George Kline Mann (December 2, 1905 â€" November 23, 1977) was best
known as the taller half of the comedic and acrobatic dance act, Barto
and Mann.Mann was born in Hollywood, California. His father, Mack
Andrew Mann, moved to California from Cassopolis, Michigan in the late
1800s and worked as a construction superintendent of railroad bridges.
His mother, Jean Kline Mann, was also from Cassopolis. Mack and Jean
met and married in Los Angeles, California.George Mann grew up in the
Silver Lake area of Los Angeles, moving to Santa Monica as a teenager
with his parents. George was listed as the "Snaps Editor" as well as
being responsible for all of the photography in the Athletic section
of the Venice Union Polytechnic High High School 1925 Annual, The
Gondolier. He was Vice President of the Junior A Class that would
graduate in June 1926, but didn't graduate with his class. During his
junior year, he was vice-president of the drama club and had a leading
role in the play, "What Happened to Jones?" with Irene Hervey, then
Irene Herwick. He played center on the varsity basketball team and was
a member of the swimming team.George studied dance with Roy Randolph
of the Randolph's La Monica Dance School in Santa Monica, California.
Shortly after turning 20, he developed a dance act - Mann & Clark -
with his high school friend Lester Clark. Signing with the William
Meiklejohn Agency, they performed together in Los Angeles for three or
four months before George signed on as a single with Fanchon and Marco
enterprises. George (6'6") was soon performing for comedic effect with
a much shorter (4'11") Dewey Barto (father of the comedian Nancy
Walker). Two days after George turned 21, George and Dewey signed a
ten-year contract with Fanchon and Marco as the comedy team Barto and
Mann.
known as the taller half of the comedic and acrobatic dance act, Barto
and Mann.Mann was born in Hollywood, California. His father, Mack
Andrew Mann, moved to California from Cassopolis, Michigan in the late
1800s and worked as a construction superintendent of railroad bridges.
His mother, Jean Kline Mann, was also from Cassopolis. Mack and Jean
met and married in Los Angeles, California.George Mann grew up in the
Silver Lake area of Los Angeles, moving to Santa Monica as a teenager
with his parents. George was listed as the "Snaps Editor" as well as
being responsible for all of the photography in the Athletic section
of the Venice Union Polytechnic High High School 1925 Annual, The
Gondolier. He was Vice President of the Junior A Class that would
graduate in June 1926, but didn't graduate with his class. During his
junior year, he was vice-president of the drama club and had a leading
role in the play, "What Happened to Jones?" with Irene Hervey, then
Irene Herwick. He played center on the varsity basketball team and was
a member of the swimming team.George studied dance with Roy Randolph
of the Randolph's La Monica Dance School in Santa Monica, California.
Shortly after turning 20, he developed a dance act - Mann & Clark -
with his high school friend Lester Clark. Signing with the William
Meiklejohn Agency, they performed together in Los Angeles for three or
four months before George signed on as a single with Fanchon and Marco
enterprises. George (6'6") was soon performing for comedic effect with
a much shorter (4'11") Dewey Barto (father of the comedian Nancy
Walker). Two days after George turned 21, George and Dewey signed a
ten-year contract with Fanchon and Marco as the comedy team Barto and
Mann.
Share this
SUBSCRIBE OUR NEWSLETTER
SUBSCRIBE OUR NEWSLETTER
Join us for free and get valuable content delivered right through your inbox.