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Jay Novello
Age: 78 (passed away Sep. 2nd, 1982)
Height:
Birth Place: Chicago, Illinois, USA
Born: Aug. 22nd, 1904
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Jay Novello's Main TV Roles
NOTE: Complete List of Works can be found at
IMDB
BIOGRAPHY: Short, dapper Jay Novello specialized in playing ethnic types, sometimes Spanish, Greek or Mexican but usually Italian--not surprising, since his parents were Italian immigrants and he grew up speaking the language before he learned English. Born in Chicago in 1904, he came from a very diverse neighborhood and, in addition to speaking Italian and English, also picked up a working knowledge of German and Greek. He got a job acting with various theater companies in the Chicago area, and his facility with languages got him work in radio as a dialect specialist. He soon moved to Hollywood and got work in the radio industry there, and made his film debut in an uncredited bit part in 1930. He played in everything from westerns to action pictures to serials (in one of which, Adventures of Smilin' Jack (1943), he played a Japanese spy!). He did much television work, and one of his best known roles was as the scheming Mayor Lugato in the Ernest Borgnine comedy series "McHale's Navy" (1962). He died of lung cancer in North Hollywood in 1982.
TRIVIA:
- His immense comedic talents did not go by unnoticed, especially by 'Lucille Ball' (qv). She used Novello frequently on her classic TV shows _"I Love Lucy" (1951)_ (qv) and _"The Lucy Show" (1962)_ (qv). Especially memorable in a classic episode entitled "The Seance" in which he plays prissy, overwrought Mr. Merriwether who is trying to contact his dog that passed away, Tillie.
- Little Italian-American character actor with big talent, especially when it came to playing a variety of nervous, shady-like foreigners.
- Began his career on the stock stage in the Chicago area.
- One Daughter with Rose, named Yvonne Ann (Romano) Harscher.
- Interred at San Fernando Mission Cemetery, Mission Hills, California.
- Taught to speak Italian before learning English; later spoke fluent German and Greek.
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