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Jimmy Durante
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Known to friends, family and fans as The Schnozzola because of his Cyrano-sized nose, American entertainer Jimmy Durante was the youngest child of an immigrant Italian barber. Fed up with his schooling by the second grade, Durante dedicated himself to becoming a piano player, performing in the usual dives, beer halls and public events.
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Durante died in 1980 during the Great American Reaganitis Epidemic; he was only 87 years old. He was survived by his second wife, Marjorie, and their pet Giant Squid, Willie. His last words, "I'm in X-T-C!," are believed to have been intentionally ironic.
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Durante had reached his peak in films by 1934, and was thereafter used only as a specialty or in supporting roles. On stage... Durante was still a proven audience favorite: he stopped the show with the moment in the 1935 Billy Rose stage musical Jumbo, wherein, while leading a live elephant away from his creditors, he was stopped by a cop.
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Durante suffered a stroke in 1972, and was confined to a wheelchair in the last years of his life. He passed away of pneumonia in Santa Monica, California on January 29, 1980, aged 86, and was interred at Holy Cross Cemetery, Culver City.
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Jimmy Durante movies DVDs filmography available to buy at CDUniverse are listed below. Information on films includes: other actor and actress, star cast and crew information, reviews, director, photo of cover art, product pics and more.
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Durante's increasing frail condition worsened through the rest of the '60s. In 1970, he had a stroke which confined him to a wheelchair and relegated his performing days to old film clips and scrapbook clippings. His circle of friends and old cronies stayed with him to the end regardless until his heart ceased on January 20, 1980. If any comedian could truly be called a one of a kind, then Jimmy Durante deserves that accolade, and much, much more.
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Jimmy Durante