Jimmy Ritz

Jimmy Ritz
Born Samuel Joachim
(1904-10-04)October 4, 1904
Newark, New Jersey, U.S.
Died November 17, 1985(1985-11-17) (aged 81)
Los Angeles, California, U.S.
Occupation Actor, comedian
Years active 1925–1976
Children Alison Ritz Wolff (died 1999)

Samuel Joachim (October 4, 1904 – November 17, 1985),[1] known professionally as Jimmy Ritz, was an American actor and comedian. He was also the second Ritz Brother.

Early life

Ritz was born Samuel Joachim to parents Max (December 1871 – January 4, 1939) and Pauline Joachim (May 1874 – November 26, 1935) on October 4, 1904. His father was a haberdasher from Austria-Hungary and his mother was Russian.[2] Ritz had three brothers, George, Al, and Harry, and a sister, Gertrude Soll.[3]

Career

The Ritz Brothers began as a dancing act in 1925, and by 1929 they had become vaudeville headliners. When vaudeville faded, they took their act, which combined complicated dance routines, sound-alike singing voices and a distinctively zany, juvenile humor (their theme song was titled Collegiate), to film, full theatrical presentations, and eventually television.

They were appearing on the Sunset Strip in Hollywood when movie producer Darryl F. Zanuck spotted them. Their first film, Sing, Baby, Sing, in 1936, was followed by On the Avenue, You Can't Have Everything, Life Begins in College, Hi'ya, Chum, One in a Million, The Gorilla, The Three Musketeers, The Goldwyn Follies, Straight, Place and Show, Pack Up Your Troubles, Argentine Nights, Behind the Eight Ball, Blazing Stewardesses and Won Ton Ton, the Dog Who Saved Hollywood, the last two with Harry only. Al died in 1965.[4]

Death

Ritz died on November 17, 1985 in Los Angeles, California due to heart disease at the age of 81. He was survived by his sister Gertrude, his brother Harry and his daughter Alison Wolff who died after an unsuccessful heart-lung transplant on April 21, 1999. He is buried with his brothers at the Hollywood Forever Cemetery in Los Angeles, California.[1][2]

Filmography

Year Movie Role Notes
1934 Hotel Anchovy Jimmy - Hotel Bellboy Short
1936 Sing, Baby, Sing Himself
1937 On the Avenue One of The Ritz Brothers Uncredited
1937 You Can't Have Everything One of The Ritz Brothers Uncredited
1937 Life Begins in College HImself
1937 Ali Baba Goes to Town Himself
1937 Cinema Circus Himself Uncredited, (archive footage)
1937 One in a Million The Ritz Brothers
1938 The Goldwyn Follies Himself Uncredited
1938 Kentucky Moonshine HImself
1938 Straight Place and Show Himself Uncredited
1939 The Three Musketeers One of The Three Lackeys Uncredited
1939 The Gorilla Garrity - a Ritz Brother
1939 Pack Up Your Troubles One of The Ritz Brothers Uncredited
1940 Argentine Nights Jimmy
1942 Behind the Eight Ball Jimmy Jester
1943 Hi'ya, Chum Merry Madcap
1943 Show-Business at War Himself Uncredited
1943 Never a Dull Moment The Three Funny Bubbies
1956 Brooklyn Goes to Las Vegas Himself Short
1975 Blazing Stewardesses Jimmy
1976 Won Ton Ton, the Dog Who Saved Hollywood Cleaning Woman Uncredited, (final film role)

References

  1. 1 2 "IMDb Entry". Internet Movie Database. Retrieved February 22, 2015.
  2. 1 2 "Jimmy Ritz (1904-1985) Find A Grave Memorial". Find a Grave. Retrieved February 22, 2015.
  3. ↑ Cullen, Frank; Hackman, Florence & McNeilly, Donald (2007), Vaudeville, Old & New: An Encyclopedia of Variety Performers in America, New York: Routledge, p. 935, ISBN 0-415-93853-8 .
  4. ↑ "Jimmy Ritz, Comic, Dies at 81". The New York Times. November 21, 1985. Retrieved February 22, 2015.
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