Maurice Gosfield
Encyclopedia
Maurice Lionel Gosfield (January 28, 1913 in New York City
– October 19, 1964 in New York City
) was an American comic actor, most famous for his portrayal of Private Duane Doberman on the 1950s sitcom You'll Never Get Rich (later called The Phil Silvers Show)
.
'Maury' Gosfield was born in New York in 1913, but was raised in Philadelphia and later in Evanston, Illinois
. He began acting with the Ralph Bellamy and Melvyn Douglas Players in Chicago, and joined the Summer Stock theatre circuit in 1930. During World War II
he served in the U. S. Army's Tec 4 unit in the 8th Armoured Division, and gained the rank of Sergeant
. In 1950 he played an uncredited role in the film Ma and Pa Kettle Go to Town. He also appeared in Toast of the Town in 1956. In 1955 Gosfield first appeared as Private Duane Doberman in the television show You'll Never Get Rich; this was renamed The Phil Silvers Show
in 1956. Because of the popularity of Private Doberman in the show DC Comics
published eleven issues of a Private Doberman comic from 1957 to 1960. Gosfield again played Private Doberman in the 1959 television show Keep in Step. He next appeared in the made for television movie The Teenage Millionaire (1961).
Gosfield also provided the voice for Benny the Ball on the cartoon series Top Cat
which was partially based on the Sergeant Bilko series. His last role was in the 1963 film The Thrill of It All, playing a truck driver. In 1964 he unsuccessfully tested for the role of Uncle Fester
in the TV series The Addams Family
.
Phil Silvers
, the star of The Phil Silvers Show, in his 1973 autobiography
, said of Gosfield that he had a pomposity and condescension off-screen, behaving 'like Clark Gable
playing a fat man'.
Gosfield died at Saranac Lake, New York, of a sudden heart attack at the age of 51 on October 19, 1964. He is buried at Long Island National Cemetery
, Farmingdale, Suffolk County in New York.
New York City
New York is the most populous city in the United States and the center of the New York Metropolitan Area, one of the most populous metropolitan areas in the world. New York exerts a significant impact upon global commerce, finance, media, art, fashion, research, technology, education, and...
– October 19, 1964 in New York City
New York City
New York is the most populous city in the United States and the center of the New York Metropolitan Area, one of the most populous metropolitan areas in the world. New York exerts a significant impact upon global commerce, finance, media, art, fashion, research, technology, education, and...
) was an American comic actor, most famous for his portrayal of Private Duane Doberman on the 1950s sitcom You'll Never Get Rich (later called The Phil Silvers Show)
The Phil Silvers Show
The Phil Silvers Show is a comedy television series which ran on CBS from 1955 to 1959 for 142 episodes, plus a 1959 special. The series starred Phil Silvers as Master Sergeant Ernest G...
.
'Maury' Gosfield was born in New York in 1913, but was raised in Philadelphia and later in Evanston, Illinois
Evanston, Illinois
Evanston is a suburban municipality in Cook County, Illinois 12 miles north of downtown Chicago, bordering Chicago to the south, Skokie to the west, and Wilmette to the north, with an estimated population of 74,360 as of 2003. It is one of the North Shore communities that adjoin Lake Michigan...
. He began acting with the Ralph Bellamy and Melvyn Douglas Players in Chicago, and joined the Summer Stock theatre circuit in 1930. During World War II
World War II
World War II, or the Second World War , was a global conflict lasting from 1939 to 1945, involving most of the world's nations—including all of the great powers—eventually forming two opposing military alliances: the Allies and the Axis...
he served in the U. S. Army's Tec 4 unit in the 8th Armoured Division, and gained the rank of Sergeant
Sergeant
Sergeant is a rank used in some form by most militaries, police forces, and other uniformed organizations around the world. Its origins are the Latin serviens, "one who serves", through the French term Sergent....
. In 1950 he played an uncredited role in the film Ma and Pa Kettle Go to Town. He also appeared in Toast of the Town in 1956. In 1955 Gosfield first appeared as Private Duane Doberman in the television show You'll Never Get Rich; this was renamed The Phil Silvers Show
The Phil Silvers Show
The Phil Silvers Show is a comedy television series which ran on CBS from 1955 to 1959 for 142 episodes, plus a 1959 special. The series starred Phil Silvers as Master Sergeant Ernest G...
in 1956. Because of the popularity of Private Doberman in the show DC Comics
DC Comics
DC Comics, Inc. is one of the largest and most successful companies operating in the market for American comic books and related media. It is the publishing unit of DC Entertainment a company of Warner Bros. Entertainment, which itself is owned by Time Warner...
published eleven issues of a Private Doberman comic from 1957 to 1960. Gosfield again played Private Doberman in the 1959 television show Keep in Step. He next appeared in the made for television movie The Teenage Millionaire (1961).
Gosfield also provided the voice for Benny the Ball on the cartoon series Top Cat
Top Cat
Top Cat is a Hanna-Barbera prime time animated television series which ran from September 27, 1961 to April 18, 1962 for a run of 30 episodes on the ABC network. Reruns are played on Cartoon Network's classic animation network Boomerang.-History:...
which was partially based on the Sergeant Bilko series. His last role was in the 1963 film The Thrill of It All, playing a truck driver. In 1964 he unsuccessfully tested for the role of Uncle Fester
Uncle Fester
Gordon Craven, Uncle Fester, or Fester Addams, is a member of the fictional Addams Family. He was played by Jackie Coogan in the original television series, by Christopher Lloyd in the first two feature films, and by Patrick Thomas in the third, Addams Family Reunion. Finally, Michael Roberds...
in the TV series The Addams Family
The Addams Family (TV series)
The Addams Family is an American television series based on the characters in Charles Addams' New Yorker cartoons. The 30-minute series was shot in black-and-white and aired for two seasons in 64 installments on ABC from September 18, 1964, to April 8, 1966...
.
Phil Silvers
Phil Silvers
Phil Silvers was an American entertainer and comedy actor, known as "The King of Chutzpah." He is best known for starring in The Phil Silvers Show, a 1950s sitcom set on a U.S...
, the star of The Phil Silvers Show, in his 1973 autobiography
Autobiography
An autobiography is a book about the life of a person, written by that person.-Origin of the term:...
, said of Gosfield that he had a pomposity and condescension off-screen, behaving 'like Clark Gable
Clark Gable
William Clark Gable , known as Clark Gable, was an American film actor most famous for his role as Rhett Butler in the 1939 Civil War epic film Gone with the Wind, in which he starred with Vivien Leigh...
playing a fat man'.
Gosfield died at Saranac Lake, New York, of a sudden heart attack at the age of 51 on October 19, 1964. He is buried at Long Island National Cemetery
Long Island National Cemetery
Long Island National Cemetery is a United States National Cemetery located in Suffolk County, New York. Its mailing address is Farmingdale. It is within the CDPS of Wyandanch, in the Town of Babylon, and Melville in the Town of Huntington...
, Farmingdale, Suffolk County in New York.