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IMDbPro

Carl Ballantine(1917-2009)

  • Actor
  • Soundtrack
IMDbProStarmeterSee rank
Carl Ballantine
Home Video Trailer from Maverick Entertainment Group
Play trailer2:01
Aimee Semple McPherson (2006)
5 Videos
18 Photos
Part of the motley crew commandeered by Ernest Borgnine on the popular 1960s TV series McHale's Navy (1962), tall, gangly, beady-eyed, bulb-nosed comic actor Carl Ballantine was better known in other ports as the ultimate "magician". Billed as "The Amazing Ballantine," "The Great Ballantine" and "Ballantine: The World's Greatest Magician" during his long career, Carl made a comedy career out of being inept -- the magician who could never finish a trick or get the trick right in the first place. So successful was he, in fact, that in 2007 actor/magician Steve Martin presented Carl with the Lifetime Achievement Fellowship from the Magic Castle in Hollywood.

The Chicago native was born Meyer Kessler in Chicago on September 27, 1917, and became fascinated by the magic tricks his barber use to show him at a young age. He immediately began studying the art. Deciding to legit as a magician, he gradually realized that his potential as a comic was much better than as a magician so he decided to spoof his magic act -- pulling up laughs instead of rabbits out of a hat. Changing his name to the more agreeable marquee moniker ("Ballantine") in the early 1940s, it took Carl some time to refine his act as a "bad" magician but eventually he found a successful formula. He later went on to perform at such top establishments as the Palace Theatre in New York, as well as a number of Las Vegas niteries (the first "magician" to do so). The act also made its way to the small screen, becoming a popular time-filler on the TV variety circuit during the 1950s and 1960s.

Carl began showing up as an actor in the early 1960s, appearing on such comedy shows as "Car 54, Where Are You?" (recurring role) before hitting the big time with McHale's Navy (1962), which was similarly styled to Phil Silvers' service comedy "Sergeant Bilko". He played crewmen Lester Gruber for four seasons. Carl also was featured in such film comedies as The Shakiest Gun in the West (1968) with Don Knotts, The World's Greatest Lover (1977) with Gene Wilder, Just You and Me, Kid (1979) with George Burns and Mr. Saturday Night (1992) with Billy Crystal. His last film was a bit part in Aimee Semple McPherson (2006) (aka "Sister Aimee"). Carl also was part of the regular cast on the sitcoms The Queen and I (1969) and One in a Million (1980). Every now and then his magician alter ego would reappear on such shows as "Fantasy Island," "Night Court" and "The Cosby Show".

In later years Carl made a strong dent in the cartoon voice-over field and lent his voice to hundreds of regular commercials, including one for the California Raisins. Long married to actress Ceil Cabot, their 45 year marriage ended with her passing on January 27, 2000. They had two daughters, Molly, and actress/voice artist Sara Ballantine. Working practically to the very end, Carl succumbed to age-related problems on November 3, 2009, at age 92.
BornSeptember 27, 1917
DiedNovember 3, 2009(92)
BornSeptember 27, 1917
DiedNovember 3, 2009(92)
IMDbProStarmeterSee rank

Photos18

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Known for

Shirley Temple in Shirley Temple's Storybook (1958)
Shirley Temple's Storybook
7.2
TV Series
  • Gonzorgo
Cloris Leachman, Susan Clark, Barbara Harris, Patsy Kelly, and Karen Valentine in The North Avenue Irregulars (1979)
The North Avenue Irregulars
6.7
  • Sam
  • 1979
Love, American Style (1969)
Love, American Style
6.8
TV Series
  • Chicken Little (segment "Love and the Newscasters")
  • Leo (segment "Love and the Shower")
William Bramley, Susie Elene, Helen Lang, Patrice Rohmer, and Jerii Woods in Revenge of the Cheerleaders (1976)
Revenge of the Cheerleaders
4.5
  • Dr. Ivory
  • 1976

Credits

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IMDbPro

Actor



  • Mimi Michaels in Sister Aimee 10th Anniversary (2018)
    Sister Aimee 10th Anniversary
    • Realtor in China
    • 2018
  • Richard Rossi 5th Anniversary of Sister Aimee (2013)
    Richard Rossi 5th Anniversary of Sister Aimee
    • Realtor in China
    • 2013
  • Life's a Joke
    Short
    • Dr. Bellum
    • 2009
  • Mimi Michaels in Aimee Semple McPherson (2006)
    Aimee Semple McPherson
    4.8
    • Realtor in China
    • 2006
  • Joe Flanigan and William Hall Jr. in Farewell to Harry (2002)
    Farewell to Harry
    6.1
    • Hickey
    • 2002
  • The Million Dollar Kid (2000)
    The Million Dollar Kid
    3.1
    • Lieutenant
    • 2000
  • Susan's Plan (1998)
    Susan's Plan
    5.1
    • Harold Beyers
    • 1998
  • Billy Crystal and Gheorghe Muresan in My Giant (1998)
    My Giant
    5.0
    • Rabbi
    • 1998
  • Christopher Daniel Barnes in Spider-Man: The Animated Series (1994)
    Spider-Man: The Animated Series
    8.4
    TV Series
    • Lenny Luntz (voice)
    • 1996
  • I Crave Rock & Roll
    • Dewey Rose
    • 1996
  • Freakazoid! (1995)
    Freakazoid!
    7.5
    TV Series
    • Huska (voice)
    • 1995
  • Oink
    5.2
    Short
    • The Doctor
    • 1995
  • Gregg Berger and Lorenzo Music in Garfield and Friends (1988)
    Garfield and Friends
    7.2
    TV Series
    • Al J. Swindler (voice)
    • 1989–1992
  • Mr. Saturday Night (1992)
    Mr. Saturday Night
    5.9
    • Freddie
    • 1992
  • Greg Evigan and Connie Sellecca in P.S.I. Luv U (1991)
    P.S.I. Luv U
    7.3
    TV Series
    • Mo Hornsby
    • 1991

Soundtrack



  • The Garry Moore Show (1958)
    The Garry Moore Show
    6.8
    TV Series
    • performer: "The Big Apple", "My Heart Belongs to Daddy", "Heigh-Ho", "You Must Have Been a Beautiful Baby" (uncredited)
    • 1958

Videos5

McHale's Navy: Season Two
Trailer 1:02
McHale's Navy: Season Two
McHale's Navy: Season Three
Trailer 1:02
McHale's Navy: Season Three
McHale's Navy: Season Three
Trailer 1:02
McHale's Navy: Season Three
McHale's Navy: Season One
Trailer 1:02
McHale's Navy: Season One
Sister Aimee aka "Sister Aimee: The Aimee Semple McPherson Story"
Trailer 2:01
Sister Aimee aka "Sister Aimee: The Aimee Semple McPherson Story"
Garfield and his Friends:Vol 1
Trailer 0:16
Garfield and his Friends:Vol 1

Personal details

Edit
  • Alternative names
    • The Amazing Ballantine
  • Height
    • 6′ 2″ (1.88 m)
  • Born
    • September 27, 1917
    • Chicago, Illinois, USA
  • Died
    • November 3, 2009
    • Hollywood Hills, California, USA(natural causes)
  • Spouse
    • Ceil Cabot1955 - January 24, 2000 (her death, 2 children)
  • Children
    • Sara Ballantine
  • Other works
    Stage: Appeared (as "Lycus, the slave merchant") in "A Funny Thing Happened on the Way to the Forum" on Broadway. Comedy / musical (revival). Also in cast: Phil Silvers.
  • Publicity listings
    • 4 Articles
    • 1 Magazine Cover Photo

Did you know

Edit
  • Trivia
    One-of-a-kind, he was billed as the incomparable Carl "The Amazing" Ballantine, the only magician who NEVER did a trick. Actually, in his early career, he did a manipulation act, but gave up real magic when he realized he could not be as good as some of his peers. However, he did become the first magician to headline in Las Vegas.
  • Trademark
      Supposed tricks of magic, which always flop
  • Nickname
    • The Amazing Mr. Ballantine

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