CineScope
Louis Nye picture

Louis Nye

Acting
Known For

92 Years Old

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.

Born

Hartford, Connecticut, USA on 1st May 1913

Died

9th October 2005

All Credits

The Dick Cavett Show Image
The Dick Cavett Show
Self - Guest
Kraft Music Hall Image
Kraft Music Hall
Self
The Love Boat Image
The Love Boat
Glenn Dobson
The Love Boat Image
The Love Boat
Barney Briscoe
The Love Boat Image
The Love Boat
Louis Nye
The Tonight Show Starring Johnny Carson Image
The Tonight Show Starring Johnny Carson
Self
Curb Your Enthusiasm Image
Curb Your Enthusiasm
Jeff's Dad
Police Woman Image
Police Woman
Myron Drew
The Jack Benny Program Image
The Jack Benny Program
The Crying Cab Driver
The Jack Benny Program Image
The Jack Benny Program
Harvey Hollis Pickering
Rowan & Martin's Laugh-In Image
Rowan & Martin's Laugh-In
Guest Performer (uncredited)
Laverne & Shirley Image
Laverne & Shirley
The Mike Douglas Show Image
The Mike Douglas Show
Self
The Mike Douglas Show Image
The Mike Douglas Show
Self - Co-Host
The Steve Allen Show Image
The Steve Allen Show
Self
The Lieutenant Image
The Lieutenant
The Bob Hope Show Image
The Bob Hope Show
Self
The Cosby Show Image
The Cosby Show
Norman Kirby
Kraft Television Theatre Image
Kraft Television Theatre
This Is Your Life Image
This Is Your Life
Self
The Pruitts of Southampton Image
The Pruitts of Southampton
The Dinah Shore Chevy Show Image
The Dinah Shore Chevy Show
Self
Fantasy Island Image
Fantasy Island
Mr. Milbanks
The Hollywood Palace Image
The Hollywood Palace
Self - Comedian
Guestward, Ho! Image
Guestward, Ho!
The Munsters Image
The Munsters
No Image
The George Gobel Show
Self
No Image
Bob Hope Presents the Chrysler Theatre
The Beverly Hillbillies Image
The Beverly Hillbillies
Sonny Drysdale
St. Elsewhere Image
St. Elsewhere
Dr. Milton Axelrod
St. Elsewhere Image
St. Elsewhere
Naked City Image
Naked City
The Drunk
Starsky & Hutch Image
Starsky & Hutch
Jerry
Starsky & Hutch Image
Starsky & Hutch
Burke's Law Image
Burke's Law
James Stock
Burke's Law Image
Burke's Law
Hooper
Alice in Wonderland Image
Alice in Wonderland
Carpenter
No Image
The Don Knotts Show
Self
The Judy Garland Show Image
The Judy Garland Show
Self
No Image
Tonight Starring Jack Paar
Self
No Image
The Steven Banks Show
Shower Guest
Aloha Paradise Image
Aloha Paradise
Cannonball Run II Image
Cannonball Run II
Fisherman #3
No Image
Needles and Pins
Harry Karp
Good Neighbor Sam Image
Good Neighbor Sam
Reinhold Shiffner
Won Ton Ton: The Dog Who Saved Hollywood Image
Won Ton Ton: The Dog Who Saved Hollywood
Radio Interviewer
The Wheeler Dealers Image
The Wheeler Dealers
Stanislas
A Guide for the Married Man Image
A Guide for the Married Man
Technical Adviser (Irving, House Buyer)
Full Moon High Image
Full Moon High
Reverend
Daytime Revolution Image
Daytime Revolution
Self (archive footage)
Who's Been Sleeping in My Bed? Image
Who's Been Sleeping in My Bed?
Harry Tobler
The Facts of Life Image
The Facts of Life
Hamilton Busbee
Mitzi & 100 Guys Image
Mitzi & 100 Guys
Self
All Commercials... A Steve Martin Special Image
All Commercials... A Steve Martin Special
Self
Harper Valley P.T.A. Image
Harper Valley P.T.A.
Kirby Baker
Steve Martin: Comedy Is Not Pretty Image
Steve Martin: Comedy Is Not Pretty
Laundry Customer
The Last Time I Saw Archie Image
The Last Time I Saw Archie
Pvt. Sam Beacham
Sex Kittens Go to College Image
Sex Kittens Go to College
Dr. Zorch
The Adventures of Errol Flynn Image
The Adventures of Errol Flynn
Self (archive footage)
One Touch of Venus Image
One Touch of Venus
Dr. Rook
The Stripper Image
The Stripper
Ronnie Cavendish
Zotz! Image
Zotz!
Hugh Fundy
Charge of the Model T's Image
Charge of the Model T's
Fred Smith
No Image
Salute to Stan Laurel
Self
No Image
The Reluctant Dragon
St. George
Yes, Virginia, There Is a Santa Claus Image
Yes, Virginia, There Is a Santa Claus
Lee Fong (voice)
The Great Bear Scare Image
The Great Bear Scare
Dracula (voice)
The City That Forgot About Christmas Image
The City That Forgot About Christmas
(voice)
Ted E. Bear: Cub Reporter Image
Ted E. Bear: Cub Reporter
(voice)