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Burl Ives
Burl Ives
Age 85 years (Jun 14, 1909 – Apr 14, 1995)
Birthplace Hunt City, Illinois, USA
Movies 30
TV Shows 11

Burl Ives

Oscar winner · Actor
An American folk singer and actor, Burl Ives began as a traveling troubadour before becoming a popular figure of radio, records and the screen. In cinema he left his mark as the patriarch Big Daddy in 'Cat on a Hot Tin Roof' (1958), and that same year he won the Oscar for Best Supporting Actor for 'The Big Country'. He also took part in 'Desire Under the Elms' and lent his warm voice to Sam the Snowman in the television Christmas classic 'Rudolph the Red-Nosed Reindeer' (1964). His deep, affable timbre, as recognizable singing as acting, defined a career poised between traditional music and Hollywood.
An American folk singer and actor, Burl Ives began as a traveling troubadour before becoming a popular figure of radio, records and the screen. In cinema he left his mark as the patriarch Big Daddy in 'Cat on a Hot Tin Roof' (1958), and that same year he won the Oscar for Best Supporting Actor for 'The Big Country'. He also took part in 'Desire Under the Elms' and lent his warm voice to Sam the Snowman in the television Christmas classic 'Rudolph the Red-Nosed Reindeer' (1964). His deep, affable timbre, as recognizable singing as acting, defined a career poised between traditional music and Hollywood.
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Two Moon Junction
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Two Moon Junction
Full Filmography 41
Poor Little Rich Girl: The Barbara Hutton Story
F.W. Woolworth · 6 episodes
★ 5.7
1989–
Two Moon Junction
Sheriff Earl Hawkins
★ 6.1
1988
Uphill All the Way
Sheriff John Catledge
★ 5.6
1986
White Dog
Carruthers
★ 6.6
1982
Earthbound
Ned Anderson
★ 5.0
1981
Just You and Me, Kid
Max
★ 5.7
1979
Roots
Senator Arthur J. Justin · 1 episode
★ 7.4
1977–
Baker's Hawk
Mr. McGraw
★ 6.8
1976
Captains and the Kings
Old Syrup · 8 episodes
★ 8.8
1976–
Frequently Asked Questions
Is Burl Ives still alive?
Burl Ives passed away on April 14, 1995 at age 85.
What are the most famous roles of Burl Ives?
Burl Ives is best known for roles in Cat on a Hot Tin Roof, East of Eden, Rudolph the Red-Nosed Reindeer.
How many movies has Burl Ives been in?
Over a 55-year career (since 1940), Burl Ives has appeared in 27 movies and 10 TV shows.
What was Burl Ives's first movie?
The career of Burl Ives began with Tall Tales (1940).
What is Burl Ives's most recent movie or series?
Burl Ives's most recent release is Thomas Hart Benton, which premiered on October 31, 1989.
What TV shows has Burl Ives appeared in?
On television, Burl Ives has appeared in Little House on the Prairie, Roots, Night Gallery, The Tonight Show Starring Johnny Carson.
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Burl Ives
Burl Ives
1909-06-14 · Hunt City, Illinois, USA

Burl Icle Ivanhoe Ives (June 14, 1909 – April 14, 1995) was an American singer and actor of stage, screen, radio and television.

Ives began as an itinerant singer and banjoist, and launched his own radio show, The Wayfaring Stranger, which popularized traditional folk songs. In 1942 he appeared in Irving Berlin's This Is the Army, and then became a major star of CBS radio. In the 1960s he successfully crossed over into country music, recording hits such as "A Little Bitty Tear" and "Funny Way of Laughin'". A popular film actor through the late 1940s and '50s, Ives's best-known film roles included parts in So Dear to My Heart (1949) and Cat on a Hot Tin Roof (1958), as well as Rufus Hannassey in The Big Country (1958), for which he won an Academy Award for Best Supporting Actor.

Ives is often remembered for his voice-over work as Sam the Snowman, narrator of the classic 1964 Christmas television special Rudolph the Red-Nosed Reindeer, which continues to air annually around Christmas.

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Known for
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