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Discover›Media & entertainment
Contents
Jonathan Winters
Comedian

Jonathan Winters

Famoose for

Creating improvisational characters and comic voices.

It’s a Mad, Mad, Mad, Mad World · Winters’ Tales

Born
11 November 1925
Birthplace
Dayton
Died
11 April 2013

More people

Joseph PulitzerBuilding influential newspapers and endowing the Pulitzer Prizes.Conan O’BrienHosting late-night television with absurd sketches and self-deprecating humour.Fred AstaireMaking dance central to Hollywood musicals, especially with Ginger Rogers.

Jonathan Winters

Jonathan Winters was an American comedian and actor whose spontaneous character work influenced generations of performers.

Early life

Education

Served in the Marines during the Second World War, then attended Kenyon College and studied cartooning at Dayton Art Institute.

Career

  1. Early career

    Radio

    Developed characters while working as a broadcaster in Ohio.

  2. 1954

    Network television

    Appeared on Chance of a Lifetime.

  3. 1960

    Comedy recordings

    Released The Wonderful World of Jonathan Winters.

  4. 1991

    Emmy Award

    Won for Davis Rules.

Selected work

It’s a Mad, Mad, Mad, Mad World

Played truck driver Lennie Pike.

Winters’ Tales

Published short stories.

The Smurfs

Voiced Grandpa Smurf and later Papa Smurf.

Beyond work

Visual art

Painted and exhibited drawings and silkscreens.

Sources & photo creditBiography and career ↗Biographical references ↗

Original photograph. Cropped and displayed in monochrome.

Photo: Unknown photographer. Public domain · Original image. Cropped and displayed in monochrome.