Biography for
Harry Parke More at IMDbPro »

Date of Birth

6 May 1904, Boston, Massachusetts, USA

Date of Death

24 November 1958, Los Angeles, California, USA (heart attack)

Birth Name

Harry Einstein

Spouse

Thelma Leeds	(7 February 1937 - 24 November 1958) (his death) 3 children
Lillian Anshen	(22 October 1925 - ?) (divorced) 1 child

Trivia

Died at the dais only moments after he had sat down from his comedic presentation at a Lucille Ball/Desi Arnaz Friar's Roast. When Milton Berle, seated next to him, shouted, "Is there a doctor in the house?" the audience laughed, not yet realizing that Berle was serious.

Father of Bob Einstein.

Father of Albert Brooks.

When Harry slumped down onto Milton Berle's lap on the day of Harry's death, Berle directed crooner Tony Martin to sing, attempting to divert the crowd. Martin's unfortunate song choice was "There's No Tomorrow".

Entombed at Home of Peace Memorial Park, Los Angeles, CA - Chapel Mausoleum, Corridor of Eternal Life, C-248.

Comedian/dialectician best known to old time radio buffs for his characterization of Parkyakarkus, a (stereotypically) Greek luncheonette owner whose primary talent seemed to be comically mangling the English language.

From December, 1936, to March, 1939, covering 39 episodes, he was a featured regular on Al Jolson's CBS radio show, "The Lifebuoy Program." In keeping with his mangling of language, he called Jolson both "Joslyn" and "Jostin".

Father of Charles Einstein.

Parkyakarkys was awarded a Star on the Hollywood Walk of Fame for Radio at 1708 Vine Street in Hollywood, California.