Daytime Revolution
2024 · Movie
as Self (archive footage)
Louis Nye
1913-05-01
•
Hartford, Connecticut, USA
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.
Filmography
The Adventures of Errol Flynn
2005 · Movie
as Self (archive footage)
Curb Your Enthusiasm
2000 · TV Show
as Jeff's Dad
No image
The Steven Banks Show
1994 · TV Show
as Shower Guest
Happy Birthday, Bugs! 50 Looney Years
1990 · Movie
as Self
Ted E. Bear: Cub Reporter
1988 · Movie
as (voice)
O.C. and Stiggs
1987 · Movie
as Garth Sloan
The Real Ghostbusters
1986 · TV Show
as Charles Foster Hearse III (voice)
Alice in Wonderland
1985 · TV Show
as Carpenter
Cannonball Run II
1984 · Movie
as Fisherman #3
The Cosby Show
1984 · TV Show
as Norman Kirby
The Great Bear Scare
1983 · Movie
as Dracula (voice)
St. Elsewhere
1982 · TV Show
as Milton Axelrod
Full Moon High
1981 · Movie
as Reverend
No image
The Reluctant Dragon
1981 · Movie
as St. George
Aloha Paradise
1981 · TV Show
Steve Martin: Comedy Is Not Pretty
1980 · Movie
as Laundry Customer
All Commercials... A Steve Martin Special
1980 · Movie
as Self
Harper Valley P.T.A.
1978 · Movie
as Kirby Baker
No image
Li'l Abner in the Dogpatch Today
1978 · Movie
as General Bullmoose
Fantasy Island
1978 · TV Show
as Mr. Milbanks
Charge of the Model T's
1977 · Movie
as Fred Smith
The Love Boat
1977 · TV Show
as Louis Nye, Barney Briscoe, Glenn Dobson
Won Ton Ton: The Dog Who Saved Hollywood
1976 · Movie
as Radio Interviewer
Laverne & Shirley
1976 · TV Show
Mitzi & 100 Guys
1975 · Movie
as Self
Starsky & Hutch
1975 · TV Show
as Jerry
Yes, Virginia, There Is a Santa Claus
1974 · Movie
as Lee Fong (voice)
The City That Forgot About Christmas
1974 · Movie
as (voice)
Police Woman
1974 · TV Show
as Myron Drew
No image
Needles and Pins
1973 · TV Show
as Harry Karp
No image
The Don Knotts Show
1970 · TV Show
as Self
The Dick Cavett Show
1968 · TV Show
as Self - Guest
Rowan & Martin's Laugh-In
1968 · TV Show
as Self (uncredited)
A Guide for the Married Man
1967 · Movie
as Technical Adviser
The Pruitts of Southampton
1966 · TV Show
No image
Salute to Stan Laurel
1965 · Movie
as Self
Good Neighbor Sam
1964 · Movie
as Reinhold Shiffner
The Munsters
1964 · TV Show
The Hollywood Palace
1964 · TV Show
as Self - Comedian
The Stripper
1963 · Movie
as Ronnie Cavendish
Who's Been Sleeping in My Bed?
1963 · Movie
as Harry Tobler
The Wheeler Dealers
1963 · Movie
as Stanislas
Burke's Law
1963 · TV Show
as Hooper, James Stock
No image
Bob Hope Presents the Chrysler Theatre
1963 · TV Show
as Mickey Marshall
The Lieutenant
1963 · TV Show
The Judy Garland Show
1963 · TV Show
as Self
Zotz!
1962 · Movie
as Hugh Fundy (uncredited)
The Beverly Hillbillies
1962 · TV Show
as Sonny Drysdale
The Tonight Show Starring Johnny Carson
1962 · TV Show
as Self
The Merv Griffin Show
1962 · TV Show
as Self
The Last Time I Saw Archie
1961 · Movie
as Pvt. Sam Beacham
The Mike Douglas Show
1961 · TV Show
as Self - Co-Host, Self
The New Steve Allen Show
1961 · TV Show
as Self
The Facts of Life
1960 · Movie
as Hamilton Busbee
Sex Kittens Go to College
1960 · Movie
as Dr. Zorch
Guestward, Ho!
1960 · TV Show
Naked City
1958 · TV Show
as The Drunk
Kraft Music Hall
1958 · TV Show
as Self
No image
Tonight Starring Jack Paar
1957 · TV Show
as Self
The Dinah Shore Chevy Show
1956 · TV Show
as Self
The Steve Allen Show
1956 · TV Show
as Self
One Touch of Venus
1955 · Movie
as Dr. Rook
No image
The George Gobel Show
1954 · TV Show
as Self
This Is Your Life
1952 · TV Show
as Self
The Bob Hope Show
1950 · TV Show
as Self
The Jack Benny Program
1950 · TV Show
as Harvey Hollis Pickering, Crying Cab Driver
Kraft Television Theatre
1947 · TV Show
