Howard Mann (June 20, 1923 – September 18, 2008) was an American actor and comedian. Mann appeared on television, film and commercials during his 40-year-long career in the entertainment industry. Some of his most recent roles in the 2000s included Pushing Daisies and The Starter Wife. Despite his dozens of film and television credits in his resume, Mann wrote that he had "probably been turned down more times than a blanket," in a guest column in the Los Angeles Times in 2006.
Early life Mann was born Howard Mendelsohn in 1923 in New York City. He graduated from the City College of New York and studied acting and comedy with Zero Mostel, Herbert Berghof, and William Hickey.
Career Mann began his career in entertainment as a comedian after being laid off from his job as an advertising copywriter. Mann began performing in the Jewish entertainers circuit in resorts in New York's Borscht Belt region in the Catskill Mountains. His dozens of television appearances included Laverne & Shirley, Alice, Moonlighting and Murder, She Wrote. His film credits included Mr. Saturday Night in 1992 and the History of the World: Part I in 1981. Mann also appeared on the Merv Griffin Show and The Tonight Show Starring Johnny Carson. On stage, Mann toured the United States in a one-man show, in which he played George Washington, in 1976 in honor of the United States Bicentennial. He later portrayed the role of Oscar Madison in an off Broadway production of The Odd Couple. Beginning in the 1980s, Mann created and performed an original rap routine for senior citizens living in the San Fernando Valley.
Personal life Mann died of cancer on September 18, 2008, at Cedars-Sinai Medical Center in Los Angeles at the age of 85. He was survived by his longtime girlfriend and companion, Bea Mitz.
Filmography
Film +YearTitleRoleNotes1961Blast of SilenceBody Guard1980Wholly Moses!High Priest1981Going Ape!Jules Cohen1981History of the World, Part IDisciple1982O'Hara's WifeMoving man1982They Call Me Bruce?Joe The Finger1992Mr. Saturday NightStage Manager2001The Medicine ShowMr. Melanoma2003Malibu's Most WantedUncle Louie
Television YearTitleRoleNotes1959, 1963Naked CityOfficer Dorkin / Comptometer2 episodes1963, 1964The DefendersPolice Sargeant / Patrolman Burke1966HawkCop #1Episode: "The Shivering Pigeon"1978Laverne & ShirleyThe Grand BassEpisode: "Playing the Roxy"1978Watch Your MouthMr. WelshEpisode: "Mary and Melvin"1979Salvage 1Kramer3 episodes1979The Misadventures of Sheriff LoboHenchmanEpisode: "The Mob Comes to Orly"1980AliceCustomer / Trucker3 episodes1981Barney MillerLou CarlisleEpisode: "Lady and the Bomb"1981Crazy TimesMr. CandostaTelevision film1983Inspector PerezDr. Mirakin1983American PlayhouseThomasEpisode: "Wings"1983HappyCouncilman BradyTelevision film1984The JeffersonsTorqovichEpisode: "The Command Post"1984Murder, She WroteNew Holvang CabbieEpisode: "The Murder of Sherlock Holmes"1985SpaceLawyer / TycoonEpisode: "Part III"1985, 1987MoonlightingGas Station Cashier / Man on Elevator2 episodes1986Cagney & LaceyPaddyEpisode: "DWI"1986HunterSideEpisode: "Fagin 1986"1988HoopermanMan at MorgueEpisode: "The Naked and the Dead"1988WebsterGalileoEpisode: "Heaven"1993The Fresh Prince of Bel-AirMr. Gorodetsky2 episodes1997Crisis CenterMort FishmanEpisode: "It's a Family Affair"1998SeinfeldWillie, Sr.Episode: "The Dealership"2000BeckerFredEpisode: "The Film Critic"2001Sabrina the Teenage WitchHarvey, the Profit ProphetEpisode: "Making the Grade"2001ProvidenceWebsterEpisode: "The Honeymoon's Over"2001Spin CityAnthony DeMattEpisode: "Chinatown"2002The West WingSenior CitizenEpisode: "Election Night"2002The Bernie Mac ShowMelEpisode: "The Sweet Life"2003CSI: MiamiMarty GainesEpisode: "Bunk"2003Malcolm in the MiddleElderly ManEpisode: "Day Care"2004Without a TraceGarden Center ManagerEpisode: "Shadows"2006I Did Not Know ThatThomas 'The Schnoz' LipinskiTelevision film2007Pushing DaisiesElderly ManEpisode: "The Fun in Funeral"2008The Starter WifeKarl3 episodes
References
External links Variety Magazine: Comic, actor Howard Mann dies