Biographical Overview & Key Facts

Subject:

Jackie Gleason

Role / Field:

Iconic American comedian, actor, and composer known for 'The Great One'

Born:

1916-02-26

Died:

1987-06-24

Century / Era:

1916s Historical Era

Database Source:

2Day Chrono-Wiki & Wikipedia CC BY-SA 4.0

Origins & Early Life

Herbert John Gleason (born Herbert Walton Gleason Jr.; February 26, 1916 – June 24, 1987), known as Jackie Gleason, was an American comedian, actor, writer, and composer also known as "The Great One". He developed a style and characters from growing up in Brooklyn, New York, and was known for his brash visual and verbal comedy, exemplified by his city bus driver character Ralph Kramden in the television series The Honeymooners. He also developed The Jackie Gleason Show, which maintained high ratings from the mid-1950s through 1970. The series originated in New York City, but filming moved to Miami Beach, Florida, in 1964 after Gleason took up permanent residence there.

Pivotal Works & Achievements

Among his notable film roles were Minnesota Fats in 1961's The Hustler (co-starring with Paul Newman) and Buford T. Justice in the Smokey and the Bandit trilogy from 1977 to 1983 (co-starring Burt Reynolds). Gleason enjoyed a prominent secondary music career during the 1950s and 1960s, producing a series of bestselling "mood music" albums. His first album Music for Lovers Only still holds the record for the longest stay on the Billboard Top Ten Charts (153 weeks), and his first ten albums sold over a million copies each...

Enduring Legacy & Impact

The historical impact and works continue to influence the modern world.

Contemporary Figures & Related Historical Timelines

• Adriana Caselotti — Contemporary (Born in 1916) (1916): American actress and singer, famed for voicing Snow White in the first Disney feature.
• Alexander Prokhorov — Contemporary (Born in 1916) (1916): Soviet physicist known for fundamental work on optics, leading to the laser and maser.
• Arno Peters — Contemporary (Born in 1916) (1916): German historian known for developing the Peters world map projection.
• Aaron Carter — Contemporary (Born in 1987) (1987): American singer and rapper known for teen pop stardom and enduring musical career.
• Alexander Gustafsson — Contemporary (Born in 1987) (1987): Swedish mixed martial artist known for his elite Light Heavyweight contender status in the UFC.
• Alice Rahon — Contemporary (Died in 1987) (1987): French-born Mexican poet and painter whose work bridged surrealism and abstraction.
• Ahmed Zewail — Shared historical date (02-26 · Born) (1946): Pioneering chemist, acclaimed as the 'father of femtochemistry'.
• Anders Chydenius — Shared historical date (02-26 · Born) (1729): Leading classical liberal and champion of free trade in 18th-century Sweden.
• 6lack — Shared historical date (06-24 · Born) (1992): American R&B singer, songwriter, and rapper known professionally as 6lack.
• Aleksey Remizov — Shared historical date (06-24 · Born) (1877): A Russian modernist writer known for fantastic, bizarre, and folklore-inspired literature.
• 1916 Historical Timeline & Archive — Explore world events and figures from 1916
• February 26 (02-26) On This Day — Historical birthdays and events on February 26
• 1987 Historical Timeline & Archive — Explore world events and figures from 1987
• June 24 (06-24) On This Day — Historical events and memorials on June 24

Frequently Asked Questions about Jackie Gleason