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appearance, Dana related a story of how a woman recognized him on the street, but knew him only as José Jiménez, and asked what his real name was. Instead of his stage name, "Bill Dana", he gave her his real name, "William
Szathmary". The woman rejoined: "Wow, no wonder you changed it to Jiménez!"
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Dana benefited from the expertise of an older brother, Arthur, who was fluent in several languages and gave his sibling his second entry into foreign languages. The first was growing up in a polyglot neighborhood where
Spanish and Italian were among the languages spoken and having a Hungarian
1005:
532:), was produced by Dana, and includes a cameo of Dana as Jiménez, as well as a cover appearance. The album is a mock news conference, an extended question-and-answer session. The ersatz Bolivian–accented Jiménez asks the ersatz Indian-accented Yogi: "Why do you talk so funny?"
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228:, the youngest of six children born to Joseph and Dena Szathmary. He was of Hungarian Jewish descent. He took his stage name "Dana" after his mother's first name "Dena" as he felt "Szathmary" was unpronounceable.
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Dana had several comedy albums but only one that strictly featured the Jose
Jimenez character. One of the cuts; "The Astronaut (Part 1 & 2)"...an interview from news reporter, writer and producer
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In 1970, responding to changing times and sensitivities, Dana stopped portraying the José Jiménez character; however, he played the character again on the 1988 revival of
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Dana had been a prolific comedy writer, an activity he continued into the 1980s, producing material for other actors on stage and screen. Dana co-wrote the script for the
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as a hopelessly inept house detective named Byron Glick; when the show was cancelled, Adams quickly used the Glick characterization as the basis for
Maxwell Smart, and
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413:, playing Jimenez as a bumbling but endearing elevator operator. The character was so well-received that it was spun off into his own NBC sitcom,
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475:, in which he also supplied the voice of The White Knight (using his Jiménez voice). That same year, the Jiménez character was animated for the
568:'s character Dr. Jules Bedford. In early 1979, he appeared as Sampson in the episode "Dewey and Harold and Sarah and Maggie" of the NBC series
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Bill Dana was integral in creating the
American Comedy Archives, a series of audiovisual interviews with such comic luminaries as
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419:(1963–1965). Jiménez was now a bellhop at a posh New York hotel. His snooty, irritable boss was played by
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652:'s brother Angelo. He also played her father in a flashback. In addition, he played Wendell Balaban on
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202:, was an American comedian, actor, and screenwriter. He often appeared on television shows such as
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playing José Jiménez, opening the window in the wall Batman was climbing and talking with him.
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Dana's career took a major turn when he began writing stand-up routines for the young comedian
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Bill Dana, comedian behind the bumbling 1960s character José Jiménez, dies at 92.
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Although his film appearances were few, Dana had roles in a few movies including
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Alice in
Wonderland (or What’s a Nice Kid Like You Doing in a Place Like This?)
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Thomas, Bob (June 7, 1967). "Dana
Clarifying Downfall of The Las Vegas Show".
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and machine gunner, as well as an unofficial interpreter. He was awarded the
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not!") Later during medical testing, a large, Hispanic worker (played by
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The José Jiménez character was part of several scenes in the 1983 film
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Before appearing in front of a television camera for the first time on
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912:"Bill Dana, Comic Best Known for José Jiménez Character, Dies at 92"
748:. The American Comedy Archives are housed at the Iwasaki Library at
541:. Dana wrote the script for possibly the best known episode of the
350:. Starting in the 1950s, his appearances on television included
554:
In 1976, he appeared in the "A Doctor's Doctor" episode of the
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Dubrow, Rick (May 1, 1967). "New late show to debut tonight".
385:, where he created the José Jiménez character for the show's
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In May 1967, Dana hosted his own late-night talk show,
379:(1965)). From there, he was brought in as a writer for
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Dana reprised the role of
Bernardo the servant on the
487:. In 1966, Dana appeared uncredited in episode 48 of
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In 1961, Dana made the first of eight appearances on
212:. Dana often portrayed the Jiménez character as an
232:immigrant for a father. Another older brother was
642:(1980). Dana would also have a recurring role on
1305:
991:. comedyland.net. September 2007. Archived from
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981:
589:before recruiting Navy pilots for the early’60s
1299:The Interviews: An Oral History of Television
978:
1414:United States Army personnel of World War II
198:(October 5, 1924 – June 15, 2017), known as
1374:American people of Hungarian-Jewish descent
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696:Dana died on June 15, 2017, at his home in
550:, entitled "Sammy's Visit", which featured
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1054:"Piano Music Composed by Irving Szathmary"
36:
16:American comedian, actor, and screenwriter
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528:("mashugana" meaning crazy or bizarre in
19:For other people named William Dana, see
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615:) mimicking the Jiménez character.
342:Dana began his career as a page at
304:Dana as Jimenez the astronaut, 1963
224:Dana was born William Szathmary in
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1424:Writers from Quincy, Massachusetts
1339:20th-century American male writers
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253:with the 263rd Infantry Regiment,
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1334:20th-century American male actors
1253:
1212:. Emerson College. Archived from
583:. The government officials watch
538:The Smothers Brothers Comedy Hour
466:In 1966, Dana wrote the animated
1409:Screenwriters from Massachusetts
1369:American male television writers
962:Dana, Bill (February 18, 2011).
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685:'s pantomime counterpart on the
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1364:American male television actors
1324:20th-century American comedians
1277:at the American Comedy Archives
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832:I Wonder Who's Killing Her Now?
689:. Both series were produced by
636:(1975), and the aforementioned
633:I Wonder Who's Killing Her Now?
459:, wrote the theme song for the
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910:Weber, Bruce (June 19, 2017).
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1:
1404:Jewish American screenwriters
1236:"Oral Histories- Transcripts"
964:"An Interview with Bill Dana"
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219:
21:William Dana (disambiguation)
1384:Comedians from Massachusetts
970:(Interview). Interviewed by
564:as the hospital roommate of
433:premiered on NBC that fall.
7:
1419:United States Army soldiers
1389:Jewish American male actors
1379:American television writers
1359:American male screenwriters
1107:Monessen Valley Independent
520:'s 1968 parody album about
506:. Originated live from the
10:
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1329:20th-century American Jews
1210:"American Comedy Archives"
1111:United Press International
1017:. Retrieved June 29, 2017.
968:Classic Television Showbiz
18:
1394:Jewish American comedians
423:. The cast also included
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35:
28:
938:"Biography of Bill Dana"
854:Jonathan Levinson Seigle
704:American Comedy Archives
662:'s father on the series
1429:Jews from Massachusetts
1354:American male comedians
691:Walt Disney Productions
1349:American comedy actors
1282:Bill Dana talks about
687:1950s live-action show
339:
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305:
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255:66th Infantry Division
1399:Jewish male comedians
1080:"Alice in Wonderland"
1032:Full Cast & Crew"
799:An Italian in America
655:Too Close for Comfort
591:Mercury Space Program
526:The Mashuganishi Yogi
522:Maharishi Mahesh Yogi
410:The Danny Thomas Show
357:The Danny Thomas Show
352:The Imogene Coca Show
329:
311:
303:
294:The Danny Thomas Show
291:
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226:Quincy, Massachusetts
70:Quincy, Massachusetts
700:, at the age of 92.
698:Nashville, Tennessee
586:The Ed Sullivan Show
439:The Steve Allen Show
382:The Steve Allen Show
363:The Spike Jones Show
319:The Hollywood Palace
205:The Ed Sullivan Show
161: 1972;
89:Nashville, Tennessee
1010:The Washington Post
607:) takes offense to
463:television series.
249:, he served in the
1216:on January 7, 2016
1086:on August 19, 2012
917:The New York Times
499:The Las Vegas Show
416:The Bill Dana Show
340:
324:
306:
298:
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251:United States Army
236:, composer of the
1284:All in the Family
1238:. Emerson College
1198:. billcotter.com.
892:
891:
558:situation comedy
547:All in the Family
512:Las Vegas, Nevada
387:Man in the Street
263:Bronze Star Medal
196:William Szathmary
193:
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128:Years active
56:William Szathmary
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1132:Associated Press
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1082:. Archived from
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1056:. Archived from
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602:offensive tackle
543:situation comedy
468:television movie
457:Irving Szathmary
449:theatrical film
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394:Ed Sullivan Show
314:Caterina Valente
280:, Bill Dana and
234:Irving Szathmary
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1146:"Sammy's Visit"
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1060:on May 21, 2010
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869:Armenian Cabbie
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750:Emerson College
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650:Sophia Petrillo
580:The Right Stuff
552:Sammy Davis Jr.
481:I Want My Mummy
455:. His brother,
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421:Jonathan Harris
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185: 1981)
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147:Maura McGiveney
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97:Alma mater
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1194:Cotter, Bill.
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665:St. Elsewhere
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658:, as well as
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639:The Nude Bomb
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627:Harrad Summer
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621:The Busy Body
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605:Anthony Muñoz
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571:$ weepstake$
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81:June 15, 2017
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1283:
1240:. Retrieved
1230:
1218:. Retrieved
1214:the original
1204:
1189:
1177:. Retrieved
1171:
1162:
1150:. Retrieved
1140:
1125:
1119:
1106:
1100:
1088:. Retrieved
1084:the original
1074:
1062:. Retrieved
1058:the original
1048:
1036:. Retrieved
1029:
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993:the original
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945:. Retrieved
915:
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830:
820:Jack Schacht
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787:Archie Brody
780:
714:Dick Gregory
707:
695:
683:Gene Sheldon
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660:Howie Mandel
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609:Alan Shepard
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566:Danny Thomas
561:The Practice
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247:World War II
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210:José Jiménez
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120:screenwriter
83:(2017-06-15)
44:José Jiménez
42:Dana as his
1319:2017 deaths
1314:1924 births
1242:December 5,
1220:December 5,
1168:"Bill Dana"
1152:January 24,
1090:January 24,
1064:January 24,
756:Filmography
742:Betty White
726:Bob Newhart
722:Norman Lear
613:Scott Glenn
518:Joey Forman
485:Howard Post
402:Don Hinkley
278:Spike Jones
108:Occupations
1308:Categories
895:References
730:Tom Poston
718:Don Knotts
675:TV series
389:segments.
220:Early life
62:1924-10-05
1295:Bill Dana
1275:Bill Dana
1260:Bill Dana
947:April 13,
524:, called
477:Paramount
461:Get Smart
446:Get Smart
430:Get Smart
425:Don Adams
376:Get Smart
371:Don Adams
348:Gene Wood
239:Get Smart
214:astronaut
200:Bill Dana
131:1954–1994
30:Bill Dana
1148:. TV.com
630:(1974),
624:(1967),
479:cartoon
441:in 1959,
292:Dana on
114:Comedian
1290:YouTube
1179:July 2,
886:Himself
881:Blossom
530:Yiddish
245:During
242:theme.
187:
179:
167:
155:
151:
136:Spouses
1266:
1038:May 7,
1034:. IMDB
772:Notes
766:Title
744:, and
490:Batman
392:On an
338:, 1965
330:Dana,
322:, 1965
296:, 1961
284:, 1960
269:Career
103:(1950)
91:, U.S.
72:, U.S.
769:Role
763:Year
312:With
257:as a
181:(
177:
157:(
153:
117:actor
1264:IMDb
1244:2015
1222:2015
1181:2017
1173:IMDb
1154:2010
1092:2010
1066:2010
1040:2012
1013:via
949:2012
876:1992
861:1991
844:1980
837:Bobo
827:1975
810:1974
794:1967
777:1967
595:hope
354:and
334:and
163:div.
78:Died
52:Born
1297:at
1288:on
1262:at
673:CBS
648:as
599:NFL
556:NBC
510:in
344:NBC
316:on
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980:^
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926:^
914:.
902:^
740:,
736:,
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728:,
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712:,
693:.
668:.
574:.
366:.
265:.
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183:m.
159:m.
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