Known For
Acting
Known Credits
53
Gender
Male
Birthday
September 17, 1904 (121 years old)
Place of Birth
Boston, Massachusetts, USA
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).
| 2017 | This Is Bob Hope...as Self (archive footage) | |
| 2002 | Entertaining the Troops: Bob Hope & the USOas Self (archive footage) | |
| 1996 | Bob Hope: Laughing With the Presidentsas Self (archive footage) | |
| 1988 | Happy Birthday, Bob: 50 Stars Salute Your 50 Years with NBCas Self (archive footage) (uncredited) | |
| 1977 | Don't Push, I'll Charge When I'm Readyas Self | |
| 1976 | Bob Hope's World of Comedyas Self (archive footage) | |
| 1976 | Joysas Self | |
| 1974 | Dinah!as Self | |
| 1966 | The Monkeesas Dr. Mann | |
| 1962 | The Road to Hong Kongas Man Looking For Match (uncredited) | |
| 1958 | Andy Hardy Comes Homeas Doc | |
| 1957 | Pinocchioas Ringmaster | |
| 1956 | The Rosemary Clooney Showas Self | |
| 1956 | Meet Me in Las Vegasas Jerry Colonna | |
| 1955 | Music Landas Narrator (archive footage) | |
| 1954 | Climax!as Stan | |
| 1952 | Ellis in Freedomlandas The Waste-away (voice) | |
| 1951 | Alice in Wonderlandas March Hare (voice) | |
| 1951 | Operation Wonderlandas Self | |
| 1951 | Kentucky Jubileeas Jerry Harris | |
| 1950 | The Colgate Comedy Houras Self | |
| 1950 | The Brave Engineeras Narrator | |
| 1950 | What's My Line?as Self | |
| 1947 | Road to Rioas Jerry Colonna | |
| 1946 | Casey at the Batas Narrator | |
| 1946 | Make Mine Musicas Narrator (segment "Casey at the Bat") (voice) | |
| 1946 | Road to Utopiaas Man on Boat to Alaska (uncredited) | |
| 1945 | It's in the Bag!as Dr. Greengrass | |
| 1944 | G.I. Journalas Self | |
| 1944 | Atlantic Cityas The Professor | |
| 1944 | Musical Movielandas The Texas Tornado | |
| 1943 | Stars on Horsebackas | |
| 1942 | Ice Capades Revueas Theophilus J. Twitchell | |
| 1942 | Priorities on Paradeas Jeep Jackson | |
| 1942 | True to the Armyas Pvt. 'Pinky' Fothergill | |
| 1942 | Star Spangled Rhythmas Jerry Colonna | |
| 1941 | Hedda Hopper's Hollywood No. 1as Self (uncredited) | |
| 1941 | Ice-Capadesas Colonna | |
| 1941 | Sis Hopkinsas Professor | |
| 1941 | You're the Oneas Dr. Colonna | |
| 1940 | Melody and Moonlightas Abner Kellogg | |
| 1940 | Comin' Round the Mountainas Argyle Phifft | |
| 1940 | Road to Singaporeas Achilles Bombanassa | |
| 1939 | Naughty but Niceas Allie Gray | |
| 1939 | Sweepstakes Winneras Nick, the Chef | |
| 1938 | Swingtime in the Moviesas The Texas Tornado | |
| 1938 | Garden of the Moonas Musician | |
| 1938 | Valley of the Giantsas Saloon Singer | |
| 1938 | Little Miss Broadwayas Band Member | |
| 1938 | Port of Seven Seasas Arab Rug Dealer | |
| 1938 | The Star Reporteras Singer-Freddie Rich Orchestra | |
| 1937 | Rosalieas Joseph | |
| 1936 | Song Hits on Paradeas |