Howard Mann
Encyclopedia
Howard Mann 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
. 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.
Mann was born Howard Mendelsohn in 1923 in New York
. He 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 Catskill Mountains
.
Mann's 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 Johnny Carson Show.
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
.
Howard 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.
United States
The United States of America is a federal constitutional republic comprising fifty states and a federal district...
actor
Actor
An actor is a person who acts in a dramatic production and who works in film, television, theatre, or radio in that capacity...
and comedian
Comedian
A comedian or comic is a person who seeks to entertain an audience, primarily by making them laugh. This might be through jokes or amusing situations, or acting a fool, as in slapstick, or employing prop comedy...
. Mann appeared on television
Television
Television is a telecommunication medium for transmitting and receiving moving images that can be monochrome or colored, with accompanying sound...
, film
Film
A film, also called a movie or motion picture, is a series of still or moving images. It is produced by recording photographic images with cameras, or by creating images using animation techniques or visual effects...
and commercials during his 40 year long career in the entertainment industry. Some of his most recent roles in the 2000s included Pushing Daisies
Pushing Daisies
Pushing Daisies is an American comedy-drama television series created by Bryan Fuller that aired on ABC from October 3, 2007 to June 13, 2009. The series stars Lee Pace as Ned, a pie-maker with the ability to bring dead things back to life with his touch, an ability that comes with stipulations...
and The Starter Wife
The Starter Wife (TV series)
The Starter Wife is a USA Network television series based on the miniseries by the same name, and based on the novel by Gigi Levangie Grazer. It premiered on October 10, 2008. The series stars Debra Messing as Molly Kagan, the now ex-wife of former studio executive Kenny Kagan...
. Despite his dozens of film and television credits in his resume
Résumé
A résumé is a document used by individuals to present their background and skillsets. Résumés can be used for a variety of reasons but most often to secure new employment. A typical résumé contains a summary of relevant job experience and education...
, Mann wrote that he had "probably been turned down more times than a blanket," in a guest column in the Los Angeles Times
Los Angeles Times
The Los Angeles Times is a daily newspaper published in Los Angeles, California, since 1881. It was the second-largest metropolitan newspaper in circulation in the United States in 2008 and the fourth most widely distributed newspaper in the country....
in 2006.
Mann was born Howard Mendelsohn in 1923 in New York
New York
New York is a state in the Northeastern region of the United States. It is the nation's third most populous state. New York is bordered by New Jersey and Pennsylvania to the south, and by Connecticut, Massachusetts and Vermont to the east...
. He began his career in entertainment as a comedian after being laid off from his job as an advertising
Advertising
Advertising is a form of communication used to persuade an audience to take some action with respect to products, ideas, or services. Most commonly, the desired result is to drive consumer behavior with respect to a commercial offering, although political and ideological advertising is also common...
copywriter. Mann began performing in the Jewish entertainers circuit in resorts in New York's Catskill Mountains
Catskill Mountains
The Catskill Mountains, an area in New York State northwest of New York City and southwest of Albany, are a mature dissected plateau, an uplifted region that was subsequently eroded into sharp relief. They are an eastward continuation, and the highest representation, of the Allegheny Plateau...
.
Mann's dozens of television appearances included Laverne & Shirley
Laverne & Shirley
Laverne & Shirley is an American television situation comedy that ran on ABC from January 26, 1976, to May 10, 1983...
, Alice
Alice (TV series)
Alice is an American sitcom television series that ran from August 31, 1976 to July 2, 1985 on CBS. The series was based on the 1974 film Alice Doesn't Live Here Anymore. The show stars Linda Lavin in the title role, a widow who moves with her young son to start her life over again, and finds a job...
, Moonlighting
Moonlighting (TV series)
Moonlighting is an American television series that aired on ABC from March 3, 1985, to May 14, 1989. The network aired a total of 66 episodes...
and Murder, She Wrote
Murder, She Wrote
Murder, She Wrote is an American television mystery series starring Angela Lansbury as mystery writer and amateur detective Jessica Fletcher. The series aired for 12 seasons from 1984 to 1996 on the CBS network, with 264 episodes transmitted. It was followed by four TV films and a spin-off series,...
. His film credits included Mr. Saturday Night
Mr. Saturday Night
Mr. Saturday Night is a 1992 film that marks the directorial debut of its star, Billy Crystal.It focuses on the rise and fall of Buddy Young Jr., a fictional stand-up comedian. Crystal produced and co-wrote the screenplay with the writing duo Babaloo Mandel and Lowell Ganz...
in 1992 and the History of the World: Part I in 1981. Mann also appeared on the Merv Griffin Show and the Johnny Carson Show.
On stage, Mann toured the United States in a one man show, in which he played George Washington
George Washington
George Washington was the dominant military and political leader of the new United States of America from 1775 to 1799. He led the American victory over Great Britain in the American Revolutionary War as commander-in-chief of the Continental Army from 1775 to 1783, and presided over the writing of...
, in 1976 in honor of the United States Bicentennial
United States Bicentennial
The United States Bicentennial was a series of celebrations and observances during the mid-1970s that paid tribute to the historical events leading up to the creation of the United States as an independent republic...
. He later portrayed the role of Oscar Madison
Oscar Madison
Oscar Madison is a character in The Odd Couple, which began as a Broadway play, then was a film and then a television series.In The Odd Couple, Oscar Madison is the everyman, and is a sportswriter for the New York Herald...
in an off Broadway production of The Odd Couple
The Odd Couple
The Odd Couple is a 1965 Broadway play by Neil Simon, followed by a successful film and television series, as well as other derivative works and spin offs, many featuring one or more of the same actors. The plot concerns two mismatched roommates, one neat and uptight, the other more easygoing and...
.
Beginning in the 1980s, Mann created and performed an original rap
Rapping
Rapping refers to "spoken or chanted rhyming lyrics". The art form can be broken down into different components, as in the book How to Rap where it is separated into “content”, “flow” , and “delivery”...
routine for senior citizens living in the San Fernando Valley
San Fernando Valley
The San Fernando Valley is an urbanized valley located in the Los Angeles metropolitan area of southern California, United States, defined by the dramatic mountains of the Transverse Ranges circling it...
.
Howard Mann died of cancer on September 18, 2008, at Cedars-Sinai Medical Center
Cedars-Sinai Medical Center
Originally established as Kaspare Cohn Hospital in 1902, Cedars-Sinai Medical Center is a non-profit, tertiary 958-bed hospital and multi-specialty academic health science centre located in Los Angeles, California, US. Part of the Cedars-Sinai Health System, the hospital employs a staff of over...
in Los Angeles at the age of 85. He was survived by his longtime girlfriend and companion, Bea Mitz.