Milton Berle

Milton Berle (July 12, 1908 – March 27, 2002) was an American comedian and actor. Berle's career as an entertainer spanned over 80 years, first in silent films and on stage as a child actor, then in radio, movies and television. As the host of NBC's Texaco Star Theater (1948–55), he was the first major American television star and was known to millions of viewers as "Uncle Miltie" and "Mr. Television" during TV's golden age.

Early life[edit | edit source]

Milton Berle was born Mendel Berlinger in Harlem, New York. He was raised in a Jewish family with five children. His father, Moses Berlinger, was a paint and varnish salesman. His mother, Sarah (Sadie) Glantz Berlinger, eventually became stage-struck and changed her name to Sandra Berle when Milton became famous.

Career[edit | edit source]

Berle entered show business at the age of five when he won an amateur talent contest. He appeared as a child actor in silent films, beginning with The Perils of Pauline, attended Professional Children's School, and continued to play child roles in many silent films. He was the natural comedian of the family and often dressed in his mother's clothes and imitated her.

In the early days of television, Berle was one of its most popular stars, earning the nickname "Mr. Television". His variety series, Texaco Star Theater, was a major hit, earning him the first Emmy Award for Outstanding Lead Actor in a Comedy Series in 1950.

Personal life and death[edit | edit source]

Berle was married three times. He had one child with his first wife, Joyce Mathews, and adopted two children with his third wife, Ruth Cosgrove. He was a lifelong smoker and was diagnosed with colon cancer in his late 70s. He died in 2002 at the age of 93.

Legacy[edit | edit source]

Berle's influence as a comedian and television pioneer is widely recognized. He was posthumously awarded the Academy of Television Arts & Sciences Lifetime Achievement Award in 2009. His contributions to the industry have been honored with a star on the Hollywood Walk of Fame.