Dick Shawn
Acting
Dick Shawn (December 1, 1923 – April 17, 1987) was an American actor. Way ahead of his time most say, it was extremely difficult indeed to know how to properly tap into this man's eclectic talents. Shawn began inching toward the forefront during the be-bop 50s and early 60s with his odd penchant for playing cool cats. During his mild bid for film stardom, he was top-billed as a hip, laid back genie in the thoroughly dismal satire The Wizard of Baghdad (1960), but seemed to have better luck when taken in smaller doses. He fared quite well opposite another "way-out-there" comedian, Ernie Kovacs, in Wake Me When It's Over (1960) as a hustling soldier out to make a buck in the Far East. Also on the plus side, he replaced Zero Mostel in the bawdy musical "A Funny Thing Happened on the Way to the Forum" on Broadway and stole a small scene in the all-star epic comedy It's a Mad Mad Mad Mad World (1963). By far, the one role that completely overshadows all of his other hard work is his mock portrayal of a singing Adolf Hitler in the show-within-a-movie The Producers (1968). In the film, which starred Mostel and Gene Wilder as two con artists deliberately producing a stage "bomb" called "Springtime for Hitler," Shawn sang the hammy, absurdly narcissistic song "Love Power." The movie finally captured Shawn in his element, but this stroke of genius of matching actor to role would never happen again for him. For the most part his roles came off slick and smarmy, and were stuck in mediocre material. Shawn won a huge fan base, however, touring in one-man stage shows which contained a weird mix of songs, sketches, satire, philosophy and even pantomime. A bright, innovative wit, one of his best touring shows was called "The Second Greatest Entertainer in the World." During the show's intermission, Shawn would lie visibly on the stage floor absolutely still during the entire time. By freakish coincidence, Shawn was performing at the University of California at San Diego in 1987 when he suddenly fell forward on the stage during one of his spiels about the Holocaust. The audience, of course, laughed, thinking it was just a part of his odd shtick. In actuality, the 63-year-old married actor with four children had suffered a fatal heart attack. A not-surprising end for this thoroughly offbeat and intriguing personality.
The Year Without a Santa Claus
as Snow Miser (voice)
Age 51 (now 63)
It's a Mad, Mad, Mad, Mad World
as Sylvester Marcus
Age 39 (now 63)
What Did You Do in the War, Daddy?
as Captain Lionel Cash
Age 42 (now 63)
Good-bye Cruel World
as Rodney Pointsetter / Ainsley Pointsetter
Age 58 (now 63)
Something a Little Less Serious: A Tribute to 'It's a Mad Mad Mad Mad World'
as Self (archive footage) (uncredited)
Age 67 (now 63)
The Secret Diary of Sigmund Freud
as The Ultimate Patient
Age 60 (now 63)
Good-bye Cruel World
as Rodney Pointsetter / Ainsley Pointsetter
Age 58 (now 63)
Playboy's 25th Anniversary Celebration
as Self
Age 55 (now 63)
The Year Without a Santa Claus
as Snow Miser (voice)
Age 51 (now 63)
Annie: The Women in the Life of a Man
as Himself
Age 46 (now 63) What Did You Do in the War, Daddy?
as Captain Lionel Cash
Age 42 (now 63) It's a Mad, Mad, Mad, Mad World
as Sylvester Marcus
Age 39 (now 63)
Bob Hope Presents the Chrysler Theatre
The Tonight Show Starring Johnny Carson
as Self
Age 38 (now 63)
The DuPont Show with June Allyson
as Charlie Wilson
Age 35 (now 63)
Gathering insights...
Also Known As
Richard Schulefand
IMDB
nm0790071