He served for a year and a half as an entertainer attached to Special Services. In 1953, Gorshin was drafted into the United States Army and posted to Germany. When not studying, he worked in local plays and nightclubs. Īfter graduation from Peabody High School, Gorshin attended the Carnegie Tech School of Drama (now known as Carnegie Mellon University) in Pittsburgh. His parents insisted that he take the engagement, even though his 15-year-old brother had been hit by a car and killed just two nights before. He was still in high school when he obtained his first paid employment, which he secured as the prize in a Pittsburgh talent contest in 1951: a one-week engagement at Jackie Heller's New York nightclub, Carousel. He memorized the mannerisms of the screen stars he saw and created an impressionist act. At the age of 15, he took a part-time job as a cinema usher at the Sheridan Square Theatre. In an interview, Frances said that her son, being the product of a Slovenian home, spoke mostly Slovene before going to school. They sang in the Slovenian Singing Society Prešeren, named after the great Slovenian poet France Prešeren. Both of his parents were active in Pittsburgh's Slovenian community. His mother, Frances or Fanny, née Prešeren, came to the United States as a young girl from Regrča Vas, near Novo Mesto, the main city of Lower Carniola, in Slovenia. His father, Frank Sr., was a second-generation Slovenian-American whose parents emigrated to America from Slovenia. Gorshin was born on April 5, 1933, in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania, the son of Catholic parents Frances, a seamstress, and Frank Gorshin Sr., a railroad worker. He made many guest appearances on television variety and talk shows, including The Ed Sullivan Show, Tonight Starring Steve Allen, The Dean Martin Show and Late Night with Conan O'Brien.Īs an actor, he played the Riddler on the live-action television series Batman and was nominated for an Emmy Award for the performance. (Ap– May 17, 2005) was an American actor, comedian and impressionist.
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