Danny Kaye Biography

Danny Kaye was one of the most popular entertainers in the United States and England during the 1940s and ’50s, thanks largely to a string of successful films that showcased his witty song-and-dance routines. Kaye worked on Broadway, having success in the early ’40s with Lady in the Dark. Audiences loved his energy and clever wit and he was a popular stage performer during World War II, frequently working with material written by his wife, lyricist Sylvia Fine. He made more than a dozen popular movies, including The Secret Life of Walter Mitty (1947), The Inspector General (1959) and The Court Jester (1956). For years Kaye was a spokesman for the United Nation’s Children’s Fund, and in 1954 he was awarded a special Oscar for his humanitarian efforts. During the ’60s he was on TV, the star of The Danny Kaye Show (1963-67), but his style of entertainment was no longer the rage and his popularity waned. His last performance on screen was for the television movie Skokie (1981).