Editing Stuart Erwin

{{Short description|American actor (1903–1967)}}
{{Use American English|date=May 2022}}
{{Use mdy dates|date=May 2022}}
{{Lead too short|date=March 2017}}
{{Infobox person
| name          = Stuart Erwin
| image         = Stuart Erwin in Mr. Boggs Steps Out (1938).jpg 
| image_size    = 
| caption       = Erwin in ''[[Mr. Boggs Steps Out]]'' (1938)
| birth_name    =
| birth_date    = {{Birth date|1903|02|14|mf=yes}}
| birth_place   = [[Squaw Valley, Fresno County, California]], U.S.
| death_date    = {{Death date and age|1967|12|21|1903|02|14|mf=yes}}
| death_place   = [[Beverly Hills, California]], U.S.
| resting_place = [[Chapel of the Pines Crematory]]
| other_names   = 
| occupation    = Actor
| years_active  = 1922&ndash;1967
| spouse        = {{marriage|[[June Collyer]]|1931}}
| children      = 2
| relatives = [[Bud Collyer]] (brother-in-law)<br>[[Marian Shockley]] (sister-in-law)<br>[[Lori Chavez-DeRemer]] (great-grandniece)
}}

'''Stuart Erwin''' (February 14, 1903 – December 21, 1967) was an American actor of stage, film, and television.

==Early years==
Erwin was born in [[Squaw Valley, Fresno County, California]].<ref>{{cite news|title=Stu Erwin, Film, Video Actor, Dies|url=https://www.newspapers.com/clip/12963205/valley_news/|work=Valley News|date=December 22, 1967|location=California, Van Nuys|page=36|via = [[Newspapers.com]]|access-date = August 8, 2017}} {{Open access}}</ref> He attended [[Porterville High School]] and the [[University of California]].<ref name=ot>{{cite news|title=Talkies' Funny Man, Bride Return to Hollywood Home|url=https://www.newspapers.com/clip/7067817/oakland_tribune/|work=Oakland Tribune|date=July 28, 1931|location=California, Oakland|page=26|via = [[Newspapers.com]]|access-date = August 8, 2017}} {{Open access}}</ref>

==Career==
{{Moresources|section|date=July 2023}}
Erwin began acting in college in the 1920s, having first appeared on stage. From there, he acted in [[Repertory theatre|stock theater]] in Los Angeles.<ref name=ot/>

===Film career===
[[File:Ceiling Zero (1936) 1.jpg|thumb|260px|right|Erwin, far right, with [[Pat O'Brien (actor)|Pat O'Brien]], Martha Tibbetts, [[James Cagney]], and [[June Travis]] in ''[[Ceiling Zero]]'' (1936)]]

He broke into films in 1928 in ''Mother Knows Best''. In 1934, he was cast as [[Joe Palooka]] in the film ''[[Palooka (film)|Palooka]]''. In 1932, he co-starred with [[Bing Crosby]] in the comedy ''[[The Big Broadcast]]'', where he played Texas oil tycoon Leslie McWhinney. 

In 1936, he was cast in ''[[Pigskin Parade]]'', for which he was nominated for the [[Academy Award for Best Supporting Actor]]. In 1940, he played Howie Newsome, the dairy delivery vendor, in the film adaptation of ''[[Our Town (1940 film)|Our Town]]'', based on the [[Thornton Wilder]] play.

In Walt Disney's ''[[Bambi]]'', Erwin performed the voice of a tree squirrel. Later, Erwin appeared in the [[Walt Disney Pictures|Disney]] films ''[[Son of Flubber]]'' and ''[[The Misadventures of Merlin Jones]]''.

===Radio career===
In 1946, Erwin starred in ''Phone Again Finnegan'' on [[CBS]]. He played an apartment house manager in the comedy-drama.<ref>{{cite news|title='Phone Again Finnegan,' New Comedy Series on WHP, Stars Stu Erwin|newspaper=Harrisburg Telegraph |date=June 22, 1946 |url=https://www.newspapers.com/clip/2079512/phone_again_finnegan/|agency=Harrisburg Telegraph|issue=June 22, 1946|page=21|via = [[Newspapers.com]]|access-date = March 27, 2015}} {{Open access}}</ref>

He also played various roles on ''[[Theater Guild on the Air]]'', ''[[Lux Radio Theatre]]'', ''The Old Gold Radio Theatre'' and ''[[Cavalcade of America]]''.

===Television career===
In 1950, Erwin made the transition to television, in which he starred in ''Trouble with Father'',{{r|etvs|page1=1109}} which was retitled ''[[The Stu Erwin Show]]'', with his co-star and real-life wife [[June Collyer]]. In 1963–1964, he played Otto King on ''[[The Greatest Show on Earth (TV series)|The Greatest Show on Earth]]''.<ref name="etvs">{{cite book|last1=Terrace|first1=Vincent|title=Encyclopedia of Television Shows, 1925 through 2010|date=2011|publisher=McFarland & Company, Inc., Publishers|location=Jefferson, N.C.|isbn=978-0-7864-6477-7|page=415|edition=2nd}}</ref>

Erwin guest-starred on ''[[Crossroads (1955 TV series)|Crossroads]]'', ''[[Angel (1960 TV series)|Angel]]'', ''[[Bonanza]]'', ''[[The Donna Reed Show]]'', ''[[Straightaway (TV series)|Straightaway]]'', ''[[Gunsmoke]]'' and ''[[Our Man Higgins]]''.

Erwin made four guest appearances on ''[[Perry Mason (1957 TV series)|Perry Mason]]'', including the role of Clem P. "Sandy" Sandover in the 1962 episode "The Case of the Double-Entry Mind" and Everett Stanton in the 1964 episode "The Case of the Scandalous Sculptor".

Erwin guest-starred on ''[[Father Knows Best]]'' in the episode titled "Family Contest" in the role of Mr. Hensley and on ''[[The Andy Griffith Show]]'', season 1, episode 8, portraying Tom Silby who was presumed dead, but returned to town after a two-year absence.

==Personal life==
Erwin married actress [[June Collyer]] on July 22, 1931, in [[Yuma, Arizona]].<ref>{{cite news|title=June Collyer Weds|url=https://www.newspapers.com/clip/12962408/the_scranton_republican/|work=The Scranton Republican|agency=Associated Press|date=July 23, 1931|location=Pennsylvania, Scranton|page=4|via = [[Newspapers.com]]|access-date = August 8, 2017}} {{Open access}}</ref> Together they had two children, including producer Stuart Erwin Jr. (1932–2014).<ref>{{cite web |title=Stu Erwin, Development Executive at Universal, Dies at 82 |url=https://www.yahoo.com/entertainment/stu-erwin-development-executive-universal-dies-82-234017721.html?guccounter=1&guce_referrer=aHR0cHM6Ly93d3cuZ29vZ2xlLmNvbS8&guce_referrer_sig=AQAAAKUH2--Xsqfq5sDFxr9jFdPfH06zuAy5_aIOyYmE2wf5VTVMp-YfN_XgwlBYzEJMtkMbiaT3dtHLrJgqNZkX_DN8Tj1iHnptJ0yM0IGItEjm5P3V_gRwon9LhOoFchPv-pmF_aALhbyzfua6_eAtUGLHYrib44B-7mDYH3rWsEEc |website=www.yahoo.com| date=December 17, 2014 }}</ref><ref>{{cite web |title=Stu Erwin, Development Executive at Universal, Dies at 82 |url=https://variety.com/2014/tv/news/stu-erwin-development-executive-at-universal-dies-at-82-1201382133/ |website=variety.com|date=December 17, 2014 }}</ref>

==Death==
Erwin died of a [[heart attack]] on December 21, 1967, in Beverly Hills, California, at age 64. He was interred at the [[Chapel of the Pines Crematory]] in Los Angeles.<ref>{{cite book|last1=Ellenberger|first1=Allan R.|title=Celebrities in Los Angeles Cemeteries: A Directory|date=2001|publisher=McFarland|isbn=9780786409839|page=24|url=https://books.google.com/books?id=8bOJCgAAQBAJ&q=%22Stuart+Erwin%22+actor&pg=PA24|access-date=9 August 2017|language=en}}</ref>

==Recognition==
Erwin has a star at 6270 Hollywood Boulevard in the Television section of the [[Hollywood Walk of Fame]]. It was dedicated February 8, 1960.<ref>{{cite web|title=Stu Erwin|url=http://www.walkoffame.com/stu-erwin|website=Hollywood Walk of Fame|access-date=9 August 2017|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20170809000412/http://www.walkoffame.com/stu-erwin|archive-date=9 August 2017}}</ref>

==Partial filmography==
{{div col|colwidth=30em}}
* ''[[Mother Knows Best (film)|Mother Knows Best]]'' (1928) as Ben
* ''[[New Year's Eve (1929 film)|New Year's Eve]]'' (1929) as Landlady's Son
* ''[[Speakeasy (1929 film)|Speakeasy]]'' (1929) as Cy Williams
* ''[[Thru Different Eyes (1929 film)|Thru Different Eyes]]'' (1929) as Reporter
* ''[[The Exalted Flapper]]'' (1929) as Bimbo Mehaffey
* ''[[Dangerous Curves (1929 film)|Dangerous Curves]]'' (1929) as Rotarian
* ''[[The Sophomore]]'' (1929) as Radio Broadcast Technician (uncredited)
* ''[[Happy Days (1929 film)|Happy Days]]'' (1929) as Jig
* ''[[The Cock-Eyed World]]'' (1929) as Buckley
* ''[[Sweetie (1929 film)|Sweetie]]'' (1929) as Axel Bronstrup
* ''[[The Trespasser (1929 film)|The Trespasser]]'' (1929) as Reporter (uncredited)
* ''[[This Thing Called Love (1929 film)|This Thing Called Love]]'' (1929) as Fred
* ''[[Men Without Women (film)|Men Without Women]]'' (1930) as Radioman Jenkins
* ''[[Young Eagles (film)|Young Eagles]]'' (1930) as Pudge Higgins
* ''[[Paramount on Parade]]'' (1930) as Marine (The Montmartre Girl)
* ''[[Dangerous Nan McGrew]]'' (1930) as Eustace Macy
* ''[[Love Among the Millionaires]]'' (1930) as Clicker Watson
* ''[[Playboy of Paris]]'' (1930) as Paul Michel
* ''[[Only Saps Work]]'' (1930) as Oscar
* ''[[Along Came Youth]]'' (1930) as Ambrose
* ''[[No Limit (1931 film)|No Limit]]'' (1931) as Ole Olson
* ''[[Dude Ranch (film)|Dude Ranch]]'' (1931) as Chester Carr
* ''[[Up Pops the Devil]]'' (1931) as Stranger
* ''[[The Magnificent Lie (1931 film)|The Magnificent Lie]]'' (1931) as Elmer Graham
* ''[[Working Girls (1931 film)|Working Girls]]'' (1931) as Pat Kelly
* ''[[Two Kinds of Women (1932 film)|Two Kinds of Women]]'' (1932) as Hauser
* ''[[Strangers in Love]]'' (1932) as Stan Kenney
* ''[[Misleading Lady]]'' (1932) as Boney
* ''[[Make Me a Star (film)|Make Me a Star]]'' (1932) as Merton Gill
* ''[[The Big Broadcast]]'' (1932) as Leslie McWhinney
* ''[[Face in the Sky]]'' (1933) as Lucky
* ''[[The Crime of the Century (1933 film)|The Crime of the Century]]'' (1933) as Dan McKee
* ''[[He Learned About Women]]'' (1933) as Peter Potter Kendall II
* ''[[Under the Tonto Rim (1933 film)|Under the Tonto Rim]]'' (1933) as 'Tonto' Daily
* ''[[International House (1933 film)|International House]]'' (1933) as Tommy Nash
* ''[[Hold Your Man]]'' (1933) as Al Simpson
* ''[[The Stranger's Return]]'' (1933) as Simon Bates
* ''[[Before Dawn (film)|Before Dawn]]'' (1933) as Dwight Wilson
* ''[[Day of Reckoning (1933 film)|Day of Reckoning]]'' (1933) as Jerry
* ''[[Going Hollywood]]'' (1933) as Ernest P. Baker
* ''[[Palooka (film)|Palooka]]'' (1934) as Joe Palooka
* ''[[Viva Villa!]]'' (1934) as Jonny Sykes
* ''[[Bachelor Bait]]'' (1934) as Mr. William Watts
* ''[[The Party's Over (1934 film)|The Party's Over]]'' (1934)
* ''[[Chained (1934 film)|Chained]]'' (1934) as John L. 'Johnnie' Smith
* ''[[Have a Heart (film)|Have a Heart]]'' (1934) as Gus Anderson
* ''[[The Band Plays On (film)|The Band Plays On]]'' (1934) as Stuffy Wilson
* ''[[After Office Hours]]'' (1935) as Hank Parr
* ''[[Ceiling Zero]]'' (1936) as Texas Clarke
* ''[[Exclusive Story]]'' (1936) as Timothy Aloysius Higgins
* ''[[Absolute Quiet]]'' (1936) as 'Chubby' Rudd
* ''[[Women Are Trouble]]'' (1936) as Matt Casey
* ''[[All American Chump]]'' (1936) as Elmer Lamb
* ''[[Pigskin Parade]]'' (1936) as Amos Dodd
* ''[[Slim (film)|Slim]]'' (1937) as Stumpy
* ''[[Dance Charlie Dance]]'' (1937) as Andrew 'Andy' Tucker
* ''[[Small Town Boy (film)|Small Town Boy]]'' (1937) as Henry Armstrong
* ''[[Sunday Night at the Trocadero]]'' (1937)
* ''[[Second Honeymoon (1937 film)|Second Honeymoon]]'' (1937) as Leo MacTavish
* ''[[I'll Take Romance (film)|I'll Take Romance]]'' (1937) as 'Pancho' Brown
* ''[[Checkers (1937 film)|Checkers]]'' (1937) as Edgar Connell
* ''[[Mr. Boggs Steps Out]]'' (1938) as Oliver Boggs
* ''[[Three Blind Mice (1938 film)|Three Blind Mice]]'' (1938) as Mike Brophy
* ''[[Passport Husband]]'' (1938) as Henry Cabot
* ''[[Back Door to Heaven]]'' (1939) as Jud Mason
* ''[[It Could Happen to You (1939 film)|It Could Happen to You]]'' (1939) as Mackinley Winslow
* ''[[Hollywood Cavalcade]]'' (1939) as Pete Tinney
* ''[[The Honeymoon's Over (film)|The Honeymoon's Over]]'' (1939) as Donald Todd
* ''[[Our Town (1940 film)|Our Town]]'' (1940) as Howie Newsome
* ''[[When the Daltons Rode]]'' (1940) as Ben Dalton
* ''[[A Little Bit of Heaven (1940 film)|A Little Bit of Heaven]]'' (1940) as Cotton
* ''[[Sandy Gets Her Man]]'' (1940) as Bill Kerry
* ''[[Cracked Nuts (1941 film)|Cracked Nuts]]'' (1941) as Lawrence Trent
* ''[[The Bride Came C.O.D.]]'' (1941) as Tommy Keenan
* ''[[The Adventures of Martin Eden]]'' (1942) as Joe Dawson
* ''[[Drums of the Congo]]'' (1942) as Congo Jack
* ''[[Blondie for Victory]]'' (1942) as Pvt. Herschel Smith
* ''[[He Hired the Boss]]'' (1943) as Hubert Wilkins
* ''[[The Great Mike]]'' (1944) as Jay Spencer
* ''[[Pillow to Post]]'' (1945) as Captain Jack Ross
* ''[[Killer Dill]]'' (1947) as Johnny 'Killer' Dill
* ''[[Heaven Only Knows (film)|Heaven Only Knows]]'' (1947) as Sheriff Matt Bodine
* ''[[Heading for Heaven]]'' (1947) as Henry Elkins
* ''[[Doctor Jim]]'' (1947) as Dr. James (Jim) Gateson
* ''[[Strike It Rich (1948 film)|Strike It Rich]]'' (1948) as Delbart Lane
* ''[[Father Is a Bachelor]]'' (1950) as Constable Pudge Barnham
* ''[[Main Street to Broadway]]'' (1953) as Stuart Erwin, First Nighter (uncredited)
* ''[[None but the Brave (1960 film)|For the Love of Mike]]'' (1960) as Dr. Mills
* ''[[Son of Flubber]]'' (1963) as Coach Wilson
* ''[[The Misadventures of Merlin Jones]]'' (1964) as Police Captain Loomis
{{div col end}}

{{Portal|Biography|California|Theatre|Film|Television}}

==References==
{{reflist}}

==External links==
{{commons category}}
*{{IMDb name|id=0260020|name=Stuart Erwin}}
*{{IBDB name}}
*{{Find a Grave|8751677}}

{{Authority control}}

{{DEFAULTSORT:Erwin, Stuart}}
[[Category:1903 births]]
[[Category:1967 deaths]]
[[Category:American male film actors]]
[[Category:American male stage actors]]
[[Category:American male radio actors]]
[[Category:American male television actors]]
[[Category:Burials at Chapel of the Pines Crematory]]
[[Category:People from Fresno County, California]]
[[Category:Male actors from Los Angeles]]
[[Category:20th-century American male actors]]
[[Category:Porterville High School alumni]]
[[Category:20th Century Studios contract players]]
[[Category:Warner Bros. contract players]]
[[Category:Metro-Goldwyn-Mayer contract players]]