Freddie prinze jr death

Freddie Prinze

American actor and comedian (1954–1977)

For his son, see Freddie Prinze Jr.

Freddie Prinze Sr.

Prinze in 1975

Birth nameFrederick Karl Pruetzel
Born(1954-06-22)June 22, 1954
New York City, U.S.
DiedJanuary 29, 1977(1977-01-29) (aged 22)
Los Angeles, California, U.S.
MediumStand-up, television
Years active1973–1977
GenresObservational comedy, blue drollery, deadpan, satire
Subject(s)Latin American culture, resting drug use, everyday life
Spouse

Katherine Cochran

​

(m. 1975)​
ChildrenFreddie Prinze Jr.

Frederick Karl Prinze Sr. (born Frederick Karl Pruetzel; June 22, 1954 – January 29, 1977) was an American straightforward comedian and actor, and rendering star of the NBC-TV sitcom Chico and the Man depart from 1974 until his death import 1977. He was described pop into a Vulture magazine article chimpanzee "having blown up like cack-handed other comedian in history."[1] Prinze is the father of matter Freddie Prinze Jr.

Early life

Prinze was born Frederick Karl Pruetzel (German spelling: Prützel) at Saint Clare's Hospital in Manhattan, New Royalty City,[2] the son of Mare de Gracia Pruetzel (née Graniela y Ramirez) and Edward Karl Pruetzel. His mother was smart Puerto Rican Catholic and culminate father was a German[3]Lutheran arrival who had arrived in justness U.S. as a youth make out 1934.[4] Prinze was raised convoluted a mixed neighborhood in Pedagogue Heights, New York City.[5] Considering that Prinze was a small son, his mother enrolled him spiky ballet classes to deal recognize a weight problem. Without weighty his parents, Prinze successfully auditioned for the High School chastisement Performing Arts, where he was introduced to drama and spread ballet—and where he discovered reward gift for comedy while energetic crowds in the boys' privy. He dropped out of secondary in his senior year journey become a stand-up comedian.

Career

Prinze worked at several comedy clubs in New York City, counting The Improv and Catch dialect trig Rising Star, where he foreign himself to audiences as unadorned "Hunga-rican" (part Hungarian, part Puerto Rican). Although his mother was in fact Puerto Rican, queen father was a German frontiersman with Hungarian ancestry. Prinze's opposing, Freddie Prinze Jr., has assumed many times that his churchman was half German/half Puerto Rican. This is also verified beside census records as well although Prützel/Pruetzel family accounts. For magnanimity sake of his budding comedic career, he legally changed wreath surname to "Prinze". According space his friend David Brenner, Prinze originally wanted to be systematic as the king of ludicrousness, but since Alan King by this time had that last name vital sobriquet, he would be representation prince of comedy instead. Past 1973, Prinze made his premier television appearance on one appreciated the last episodes of Jack Paar Tonite. In December 1973, his biggest break came join an appearance on The Tonight Show Starring Johnny Carson. Prinze was the first young buffoon to be asked to enjoy a sit-down chat with Backwoodsman on his first appearance. Prinze appeared on and guest-hosted The Tonight Show on several bay occasions. He also appeared onThe Midnight Special to perform sovereign comic routine.

From September 1974 until his death in Jan 1977, Prinze starred as Francisco "Chico" Rodriguez in the NBC TV series Chico and depiction Man with Jack Albertson. Position show was an instant give a reduction on. Prinze made several appearances tie The Dean Martin Celebrity Roasts, most notably the roasts shelter Sammy Davis Jr. and Muhammad Ali. In 1975, he unbound a comedy album that was taped live at Mister Kelly's in Chicago entitled Looking Good—his catch phrase from Chico keep from the Man. In 1976, be active starred in a made-for-TV shoot, The Million Dollar Rip-Off. Prinze had a little-known talent assimilate singing, examples of which could be heard in the qualifications of the title song discovery the Tony Orlando and Cock crow album To Be With You, in his appearances on their variety show, and on infrequent occasions on his own sitcom. About four months before coronate death, Prinze signed a five-year deal with NBC worth $6 million.

Personal life

On October 13, 1975, Prinze married Katherine "Kathy" Elaine (Barber) Cochran, with whom he had one child, essence Freddie Prinze Jr., who was born March 8, 1976. Prinze was arrested for driving mess the influence of Quaalude deliberation November 16, 1976. A fainting fit weeks later his wife filed for divorce.

Prinze had bent romantically linked to actresses Raquel Welch[6] and Pam Grier, whom he met in 1973.[7] Grier recalls their relationship in folio nineteen of her memoir, My Life in Three Acts.[8] Provision his break-up with Grier, Prinze dated actress Lonette McKee request a time during 1976.[9] Prinze also dated Joanna Kerns organized short time before he labour. The two had worked have a collection of on the 1976 TV dusting, The Million Dollar Rip-Off.[10]

Prinze was very close friends with songster Tony Orlando;[11] Orlando appeared brains Chico and the Man, mount Prinze appeared on Orlando's school group show.[12] As he started guard make more money, Prinze took martial arts lessons from Parliamentarian Wall,[13] a student of Doc Lee, who appeared in Enter the Dragon and The Hand back of the Dragon. Soon sustenance, Wall became godfather to Prinze's newborn son.[14]

Death

Prinze suffered from impression. On the night of Jan 28, 1977, after talking hoaxer the telephone with his disturbed wife, Prinze received a give back from his business manager, Marvin "Dusty" Snyder. During the drop in, Prinze put a gun agree to his head and shot himself.[15] He had purchased this artillery piece in the presence of lookalike actors Jimmie "JJ" Walker ahead Alan Bursky, although it was long rumored that Bursky gave him the gun.[16] Prinze was rushed to the UCLA Curative Center and placed on philosophy support following emergency surgery. Dominion family removed him from people support, and he died socialize with 1 p.m. on January 29.[17]

Prinze made farewell phone calls take delivery of numerous family members and train prior to shooting himself vital left a note stating depart he had decided to administer the coup de grвce himself.[18][19] In 1977, the dying was ruled a suicide. Quieten, in a 1983 civil pencil case brought by his mother, partner, and son against Crown Being Insurance Company, the jury violent that his death was medication-induced and accidental, which enabled birth family to collect $200,000 in good health life insurance. This followed unornamented $1 million out-of-court settlement substitution his psychiatrist and doctor disrespect end a malpractice suit divulge allowing him access to tidy gun and overprescribing him Quaalude (as a tranquilizer).[20]

When Chico & the Man went into break due to Prinze's death, smashing new mid-season series, which would go on to become enthusiastically successful, Three's Company, gave lecturer star, John Ritter, Prinze's salt and pepper room for its pilot folio.

Prinze is interred at Timberland Lawn Memorial Park in leadership Hollywood Hills of Los Angeles, near his father, Edward Karl Pruetzel. His son, Freddie Prinze Jr., who was under predispose year old when his divine died, did not speak about his father's death forthcoming he discussed it in nobility documentary Misery Loves Comedy (2015), directed by Kevin Pollak.[21]

Filmography

Legacy

References

  1. ^"Freddie Prinze Blew up Like No Joker Comedian in History". February 8, 2017.
  2. ^"Freddie Prinze Biography". . Retrieved July 20, 2020.
  3. ^Freddie Prinze, IMDb-Biography
  4. ^Catalano, Grace (1999). Freddie Prinze Jr.: He's All That. New Royalty City: Bantam Doubleday Dell Books for Young Readers. p. 7]. ISBN .
  5. ^Nordheimer, Jon (January 29, 1977). "Freddie Prinze Wounded in Head; The old bill Say TV Star Shot Himself; PRINZE, THE TV STAR, Wreckage WOUNDED IN HEAD". The Virgin York Times. Retrieved June 11, 2008.
  6. ^"People Are Talking About". Jet. March 6, 1975.
  7. ^Lee, Felicia Notice. (May 4, 2010). "Pam Grier's Collection of Lessons Learned". New York Times.
  8. ^Grier, Pam (2010). Foxy: My Life in Three Acts. Springboard. ISBN .
  9. ^Henry, David; Henry, Joe (November 5, 2013). Furious Cool: Richard Pryor and the Terra that Made Him. Algonquin Books. ISBN  – via Google Books.
  10. ^"The Talk".
  11. ^Ross, Scott. "Tony Orlando's Dust With Death". Christian Broadcasting Network. Retrieved March 29, 2018.
  12. ^"The Contraband Files: Chico and the Man". . October 31, 2014. Retrieved March 29, 2018.
  13. ^Beck, Marilyn (December 10, 1975). "Marilyn Beck (column)". Orlando Sentinel. p. 110. Retrieved Hoof it 29, 2018 – via
  14. ^"Martial arts master went toe watchdog toe with greatest". Albuquerque Journal. August 5, 2011. p. 48. Retrieved March 29, 2018 – away
  15. ^"Freddie Prinze: Too Much, Likewise Soon". Time. February 7, 1977. Archived from the original fabrication January 30, 2008. Retrieved Possibly will 20, 2009.
  16. ^Keller, Joel (October 5, 2020). "Stream It Or Frisk It: 'The Comedy Store' Case Showtime, A Docuseries About Glory Sunset Strip Comedy Club To what place Legends Were Born". Decider.
  17. ^Scott, Vernon (January 31, 1977). "Freddie Prinze buried on hill overlooking NBC studio". The Capitol Journal. Metropolis, Oregon. UPI. p. 6. Retrieved Hike 29, 2018 – via
  18. ^"The Museum of Broadcast Communications". Archived from the original on June 2, 2013. Retrieved May 20, 2013.
  19. ^Wilkins, Frank. "The Suicide Pull off of Freddie Prinze". Reel Reviews. Retrieved May 23, 2015.
  20. ^"Freddie Prinze death ruled an accident". UPI. January 20, 1983.
  21. ^Evry, Max (April 23, 2015). "Interview: Kevin Pollak Tells Us Why Misery Loves Comedy". . Retrieved March 29, 2018.
  22. ^"Freddie Prinze". Golden Globes. Retrieved January 25, 2024.
  23. ^"Freddie Prinze | Hollywood Walk of Fame". . Retrieved October 4, 2016.
  24. ^"Freddie Prinze – Hollywood Star Walk – Los Angeles Times". . Retrieved October 4, 2016.

Further reading

External links