Ed Begley Sr. Collection

Ed Begley Sr
(1901 – 1970)

Growing up, all environmental activist Ed Begley Jr. wanted to be was an actor, just like his old man. Who can blame him? Growing up in Hollywood, he had a view from the front row of the glamor and glitz of studio work, but Ed Sr. was careful not to let his son get too carried away.

Ed Begley Sr., born in Hartford, Connecticut, 1901, had been involved with show business for most of his life, from the time he first began running away from home at the age of 11 to join the circus or whatever odd job he could find. He worked as a carny, in circuses, did vaudeville, sold brushes, served a hitch in the U.S. Navy, and finally landed a job as a radio announcer. As a kid, he remembered seeing his Irish immigrant father, who had a talent for mimicking dialects, entertaining friends at parties. This led to his ambition to take up acting. He was still in his teens when he won a role in the Broadway hit Going Up (1917) and went with the show to London the next year.

In 1922, Ed married Amanda Huff, a marriage that would last until her death in 1957. Ed Jr. was born in 1949. Begley knew radio would be a stepping stone to greater success, and he made thousands of radio appearances. He was the original voice of Charlie Chan on ABC, appeared as Sgt. O'Hara on The Fat Man, played Lt. Levinson in support of Richard Diamond, Private Detective, was part of the company for Let George Do It, The Whistler, This is Your FBI, Tales of the Texas Rangers, and several others. He showed a flair for comedy by appearing on our Miss Brooks and Fibber McGee and Molly during the PET Milk period.

Begley has more than 100 acting credits in TV and movies, mostly in supporting roles. He won the Academy Award for Best Supporting Actor in an adaptation of Tennessee Williams Sweet Bird of Youth (1962). Ed Jr. recalled that his father was obsessively proud of the award. He carried it with him when he traveled and loved for fans to take their pictures with it, but never let his son touch the statue. One day, while getting ready to fly from New York to Los Angeles, Begley gave the boy the statue to hold while he went to get the tickets. The younger Begley was so nervous that it was almost inevitable that he dropped the award, breaking a piece of the base. In his famous gravelly voice, his father wailed, "Ehhhhhddie, Ehhhhhddie, what have you done? You broke Oscar." (The Academy graciously helped the Begleys get the statue repaired.)

Ed Begley married three times. Ed Jr. was just seven when Amanda died, and he grew up believing that she had been his mother. When he got his birth certificate so that he could get his driver's license, he discovered that his mother had actually been an NBC page at Radio City. He was initially angry over the deception but realized that he had a number of advantages growing up with Ed Sr.

Ed Begley Sr. died of a heart attack in Hollywood on April 28, 1970. He was 69.

His son, Ed Begley Jr. has enjoyed a successful acting career in TV and movies. He is active in environmental causes and recently appeared in Public Service Announcements concerning the dangers of fluoridated drinking water.