Frank Fontaine (April 19, 1920 â€" August 4, 1978) was an American
stage, radio, film and television comedian, singer and actor.Born and
raised in Cambridge, Massachusetts, Fontaine came from a family of
entertainers. His father, Ray Fontaine, of French-Canadian descent was
a popular vocalist, whose career in Canada resulted in his being
compared to Bing Crosby. His mother, Anna McCarthy, of Irish and
Scottish descent, performed as a dancer, and he had a brother who also
became a singer. Fontaine left school and married at age sixteen. Two
days before his 17th birthday, he married his childhood sweetheart
Alma Clair Wakeham and moved to Medford. He went right to work as an
all†purpose singer†dancer†comedian in Boston area supper clubs.
After Pearl Harbor he spent three years in the Army.He had a
reputation as a family man, known for being devoted to his wife and
children. He would rearrange his schedule so that he was never away
from them for too long. In addition, he was well known for the size of
his family: he and his wife Alma had two daughters and nine
sons.Fontaine is best known for his appearances on television shows of
the 1950s and 1960s, including The Jack Benny Program, The Jackie
Gleason Show, The Tonight Show, and The Ed Sullivan Show. One of his
earliest appearances was on the radio version of The Jack Benny
Program. During an episode which aired on April 9, 1950, Fontaine
played a bum (named "John L.C. Silvoney") who asked Benny for a dime
for a cup of coffee. The smallest coin Benny had to offer was a
fifty-cent piece, so he gave it to him. The story Benny told about
this event became a running gag during later shows. Fontaine's goof
ball laugh and other voice mannerisms made a hit with the audience,
and Benny brought him back for several more radio shows between
1950-52. He also later appeared on four of Jack Benny's television
shows between 1951 and 1961. In 1952, Fontaine starred in The Frank
Fontaine Show, a weekly variety program on CBS radio. The program
featured four other members of Fontaine's family in addition to singer
Helen O'Connell and announcer Harry von Zell. He also was heard
regularly on The Bob Hope Show on radio.:47-48
stage, radio, film and television comedian, singer and actor.Born and
raised in Cambridge, Massachusetts, Fontaine came from a family of
entertainers. His father, Ray Fontaine, of French-Canadian descent was
a popular vocalist, whose career in Canada resulted in his being
compared to Bing Crosby. His mother, Anna McCarthy, of Irish and
Scottish descent, performed as a dancer, and he had a brother who also
became a singer. Fontaine left school and married at age sixteen. Two
days before his 17th birthday, he married his childhood sweetheart
Alma Clair Wakeham and moved to Medford. He went right to work as an
all†purpose singer†dancer†comedian in Boston area supper clubs.
After Pearl Harbor he spent three years in the Army.He had a
reputation as a family man, known for being devoted to his wife and
children. He would rearrange his schedule so that he was never away
from them for too long. In addition, he was well known for the size of
his family: he and his wife Alma had two daughters and nine
sons.Fontaine is best known for his appearances on television shows of
the 1950s and 1960s, including The Jack Benny Program, The Jackie
Gleason Show, The Tonight Show, and The Ed Sullivan Show. One of his
earliest appearances was on the radio version of The Jack Benny
Program. During an episode which aired on April 9, 1950, Fontaine
played a bum (named "John L.C. Silvoney") who asked Benny for a dime
for a cup of coffee. The smallest coin Benny had to offer was a
fifty-cent piece, so he gave it to him. The story Benny told about
this event became a running gag during later shows. Fontaine's goof
ball laugh and other voice mannerisms made a hit with the audience,
and Benny brought him back for several more radio shows between
1950-52. He also later appeared on four of Jack Benny's television
shows between 1951 and 1961. In 1952, Fontaine starred in The Frank
Fontaine Show, a weekly variety program on CBS radio. The program
featured four other members of Fontaine's family in addition to singer
Helen O'Connell and announcer Harry von Zell. He also was heard
regularly on The Bob Hope Show on radio.:47-48
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