Jerry Colonna
From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia Gerardo Luigi "Jerry" Colonna (September 17, 1904 – November 22, 1986) was an American musician, actor, comedian, singer, songwriter and trombonist best remembered as the zaniest of Bob Hope's sidekicks in Hope's popular radio shows and films of the 1940s and 1950s. With his pop-eyed facial expressions and walrus-sized handlebar moustache, Colonna was known for singing loudly "in a comic caterwaul," according to Raised on Radio author Gerald Nachman, and for his catchphrase, "Who's Yehudi?", uttered after many an old joke, although it usually had nothing to do with the joke. The line was believed to be named for violin virtuoso Yehudi Menuhin, and the search for Yehudi became a running gag on the Hope show. Colonna featured in three of the popular Hope-Crosby Road films: Road to Singapore (1940) as Achilles Bombassa, Road to Rio (1947) as a Cavalry captain and The Road to Hong Kong (1962) in a cameo role. He can also be seen in the Fred Allen vehicle, It's in the Bag! (1945), as psychiatrist Dr. Greenglass, and he made a brief appearance with Hope in the "Wife, Husband and Wolf" sketch in Star Spangled Rhythm. In 1956 he performed the featured song "My Lucky Charm" in the film Meet Me in Las Vegas, starring Dan Dailey and Cyd Charisse. He provided the voice of the March Hare in the Walt Disney animated film version of Alice in Wonderland (1951) (another radio legend, Ed Wynn, voiced the Mad Hatter) and also lent his zany narration style to several Disney shorts, including Casey at the Bat (1946) and The Brave Engineer (1950).
Filmography
This Is Bob Hope...
as Self (archive footage)
This Is Bob Hope...
as Self (archive footage)
Entertaining the Troops: Bob Hope & the USO
as Self (archive footage)
Entertaining the Troops: Bob Hope & the USO
as Self (archive footage)
Bob Hope: Laughing With the Presidents
as Self (archive footage)
Bob Hope: Laughing With the Presidents
as Self (archive footage)
Happy Birthday, Bob: 50 Stars Salute Your 50 Years with NBC
as Self (archive footage) (uncredited)
Happy Birthday, Bob: 50 Stars Salute Your 50 Years with NBC
as Self (archive footage) (uncredited)
Don't Push, I'll Charge When I'm Ready
as Self
Don't Push, I'll Charge When I'm Ready
as Self
Bob Hope's World of Comedy
as Self (archive footage)
Bob Hope's World of Comedy
as Self (archive footage)
Joys
as Self
Joys
as Self
The Road to Hong Kong
as Man Looking For Match (uncredited)
The Road to Hong Kong
as Man Looking For Match (uncredited)
Andy Hardy Comes Home
as Doc
Andy Hardy Comes Home
as Doc
Pinocchio
as Ringmaster
Pinocchio
as Ringmaster
Meet Me in Las Vegas
as Jerry Colonna
Meet Me in Las Vegas
as Jerry Colonna
Music Land
as Narrator (archive footage)
Music Land
as Narrator (archive footage)
Ellis in Freedomland
as The Waste-away (voice)
Ellis in Freedomland
as The Waste-away (voice)
Alice in Wonderland
as March Hare (voice)
Alice in Wonderland
as March Hare (voice)
Operation Wonderland
as Self
Operation Wonderland
as Self
Kentucky Jubilee
as Jerry Harris
Kentucky Jubilee
as Jerry Harris
The Brave Engineer
as Narrator
The Brave Engineer
as Narrator
Road to Rio
as Jerry Colonna
Road to Rio
as Jerry Colonna
Casey at the Bat
as Narrator
Casey at the Bat
as Narrator
Make Mine Music
as Narrator (segment "Casey at the Bat") (voice)
Make Mine Music
as Narrator (segment "Casey at the Bat") (voice)
Road to Utopia
as Man on Boat to Alaska (uncredited)
Road to Utopia
as Man on Boat to Alaska (uncredited)
It's in the Bag!
as Dr. Greengrass
It's in the Bag!
as Dr. Greengrass
G.I. Journal
as Self
G.I. Journal
as Self
Atlantic City
as The Professor
Atlantic City
as The Professor
Musical Movieland
as The Texas Tornado
Musical Movieland
as The Texas Tornado
Stars on Horseback
Stars on Horseback
Ice Capades Revue
as Theophilus J. Twitchell
Ice Capades Revue
as Theophilus J. Twitchell
Priorities on Parade
as Jeep Jackson
Priorities on Parade
as Jeep Jackson
True to the Army
as Pvt. 'Pinky' Fothergill
True to the Army
as Pvt. 'Pinky' Fothergill
Star Spangled Rhythm
as Jerry Colonna
Star Spangled Rhythm
as Jerry Colonna
Hedda Hopper's Hollywood No. 1
as Self (uncredited)
Hedda Hopper's Hollywood No. 1
as Self (uncredited)
Ice-Capades
as Colonna
Ice-Capades
as Colonna
Sis Hopkins
as Professor
Sis Hopkins
as Professor
You're the One
as Dr. Colonna
You're the One
as Dr. Colonna
Melody and Moonlight
as Abner Kellogg
Melody and Moonlight
as Abner Kellogg
Comin' Round the Mountain
as Argyle Phifft
Comin' Round the Mountain
as Argyle Phifft
Road to Singapore
as Achilles Bombanassa
Road to Singapore
as Achilles Bombanassa
Naughty but Nice
as Allie Gray
Naughty but Nice
as Allie Gray
Sweepstakes Winner
as Nick, the Chef
Sweepstakes Winner
as Nick, the Chef
Swingtime in the Movies
as The Texas Tornado
Swingtime in the Movies
as The Texas Tornado
Garden of the Moon
as Musician
Garden of the Moon
as Musician
Valley of the Giants
as Saloon Singer
Valley of the Giants
as Saloon Singer
Little Miss Broadway
as Band Member
Little Miss Broadway
as Band Member
Port of Seven Seas
as Arab Rug Dealer
Port of Seven Seas
as Arab Rug Dealer
The Star Reporter
as Singer-Freddie Rich Orchestra
The Star Reporter
as Singer-Freddie Rich Orchestra
Rosalie
as Joseph
Rosalie
as Joseph
Song Hits on Parade
Song Hits on Parade