Fred Travalena
Encyclopedia
Frederick Albert "Fred" Travalena III (October 6, 1942 – June 28, 2009) was an American
entertainer, specializing in comedy
and impersonation
s.
-raised, Travalena moved to Los Angeles
and developing a multi-faceted career with his characterizations of visible public figures.
credits began in the 1970s, as a regular performer on The ABC Comedy Hour
, where he once did a split screen impression of John Lennon
on one side and Paul McCartney
on the other, and the Dean Martin
Roast
s. He had several voice credits on cartoons, as well as appearances on nationally-broadcast children's programs. Mr. Travelena made many guest appearances on game show
s and dramatic programs in the 1970s, 1980s and 1990s. In the mid-1980s he hosted the game show Anything For Money
, a game where contestants attempted to guess how much money it would take an ordinary, unsuspecting person to participate in a silly stunt. In 1989, he appeared as Elvis Presley
and Mr. Gibbel of Chippie Chipmunks group on a comedy sketch as part of the Super Mario Bros. Super Show. He appeared in the series premiere of the short-lived 1991 sitcom Good Sports
with Ryan O'Neal
and Farrah Fawcett
. He also impersonated Michael Jackson during the 1992 MTV Video Music Awards to accept the Best Alternative Music Video award on behalf of Nirvana.
He appeared at casino theaters in Las Vegas
, Reno
, and Atlantic City
, as well as performing arts theaters, cruise ships, and private "in-concert" performances. He took part in a USO tour to entertain troops overseas, and was honored in 2004 by Club Italia with a Merit Achievement Award for his contributions to society. Also in 2004, he appeared on Bananas Comedy.
He played radio DJ, "Madman Mancuso" in "The Buddy Holly Story."
In 2005 he received a star on the Hollywood Walk of Fame
.
in 2003. Following five years' remission, the lymphoma returned in 2008. Travelena died on June 28, 2009 at his home in Encino, California.
During his life, he and his wife did credit his battle with cancer as a challenge of their faith in God and a way to help others overcome the same conditions.
United States
The United States of America is a federal constitutional republic comprising fifty states and a federal district...
entertainer, specializing in comedy
Comedy
Comedy , as a popular meaning, is any humorous discourse or work generally intended to amuse by creating laughter, especially in television, film, and stand-up comedy. This must be carefully distinguished from its academic definition, namely the comic theatre, whose Western origins are found in...
and impersonation
Impressionist (entertainment)
An impressionist or a mimic is a performer whose act consists of imitating the voice and mannerisms of others. The word usually refers to a professional comedian/entertainer who specializes in such performances and has developed a wide repertoire of impressions, including adding to them, often to...
s.
Early life
Bronx, New York-born and Long IslandLong Island
Long Island is an island located in the southeast part of the U.S. state of New York, just east of Manhattan. Stretching northeast into the Atlantic Ocean, Long Island contains four counties, two of which are boroughs of New York City , and two of which are mainly suburban...
-raised, Travalena moved to Los Angeles
Los Ángeles
Los Ángeles is the capital of the province of Biobío, in the commune of the same name, in Region VIII , in the center-south of Chile. It is located between the Laja and Biobío rivers. The population is 123,445 inhabitants...
and developing a multi-faceted career with his characterizations of visible public figures.
Career
His televisionTelevision
Television is a telecommunication medium for transmitting and receiving moving images that can be monochrome or colored, with accompanying sound...
credits began in the 1970s, as a regular performer on The ABC Comedy Hour
The ABC Comedy Hour
The ABC Comedy Hour is an American television variety series that aired on ABC in 1972. Seven of the 13 episodes featured a guest host and a team of comedy impressionists known as The Kopycats...
, where he once did a split screen impression of John Lennon
John Lennon
John Winston Lennon, MBE was an English musician and singer-songwriter who rose to worldwide fame as one of the founding members of The Beatles, one of the most commercially successful and critically acclaimed acts in the history of popular music...
on one side and Paul McCartney
Paul McCartney
Sir James Paul McCartney, MBE, Hon RAM, FRCM is an English musician, singer-songwriter and composer. Formerly of The Beatles and Wings , McCartney is listed in Guinness World Records as the "most successful musician and composer in popular music history", with 60 gold discs and sales of 100...
on the other, and the Dean Martin
Dean Martin
Dean Martin was an American singer, film actor, television star and comedian. Martin's hit singles included "Memories Are Made of This", "That's Amore", "Everybody Loves Somebody", "You're Nobody till Somebody Loves You", "Sway", "Volare" and "Ain't That a Kick in the Head?"...
Roast
Roast (comedy)
A roast is an event in which an individual is subjected to a public presentation of comedic insults, praise, outlandish true and untrue stories, and heartwarming tributes, the implication being that the roastee is able to take the jokes in good humor and not as serious criticism or insult, and...
s. He had several voice credits on cartoons, as well as appearances on nationally-broadcast children's programs. Mr. Travelena made many guest appearances on game show
Game show
A game show is a type of radio or television program in which members of the public, television personalities or celebrities, sometimes as part of a team, play a game which involves answering questions or solving puzzles usually for money and/or prizes...
s and dramatic programs in the 1970s, 1980s and 1990s. In the mid-1980s he hosted the game show Anything For Money
Anything For Money
Anything For Money was a television game show hosted by Fred Travalena and announced by Johnny Gilbert which ran in syndication from September 17, 1984 to September 1985...
, a game where contestants attempted to guess how much money it would take an ordinary, unsuspecting person to participate in a silly stunt. In 1989, he appeared as Elvis Presley
Elvis Presley
Elvis Aaron Presley was one of the most popular American singers of the 20th century. A cultural icon, he is widely known by the single name Elvis. He is often referred to as the "King of Rock and Roll" or simply "the King"....
and Mr. Gibbel of Chippie Chipmunks group on a comedy sketch as part of the Super Mario Bros. Super Show. He appeared in the series premiere of the short-lived 1991 sitcom Good Sports
Good Sports
Good Sports is an American sitcom that aired on the CBS network in 1991, starring Farrah Fawcett and Ryan O'Neal.-Synopsis:The show features the two main characters, Bobby Tannen, a once-famous former football player gone to seed and Gayle Roberts, an ex-Miss America , as mismatched anchors on an...
with Ryan O'Neal
Ryan O'Neal
Charles Patrick Ryan O'Neal , better known as Ryan O'Neal, is an American actor best known for his appearances in the ABC nighttime soap opera Peyton Place and for his roles in such films as Paper Moon , Stanley Kubrick's Barry Lyndon , A Bridge Too Far , and Love Story , for which he received...
and Farrah Fawcett
Farrah Fawcett
Farrah Fawcett was an American actress and artist. A multiple Golden Globe and Emmy Award nominee, Fawcett rose to international fame when she first appeared as private investigator Jill Munroe in the first season of the television series Charlie's Angels, in 1976...
. He also impersonated Michael Jackson during the 1992 MTV Video Music Awards to accept the Best Alternative Music Video award on behalf of Nirvana.
He appeared at casino theaters in Las Vegas
Las Vegas, Nevada
Las Vegas is the most populous city in the U.S. state of Nevada and is also the county seat of Clark County, Nevada. Las Vegas is an internationally renowned major resort city for gambling, shopping, and fine dining. The city bills itself as The Entertainment Capital of the World, and is famous...
, Reno
Reno, Nevada
Reno is the county seat of Washoe County, Nevada, United States. The city has a population of about 220,500 and is the most populous Nevada city outside of the Las Vegas metropolitan area...
, and Atlantic City
Atlantic City, New Jersey
Atlantic City is a city in Atlantic County, New Jersey, United States, and a nationally renowned resort city for gambling, shopping and fine dining. The city also served as the inspiration for the American version of the board game Monopoly. Atlantic City is located on Absecon Island on the coast...
, as well as performing arts theaters, cruise ships, and private "in-concert" performances. He took part in a USO tour to entertain troops overseas, and was honored in 2004 by Club Italia with a Merit Achievement Award for his contributions to society. Also in 2004, he appeared on Bananas Comedy.
He played radio DJ, "Madman Mancuso" in "The Buddy Holly Story."
In 2005 he received a star on the Hollywood Walk of Fame
Hollywood Walk of Fame
The Hollywood Walk of Fame consists of more than 2,400 five-pointed terrazzo and brass stars embedded in the sidewalks along fifteen blocks of Hollywood Boulevard and three blocks of Vine Street in Hollywood, California...
.
Death
Travalena was diagnosed with non-Hodgkin's lymphoma in 2002 and prostate cancerProstate cancer
Prostate cancer is a form of cancer that develops in the prostate, a gland in the male reproductive system. Most prostate cancers are slow growing; however, there are cases of aggressive prostate cancers. The cancer cells may metastasize from the prostate to other parts of the body, particularly...
in 2003. Following five years' remission, the lymphoma returned in 2008. Travelena died on June 28, 2009 at his home in Encino, California.
During his life, he and his wife did credit his battle with cancer as a challenge of their faith in God and a way to help others overcome the same conditions.
External links
- Official site
- Obituary by the Associated PressAssociated PressThe Associated Press is an American news agency. The AP is a cooperative owned by its contributing newspapers, radio and television stations in the United States, which both contribute stories to the AP and use material written by its staff journalists...