Abraham Elieser Adolph Schönberg[1][2][3][4][5] (May 12, 1868 – August 12, 1949), known as Al Shean, was a comedian and vaudeville performer. Other sources give his birth name variously as Adolf Schönberg, Albert Schönberg, or Alfred Schönberg.[6] He is most remembered for being half of the vaudeville team Gallagher and Shean, and as the uncle of the Marx Brothers (Leonard Joseph "Chico" Marx, Adolph (Arthur) "Harpo" Marx, Julius Henry "Groucho" Marx, Milton "Gummo" Marx and Herbert Manfred "Zeppo" Marx).[7]
Al Shean | |
|---|---|
 Shean in The Blue Bird (1940 film) | |
| Born | Abraham Elieser Adolph Schönberg May 12, 1868 |
| Died | August 12, 1949 (aged 81) Manhattan, New York City, NY, U.S. |
| Other names | Adolf Schönberg Alfred Schönberg Albert Schönberg |
| Occupation(s) | Comedian, vaudevillian |
| Years active | 1912–1944 |
| Spouse | Johanna Davidson |
| Children | 1 |
| Relatives | Minnie Schönberg (sister) Marx Brothers (nephews) |
Biography
edit
Shean was born in Dornum, Kingdom of Prussia on May 12, 1868, the son of Fanny and Levi or Louis Schoenberg. His father was a magician. His sister, Minnie, married Sam "Frenchie" Marx; their sons would become known as the Marx Brothers.
After making a name for himself in vaudeville, Shean teamed up with Edward Gallagher to create the act Gallagher and Shean. While the act was successful, the men apparently did not like each other much. After their act's final Ziegfeld Follies pairing, Shean went on to perform solo in eight Broadway shows, even playing the title character in Father Malachy's Miracle.
Shean had some solo film roles: as the piano player, known as "The Professor" in San Francisco (1936), as grandfather in The Blue Bird (1940), as a priest in Hitler's Madman (1943), and in some three dozen other films. He and Gallagher also made an early sound film at the Theodore Case studio in Auburn, New York, in 1925.[8]
He died on August 12, 1949.[9]
Legacy
editShean's son, also named Al Shean, worked on The Rocky and Bullwinkle Show.[10]
Shean is reputed to have written the Marx Brothers' first (moderately) successful vaudeville sketch on butcher paper at Minnie and Frenchie's kitchen table one night while he was visiting.[citation needed]
Filmography
edit| Year | Title | Role | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1934 | Music in the Air | Dr. Walter Lessing | Film debut |
| 1935 | Traveling Saleslady | Schmidt | |
| Page Miss Glory | Mr. Hamburgher | ||
| Sweet Music | Sigmund Selzer | ||
| 1936 | The King Steps Out | Ballet Master | Uncredited |
| San Francisco | The Professor | ||
| 1937 | The Road Back | Markheim | |
| Live, Love and Learn | Professor Fraum | ||
| 52nd Street | Klauber | ||
| The Prisoner of Zenda | Orchestra Leader | Uncredited | |
| Rosalie | Herman Schmidt | Uncredited | |
| 1938 | Too Hot to Handle | Gumpert | Uncredited |
| The Great Waltz | Cellist | Uncredited | |
| 1939 | Broadway Serenade | Herman | |
| 1940 | The Blue Bird | Grandpa Tyl | |
| 1941 | Ziegfeld Girl | Al | |
| 1943 | Hitler's Madman | Father Cemlanek | |
| Crime Doctor | Dave - Convict | Uncredited | |
| 1944 | Atlantic City | Himself | Final film |
See also
editReferences
edit- ^ Mitchell, Glenn (2003). The Marx Brothers Encyclopedia. Reynolds & Hearn. p. 258. ISBN 1-905287-11-9.
- ^ "The Marx Brothers Family". Retrieved January 6, 2010.
- ^ "Abraham Elieser Adolf SCHONBERG". FamilySearch International Genealogical. Retrieved January 6, 2010.
- ^ Vaudeville, old & new: an encyclopedia of variety performers. Frank Cullen,Florence Hackman,Donald McNeilly. 2007. ISBN 9780415938532. Retrieved January 6, 2010.
- ^ Louvish, Simon (2000). Monkey Business.The Lives and Legends of the Marx Brothers. St. Martin's Press. p. 471. ISBN 0-312-25292-7.
- ^ Mitchell, Glenn (2003). The Marx Brothers Encyclopedia. London: Reynolds & Hearn. p. 258. ISBN 1-905287-11-9.
- ^ "Al Shean, Old Vaudeville Star, Is 80. 'Absolutely, Mr. Gallagher,' He's Doing Fine". The New York Times. May 12, 1948. Retrieved November 29, 2014.
Al Shean of Gallagher Shean fame, will celebrate his eightieth birthday today, but -- "absolutely, Mr. Gallagher" -- he does not consider it a noteworthy event.
- ^ "Gallagher and Shean". CBX Media. November 19, 2003. Archived from the original on November 19, 2007. Retrieved February 21, 2008.
- ^ "Al Shean Rites Held, 150 in Theatrical Field Attend Service for Veteran Trouper". The New York Times. August 16, 1949. Retrieved November 29, 2014.
- ^ "Alan Shean". IMDb.
