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Edward Everett Horton
From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia
Edward Everett Horton (March 18, 1886–September 29, 1970) was an American character actor with a long career including motion pictures, theater, radio, television and voice work for animated cartoons.
Horton was born in Brooklyn, New York to Isabella S. Diack and Edward Everett Horton. His mother was born in Matanzas, Cuba to Mary Orr and George Diack, immigrants from Scotland.[1] Horton attended Brooklyn Polytechnic and Columbia University, where he was a member of Phi Kappa Psi Fraternity.
Horton started his stage career in 1906, singing and dancing and playing small parts in Vaudeville and in Broadway productions. In 1919, he moved to Los Angeles, California, and started getting roles in Hollywood films. His first starring role was in the 1922 comedy film Too Much Business, and he portrayed the lead role of an idealistic young classical composer in Beggar on Horseback in 1925. After a few years he began being cast as a character actor in supporting roles. Some of his noteworthy films include The Front Page, Trouble in Paradise, Top Hat (one of several Astaire–Rogers movies Horton was in), Holiday, Lost Horizon, Here Comes Mr. Jordan, Pocketful of Miracles, and Arsenic and Old Lace.
In the 1950s Horton started doing television work. Many who were young in the 1960s remember him as the narrator for the "Fractured Fairy Tales" segment of the Rocky & Bullwinkle cartoon show. Later he played Chief Roaring Chicken in the sitcom F Troop. His last role, as a moribund tobacco company president in a wheelchair, was in the motion picture Cold Turkey, released after his death.
Edward Everett Horton died of cancer at age 84 in Encino, California. His name was paid respect by British comedian Kenny Everett, who adopted his stage-name after Horton.