Dick Shawn

Dick Shawn

One-of-a-kind nightclub comedian and singer Dick Shawn (ne Richard Schulefand) was as off-the-wall as they came and, as such, proved to be rather an acquired taste. Way ahead of his time most say, it was extremely difficult indeed to know how to properly tap into this man's eclectic talents. Shawn began inching toward the forefront during the be-bop 50s and early 60s with his odd penchant for playing cool cats. During his mild bid for film stardom, he was top-billed as a hip, laid back genie in the thoroughly dismal satire The Wizard of Baghdad (1960), but seemed to have better luck when taken in smaller doses. He fared quite well opposite another "way-out-there" comedian, Ernie Kovacs, in Wake Me When It's Over (1960) as a hustling soldier out to make a buck in the Far East. Also on the plus side, he replaced Zero Mostel in the bawdy musical "A Funny Thing Happened on the Way to the Forum" on Broadway and stole a small scene in the all-star epic comedy It's a Mad Mad Mad Mad World (1963). By far, the one role that completely overshadows all of his other hard work is his mock portrayal of a singing Adolf Hitler in the show-within-a-movie The Producers (1968). In the film, which starred Mostel and Gene Wilder as two con artists deliberately producing a stage "bomb" called "Springtime for Hitler," Shawn sang the hammy, absurdly narcissistic song "Love Power." The movie finally captured Shawn in his element, but this stroke of genius of matching actor to role would never happen again for him. For the most part his roles came off slick and smarmy, and were stuck in mediocre material. Shawn won a huge fan base, however, touring in one-man stage shows which contained a weird mix of songs, sketches, satire, philosophy and even pantomime. A bright, innovative wit, one of his best touring shows was called "The Second Greatest Entertainer in the World." During the show's intermission, Shawn would lie visibly on the stage floor absolutely still during the entire time. By freakish coincidence, Shawn was performing at the University of California at San Diego in 1987 when he suddenly fell forward on the stage during one of his spiels about the Holocaust. The audience, of course, laughed, thinking it was just a part of his odd shtick. In actuality, the 63-year-old married actor with four children had suffered a fatal heart attack. A not-surprising end for this thoroughly offbeat and intriguing personality.

  • Title: Dick Shawn
  • Popularity: 6.719
  • Known For: Acting
  • Birthday: 1923-12-01
  • Place of Birth: Buffalo, New York, USA
  • Homepage:
  • Also Known As: Richard Schulefand
img

Dick Shawn Movies

  • 1984
    imgMovies

    Angel

    Angel

    5.9 1984 HD

    Molly Stewart, a teen at the top of her class who survives by working nights as a prostitute on Hollywood Blvd, finds her world beginning to fall...

    img
  • 1987
    imgMovies

    Maid to Order

    Maid to Order

    5.6 1987 HD

    Spoiled Jessie Montgomery, whose wild behavior and spending excesses cause her well-meaning but exasperated millionaire father Charles to wish he...

    img
  • 1968
    imgMovies

    The Producers

    The Producers

    7.091 1968 HD

    Broadway producer Max Bialystock and his accountant, Leo Bloom plan to make money by charming wealthy old biddies to invest in a production many...

    img
  • 1983
    imgMovies

    Young Warriors

    Young Warriors

    3.9 1983 HD

    After a young woman is gang raped and murdered in a California college town, her brother takes up arms by night with a gang of like-minded...

    img
  • 1984
    imgMovies

    Best Chest in the West

    Best Chest in the West

    5.5 1984 HD

    What happens when dozens of beautiful California girls compete for the title of “BEST CHEST IN THE WEST”? In this show, anything goes!...

    img
  • 1963
    imgMovies

    It's a Mad, Mad, Mad, Mad World

    It's a Mad, Mad, Mad, Mad World

    6.965 1963 HD

    A group of strangers come across a man dying after a car crash who proceeds to tell them about the $350,000 he buried in California. What follows is...

    img
  • 1974
    imgMovies

    The Year Without a Santa Claus

    The Year Without a Santa Claus

    7.198 1974 HD

    Feeling forgotten by the children of the world, old St. Nick decides to skip his gift-giving journey and take a vacation. Mrs. Claus and two spunky...

    img
  • 1966
    imgMovies

    What Did You Do in the War, Daddy?

    What Did You Do in the War, Daddy?

    6 1966 HD

    A by-the-book Captain is ordered to capture a strategic village in Italy. The Italian soldiers are willing to surrender, if they can have a festival...

    img
  • 1979
    imgMovies

    Love at First Bite

    Love at First Bite

    5.953 1979 HD

    Dracula and Renefield relocate to 70's era New York in search of Cindy Sondheim, the reincarnation of Dracula's one true love, Mina Harker. "Trouble...

    img
  • 1986
    imgMovies

    Captain EO

    Captain EO

    6.7 1986 HD

    In this 3-D science fiction film that was shown at Disney theme parks, the infamous Captain EO and his ragtag crew are sent on a diplomatic mission...

    img
  • 1969
    imgMovies

    The Happy Ending

    The Happy Ending

    6 1969 HD

    The triumphs and failures of middle age as seen through the eyes of runaway American housewife Mary Wilson, a woman who believes that ultimate...

    img
  • 1966
    imgMovies

    Way... Way Out

    Way... Way Out

    5.7 1966 HD

    A platonically wed American couple run a lunar weather station near an unwed Soviet couple.

    img
  • 1960
    imgMovies

    Wake Me When It's Over

    Wake Me When It's Over

    6 1960 HD

    The war may be over, but that doesn't keep the hapless Gus Brubaker from being drafted and posted on a forgotten little Japanese Island...and that's...

    img
  • 1977
    imgMovies

    Looking Up

    Looking Up

    1 1977 HD

    Family secrets are revealed as three generations of a middle-class New York Jewish family come together in this story of good relations and bad...

    img
  • 1966
    imgMovies

    Penelope

    Penelope

    5.6 1966 HD

    When Penelope gets married to banker James Elcott, she finds him too preoccupied with work to pay much attention to her, so she robs his bank in...

    img
  • 1979
    imgMovies

    Playboy's 25th Anniversary Celebration

    Playboy's 25th Anniversary Celebration

    1 1979 HD

    A salute to Playboy Magazine on the occasion of its twenty-fifth anniversary, hosted by founding publisher Hugh Hefner and an all-male guest list.

    img
  • 1983
    imgMovies

    Good-bye Cruel World

    Good-bye Cruel World

    3.3 1983 HD

    The story involves newscaster Rodney Pointsetter (Shawn) who is so depressed between his job and his family that he tries to make a film about his...

    img
  • 1965
    imgMovies

    A Very Special Favor

    A Very Special Favor

    5.7 1965 HD

    The long-lost father of a frigid, uptight Freudian psychologist contracts a wealthy American playboy who owes him a favor to woo his daughter.

    img
  • 1985
    imgMovies

    If the Shoes Fit...

    If the Shoes Fit...

    1 1985 HD

    Gubernatorial candidate's belief that politics is nothing more than entertainment, is helped at a hotel where the bellboy and maid help him get ready...

    img
  • 1972
    imgMovies

    Evil Roy Slade

    Evil Roy Slade

    6.2 1972 HD

    Orphaned and left in the desert as an infant, Evil Roy Slade (John Astin) grew up alone—save for his teddy bear—and mean. As an adult, he...

    img
  • 1986
    imgMovies

    The Making of Captain EO

    The Making of Captain EO

    6.7 1986 HD

    Documentary of the making of Michael Jackson's Captain EO film for the Disney theme parks.

    img
  • 1986
    imgMovies

    The Tommy Chong Roast

    The Tommy Chong Roast

    5.5 1986 HD

    A "tribute" to comedian Tommy Chong, given to him by many of his fellow comedians.

    img
  • 2018
    imgMovies

    Mel Brooks: Unwrapped

    Mel Brooks: Unwrapped

    6.7 2018 HD

    At the age of 91, Mel Brooks is unstoppable, with his musical "Young Frankenstein" opening to great critical acclaim in London in late 2017. Alan...

    img
  • 1956
    imgMovies

    The Opposite Sex

    The Opposite Sex

    5.2 1956 HD

    Former radio singer Kay learns from her gossipy friends that her husband, Steve, has had an affair with chorus girl Crystal. Devastated, Kay tries to...

    img
  • 1961
    imgMovies

    The Wizard of Baghdad

    The Wizard of Baghdad

    6 1961 HD

    A genie turned mortal after his many failures is sent to Baghdad. As his last chance to prove himself he must help a prince and princess fulfill a...

    img
  • 1985
    imgMovies

    Water

    Water

    5.8 1985 HD

    A British diplomat to a West Indian island nation finds his idyllic existence thrown into chaos when a large American drilling company finds a huge...

    img
  • 1985
    imgMovies

    The Emperor's New Clothes

    The Emperor's New Clothes

    4 1985 HD

    Two con men take advantage of an emperor's vanity.

    img
  • 1971
    imgMovies

    Dames at Sea

    Dames at Sea

    6 1971 HD

    Dames at Sea is a musical with book and lyrics by George Haimsohn and Robin Miller and music by Jim Wise. The musical is a parody of large, flashy...

    img
  • 1991
    imgMovies

    Something a Little Less Serious: A Tribute to 'It's a Mad Mad Mad Mad World'

    Something a Little Less Serious: A Tribute to 'It's a Mad Mad Mad Mad World'

    1 1991 HD

    A star-studded documentary and tribute to the classic comedy, It's a Mad Mad Mad Mad World.

    img
  • 1970
    imgMovies

    Annie: the Women in the Life of a Man

    Annie: the Women in the Life of a Man

    1 1970 HD

    A CBS television special, renowned for its legendary "Yma, Ava....Yma, Uta... Yma, Oona" sequence. Annie: the Women in the Life of a Man (1970), won...

    img
  • 1986
    imgMovies

    The Perils of P.K

    The Perils of P.K

    10 1986 HD

    P.K., a former movie star now reduced to working as a stripper in a Las Vegas nightclub, is desperate for a comeback, and thinks she could make one...

    img
  • 1987
    imgMovies

    Rented Lips

    Rented Lips

    4.2 1987 HD

    A documentary filmmaker, who has spent the last 15 years making films like "Aluminum: Our Shiny Friend," is finally given the chance to make the...

    img
  • 1997
    imgMovies

    Batman & Robin

    Batman & Robin

    4.4 1997 HD

    Batman and Robin deal with relationship issues while preventing Mr. Freeze and Poison Ivy from attacking Gotham City.

    img
  • 1979
    imgMovies

    Fast Friends

    Fast Friends

    1 1979 HD

    A young divorcee struggles to provide for her young son and make a new life for herself in the backstage jungle of a TV talk show, becoming fast...

    img
  • 2020
    imgMovies

    Leave 'em Laughing

    Leave 'em Laughing

    1 2020 HD

    An evening of stand-up comedy takes a not so funny turn, leaving the audience wondering what they just witnessed.

    img
  • 1986
    imgMovies

    The Check is in the Mail...

    The Check is in the Mail...

    6.5 1986 HD

    Meet Richard Jackson - a man fed up with the insanity of "plastic" suburban living. Rallying his befuddled family around him, Richard mounts an...

    img
  • 1983
    imgMovies

    Good-bye Cruel World

    Good-bye Cruel World

    3.3 1983 HD

    img
  • 1982
    imgS6 E22

    St. Elsewhere

    St. Elsewhere

    5.411 1982 HD

    St. Elsewhere is an American medical drama television series that originally ran on NBC from October 26, 1982 to May 25, 1988. The series starred Ed...

    img
  • 1980
    imgS8 E13

    Magnum, P.I.

    Magnum, P.I.

    7.3 1980 HD

    A private investigator who works when he wants, lives in a beachfront estate in Hawaii, drives a posh Ferrari, runs up an unlimited tab at a swank...

    img
  • 1984
    imgS4 E20

    Tales from the Darkside

    Tales from the Darkside

    7.2 1984 HD

    Tales from the Darkside is an anthology horror TV series created by George A. Romero, each episode was an individual short story that ended with a...

    img
  • 1985
    imgS3 E30

    The Twilight Zone

    The Twilight Zone

    7.7 1985 HD

    This 1980s revival of the classic sci-fi series features a similar style to the original anthology series. Each episode tells a tale (sometimes two...

    img
  • 1962
    imgS6 E24

    The Lucy Show

    The Lucy Show

    7.107 1962 HD

    The Lucy Show is an American sitcom that aired on CBS from 1962–68. It was Lucille Ball's follow-up to I Love Lucy. A significant change in...

    img
  • 1966
    imgS5 E24

    That Girl

    That Girl

    6.115 1966 HD

    That Girl is an American sitcom that ran on ABC from 1966 to 1971. It stars Marlo Thomas as the title character Ann Marie, an aspiring actress, who...

    img
  • 1976
    imgS8 E22

    Laverne & Shirley

    Laverne & Shirley

    7.2 1976 HD

    Laverne & Shirley is an American television sitcom that ran on ABC from January 27, 1976 to May 10, 1983. It starred Penny Marshall as Laverne De...

    img
  • 1969
    imgS7 E24

    Medical Center

    Medical Center

    6.1 1969 HD

    Medical Center is a medical drama series which aired on CBS from 1969 to 1976. It was produced by MGM Television.

    img
  • 1948
    imgS24 E26

    The Ed Sullivan Show

    The Ed Sullivan Show

    6.632 1948 HD

    The Ed Sullivan Show is an American TV variety show that originally ran on CBS from Sunday June 20, 1948 to Sunday June 6, 1971, and was hosted by...

    img
  • 1953
    imgS10 E34

    General Electric Theater

    General Electric Theater

    6 1953 HD

    General Electric Theater is an American anthology series hosted by Ronald Reagan that was broadcast on CBS radio and television. The series was...

    img
  • 1985
    imgS1 E7

    Hail to the Chief

    Hail to the Chief

    5 1985 HD

    Hail to the Chief is an American sitcom that ran on ABC from April 9, 1985 until May 21, 1985. It centered on the first woman President of the United...

    img
  • 1963
    imgS4 E26

    Bob Hope Presents the Chrysler Theatre

    Bob Hope Presents the Chrysler Theatre

    5.5 1963 HD

    Bob Hope Presents the Chrysler Theatre is an American anthology series, sponsored by Chrysler Corporation, which ran on NBC from 1963 through 1967....

    img
  • 1966
    imgS1 E26

    ABC Stage 67

    ABC Stage 67

    6 1966 HD

    ABC Stage 67 is the umbrella title for a series of 26 weekly shows that included dramas, variety shows, documentaries, and original musicals. It...

    img
  • 1956
    imgS7 E9

    The Dinah Shore Chevy Show

    The Dinah Shore Chevy Show

    5.3 1956 HD

    The Dinah Shore Chevy Show is an American variety series hosted by Dinah Shore, and broadcast on NBC from October 1956 to June 1963. The series was...

    img
  • 1959
    imgS2 E27

    The DuPont Show with June Allyson

    The DuPont Show with June Allyson

    6.3 1959 HD

    The DuPont Show with June Allyson is an American anthology drama series which aired on CBS from September 21, 1959 to April 3, 1961 with rebroadcasts...

    img
  • 1962
    imgS31 E74

    The Tonight Show Starring Johnny Carson

    The Tonight Show Starring Johnny Carson

    7.4 1962 HD

    The Tonight Show Starring Johnny Carson is a talk show hosted by Johnny Carson under The Tonight Show franchise from 1962 to 1992. It originally...

    img
  • 1985
    imgS2 E21

    Amazing Stories

    Amazing Stories

    7.454 1985 HD

    A truly amazing, fantastical, science fiction, funny and odd, and sometimes scary, sad and endearing anthology series presented by Steven Spielberg...

    img
  • 1961
    imgS22 E21

    The Mike Douglas Show

    The Mike Douglas Show

    5.1 1961 HD

    The Mike Douglas Show is an American daytime television talk show hosted by Mike Douglas that originally aired only in the Cleveland area during much...

    img
  • 1963
    imgS1 E26

    The Judy Garland Show

    The Judy Garland Show

    8 1963 HD

    The Judy Garland Show is an American musical variety television series that aired on CBS on Sunday nights during the 1963-1964 television season....

    img
  • 1982
    imgS6 E3

    Faerie Tale Theatre

    Faerie Tale Theatre

    8.2 1982 HD

    A live-action children's television anthology series retelling popular fairy tales.

    img
  • 1982
    imgS6 E3

    Faerie Tale Theatre

    Faerie Tale Theatre

    8.2 1982 HD

    A live-action children's television anthology series retelling popular fairy tales.

    img
  • 1961
    imgS22 E21

    The Mike Douglas Show

    The Mike Douglas Show

    5.1 1961 HD

    The Mike Douglas Show is an American daytime television talk show hosted by Mike Douglas that originally aired only in the Cleveland area during much...

    img
  • 1977
    imgS10 E4

    The Love Boat

    The Love Boat

    6.3 1977 HD

    Passengers who search for romantic nights aboard a beautiful ship travelling to tropical or mysterious countries, decide to pass their vacation...

    img
  • 1977
    imgS10 E4

    The Love Boat

    The Love Boat

    6.3 1977 HD

    Passengers who search for romantic nights aboard a beautiful ship travelling to tropical or mysterious countries, decide to pass their vacation...

    img
  • 1968
    imgS12 E100

    The Dick Cavett Show

    The Dick Cavett Show

    6.658 1968 HD

    The Dick Cavett Show has been the title of several talk shows hosted by Dick Cavett on various television networks.

    img
  • 1982
    imgS1 E75

    Madame's Place

    Madame's Place

    7.3 1982 HD

    Madame's Place is an American sitcom that featured the misadventures of Madame, a puppet in the form of a bawdy old movie star with a naughty sense...

    img