In the story line, Dan Simpson attempts to open a general store in the American West despite a raid from pirates on the Mississippi River, who stole from him $20,000 in merchandise.

In 1959, Albert was cast as businessman Dan Simpson in the episode 'The Unwilling' of the NBC Western series Riverboat. This part led to other roles such as Chevrolet Tele-Theatre, Suspense, Lights Out, Schlitz Playhouse of Stars, Studio One, Philco Television Playhouse, Your Show of Shows, Front Row Center, The Alcoa Hour, and in dramatic series The Eleventh Hour, The Reporter, and General Electric Theater. He made his guest-starring debut on an episode of The Ford Theatre Hour. As character actorįrom 1948 on, Albert guest-starred in nearly 90 television series. After the war, he resumed appearing in leading roles, including 1947's Smash-Up, the Story of a Woman, opposite Susan Hayward. Nobody, Lady Bodyguard, and Ladies' Day, as well as reuniting with Reagan and Wyman for An Angel from Texas and co-starring with Humphrey Bogart in The Wagons Roll at Night. Gregory Peck, Audrey Hepburn, and Albert in Roman Holiday (1953)ĭuring the war years, Albert returned to films, starring in ones such as The Great Mr. He was awarded the Bronze Star with Combat 'V' for his actions during the invasion of Tarawa in November 1943, when, as the coxswain of a US Navy landing craft, he rescued 47 Marines who were stranded offshore (and supervised the rescue of 30 others), while under heavy enemy machine-gun fire. On September 9, 1942, Albert enlisted in the United States Coast Guard and was discharged in 1943 to accept an appointment as a lieutenant in the U.S. Army intelligence, photographing German U-boats in Mexican harbors.

Prior to World War II, and before his film career, Albert had toured Mexico as a clown and high-wire artist with the Escalante Brothers Circus, but secretly worked for U.S. The next year, he starred in On Your Toes, adapted for the screen from the Broadway smash by Rodgers and Hart. Also in 1938, Albert made his feature-film debut in the Hollywood version of Brother Rat with Ronald Reagan and Jane Wyman, reprising his Broadway role as cadet 'Bing' Edwards. The two later briefly shared an apartment in the Beachwood Canyon community of Hollywood after Ives moved west the following year. Before this time, television productions were adaptations of stage plays.Īlbert landed the starring role in the 1938 Broadway musical The Boys from Syracuse, and met Burl Ives, who had a small role in the play. Hosted by Betty Goodwin, The Love Nest starred Albert, Hildegarde, The Ink Spots, Ed Wynn, and actress Grace Bradt. Done live (not recorded on film), this production took place November 6, 1936, and originated in Studio 3H (now 3K) in the GE Building at Rockefeller Center (then called the RCA Building) in New York City and was broadcast over NBC's experimental television station W2XBS (now WNBC-TV). Performing regularly on early television, Albert wrote and performed in the first teleplay, The Love Nest, written for television. In 1936, Albert had also become one of the earliest television actors, performing live in one of RCA's first television broadcasts in association with NBC, a promotion for their New York City radio stations.Īlbert and Grace Bradt applying makeup for their first TV appearance in November 1936 He had lead roles in Room Service (1937–1938) and The Boys from Syracuse (1938–1939). In the 1930s, Albert performed in Broadway stage productions, including Brother Rat, which opened in 1936.

At the show's end, he was offered a film contract by Warner Bros. He moved to New York City in 1933, where he co-hosted a radio show, The Honeymooners – Grace and Eddie Show, which ran for three years. Albert stopped using his last name professionally, since it invariably was mispronounced as 'Hamburger'. He then took odd jobs, working as a trapeze performer, an insurance salesman, and a nightclub singer. However, the stock market crash in 1929 left him essentially unemployed. When he graduated, Albert embarked on a business career.

Finishing high school in 1926, he entered the University of Minnesota, where he majored in business. His schoolmate Harriet Lake (later known as actress Ann Sothern) graduated in the same class. He studied at Central High School in Minneapolis and joined the drama club. During World War I, his German name led to taunts as 'the enemy' by his classmates. Young Edward secured his first job as a newspaper boy when he was only six. When he was one year old, his family moved to Minneapolis, Minnesota.

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