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Murray was married three times and had four children. He married vaudeville and burlesque performer
Carlotta (Charlotte) La Rose in 1923. The couple appeared in vaudeville together and later divorced. On July 4, 1941, Murray married model Cleatus Caldwell at the home of actor
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Over the course of his career, Murray filmed
Hollywood celebrities, using his 16mm home movie camera. He began filming the footage to send back home to his grandparents in lieu of writing letters. His grandmother saved the footage, which featured Hollywood stars including
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Before embarking on a career in show business, Murray changed his name because he did not want to ride the coattails of his father's success; he wanted to make a name for himself.
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Actor and comedian Ken Murray, who spent more than a quarter century in vaudeville and in films, died yesterday in
Burbank, Calif. He was 85 years old and lived in Beverly Hills.
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Murray married his third wife, Betty Lou
Walters, in December 1948. The couple had two daughters, Pam and Jane, and remained married until Murray's death on October 12, 1988, at
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replacing Marie Wilson. It received devastating reviews (the revue was considered too ribald for more sophisticated New York audiences) and closed after six weeks.
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in
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Murray was the host of a weekly radio variety show (The Ken Murray Show) on NBC 1932-33 and on CBS 1936–37. He later was the original host (1945–57) of
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that ran from 1950 to 1953. The show was the first to win a
Freedom Foundation Award. Murray also guest starred on several television series, including
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performers. Many sources incorrectly give his birth name as Don Court. He had an older brother, Joseph. According to Murray's autobiography
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served as Murray's best man. The couple had two sons, Ken, Jr. (1942-1979) and Cort Riley (born 1944), before divorcing in
September 1945.
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After finding success on the vaudeville stage, Murray moved to
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174:, July 14, 1903 – October 12, 1988) was an American comedian, actor, radio and television personality and author.
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402:) with his boot, looks around off-handedly, and says "Dead" to the surrounding crowd of euphoric Mexicans.
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as an alcoholic newspaper editor, he drunkenly rolls over the gunshot corpse of villain
Liberty Valance (
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Murray was also the author of a number of books, including his autobiography published in 1960, titled
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When
Hollywood Was Right: How Movie Stars, Studio Moguls, and Big Business Remade American Politics
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for "novel and entertaining use of the medium of motion picture" and "artistry and patience" .
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In 1962, Murray portrayed the top hat wearing, cigar chewing, drunken Doc Willoughby in
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Vaudeville, Old & New: An Encyclopedia of Variety Performers in America, Volume 1
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428:(1963). Footage filmed by Murray was used in several television specials, including
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485:(1971), and the only complete life story in print of Broadway theatre impresario
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During World War II, Murray was one of the many celebrities to volunteer at the
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on the Las Vegas stage in 1956. The show was a hit and ran for three years.
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at 1724 Vine Street for his contribution to the radio industry. He was a
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Murray produced and co-starred as "Smiling Billy Murray" in a 1953 film,
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Murray got his start in show business on the stage in the 1920s as a
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210:. He performed his comedy act on the vaudeville circuit and in
793:"Ken Murray, 85, Vaudeville Star Who Later Recorded Hollywood"
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Radio Programs, 1924-1984: A Catalog of More Than 1800 Shows
214:. He found success as a stage performer after appearing in
884:"Ken Murray's Not Very Likely To Run Out of New Challenges"
954:. Jefferson, N. C.: McFarland & Company. p. 190.
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in Burbank, California, aged 85. Murray has a star on the
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Encyclopedia of Television Shows, 1925 Through 2010
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754:Life on a Pogo Stick: Autobiography of a Comedian
451:In 1966, Murray was cast as Melody Murphy in the
182:Murray was born in New York City to a family of
1007:"Ken Murray, 85; Producer of WWII Revue, Actor"
373:in the title role, her sole film performance.
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443:financier and owner of a Caribbean casino in
307:radio show, which was simulcast on KTSL (now
8:
766:The Body Merchant: The Story of Earl Carroll
697:(1976) - Souvenir Salesman (final film role)
351:The Ford Show, Starring Tennessee Ernie Ford
1286:Television personalities from New York City
983:"Ken Murray, veteran actor, dies at age 85"
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229:In the 1940s, Murray became famous for his
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16:Entertainer, producer, author (1903–1988)
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1316:20th-century American businesspeople
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1251:Film producers from New York (state)
933:"'Blackouts' star Ken Murray dies".
882:Lyons, Leonard (February 15, 1960).
344:, a weekly music and comedy show on
1172:Critchlow, Donald T. (2013-10-21).
1119:"Ex-Model Divorces Comedian Murray"
1107:. lamourgirlsofthesilverscreen.com.
1356:20th-century American male singers
1341:20th-century American male writers
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1346:American male non-fiction writers
1241:20th-century American biographers
1231:20th-century American male actors
1155:"Ken Murray: Hollywood Star Walk"
865:"Ken Murray Has Book On His Life"
825:. Psychology Press. p. 805.
1125:. September 22, 1945. p. 2.
1062:. Greenwood Press. p. 363.
1005:Jones, Jack (October 13, 1988).
648:The Man Who Shot Liberty Valance
383:The Man Who Shot Liberty Valance
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1351:20th-century American comedians
1271:American male television actors
989:. October 13, 1988. p. 35.
937:. October 13, 1988. p. 8A.
915:. December 9, 1976. p. 2A.
909:"Comic Ken Murray turns author"
643:(1953) - 'Smiling Billy' Murray
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1301:American vaudeville performers
1296:Male actors from New York City
1178:. Cambridge University Press.
1143:. December 3, 1948. p. 6.
1060:The Encyclopedia of Vaudeville
726:Ken Murray's Blackouts of 1947
720:Ken Murray's Blackouts of 1943
627:(1948) - Ken Murray (Prologue)
1:
1306:20th-century American singers
1246:American burlesque performers
760:The Golden Days of San Simeon
483:The Golden Days of San Simeon
311:), Channel 2 in Los Angeles.
1331:New York (state) Republicans
1321:Comedians from New York City
1276:American radio personalities
863:Thomas, Bob (July 2, 1960).
748:Ken Murray's Giant Joke Book
432:and the feature-length film
272:from the television program
1281:American stand-up comedians
701:Ken Murray's Shooting Stars
515:Saint Joseph Medical Center
434:Ken Murray's Shooting Stars
260:Radio, films and television
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1266:American male radio actors
1093:. July 5, 1941. p. 4.
305:Mutual Broadcasting System
1336:Comedians from California
1256:American male film actors
1024:Terrace, Vincent (2012).
948:Terrace, Vincent (1999).
664:Hollywood Without Make-Up
600:A Night at Earl Carroll's
439:In 1965, Murray played a
425:Hollywood Without Make-Up
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619:(1942) - Malcolm Hammond
555:(1932) - Spencer B. Dazy
338:He was also the host of
288:, followed by a role in
1141:Sarasota Herald-Tribune
1091:Pittsburgh Post-Gazette
1058:Slide, Anthony (1994).
671:Hollywood, My Home Town
651:(1962) - Doc Willoughby
539:(1929) - Charles Turner
446:The Man from U.N.C.L.E.
430:Hollywood: My Home Town
1326:California Republicans
888:Lawrence Journal-World
821:Cullen, Frank (2007).
681:(1966) - Melody Murphy
640:The Marshal's Daughter
611:(1941) - Jerry Traynor
603:(1940) - Barney Nelson
563:(1932) - Peter Sturgis
519:Hollywood Walk of Fame
366:The Marshal's Daughter
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237:(among others) at the
172:Kenneth Abner Doncourt
45:Kenneth Abner Doncourt
935:The Milwaukee Journal
321:In 1947, he produced
268:Publicity photo with
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869:Park City Daily News
791:(October 13, 1988).
592:Swing, Sister, Swing
571:(1933) - Jim McGuire
529:Selected filmography
357:The Bing Crosby Show
275:The Hollywood Palace
202:Vaudeville and stage
188:Life on a Pogo Stick
125: 1941;
107:(m. 1923; div. 1926)
987:The Free Lance-Star
736:Feud in Piney Flats
659:(1963) - Mr. Hurley
595:(1938) - Nap Sisler
584:You're a Sweetheart
341:The Ken Murray Show
252:Murray revived the
89:Entertainer, author
78:Burbank, California
1105:"Cleatus Caldwell"
849:. 25 October 2019.
552:Ladies of the Jury
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239:El Capitan Theatre
1159:Los Angeles Times
1011:Los Angeles Times
913:Rome News-Tribune
832:978-0-415-93853-2
789:John T. McQuiston
587:(1937) - Don King
576:From Headquarters
491:The Body Merchant
408:Douglas Fairbanks
316:Hollywood Canteen
208:stand-up comedian
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105:Charlotte LaRose
94:Years active
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965:. Retrieved
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890:. p. 4.
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847:"Ken Murray"
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802:. Retrieved
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72:(1988-10-12)
1226:1988 deaths
1221:1903 births
453:Walt Disney
420:Jean Harlow
243:Vine Street
1215:Categories
1202:Ken Murray
1043:12 October
967:12 October
961:1476605289
804:2015-01-06
773:References
568:Disgraced!
523:Republican
467:Vera Miles
400:Lee Marvin
388:John Wayne
184:vaudeville
178:Early life
168:Ken Murray
51:1903-07-14
23:Ken Murray
686:The Power
632:Red Light
504:Lew Ayres
489:, titled
461:starring
386:starring
378:John Ford
303:, on the
294:in 1930.
254:Blackouts
231:Blackouts
226:in 1935.
212:burlesque
102:Spouse(s)
97:1929–1983
493:(1976).
224:Broadway
220:Vanities
158:Children
560:Crooner
477:Writing
309:KCBS-TV
170:(born
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768:(1976)
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756:(1960)
750:(1954)
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738:(1953)
728:(1947)
722:(1943)
716:(1932)
667:(1963)
441:THRUSH
278:(1964)
197:Career
80:, U.S.
455:film
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1206:IMDb
1180:ISBN
1064:ISBN
1045:2017
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418:and
390:and
354:and
127:div.
67:Died
41:Born
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241:on
222:on
218:'s
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