Jonathan Winters Biography

Jonathan Winters, one of America’s best known comedians, enjoyed a career spanning six decades, and was described, "Pound for pound, the funniest man alive." After a stint in the Marine Corp during WW II, he returned, desperately looking to settle into a career. His big break as a comedian came after winning a talent contest. It brought him many assignments on television. At first, he performed as Johnny Winters, and soon had his own show on NBC, ‘The Jonathan Winters Show’. He had the distinction of being the first to use colored video tapes as part of the show. He was a good friend of Jack Paar and appeared frequently on ‘The Tonight Show’ when Paar was the host. He continued to perform on the show when Johnny Carson became its host. He also appeared on many other shows such as ‘The Dean Martin Show’, ‘The Dean Martin Celebrity Roast’, ‘The Andy Williams Show’, ‘The Steve Allen Show’, and ‘The Garry Moore Show’. He was a talented mimic; his impersonation of John Wayne, Cary Grant and President Kennedy is still remembered. Also memorable is the character of an old lady named Maude Frickert, weaved into his routines. He inspired comedians such as Billy Crystal, Steve Martin, and Jim Carrey, while Robin Williams idolized him.