CLIFF EDWARDS BIOGRAPHY & FILMOGRAPHY:
Cliff Edwards was born on June 14th, 1895 in Hannibal, Missouri. He first became involved in the world of entertainment through his talent with music and the ability to play the ukulele as well as a talented singing voice.
At the age of fourteen he left school early and relocated to St. Louis where he found work singing in saloons. Soon he began performing in vaudeville and gained quite a bit of experience and in 1919 he made his first phonograph record and later signed a contract with Pathe Records. Over the course of his career he recorded such songs as, "California, Here I come", "Hard Hearted Hannah", "Yes Sir, That's My Baby" and "I'll See You in My Dreams".
In 1929 he was performing at the Orpheum Theater in Los Angeles, California when he caught the attention of movie producer, Irving Thalberg. Soon he broke into the film industry with some of his early roles being in, "Marianne" (1929) starring Marion Davies, "They Learned About Women" (1930) starring Gus Van, Joe Schenck, Bessie Love and J.C. Nugent, "Montana Moon" (1930) starring Joan Crawford, Johnny Mack Brown and Ricardo Cortez, "Way Out West" (1930) co-starring William Haines, Leila Hyams, Polly Moran, Charles Middleton and Ralph Bushman and "Doughboys" (1930) starring Buster Keaton, Sally Ellers, Edward Brophy and Victor Potel.
He is most well remembered for his role as the voice of Jiminy Cricket in Walt Disney's, "Pinocchio" (1940). He also did the voice for Disney's animated film, "Dumbo" (1941). Many also remember him for being the first vocalist for the hit song, "Singin' in the Rain" (1929).
He mostly appeared in 'B' Westerns and did a lot of work with MGM as well as with Warner Brothers and RKO Pictures. Some of his more popular appearances were on the films, "The Bad Man of Brimstone" (1937) starring Alongside Wallace Beery, Virginia Bruce, Dennis O'Keefe, Guinn 'Big Boy' Williams, Lewis Stone, Joseph Calleia, Noah Beery Sr., John Qualen, Charley Grapewin, Guy Kibbee and Bruce Cabot and "His Girl Friday" (1940) starring Cary Grant, Rosalind Russell, Ralph Bellamy, Gene Lockhart, John Qualen, Porter Hall, Roscoe Karns, Regis Toomey, Billy Gilbert and Frank Orth.
Along with performing live, recording music and acting in the film industry he also made quite a name for himself with his national radio show. He also added numerous television appearances to his resume such as, "Bat Masterson", "Playhouse 90", "The Cliff Edwards Show", "The Mickey Mouse Club" and "Walt Disney's Wonderful World of Color".
Edwards married three times throughout his lifetime, first to Gertrude Ryrholm in 1919 however by 1923 this marriage came to an end. He then married Irene Wylie in 1923 but by 1931 another marriage had ended in divorce. His third and final marriage was in 1932 to Judith Barrett and this marriage was also short lived ending in 1936.
He did not re-marry and on July 17th, 1971, Cliff Edwards passed away in Los Angeles, California. Although, successful in the world of entertainment, he did not invest his money well and the majority of his income went to cover alimony from his former three marriages. He also suffered alcohol and drug addiction and when he passed away on, July 17th, 1971 in Los Angeles, California at the age of seventy six his remains went unclaimed and were therefore donated to the University of California medical school. Later he received a formal burial from the Actors' Fund of America and the Disney company covered the expense of his grave marker.
Filmography
1973 I'm No Fool with Electricity
1965 The Man from Button Willow
1960 Platinum High School
1955-1960 Walt Disney's Wonderful World of Color
1959 Bat Masterson
1958 Playhouse 90
1957 I'm No Fool in Water
1956 I'm No Fool as a Pedestrian
1956 I'm No Fool with a Bicycle
1956 You and Your Ears
1956 I'm No Fool Having Fun
1955 The Mickey Mouse Club
1955 You and Your Sense of Touch
1955 You and Your Food
1955 I'm No Fool with Fire
1955 You the Human Animal
1955 You and Your Senses of Smell and Taste
1955 You and Your Five Senses
1949 The Cliff Edwards Show
1943 The Avenging Rider
1943 Sagebrush Law
1943 The Falcon Strikes Back
1943 Salute for Three
1943 Fighting Frontier
1942 American Empire
1942 Red River Robin Hood
1942 Pirates of the Prairie
1942 Seven Miles from Alcatraz
1942 Overland to Deadwood
1942 Bandit Ranger
1942 Bad Men of the Hills
1942 Riders of the Northland
1942 Sundown Jim
1942 Lawless Plainsmen
1942 West of Tombstone
1941 Riders of the Badlands
1941 Dumbo
1941 Prairie Stranger
1941 International Squadron
1941 Thunder Over the Prairie
1941 Power Dive
1941 Knockout
1941 The Monster and the Girl
1940 She Couldn't Say No
1940 Friendly Neighbors
1940 Flowing Gold
1940 Millionaires in Prison
1940 Pinocchio
1940 High School
1940 His Girl Friday
1940 Just a Cute Kid
1939 Gone with the Wind
1939 The Royal Rodeo
1939 Ride, Cowboy, Ride
1939 Smuggled Cargo
1939 Maisie
1938 The Little Adventuress
1938 The Girl of the Golden West
1937 The Bad Man of Brimstone
1937 The Women Men Marry
1937 Bad Guy
1937 Saratoga
1937 Between Two Women
1937 Modern Inventions
1937 They Gave Him a Gun
1936 The Man I Marry
1935 Red Salute
1935 George White's 1935 Scandals
1934 George White's Scandals
1933 Take a Chance
1933 Flying Devils
1933 Stop, Sadie, Stop
1932 Fast Life
1932 Young Bride
1931 Hell Divers
1931 The Sin of Madelon Claudet
1931 Sidewalks of New York
1931 The Great Lover
1931 Laughing Sinners
1931 Shipmates
1931 Stepping Out
1931 Parlor, Bedroom and Bath
1931 The Prodigal
1931 Dance, Fools, Dance
1931 The Strange Case of Hennessy
1930 Remote Control
1930 Crazy House
1930 Those Three French Girls
1930 Doughboys
1930 Good News
1930 Way Out West
1930 Montana Moon
1930 Lord Byron of Broadway
1930 They Learned About Women
1929 So This Is College
1929 Marianne
