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Louis Nye

Louis Nye

Known For Acting
Birthday May 01, 1913
Died Oct 09, 2005 (92)
Birthplace Hartford, Connecticut, USA
Popularity 0.4 (history)
Updated Aug 05, 2024
Entry Date Apr 13, 2024
Links TMDb IMDb
Biography

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.

Known For

Filmography

Cannonball Run II

Cannonball Run II

1984

as Fisherman #3

The Great Bear Scare

The Great Bear Scare

1983

as (voice)

The Reluctant Dragon

The Reluctant Dragon

1981

as St. George

Full Moon High

Full Moon High

1981

as Reverend

Steve Martin: Comedy Is Not Pretty

Steve Martin: Comedy Is Not Pretty

1980

as Laundry Customer

Harper Valley P.T.A.

Harper Valley P.T.A.

1978

as Kirby Baker

Charge of the Model T's

Charge of the Model T's

1977

as Fred Smith

Won Ton Ton: The Dog Who Saved Hollywood

Won Ton Ton: The Dog Who Saved Hollywood

1976

as Radio Interviewer

Yes, Virginia, There Is a Santa Claus

Yes, Virginia, There Is a Santa Claus

1974

as Lee Fong (voice)

A Guide for the Married Man

A Guide for the Married Man

1967

as Technical Adviser (Irving, House Buyer)

Good Neighbor Sam

Good Neighbor Sam

1964

as Reinhold Shiffner

The Wheeler Dealers

The Wheeler Dealers

1963

as Stanislas

The Stripper

The Stripper

1963

as Ronnie Cavendish

Who's Been Sleeping in My Bed?

Who's Been Sleeping in My Bed?

1963

as Harry Tobler

Zotz!

Zotz!

1962

as Hugh Fundy

The Last Time I Saw Archie

The Last Time I Saw Archie

1961

as Pvt. Sam Beacham

The Facts of Life

The Facts of Life

1960

as Hamilton Busbee

Sex Kittens Go to College

Sex Kittens Go to College

1960

as Dr. Zorch

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Organization Category Movie
Television Credits

Needles and Pins

as Harry Karp

Episodes: 14

First Aired: Sep 21, 1973

Curb Your Enthusiasm

as Jeff's Dad

Episodes: 5

First Aired: Oct 15, 2000

The Beverly Hillbillies

as Sonny Drysdale

Episodes: 4

First Aired: Sep 26, 1962

Burke's Law

as Hooper

Episodes: 1

First Aired: Sep 20, 1963

The Cosby Show

as Norman Kirby

Episodes: 1

First Aired: Sep 20, 1984

Naked City

as The Drunk

Episodes: 1

First Aired: Sep 30, 1958

Alice in Wonderland

as Carpenter

Episodes: 1

First Aired: Dec 09, 1985

The Love Boat

as Louis Nye

Episodes: 1

First Aired: Sep 24, 1977

Burke's Law

as James Stock

Episodes: 1

First Aired: Sep 20, 1963

The Jack Benny Program

as Harvey Hollis Pickering

Episodes: 1

First Aired: Oct 28, 1950

Starsky & Hutch

as Jerry

Episodes: 1

First Aired: Sep 10, 1975

The Jack Benny Program

as The Crying Cab Driver

Episodes: 1

First Aired: Oct 28, 1950

The Love Boat

as Barney Briscoe

Episodes: 1

First Aired: Sep 24, 1977

The Love Boat

as Glenn Dobson

Episodes: 1

First Aired: Sep 24, 1977

Police Woman

as Myron Drew

Episodes: 1

First Aired: Sep 13, 1974

Fantasy Island

as Mr. Milbanks

Episodes: 1

First Aired: Jan 28, 1978

St. Elsewhere

as Dr. Milton Axelrod

Episodes: 1

First Aired: Oct 26, 1982

The Steve Allen Show

as Self

Episodes: 4

First Aired: Jun 24, 1956

The Tonight Show Starring Johnny Carson

as Self

Episodes: 4

First Aired: Oct 01, 1962

The Don Knotts Show

as Self

Episodes: 2

First Aired: Sep 15, 1970

Bob Hope Presents the Chrysler Theatre

Episodes: 2

First Aired: Oct 04, 1963

The Dinah Shore Chevy Show

as Self

Episodes: 2

First Aired: Oct 05, 1956

The Mike Douglas Show

as Self - Co-Host

Episodes: 2

First Aired: Dec 11, 1961

The Bob Hope Show

as Self

Episodes: 2

First Aired: Apr 09, 1950

The Mike Douglas Show

as Self

Episodes: 2

First Aired: Dec 11, 1961

St. Elsewhere

Episodes: 1

First Aired: Oct 26, 1982

Starsky & Hutch

Episodes: 1

First Aired: Sep 10, 1975

The Munsters

Episodes: 1

First Aired: Sep 24, 1964

Laverne & Shirley

Episodes: 1

First Aired: Jan 27, 1976

The Hollywood Palace

as Self - Comedian

Episodes: 1

First Aired: Jan 04, 1964

This Is Your Life

as Self

Episodes: 1

First Aired: Oct 01, 1952

Guestward, Ho!

Episodes: 1

First Aired: Sep 29, 1960

The Pruitts of Southampton

Episodes: 1

First Aired: Sep 06, 1966

The Lieutenant

Episodes: 1

First Aired: Sep 14, 1963

Aloha Paradise

Episodes: 1

First Aired: Feb 25, 1981

The Steven Banks Show

as Shower Guest

Episodes: 1

First Aired: Jul 11, 1994

The Judy Garland Show

as Self

Episodes: 1

First Aired: Dec 08, 1963

Rowan & Martin's Laugh-In

as Guest Performer (uncredited)

Episodes: 1

First Aired: Sep 09, 1967

Tonight Starring Jack Paar

as Self

Episodes: 1

First Aired: Jul 29, 1957

The Dick Cavett Show

as Self - Guest

Episodes: 1

First Aired: Jun 06, 1968

Kraft Music Hall

as Self

Episodes: 1

First Aired: Oct 08, 1958

The George Gobel Show

as Self

Episodes: 1

First Aired: Oct 02, 1954

Kraft Television Theatre

Episodes: 1

First Aired: May 07, 1947

Popularity Metrics

Popularity History


Year Month Avg Max Min
2024 6 5 12 2
2024 7 7 14 2
2024 8 6 14 1
2024 9 7 14 2
2024 10 3 7 1
2024 11 2 4 1
2024 12 2 3 1
2025 1 6 18 2
2025 2 2 5 1
2025 3 3 4 1
2025 5 1 2 1
2025 6 1 1 1
2025 7 0 0 0
2025 8 2 12 0
2025 9 0 0 0
2025 10 0 0 0

Trending Rank


Year Month Avg Rank Max Rank
No trending metrics available.

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