Louis Nye

Born: 1913-05-01

Louis Nye, born Louis Neistat, was an American comedic actor. He was an entertainer to the troops during World War II and is best known for his work on countless television, film and radio programs. Nye decided to go to New York City, where he worked in radio, playing various roles on soap operas. He recalled "I still think of myself as an actor. In the radio days, I was busy playing rotten Nazis, rich uncles and emotional juveniles -- the whole span -- and the only time I tried to be funny was at parties." Nye served in the United States Army during World War II, and because he earned laughs by mimicking other soldiers, he was assigned to run the recreation hall. Following his discharge, he returned to New York and began working in live television. He also appeared in several plays on Broadway, and made many appearances on television variety shows such as The Jack Benny Program (including one memorable turn as a crying cab driver), The Jimmy Durante Show, The Pat Boone Chevy Showroom and The Victor Borge Show. He earned his greatest fame as a regular on The Steve Allen Show, performing with Allen, Don Knotts, Tom Poston, Pat Harrington Jr., Dayton Allen, Gabriel Dell and Bill Dana. He primarily played urbane, wealthy, and often fey bon vivants; as part of the weekly "Man on the Street" sketches, his characterization of the pretentious country-club braggart Gordon Hathaway, with his catchphrase, "Hi-ho, Steverino," plus Allen's inability to resist bursting into hysterical laughter at his ad-libs, made Nye one of the favorites on Allen's show. When production moved to Los Angeles, Nye went too and became a character actor in Hollywood. Nye was cast as a guest star on many television series, including Make Room for Daddy; Guestward, Ho!; Burke's Law; The Munsters; Love, American Style; Laverne & Shirley; Starsky and Hutch; Police Woman; Fantasy Island; St. Elsewhere; and The Cosby Show. Nye played dentist Delbert Gray on several episodes of The Ann Sothern Show from 1960 to 1961, the romantic interest of Olive Smith, played by Ann Tyrrell. Nye also played Sonny Drysdale, the spoiled rich stepson of Milburn Drysdale on The Beverly Hillbillies during the 1962 season. He did six episodes, and received more mail than from anything else he had ever done on television, but the character was dropped. It was rumored that someone in the CBS network, or a sponsor, thought Sonny was too "sissified". However, Nye revived the character briefly during the 1966 season. During this period, Nye appeared in several television commercials for various products, including Rath brand lunch meats and the Better Business Bureau. Nye appeared as a celebrity judge on The Gong Show during the late 1970s. He also recorded a few comedy LPs, doing a variety of characterizations. Unfortunately, he never had the opportunity to reach his potential in movies. Many of his character roles were little more than cameos. Nevertheless, he performed with Lucille Ball, Bob Hope, Jack Lemmon, Dean Martin, Walter Matthau, Robert Mitchum, Jack Webb and Joanne Woodward, and others. Nye also appeared on the lecture circuit, in concerts and in nightclubs, and did voice work in animation, such as Inspector Gadget with Don Adams.


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as Fisherman #3
Released: 1984-06-29

When a wealthy sheikh puts up $1 million in prize money for a cross-country car race, there is...

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A Guide for the Married Man

as Technical Adviser (Irving, House Buyer)
Released: 1967-05-25

A man gives his friend a series of lessons on how to cheat on one's wife without being caught.

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Good Neighbor Sam

as Reinhold Shiffner
Released: 1964-07-22

To help his divorced neighbor claim a substantial inheritance, a family man poses as her...

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Won Ton Ton: The Dog Who Saved Hollywood

as Radio Interviewer
Released: 1976-07-26

A would-be filmmaker and actress shake up the industry with a trick dog who gets discovered by a...

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The Wheeler Dealers

as Stanislas
Released: 1963-11-14

Henry J. Tyroon leaves Texas, where his oil wells are drying up, and arrives in New York with a...

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Full Moon High

as Reverend
Released: 1981-08-04

High-school quarterback Tony Walker is bitten by a werewolf and transforms into a growling beast...

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Zotz!

as Hugh Fundy
Released: 1962-10-03

Jonathan Jones, a professor of ancient languages, comes into possession of an ancient coin. He...

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The Adventures of Errol Flynn

as Self (archive footage)
Released: 2005-04-05

A documentary about the life of Errol Flynn, with recollections from friends and family.

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The Stripper

as Ronnie Cavendish
Released: 1963-06-19

An aging former movie starlet whose Hollywood career went nowhere, now reduced to dancing with a...

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Sex Kittens Go to College

as Dr. Zorch
Released: 1960-08-24

Collins College needs a new department head for their science department, so Doctors Carter and...

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All Commercials... A Steve Martin Special

as Self
Released: 1980-09-30

Steve Martin's third NBC special serves as a salute to 1970s television commercials. Taking...

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The Facts of Life

as Hamilton Busbee
Released: 1960-11-14

Middle-class suburbanites Larry and Kitty grow bored with their lives and respective marriages....

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The Last Time I Saw Archie

as Pvt. Sam Beacham
Released: 1961-05-27

Two Air Force friends have fun during their enlistment.

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Mitzi & 100 Guys

as Self
Released: 1975-03-24

Mitzi Gaynor in a song and dance hour with an all-male, star-studded ensemble featuring her main...

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Harper Valley P.T.A.

as Kirby Baker
Released: 1978-07-02

Stella Johnson is a single mother living in the town of Harper Valley. Most of the townsfolk,...

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Who's Been Sleeping in My Bed?

as Harry Tobler
Released: 1963-12-25

TV star Jason Steel reluctantly becomes the sounding board for his best friends' bored wives,...

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Yes, Virginia, There Is a Santa Claus

as Lee Fong (voice)
Released: 1974-12-06

Partly based on a true story, a little girl writes to the editor of a newspaper concerning the...

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The Great Bear Scare

as (voice)
Released: 1983-10-01

As Halloween approaches, the bears of Bearbank begin to fear an invasion of monsters from nearby...

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Steve Martin: Comedy Is Not Pretty

as Laundry Customer
Released: 1980-02-14

Steve Martin's second NBC special was made up entirely of sketches. Highlights include: Marty...

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The City That Forgot About Christmas

as (voice)
Released: 1974-12-01

A young boy's grandfather tells him the story of a city that forgot about Christmas until a...

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Charge of the Model T's

as Fred Smith
Released: 1977-11-04

Comedy - During WWI, the Germans try to encourage certain Mexican guerrillas to make trouble on...

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Starsky & Hutch

as uncredited
First aired: 1975-09-10

Streetwise Detective David Starsky partners up with a more intellectual partner, Kenneth 'Hutch'...

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Starsky & Hutch

as Jerry
First aired: 1975-09-10

Streetwise Detective David Starsky partners up with a more intellectual partner, Kenneth 'Hutch'...

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The Cosby Show

as uncredited
First aired: 1984-09-20

The Cosby Show is an American television situation comedy starring Bill Cosby, which aired for...

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The Tonight Show Starring Johnny Carson

as Self
First aired: 1962-10-01

The Tonight Show Starring Johnny Carson is a talk show hosted by Johnny Carson under The Tonight...

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Curb Your Enthusiasm

as Jeff's Dad
First aired: 2000-10-15

The off-kilter, unscripted comic vision of Larry David, who plays himself in a parallel universe...

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The Beverly Hillbillies

as Sonny Drysdale
First aired: 1962-09-26

Jed Clampett's swamp is loaded with oil. When a wildcatter discovers the huge pool, Jed sells...

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The Munsters

as uncredited
First aired: 1964-09-24

A family of friendly monsters that have misadventures all while never quite understanding why...

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The Love Boat

as Barney Briscoe
First aired: 1977-09-24

Passengers who search for romantic nights aboard a beautiful ship travelling to tropical or...

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The Love Boat

as Glenn Dobson
First aired: 1977-09-24

Passengers who search for romantic nights aboard a beautiful ship travelling to tropical or...

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The Love Boat

as Louis Nye
First aired: 1977-09-24

Passengers who search for romantic nights aboard a beautiful ship travelling to tropical or...

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The Mike Douglas Show

as Self - Co-Host
First aired: 1961-12-11

The Mike Douglas Show is an American daytime television talk show hosted by Mike Douglas that...

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The Mike Douglas Show

as Self
First aired: 1961-12-11

The Mike Douglas Show is an American daytime television talk show hosted by Mike Douglas that...

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Rowan & Martin's Laugh-In

as Guest Performer (uncredited)
First aired: 1967-09-09

An American sketch comedy television program hosted by comedians Dan Rowan and Dick Martin.

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Burke's Law

as Hooper
First aired: 1963-09-20

Burke's Law is an American detective series that ran on ABC from 1963 to 1965 and was revived on...

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Burke's Law

as James Stock
First aired: 1963-09-20

Burke's Law is an American detective series that ran on ABC from 1963 to 1965 and was revived on...

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The Jack Benny Program

as Harvey Hollis Pickering
First aired: 1950-10-28

Laugh along with funnyman Jack Benny as he brings his underplayed humor to TV along with regular...

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The Jack Benny Program

as The Crying Cab Driver
First aired: 1950-10-28

Laugh along with funnyman Jack Benny as he brings his underplayed humor to TV along with regular...

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The Dick Cavett Show

as Self - Guest
First aired: 1968-06-06

The Dick Cavett Show has been the title of several talk shows hosted by Dick Cavett on various...

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Kraft Music Hall

as Self
First aired: 1958-10-08

Kraft Music Hall is an umbrella title for several television series aired by NBC in the United...

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The Steve Allen Show

as Self
First aired: 1956-06-24

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The Hollywood Palace

as Self - Comedian
First aired: 1964-01-04

The Hollywood Palace is an hour-long American television variety show that was broadcast weekly...

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The Dinah Shore Chevy Show

as Self
First aired: 1956-10-05

The Dinah Shore Chevy Show is an American variety series hosted by Dinah Shore, and broadcast on...

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The Bob Hope Show

as Self
First aired: 1950-04-09

The Bob Hope Show hosted by Bob Hope, debuted on April 9, 1950. During the 1952-1953 season, NBC...

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St. Elsewhere

as uncredited
First aired: 1982-10-26

St. Elsewhere is an American medical drama television series that originally ran on NBC from...

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Laverne & Shirley

as uncredited
First aired: 1976-01-27

Laverne & Shirley is an American television sitcom that ran on ABC from January 27, 1976 to May...

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Naked City

as The Drunk
First aired: 1958-09-30

Naked City is a police drama series which aired from 1958 to 1963 on the ABC television network....

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This Is Your Life

as Self
First aired: 1952-10-01

This Is Your Life is an American television documentary series broadcast on NBC, originally...

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Police Woman

as Myron Drew
First aired: 1974-09-13

Sergeant “Pepper"” Anderson, an undercover cop for the Criminal Conspiracy Unit of the Los...

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The Judy Garland Show

as Himself
First aired: 1963-12-08

The Judy Garland Show is an American musical variety television series that aired on CBS on...

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The Lieutenant

as uncredited
First aired: 1963-09-14

The Lieutenant is an American television series, the first created by Gene Roddenberry. It aired...

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The Pruitts of Southampton

as uncredited
First aired: 1966-09-06

The Pruitts of Southampton is a situation comedy that aired during the 1966-67 season on the ABC...

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Aloha Paradise

as uncredited
First aired: 1981-02-25

Aloha Paradise is an American comedy series that aired on ABC on Wednesday night from February...

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Alice in Wonderland

as Carpenter
First aired: 1985-12-09

Sometimes she's too big. Or much too small. Sometimes things are backwards. And there's always...

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Guestward, Ho!

as uncredited
First aired: 1960-09-29

Guestward, Ho! is an American situation comedy which aired on the ABC network in the 1960-1961...

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