Biography for
Eddie Albert More at IMDbPro »

Date of Birth

22 April 1906, Rock Island, Illinois, USA

Date of Death

26 May 2005, Pacific Palisades, California, USA (pneumonia)

Birth Name

Edward Albert Heimberger

Height

5' 11" (1.80 m)

Mini Biography

A graduate of the University of Minnesota, Eddie Albert was a circus trapeze flier before becoming a stage and radio actor. He made his film debut in 1938 and has worked steadily since, often cast as the friendly, good-natured buddy of the hero but occasionally being cast as a villain; one of his most memorable roles was as the cowardly, glory-seeking army officer in Robert Aldrich's World War 2 film, Attack (1956).

IMDb Mini Biography By: frankfob2@yahoo.com

Mini Biography

Eddie Albert's television career is the earliest of any other performer. It began years before electronic television was introduced to the public. In June of 1936 Eddie appeared in RCA/NBC's first private live performance for their radio licensees in New York City. This was very early experimental all electronic television system. Due to the primitive nature of these early cameras it was necessary for him to apply heavy make-up and endure tremendous heat from studio lighting. The basic makeup was green toned with purple lipstick for optimal image transmission by RCA's iconoscope pick up cameras. Since television was experimental Eddie applied his own make-up and even wrote the script for this performance. His co-star was Grace Brandt.

IMDb Mini Biography By: Steve Restelli

Spouse

Margo

(5 December 1945 - 17 July 1985) (her death) 2 children

Trade Mark

Often played cowardly and bad guy roles with unethical values.

Trivia

Father of actor Edward Albert and Maria Albert Zucht. Two granddaughters.

Served in the United States Navy during WWII

Was an active participant in the battle of Tarawa (Nov. 1943), one of the bloodiest battles of World War II and in the history of the U.S. Marine Corps. Albert was credited with rescuing up to 70 wounded Marines while under enemy fire. He was awarded the Bronze Star with a combat "V". He did not speak about this publicly until it was mentioned in several television documentaries about the battle in the 1990s.

Because of his his early work with environmental causes and groups, when International Earth Day was created, it was decided it must be held on April 22 because that was his birthday.

Father-in-law of actress Katherine Woodville.

He and his wife Margo, a Mexican actress/singer, whom he married after the war, had a nightclub act.

An avid environmentalist, he shared his concerns on TV on the "The Tonight Show Starring Johnny Carson" (1962) and "Today" (1952) shows and lectured everywhere from high schools and industrial conventions. He produced films to aid in campaigns against pollution. He also helped to launch the very first "Earth Day" on April 22, 1970, his birthday.

Son Edward Albert was his primary caregiver during his last years battling with Alzheimer's disease. Was healthy and physically active a month before his death at age 99.

Father was a real estate agent.

Attended the University of Minnestoa where he studied drama.

Hired by the government, he went on "sailing" expeditions and reported Nazi and Japanese activity in the Baja, California and Mexico areas He once joined a Mexican circus act owned by the Escalante Brothers and while touring as a "flyer" in a trapeze act gathered intelligence.

Also presided over a game show and two variety shows in the early 1950s.

His real name was Eddie Albert Heimberger. He changed his name early on while he was singing on radio with a trio. It seems the announcer kept introducing him as "Eddie Hamburger" so he dropped his last name and adopted his middle name as his last.

Turned down the lead series roles in "My Three Sons" (1960) and "Mister Ed" (1961) in order to actively pursue his movie career.

Buried not too far from his "Green Acres" (1965) co-star Eva Gabor at Westwood Memorial in Los Angeles, California.

Grandfather of Thais Albert.

He wrote the first original drama for television in 1936 as well as writing dozens of small scripts for RCA.

Classmate (Minneapolis Central High School, 1926) of actress Ann Sothern, then known as Harriette Lake.

Was very good friends with Jane Wyman, Eva Gabor, Shirley Jones and Gregory Peck.

His son, Edward Albert Jr., died just over a year after his father, from lung cancer.

His future "Switch" (1975) co-star, Robert Wagner, had seen him in the movie Brother Rat (1938) at the time of its release. He said that even though he was only eight years old, he was impressed by Albert's talent.

Three of the surviving cast members of "Green Acres" (1965) attended his funeral, on 26 May 2005, co-star, Tom Lester was not present. Albert once stated Lester was his closest and best friend.

He had 12 hobbies: jogging, swimming, golfing, world travel, organic gardening, sculpting, beekeeping, wine making, sailing, boating, reading and playing guitar.

Began his contract career for Warner Bros. in 1936.

Before he was a successful actor, he almost did everything at an early age, from working as a newspaper boy to that of an insurance salesman.

Best remembered by the public for his starring role as the big-city lawyer turned farmer Oliver Wendell Douglas in "Green Acres" (1965).

Biography in: "The Scribner Encyclopedia of American Lives". Volume 7, 2003-2005, pages 5-7. Farmington Hills, MI: Thomson Gale, 2007.

When his son Edward Albert Jr. was 18, he and his father both sailed to the Anacapa Island off the coast of California, to examine the effects of DDT on the pelican population.

In third grade, he was taunted as "the enemy" by his classmates, during World War I.

To hide the fact that he was born out of wedlock, his mother altered his birth certificate to read 1908. However, his son, Edward Albert Jr., confirmed Eddie Sr. was actually born in 1906.

Graduated from Central High School in Minneapolis, Minnesota in 1924.

Born at 11:30 am-PST.

In high school, he joined the Drama Department.

Founder of City Children's Farms, a program for involving inner-city children in farming, and the Eddie Albert Trees Foundation.

Was a spokesperson for the National Arbor Day Foundation from 1985 to 1993.

Was a huge fan of "Falcon Crest" (1981) that starred his old friend Jane Wyman, and had a recurring role in 1987.

His wife, Margo, died in 1985, just five months before the couple's 40th wedding anniversary.

Met Margo while on leave of duty, and were married in late 1945.

Before he was a successful actor, he was also a soda jerk and a singer in a pop band.

Remained good friends with Tom Lester during and after "Green Acres" (1965).

Remained good friends with Robert Wagner during and after "Switch" (1975).

Was very disappointed when "Green Acres" (1965) was canceled at the end of the sixth season, because of the infamous rural purge that axed all shows in 1971.

Was an active Democrat.

Personal Quotes

[on "Green Acres" (1965)] The comedy is like "Pickwick Papers", or "Gulliver's Travels", or Voltaire. It's so far out that it becomes truth, deep truth.

I don't really care how I am remembered as long as I bring happiness and joy to people.

[on why he accepted the role on "Green Acres" (1965)] Everyone gets tired of the rat race. Everyone would like to chuck it all and grow some carrots. It's basic. Sign me. I knew it would be successful. Had to be. It's about the atavistic urge, and people have been getting a charge out of that ever since Aristophanes wrote about the plebes and the city folk.

[on his post-war career] I took everything they could throw at me, pictures like The Dude Goes West (1948) and The Fuller Brush Girl (1950). I worked myself back up, but I never wanted to be a star. I was aiming to play the star's best friend.

What's the most important thing in the world? It's love, and I look at that as an energy, not a sentiment.

[In a personal journal he has written]: By the time I leave this Earth, I hope to have improved our relationships here and now, so that in the next generation my son, daughter and friends have my shoulders on which to stand, so it's easier to make their contribution.

[When asked about doing newspapers at an early age, and missed some of the people he kept in contact]: You throw a paper on the porch, but you don't sit down and have a talk...and that's where the real education comes from. And so I missed those best years and I find it difficult for me, in groups, to be comfortable. It's a little late to find that out.

[About "Green Acres" (1965)]: The show is a comment on how insane our society is. The writing was very light and very weird, but it had a profound base under it that none of us knew. Come to think of it, neither did we.

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