Danny Kaye

Personal Info

Known For
Acting
Born
January 18, 1911 (76 years old)
Died
March 3, 1987
Place of Birth
Brooklyn, New York City, New York, USA
Popular Genres
Comedy Music Documentary
Career Span
1937 – 2017

Danny Kaye

1 win
27 nominations
59 credits

Danny Kaye (born David Daniel Kaminsky; January 18, 1911 – March 3, 1987) was a celebrated American actor, singer, dancer, and comedian. His best known performances featured physical comedy, idiosyncratic pantomimes, and rapid-fire nonsense songs.

Kaye starred in 17 movies, notably The Kid from Brooklyn (1946), The Secret Life of Walter Mitty (1947), The Inspector General (1949), Hans Christian Andersen (1952), White Christmas (1954), and — perhaps his most accomplished performance — The Court Jester (1956). His films were extremely popular, especially his bravura performances of patter songs and children's favorites such as The Inch Worm and The Ugly Duckling. He was the first ambassador-at-large of UNICEF and received the French Legion of Honor in 1986 for his many years of work with the organization.

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Personal Info

Born
Jan 18, 1911
From
Brooklyn, New York City, New York, USA
Known For
Acting
Career
1937 – 2017

Known For

And the Oscar Goes To...
And the Oscar Goes To...
2014
as Self (archive footage)
Night of 100 Stars II
Night of 100 Stars II
1985
as Self
The Inspector General
The Inspector General
1949
as Georgi
The Secret Life of Walter Mitty
The Secret Life of Walter Mitty
1947
as Walter Mitty
That's Dancing!
That's Dancing!
1985
as From 'White Christmas' (archive footage)
Hollywood's Funniest All-Star Bloopers
Hollywood's Funniest All-Star Bloopers
1985
as Self (archive footage)
White Christmas
White Christmas
1954
as Phil Davis
On the Double
On the Double
1961
as Pfc. Ernie Williams
Hans Christian Andersen
Hans Christian Andersen
1952
as Hans Christian Andersen
It's a Great Feeling
It's a Great Feeling
1949
as Danny Kaye (uncredited)
Here Comes Peter Cottontail
Here Comes Peter Cottontail
1971
as Seymour S. Sassafras / Colonel Wellington B. Bunny / Antoine (voice)
The Madwoman of Chaillot
The Madwoman of Chaillot
1969
as The Ragpicker

Frequent Collaborators

Donald O'Connor
Donald O'Connor
3 shared projects
in "That's Dancing!"
 View Shared Movies
Ginger Rogers
Ginger Rogers
3 shared projects
in "That's Dancing!"
 View Shared Movies
Ellen Burstyn
Ellen Burstyn
2 shared projects
in "Night of 100 Stars II"
 View Shared Movies
Billy Crystal
Billy Crystal
2 shared projects
in "Night of 100 Stars II"
 View Shared Movies
Liza Minnelli
Liza Minnelli
2 shared projects
in "That's Dancing!"
 View Shared Movies
Robert Altman
Robert Altman
2 shared projects
in "The Secret Life of Walter Mitty"
 View Shared Movies
Fred Astaire
Fred Astaire
2 shared projects
in "That's Dancing!"
 View Shared Movies
Fay Bainter
Fay Bainter
2 shared projects
in "The Secret Life of Walter Mitty"
 View Shared Movies
James Cagney
James Cagney
2 shared projects
in "That's Dancing!"
 View Shared Movies
Dyan Cannon
Dyan Cannon
2 shared projects
in "Night of 100 Stars II"
 View Shared Movies
Diahann Carroll
Diahann Carroll
2 shared projects
in "Night of 100 Stars II"
 View Shared Movies
George Chakiris
George Chakiris
2 shared projects
in "That's Dancing!"
 View Shared Movies

Award Recognition

1
Win
27
Nominations

Complete Filmography

2017

À la recherche de... Pierre Richard as Self - Actor (archive footage)

2015

Mary Tyler Moore: A Celebration as Self (archive footage) Award
The Clinger Sisters: The First Girls of Rock & Roll as Self (archive footage)

2014

And the Oscar Goes To... as Self (archive footage) Award
Bing Crosby: Rediscovered as Self (archive footage)

2002

Edith Head: The Paramount Years as (archive footage)

2000

Hollywood Musicals of the 40's as Self (archive footage)
'White Christmas': A Look Back with Rosemary Clooney as Phil Davis (archive footage) (uncredited)

1997

The Silver Screen: Color Me Lavender as Self (archive footage) Award
Sports on the Silver Screen as Self (archive footage)
Bogart: The Untold Story as Self (archive footage) (uncredited)
Christmas Unwrapped: The History of Christmas as Phil Davis (archive footage)

1993

The Best Of Danny Kaye - The Television Years as Self (archive footage)

1985

Night of 100 Stars II as Self Award
That's Dancing! as From 'White Christmas' (archive footage) Award
Hollywood's Funniest All-Star Bloopers as Self (archive footage) Award

1982

Showbiz Goes to War as (archive footage) Award
EPCOT Center: The Opening Celebration as Self

1981

Skokie as Max Feldman Award
Musical Comedy Tonight II as Self
An Evening with Danny Kaye and the New York Philharmonic as Self

1980

Kraft Salutes Disneyland's 25th Anniversary as Self - Host Award

1979

The Hollywood Clowns as (archive footage)

1976

Peter Pan as Captain Hook / Mr. Darling Award
CBS Salutes Lucy: The First 25 Years as Self
Pinocchio as Boris Stroganoff / Geppetto

1972

Hans Christian Andersen's The Emperor's New Clothes as Self / Marmaduke (voice)

1971

Here Comes Peter Cottontail as Seymour S. Sassafras / Colonel Wellington B. Bunny / Antoine (voice) Award

1969

The Madwoman of Chaillot as The Ragpicker Award

1965

Salute to Stan Laurel as Self

1963

The Man from the Diners' Club as Ernest Klenk
Danny Kaye Christmas Show as Self - Host
The Sound of Laughter as Nikolai Nikolayevich

1961

On the Double as Pfc. Ernie Williams Award

1960

Lifetime of Comedy as (archive footage)

1959

The Five Pennies as Red Nichols

1958

Merry Andrew as Andrew Larabee
Me and the Colonel as S.L. Jacobowsky

1955

The Court Jester as Hubert Hawkins
Assignment Children as Self/Narrator

1954

White Christmas as Phil Davis Award
Knock on Wood as Jerry Morgan Award

1952

Hans Christian Andersen as Hans Christian Andersen Award

1951

On the Riviera as Jack Martin / Henri Duran Award

1949

The Inspector General as Georgi Award
It's a Great Feeling as Danny Kaye (uncredited) Award
Task Force as Officer at the Dance (uncredited)
Breakdowns of 1949 as Self

1948

A Song Is Born as Hobart Frisbee

1947

The Secret Life of Walter Mitty as Walter Mitty Award

1946

The Kid from Brooklyn as Burleigh Sullivan

1945

Wonder Man as Edwin Dingle / Buzzy Bellew

1944

Up in Arms as Danny Weems
I Am an American as Self (uncredited)

1942

Night Shift as Danny Kaye

1938

Cupid Takes a Holiday as Nikolai Nikolaevich
Money on Your Life as Nikolai Nikolaevich
Getting an Eyeful as Nikolai Nikolaevich

1937

Dime a Dance as Eddie

Photos & Videos

Featured in Trailers

The Inspector General
The Secret Life of Walter Mitty
That's Dancing!
White Christmas
It's a Great Feeling

Career Statistics

Roles by Genre
Genre Evolution