- Ronnie Schell
Infobox actor
caption = Ronnie Schell
imagesize =
name = Ronnie Schell
birthdate = birth date and age|1931|12|23
birthplace = Richmond, California, USARonald Ralph Schell (born December 23, 1931 in
Richmond, California ) is an Americanactor , stand-upcomedian andcartoon voice actor (notablyPeter Puck ). Early in his career he appeared as himself as a contestant on "You Bet Your Life " oppositeGroucho Marx , demonstrating a comic barrage of jive talk.Career Background
Schell's first choice of careers was to play professional baseball. He got as far as the semi-pro league level before enlisting in the Air Force, where he performed in variety shows as both an emcee and comedian and also did record pantomimes. Schell studied at San Francisco State University and by happenstance formed a nightclub comedy duo which took off. He turned solo within a year and progressed to Las Vegas work as an opening act.
Perhaps Ronnie will always be best remembered for playing Private Duke Slater on the
Jim Nabors vehicle "Gomer Pyle, U.S.M.C. ". He played this role for three years, starred as adisc jockey for one season in his ownsitcom , "Good Morning, World ". He then returned to "Gomer Pyle, U.S.M.C." as aCorporal for its fifth and final season. He used this experience to humorously refer to himself in his stand-up routine as "America's slowest-rising young comic."Schell also acted in a few
Pacific Southwest Airlines Commercials such as "Smile Inspection" and "PSA Gives You A Lift Pageant". At the end of a Jerry Lewis PSA Jingle, a voice said "That was Jerry Lewis for PSA, and this is Ronnie Schell. What did I do wrong?". [http://www.psa-history.org/]His television guest credits include "
Phil of the Future ", "Yes, Dear ", "The Wayans Bros. ", "Step by Step", "Coach", "The Golden Girls ", "227", "Saved by the Bell ", "Empty Nest ", "Mr. Belvedere ", "Santa Barbara", "Trapper John, M.D. ", "Too Close for Comfort ", "The Love Boat ", "Alice", "Mork & Mindy ", "One Day at a Time ", "Charlie's Angels ", "The Dukes of Hazzard ", "Sanford and Son ", "Emergency! ", "Happy Days ", "Adam-12 ", "The New Dick Van Dyke Show ", "That Girl ",And "Hogen's Heroes ".References
* [http://www.psa-history.org/ PSA History/Oldtimers Page]
External links
*
Wikimedia Foundation. 2010.
