Howard Mann

Howard Mann (June 20, 1923 – September 18, 2008) was an American actor and comedian. Mann appeared on television, film and commercials during his 40-year-long career in the entertainment industry. Some of his most recent roles in the 2000s included Pushing Daisies and The Starter Wife.[1] Despite his dozens of film and television credits in his resume, Mann wrote that he had "probably been turned down more times than a blanket," in a guest column in the Los Angeles Times in 2006.[2]

Howard Mann
Born
Howard Mendelsohn

June 20, 1923
New York City, New York, U.S.
DiedSeptember 18, 2008 (aged 85)
Los Angeles, California, U.S.
EducationCity College of New York
Occupation(s)Actor, comedian

Early life

Mann was born Howard Mendelsohn in 1923 in New York City. He graduated from the City College of New York and studied acting and comedy with Zero Mostel, Herbert Berghof, and William Hickey.[2]

Career

Mann began his career in entertainment as a comedian after being laid off from his job as an advertising copywriter. Mann began performing in the Jewish entertainers circuit in resorts in New York's Borscht Belt region in the Catskill Mountains. His dozens of television appearances included Laverne & Shirley, Alice, Moonlighting and Murder, She Wrote. His film credits included Mr. Saturday Night in 1992 and the History of the World: Part I in 1981. Mann also appeared on the Merv Griffin Show and The Tonight Show Starring Johnny Carson. On stage, Mann toured the United States in a one-man show, in which he played George Washington, in 1976 in honor of the United States Bicentennial. He later portrayed the role of Oscar Madison in an off Broadway production of The Odd Couple. Beginning in the 1980s, Mann created and performed an original rap routine for senior citizens living in the San Fernando Valley.[2]

Personal life

Mann died of cancer on September 18, 2008, at Cedars-Sinai Medical Center in Los Angeles at the age of 85. He was survived by his longtime girlfriend and companion, Bea Mitz.[2]

Filmography

Film
Year Title Role Notes
1961 Blast of Silence Body Guard
1980 Wholly Moses! High Priest
1981 Going Ape! Jules Cohen
1981 History of the World, Part I Disciple
1982 O'Hara's Wife Moving man
1982 They Call Me Bruce? Joe The Finger
1992 Mr. Saturday Night Stage Manager
2001 The Medicine Show Mr. Melanoma
2003 Malibu's Most Wanted Uncle Louie

Television
Year Title Role Notes
1959, 1963 Naked City Officer Dorkin / Comptometer 2 episodes
1963, 1964 The Defenders Police Sargeant / Patrolman Burke
1966 Hawk Cop #1 Episode: "The Shivering Pigeon"
1978 Laverne & Shirley The Grand Bass Episode: "Playing the Roxy"
1978 Watch Your Mouth Mr. Welsh Episode: "Mary and Melvin"
1979 Salvage 1 Kramer 3 episodes
1979 The Misadventures of Sheriff Lobo Henchman Episode: "The Mob Comes to Orly"
1980 Alice Customer / Trucker 3 episodes
1981 Barney Miller Lou Carlisle Episode: "Lady and the Bomb"
1981 Crazy Times Mr. Candosta Television film
1983 Inspector Perez Dr. Mirakin
1983 American Playhouse Thomas Episode: "Wings"
1983 Happy Councilman Brady Television film
1984 The Jeffersons Torqovich Episode: "The Command Post"
1984 Murder, She Wrote New Holvang Cabbie Episode: "The Murder of Sherlock Holmes"
1985 Space Lawyer / Tycoon Episode: "Part III"
1985, 1987 Moonlighting Gas Station Cashier / Man on Elevator 2 episodes
1986 Cagney & Lacey Paddy Episode: "DWI"
1986 Hunter Side Episode: "Fagin 1986"
1988 Hooperman Man at Morgue Episode: "The Naked and the Dead"
1988 Webster Galileo Episode: "Heaven"
1993 The Fresh Prince of Bel-Air Mr. Gorodetsky 2 episodes
1997 Crisis Center Mort Fishman Episode: "It's a Family Affair"
1998 Seinfeld Willie, Sr. Episode: "The Dealership"
2000 Becker Fred Episode: "The Film Critic"
2001 Sabrina the Teenage Witch Harvey, the Profit Prophet Episode: "Making the Grade"
2001 Providence Webster Episode: "The Honeymoon's Over"
2001 Spin City Anthony DeMatt Episode: "Chinatown"
2002 The West Wing Senior Citizen Episode: "Election Night"
2002 The Bernie Mac Show Mel Episode: "The Sweet Life"
2003 CSI: Miami Marty Gaines Episode: "Bunk"
2003 Malcolm in the Middle Elderly Man Episode: "Day Care"
2004 Without a Trace Garden Center Manager Episode: "Shadows"
2006 I Did Not Know That Thomas 'The Schnoz' Lipinski Television film
2007 Pushing Daisies Elderly Man Episode: "The Fun in Funeral"
2008 The Starter Wife Karl 3 episodes

References
  1. "Comic, actor Howard Mann dies". Variety. 2008-10-13. Retrieved 2008-10-14.
  2. "Passings Howard Mann, Actor did a rap routine on aging". Los Angeles Times. 2008-09-23. Archived from the original on September 29, 2008. Retrieved 2008-10-14.
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