1955), Who’s Got the Action (1962).

On television, Eddie  Albert’s very first series was Leave It To Larry (1952-1953) on CBS. Eddie Albert was then given his own daytime programme on CBS, The Eddie Albert Show (1953). Other television work includes: Petticoat Junction (1965-1968), The Lives of Benjamin Franklin (1974-1975), Falcon Crest (1987) and Spider-Man (1996-1997)

And in 1954, he started hosting a new show, Saturday Night Revue on NBC. He was often a guest star on various television shows.

Philanthropic Works  Humanitarian Work

As a committed environmentalist, Eddie Albert used his celebrity to speak out on various issues. In 1970, he was involved with the inaugural Earth Day.

Disease And Disabilities

In 1995, Eddie Albert was diagnosed with Alzheimer’s Disease.

Awards And Achievements

Over the course of his career, Eddie Albert won many nominations including two Oscar Best Actor in a Supporting Role for Roman Holiday (1953) and The Heartbreak Kid (1972). He also won the National Society of Film Critics Awards, USA in 1972 for The Heartbreak Kid (1972). And in 1960 Albert was given a star on the Hollywood Walk of Fame.

Eddie Albert married Mexican entertainer Margo, and the couple had two children, Edward and Maria. His son, Edward Albert (1951-2006) was also an actor. Eddie Albert died on the 26 May 2005 in Los Angeles California.

Controversies

Because of his wife, Maria had left-wing political views; she was branded a Communist during and put on a blacklist. Later Albert said in an interview that this made it hard for him to get work and had affected his career.