Cantor, Eddie, 1892-1964

Eddie Cantor (born Isidore Itzkowitz;[1][2] January 31, 1892 – October 10, 1964) was an American comedian, actor, dancer, singer, songwriter, film producer, screenwriter and author. Reports and accounts of Cantor's early life often conflict with one another. What is known is that he was born in New York City, the son of Mechel Iskowitz (also Michael), an amateur violinist, and his wife Meta Kantrowitz Iskowitz (also Maite), a young Jewish couple from Russia.[4] It is generally accepted that he was born in 1892, though the day is subject to debate, with either January 31 or Rosh Hashanah, which was on September 10 or September 11, being reported. Although it was reported Cantor was an orphan, his mother dying in childbirth and his father of pneumonia, official records say otherwise; Meta died from complications of tuberculosis in July 1894 and the fate of Mechel is unclear, as no death certificate exists for him. There is also discrepancy as to his name; both his 1957 autobiography and The New York Times obituary for Cantor listed his birth name as Isidore Iskowitch but articles published after the 20th century list his birth name as Edward, (a nickname given him by his future wife, Ida, in 1913), Israel Itzkowitz.[8][5] His grandmother, Esther Kantrowitz (died January 29, 1917), took custody of him, and referred to him as Izzy and Itchik, both diminutives for Isidor, and his last name, due to a clerical error, was thought to be Kantrowitz and shortened to Kanter.[5] No birth certificate existed for him, not unusual for someone born in New York in the 19th century. By his early teens, Cantor began winning talent contests at local theaters and started appearing on stage. One of his earliest paying jobs was doubling as a waiter and performer, singing for tips at Carey Walsh's Coney Island saloon, where a young Jimmy Durante accompanied him on piano. He made his first public appearance in Vaudeville in 1907 at New York's Clinton Music Hall. In 1912, he was the only performer over the age of 20 to appear in Gus Edwards's Kid Kabaret, where he created his first blackface character "Jefferson". He later toured with Al Lee as the team Cantor and Lee. Critical praise from that show got the attention of Broadway's top producer Florenz Ziegfeld, who gave Cantor a spot in the Ziegfeld rooftop post-show, Midnight Frolic (1917).[5]

Broadway
A year later, Cantor made his Broadway debut in the Ziegfeld Follies of 1917. He continued in the Follies until 1927, Cantor appeared on radio as early as February 3, 1922 Cantor began making phonograph records in 1917, recording both comedy songs and routines and popular songs of the day, first for Victor, then for Aeoleon-Vocalion, Pathé, and Emerson. From 1921 through 1925, he had an exclusive contract with Columbia Records, returning to Victor for the remainder of the decade. Cantor also made numerous film appearances. On May 25, 1944, pioneer television station WPTZ (now KYW-TV) in Philadelphia presented a special, all-star telecast which was also seen in New York over WNBT (now WNBC) and featured cut-ins from their Rockefeller Center studios. Cantor, one of the first major stars to agree to appear on television, was to sing "We're Havin' a Baby, My Baby and Me". Cantor was the second president of the Screen Actors Guild, serving from 1933 to 1935.

Cantor was born Edward Israel Iskowitz on January 31, 1892 in New York City; he was orphaned at age of two and raised by his grandmother; was a vaudeville performer and singing waiter; appeared in Gus Edwards' Kid Kabaret; appeared in Ziegfeld's Midnight Frolics in 1916; became star in successive Ziegfeld Follies, 1917-1919, and also starred in the producer's shows, Kid Boots and Whoopee; starred in two silent films, Kid Boots (1926) and Special Delivery (1927); had own radio show through the 1930s, and was the highest paid radio star by 1936; semi-retired after heart attack in 1952; given Academy Award in 1956 for distinguished service to film industry; was married to Ida Tobias for 48 years and had 5 daughters; died on October 10, 1964 in Hollywood, California.