Nationality United States Name Bert Wheeler Known for Wheeler & Woolsey | Years active 1929-1962 Occupation Actor Role Comedian | |
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Spouse Patsy Orr (m. 1952–1956) Children Patricia Walters, Patricia Anne Wheeler Grandchildren Michael Walters, Margaret Bonita Movies Rio Rita, Hook - Line and Sinker, Diplomaniacs, Half Shot at Sunrise, Peach O'Reno Similar People Robert Woolsey, Fred Guiol, William A Seiter, Edward F Cline, Edna May Oliver | ||
Half Shot at Sunrise 1930
Albert Jerome "Bert" Wheeler (April 7, 1895 – January 18, 1968) was an American comedian who performed in Broadway theatre, American comedy feature films, and vaudeville acts. He was the comedy partner of Robert Woolsey, and together they formed a successful double act called Wheeler & Woolsey.
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Biography
Wheeler was born in Paterson, New Jersey on April 7, 1895.
He worked with Robert Woolsey on Broadway until their film debut in 1929, Rio Rita, established them in the Hollywood film industry.
In the early 1940s, after Robert Woolsey had died, Bert Wheeler struggled to restart his career. Their friend and former film costar Dorothy Lee agreed to tour with him in a vaudeville act. He also worked on radio on programs starring Frank Sinatra.
He continued to work off and on through the 1960s. His later appearances were mostly on American television; his last theatrical films were two slapstick short films for Columbia Pictures, filmed in 1950 and produced by Jules White. In 1955 Wheeler co-starred with Keith Larsen in the CBS western series Brave Eagle; Wheeler played the "half-breed" Smokey Joe, known for his tall tales and tribal wisdom.
Bert Wheeler died of emphysema in New York City on January 18, 1968.
Filmography
(As per the AFI database)
Marriages
Wheeler was married five times, his longest marriage was with Olga Desmondae Rieman, a former vaudevillian singer. His only child, with Speer, was Patricia Anne Wheeler, who died of cancer, the same year as her father.
Dvd Releases
Nine of Wheeler's 21 movies were released in a DVD collection entitled "Wheeler & Woolsey: RKO Comedy Classics Collection" in March 2013 by Warner Archive.