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Jimmy Durante (February 10, 1893 - January 29, 1980) was an American entertainer, one of the most popular and recognized personalities of the 1920s-1960s. Durante was a pianist, actor, comedian, as well as a singer with a distinctive hoarse voice with a strong working class New York City accent. He was noted for his large nose which he frequently made jokes about, which earned him the nickname .

Jimmy Durante was born in New York City. He dropped out of school in eighth-grade to play ragtime piano.

In his youth Durante worked as pianist and entertainer in New York city, nicknamed "Ragtime Jimmy". About 1917 he joined one of the first jazz bands in New York, (all other musicians were from New Orleans). Durante's outgoing personality and ability to "sell" a number to the audience started attracting greater attention, and by 1920 the band was renamed (with Lou Clayton and Eddie Jackson); despite third billing Durante was the star of the act.

He had big hit in 1934 with his composition , a novelty number he sang and played piano on, and which became his signature song.

In 1935 Durante starred in Billy Rose's stage spectacle, . In the show, a policeman stops him while leading a live elephant and asks "What are you doing with that elephant?" Durante stopped the show by saying "Elephant? What elephant?"

Durante enjoyed a long career in motion pictures, starting in the early 1930s with a series of comedies pairing him with Buster Keaton. Among his more memorable film appearances were which is still a holiday favorite.

Durante had a nationally broadcast radio variety show in the 1940s; in the 1950s he had a television show as well. He continued making movie appearances through 1963 and television appearances until 1970. In 1963 he found unexpected success as an interpreter of pop standards with a best-selling album, .

He married Jeanne Olsen on 19 June 1921, who remained his wife until her death on 14 February 1943. Though it did not become public knowledge until after his own death, she was the mysterious "Mrs. Calabash" to whom he always referred with what became the sign off line to all his radio and TV shows: Calabash was a private name between them for Calabasas, California, where she spent the final years of her life.

Durante courted his second wife, Marjorie Little, whom he met as a hatcheck girl at the Copacabana, for 16 years before they married in 1960, when she was 39, and he 67. On Christmas day 1961, they adopted a baby girl, Cecelia Alicia, whom they nicknamed "CeCe". Cecelia became a horseback-riding instructor near San Diego, married a computer designer, and has two sons.

Jimmy Durante died in Santa Monica, California of pneumonia, and was interred at Holy Cross Cemetery, Culver City.

Jimmy was famous for a number of catch-phrases including: "It's a castastrophe!", "I'm mortified!" "Surrounded by assassins!", "Every wants ta get inta da act!, and "Hotch-cha-cha-cha-cha!"

Impressions are still done of him on such hit shows as Family Guy.

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