Frank Fontaine

Born April 19, 1920, in Cambridge, MA, Frank Fontaine enjoyed a successful career as both an actor and singer. Born to parents who were circus performers (his father was a "strong man" and his mother a trapeze artist), Fontaine began acting on TV programs in the late '40s before landing his best-known role as the character Crazy Guggenheim on the TV series Jackie Gleason & His American Scene Magazine (which ran from 1962 through 1966). On the show, Fontaine's singing would often be showcased, which led to the release of several albums, including Songs I Sing on The Jackie Gleason Show, which hit number one on the Billboard album charts in 1962. Fontaine died from a heart attack on August 4, 1978, in Spokane, WA. ~ Greg Prato, All Music Guide