Frank Gorshin

Frank John Gorshin Jr. was born on April 5, 1933 in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania. His father was a railroad worker and his mother, Frances, was a seamstress. While in high school, young Frank worked as an usher at the Sheridan Square Theatre and began doing impressions of some of his screen idols: Al Jolson, James Cagney, Cary Grant and Edward G. Robinson. At age 17, he won a local talent contest. The prize was a one-week engagement at Jackie Heller's Carousel nightclub, where Alan King was headlining. It was young Frank's first paid job as an entertainer and launched his show business career. Frank attended local Catholic schools and, later, Carnegie-Mellon Tech School of Drama. He acted in plays and performed in nightclubs in Pittsburgh in his spare time.

On television, Frank appeared on The Steve Allen Plymouth Show (1951) and had a dozen guest shots on The Ed Sullivan Show (1948).

In 1953, at age 19, he was drafted into the United States Army and was posted in Germany. Frank served for two years as an entertainer attached to Special Services. In the Army, Frank met Maurice A. Bergman, who would introduce Frank to a Hollywood agent when his hitch with Uncle Sam was up.

Frank quickly landed a role in The Proud and Profane (1956) and other roles in television dramas followed.

Frank appeared in a number of lovable B-movies for American-International Pictures: Hot Rod Girl (1956) and Dragstrip Girl (1957), and everybody's favorite, Invasion of the Saucer Men (1957).

In 1957, while visiting his folks in Pittsburgh, his agent phoned him to rush back to Hollywood for an audition for Run Silent, Run Deep (1958). For some odd reason, instead of catching a plane, Frank decided to drive his car to Los Angeles. Driving 39 consecutive hours, he fell asleep at the wheel, crashed, suffered a fractured skull and woke up in the hospital four days later. To add insult to injury, a Los Angeles newspaper reported he was killed, and the plum movie role of Officer Ruby went to Don Rickles.

Frank finally got a substantial role in the A-movie, Bells Are Ringing (1960), with Dean Martin and Judy Holliday. He did a thinly-disguised Marlon Brando impression. he also appeared in Hollywood nightclubs, including the Purple Onion. He did Las Vegas engagements, opening for Bobby Darin at The Flamingo.

Was one of Ed Sullivan's guests on the famous February 9, 1964 show that featured the American debut of The Beatles.

In 1966, he gave his breakout performance, performing what has become his best-known role: The Riddler on Batman (1966), for which he received an Emmy nomination.

He also played The Riddler in the movie, Batman: The Movie (1966), based on the television series. "I could feel the impact overnight", he recalled later. Because of his nationwide recognition, he was given headliner status in Las Vegas at the MGM Grand, Sahara and Aladdin Hotels.

He received more good reviews for his performance in Star Trek: The Original Series: Let That Be Your Last Battlefield (1969).

In 1970, Frank made his Broadway debut as the star of "Jimmy", for which he got rave reviews. He also starred in many touring company productions, such as "Promises, Promises", "Peter Pan", "Prisoner of Second Street" and "Guys and Dolls".

In the 1980s, Frank served as Honorary Chairman, Entertainment Division, for the American Heart Association.

Biography in: "Who's Who in Comedy" by Ronald L. Smith, pg. 189. New York: Facts on File, 1992. ISBN 0816023387

Perhaps recalling his early AIP films, Frank has worked recently with the legendary Roger Corman, appearing as Clockwise on the television series Black Scorpion (2001) and on Corman's The Phantom Eye (1999). He had appeared in over 70 movies and made over 40 guest appearances in television series.

He died just four days before the first appearance of the Riddler (voiced by Robert Englund) on the animated series The Batman (2004).

His last job before his death was a guest appearance on CSI: Crime Scene Investigation: Grave Danger (1) (2005), the first half of the series' fifth season finale, directed by Quentin Tarantino. He died two days before the episode actually aired. In an ironic note, the famous impressionist's final role was to portray himself.