Ole Olsen (comedian)
Encyclopedia
John Sigvard "Ole" Olsen (November 6, 1892 – January 26, 1963) was an American vaudevillian
and comedian.
Born in Peru, Indiana
, he graduated from Northwestern University
in 1912 with a degree in music and hit the Vaudeville circuit. In 1914 he met Chic Johnson
, who was advertising himself as the "Greatest Ragtime Pianist in the Midwest."
The two performers met when they were hired as musicians in the same band. When the band broke up "Ole" Olsen and "Chic" Johnson formed the Olsen and Johnson
comedy team. They really did not have a set act but found themselves booked into a small Chicago nightclub as part of Mike Fritzol's Frolics. When it came time for their turn in the show, unannounced and not particularly welcome, the brave pair pushed a piano onstage. Johnson seated himself at the keyboard and began to plunk out a ragtime tune. Olsen joined in with his violin and started singing, making up comical lyrics as he went along. The pair began to exchange "patter
", mostly insults and the soon-to-be-famous "Olsen and Johnson" team emerged.
They struggled in Vaudeville for 24 years before hitting Broadway
in 1938 with the show Hellzapoppin'
, later successfully filmed.
Ole Olsen was married twice. He had three children with his first wife, Lillian: J. C., Joy, and Moya. They were later divorced. His son, J. C., committed suicide. Moya
married William P. Lear
of Learjet fame in 1942. Ole was involved in a serious automobile accident in 1950 and recuperated at the Lear home. In June 1961 Ole married Eileen Maria Osthoff, a dancer and choreographer he had known for eight years.
Ole's ambition was to make people laugh. He is remembered for the quote, "May you live as long as you want to, and laugh as long as you live". Those words are engraved on his headstone. Olsen died at the age of 70 of a kidney ailment and is interred in Las Vegas, Nevada
in a grave adjoining Chic Johnson's.
Vaudeville
Vaudeville was a theatrical genre of variety entertainment in the United States and Canada from the early 1880s until the early 1930s. Each performance was made up of a series of separate, unrelated acts grouped together on a common bill...
and comedian.
Born in Peru, Indiana
Peru, Indiana
-Demographics:As of the census of 2000, there were 12,994 people, 5,410 households, and 3,397 families residing in the city. The population density was 2,815.5 people per square mile . There were 5,943 housing units at an average density of 1,287.7 per square mile...
, he graduated from Northwestern University
Northwestern University
Northwestern University is a private research university in Evanston and Chicago, Illinois, USA. Northwestern has eleven undergraduate, graduate, and professional schools offering 124 undergraduate degrees and 145 graduate and professional degrees....
in 1912 with a degree in music and hit the Vaudeville circuit. In 1914 he met Chic Johnson
Chic Johnson
Chic Johnson was the barrel-chested half of the Swedish-American comedy team of Olsen and Johnson, known for his strangely infectious, high-pitched laugh.-Background:...
, who was advertising himself as the "Greatest Ragtime Pianist in the Midwest."
The two performers met when they were hired as musicians in the same band. When the band broke up "Ole" Olsen and "Chic" Johnson formed the Olsen and Johnson
Olsen and Johnson
John Sigvard "Ole" Olsen and Harold Ogden "Chic" Johnson were zany American comedians of vaudeville, radio, the Broadway stage, motion pictures and television. Their shows were noted for their crazy blackout gags and orchestrated mayhem...
comedy team. They really did not have a set act but found themselves booked into a small Chicago nightclub as part of Mike Fritzol's Frolics. When it came time for their turn in the show, unannounced and not particularly welcome, the brave pair pushed a piano onstage. Johnson seated himself at the keyboard and began to plunk out a ragtime tune. Olsen joined in with his violin and started singing, making up comical lyrics as he went along. The pair began to exchange "patter
Patter
Patter is a prepared and practiced speech, that is designed to produce a desired response from its audience. Examples of occupations with a patter might include the: auctioneer, salesperson, dance caller, or comedian....
", mostly insults and the soon-to-be-famous "Olsen and Johnson" team emerged.
They struggled in Vaudeville for 24 years before hitting Broadway
Broadway theatre
Broadway theatre, commonly called simply Broadway, refers to theatrical performances presented in one of the 40 professional theatres with 500 or more seats located in the Theatre District centered along Broadway, and in Lincoln Center, in Manhattan in New York City...
in 1938 with the show Hellzapoppin'
Hellzapoppin' (film)
Hellzapoppin' is a 1941 Universal Pictures adaptation of the musical of the same name directed by H.C. Potter. The cast includes Ole Olsen and Chic Johnson , Martha Raye, Mischa Auer, Shemp Howard, and The Six Hits.The credits for the movie assert that "any resemblance between Hellzapoppin and a...
, later successfully filmed.
Ole Olsen was married twice. He had three children with his first wife, Lillian: J. C., Joy, and Moya. They were later divorced. His son, J. C., committed suicide. Moya
Moya Lear
Moya Marie Olsen Lear was an American businesswoman and the wife of aviation pioneer Bill Lear. Her father was vaudeville genius John "Ole" Olsen, whose Depression-era show Hellzapoppin was the longest running Broadway hit in history.Her mother was Lillian, a strong and practical woman...
married William P. Lear
Bill Lear
William Powell Lear was an American inventor and businessman. He is best known for founding the Lear Jet Corporation, a manufacturer of business jets...
of Learjet fame in 1942. Ole was involved in a serious automobile accident in 1950 and recuperated at the Lear home. In June 1961 Ole married Eileen Maria Osthoff, a dancer and choreographer he had known for eight years.
Ole's ambition was to make people laugh. He is remembered for the quote, "May you live as long as you want to, and laugh as long as you live". Those words are engraved on his headstone. Olsen died at the age of 70 of a kidney ailment and is interred in Las Vegas, Nevada
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...
in a grave adjoining Chic Johnson's.
External links
- Charles Stumpf Olsen and Johnson - The Zaniest of the Zanies from Classic ImagesClassic ImagesClassic Images is a monthly American mail-subscription newspaper in tabloid format, founded in 1962 by film collector Sam Rubin, dedicated to film and television of the "Golden Age." Its offices are located in Muscatine, Iowa and it is published by the Muscatine Journal division of Lee Enterprises,...
- Ole Olsen Memorial Theatre
- Ole Olsen's personal papers at the Indiana Historical SocietyIndiana Historical SocietyThe Indiana Historical Society is one of the United States' oldest and largest historical societies and describes itself as "Indiana's Storyteller". Housed within the Eugene and Marilyn Glick Indiana History Center, it is located at 450 West Ohio St...