Ives, Burl

Burl Ives

Burl Ives (born Burle Icle Ivanhoe Ives) was born on June 14, 1909 in Hunt, Illinois, US.  He was one of seven children born to the Hunt, Illinois farm family.  He learned about music from his pipe-smoking grandmother and by the age of four was performing in his grandfather's church.  Music became an integral part of Ives' child and teen years so much so that he continued his musical and general studies at Eastern Illinois State Teachers College (1927 - 1929).  He dropped out of college and traveled around the US in 1930 and 1931, with only 15¢ in his pockets.  He ended up in New York City, NY where he worked as a busboy and entertainer at International House (1933) and studied at New York University and The Juilliard School.

Shortly thereafter Ives was continuing to sing and perform professionally and for several years he took minor roles on stage which captured the attention of Rodgers and Hart (very famous song writers).  Rodgers and Hart liked Ives so much they wrote a stage role just for him in The Boys from Syracuse (1938-9).  With this role and others plus work on CBS Radio in and around 1940, Ives was starting to really make a name for himself in folk music and stage.  By 1946 he had landed his first film role in Smoky and was married to Helen Peck Ehrich.

Ives was wildly popular from the 1940's until the 1960's, he made albums, starred in Radio shows, TV shows, film, toured Europe, Australia, New Zealand and the US and Canada, he wrote books (including children and song books), and championed causes (Native Americans and Child Abuse).

Ives was married twice: Helen Peck Ehrich (1945- ? div) with one adopted son, and to casting director Dorothy Koster Paul (19??-1996 Ives death), three step children from her previous marriage.

Ives died of cancer on April 14, 1995 in Anacortes, Washington, US

Film 
Two Moon Junction~1988 - Sheriff Earl Hawkins
Uphill All the Way~1986 - Sheriff John Catledge
White Dog~1982 -  Carruthers
Earthbound~1981 - Ned Anderson
Just You and Me, Kid~1979 - Max
Baker's Hawk~1976 -  Mr. McGraw
Hugó a víziló~1976 (voice)
McMasters, The~1970 - McMasters
Other Side of Bonnie and Clyde, The~1968 (voice Narrator)
West to the Mountains~1967 - Balladeer
Rocket to the Moon~1967  - Phineas T. Barnum
Daydreamer, The~1966) (voice Father Neptune
I Know an Old Lady Who Swallowed a Fly~1964 - voice - Singer
Ensign Pulver~1964 Capt. Morton
Brass Bottle, The~1964 Fakrash
Summer Magic~1963 Osh Popham
Spiral Road, The~1962 Dr. Brits Jansen
Let No Man Write My Epitaph~1960 Judge Bruce M. Sullivan
Our Man in Havana~1959 Dr. Hasselbacher
Day of the Outlaw~1959 Jack Bruhn
Big Country, The~1958 Rufus Hannassey
Cat on a Hot Tin Roof~1958  - Harvey 'Big Daddy' Pollitt
Wind Across the Everglades~1958 Cottonmouth
Desire Under the Elms~1958 Ephriam Cabot
Gun Glory~1957 Vocalist behind opening credits
Power and the Prize, The~1956 George Salt
East of Eden~1955 Sam the Sheriff
Sierra~1950 Lonesome
So Dear to My Heart~1949 Uncle Hiram
Station West~1948) (uncredited Hotel Clerk/Balladeer
Green Grass of Wyoming~1948 Gus
Smoky~1946 Bill

TV
68th Annual Academy Awards, The~1996-  Himself (Memorial Tribute)
Poor Little Rich Girl: The Barbara Hutton Story~1987 -  Woolworth
Wogan~1982 Himself 3/9/87
Dolly~1987 - Himself in Episode 10
Ewok Adventure, The~1984  (voice) - Narrator
New Adventures of Heidi, The~1978 - Grandfather
Bermuda Depths, The~1978 -  Dr. Paulis
Roots~1977 (mini)  - Senator Arthur Johnson
First Easter Rabbit, The~1976  (voice) - Narrator/Older Stuffy
Captains and the Kings~1976 (mini) -  Old Syrup
Little House on the Prairie~1976 - Sam Shelby in  The Hunters
17th Annual Grammy Awards, The~1975 -  Himself
John Wayne and Glen Campbell & the Musical West~1974 -  Himself
Herbie Day at Disneyland~1974 -  Himself
Night Gallery~1972 - Old Man Doubleday in  The Other Way Out
Alias Smith and Jones~1972 - Big Mac McCreedy in:
     The McCreedy Feud
     Which Way to the O.K. Corral?
     The McCreedy Bust-Going, Going, Gone
Tonight Show Starring Johnny Carson, The~1971 -
Man Who Wanted to Live Forever, The~1970 - T.M. Trask
Flip Wilson Show, The~1970 - Himself
Daniel Boone~1969 - Prater Beasley in:
     Love and Equity
     A Tall Tale of Prater Beasley
Bold Ones: The Lawyers, The~1969 - Walter Nichols
Whole World Is Watching, The~1969 - Walter Nichols
Pinocchio~1968 - Gepetto
Sound of Anger, The~1968 - Walter Nichols
Name of the Game, The~1968 - Arthur Jellicoe in  The Taker
Andy Williams Show, The~1967 -
Bell Telephone Hour, The~1964-1966 - Host in:
     Music that Mirrors the Times
     Wayfarer on the Mississippi
     ? 10/6/64
O.K. Crackerby!~1965 -  O.K. Crackerby
Rudolph, the Red-Nosed Reindeer~1964  (voice) - Narrator: Sam the Snowman
Flying Clipper - Traumreise unter weissen Segeln~1962 - Narrator
Bell Telephone Hour, The~1961 - Host
Zane Grey Theater~1960 - Ox in The Ox
31st Annual Academy Awards, The~1959 -  Himself - Best Supporting Actor Winner
General Electric Theater~1959 King David in  Absalom, My Son
Red Skelton Chevrolet Special~1959 - himself
Bell Telephone Hour, The~1959 - Host
Texaco special - Holiday~1959 -
Dinah Shore Chevy Show, The~1958 - Himself:
     12/21/58
     10/5/58
Face in the Crowd, A~1957 - Himself
High Low Quiz~1957 - Himself/panelist
Playhouse 90~1957 - Captain Keller in  The Miracle Worker
United States Steel Hour, The~1957 -  Matthew Randolph in  To Die Alone
General Electric Theater~1956 -  in  The Second Stranger
Longines Whittnauer Thanksgiving Festival~1955 - Himself
Music '55~1955 - Himself 8/23/55
What's My Line~1955 Mystery Guest
Jack Parr Afternoon Show~1955 - Himself
Toast of the Town~1954-1955 - Himself on Anniversary Surprise
CBS Morning Show~1955 - Himself
Stork Club~1955 - Himself
Frontiers of Faith~1953-1954 - Himself
TV Ding Dong School~1954 - Himself
Toast of the Town~1953 - Himself
Mohawk Showroom~1950 - Himself on A Family Christmas

Film Singer/Lyricist
True Romance~1993 (singer: A Little Bitty Tear)
Sierra~1950 (lyricist)

Film Archives
Rock Hudson's Home Movies~1992

Theatre
Dr. Cook's Garden~1967 - Leonard Cook (Belasco Theatre, New York, NY)
Cat on a Hot Tin Roof~1955-56 - Big Daddy (Morosco Theatre, New York, NY)
Paint Your Wagon~1951-52 - Ben Rumsen (replacement) (Shubert Theatre, New York, NY)
Sing Out, Sweet Land~1944-45 - Fiddler/Bonaforte/1st Soldier/Jolly Tramp/Petty Officer (International Theatre, New York, NY)
This is the Army~1942 - performer (Broadway Theatre, New York, NY)
Heavenly Express~1940 - Pat Borlie (National Theater, New York, NY)
Boys From Syracuse~1938-39 - Tailor's apprentice (Alvin Theatre, New York, NY)

Radio
Philco Radio Show~1946-1947 - Singing 11/20/46 ; 4/23/47
Wayfaring Stranger~1940
Burl Ives Sings Radio Show
    Guest appearances:
Music Through the Night radio spots
America For Sale
Back Where I Caom From~1940
Jack Smith Show~1948
Bing Crosby Show~1948
Tex & Jinx Show~1950
Bing Crosby Show~1951
Woolworth Hour~1955-57
Radio Show for Social Security "World of Folk Music"

Books
Wayfaring Stranger (American Autobiography)~1948
Wayfaring Strangers Notebook
Burl Ives Guitar for Beginners
Burl Ives' Tales of America

Albums
Songs I Sang in Sunday School~1963
How Great Thou Art~1981
Best of Burl Ives: Millennium Collection
Philco's Friendly Troubadour
Burl Ives Live at Chautaqua
Burl Ives Live at Brodniak
Burl Ives At His Best
Burl Ives Sings
Burl Ives
Burl Ives Compilation
Burl Ives Sings for Fun
Burl Ives Sings His Favorites
Burl Ives Sings the Great Country Hits
Burl Ives Presents America's Musical Heritage
Old Time Varieties
Softly and Tenderly
Some of the Best
Times They Are a Changin'
20 Gospel Favorites
All My Best
American Hymns
America's Folk Singer
America's Favorite Balladeer - 30 songs
Another Day, Another Year
On Top of Old Smoky
Chim, Chim, Cheree & Other Children's Choices
Scouting Along with Burl Ives
Ballads with Guitar
Ballads Folk and Country Songs
Ballads and Folk Songs Vol. 2
Ballads and Folk Songs Vol. 3
Mother Goose Songs
Cheers
Best of Burl's for Boys and Girls
Songs of Ireland
Captain Burl Ives' Ark
Australia Folk Songs
Women
Men
Wild Side of Life
More Folk Songs
The Animal Fair
In the Quiet of the Night
Down to the Sea in Ships
A Little Bitty Tear
Greatest Hits
The Magic Balladeer
A Twinkle In Your Eye
I'm Goin' Away
Coronation Concert
Women: Folk Songs About the Fair
Pearly Shells
Folk Songs: Dramatic and Dangerous
Lavender Blue
Little White Duck
Return of the Wayfaring Stranger
Wayfaring Stranger
Poor Wayfaring Stranger
The Versatile Burl Ives
SRP Burl Ives Christmas Album
SRB Holly Jolly Christmas
SRP Rudolph the Red-Nosed Reindeer
Santa Claus in Coming to Town
Christmas Day in the Morning
Christmas at the Whitehouse

Awards, Honors, and Nominations
Academy Awards:
Rec'd 1959 Best Actor in a Supporting Role for The Big Country
Golden Boot Awards:
Rec'd 1986
Golden Globe Awards:
Rec'd 1959 Best Supporting Actor for The Big Country
Grammy Awards:
Rec'd 1962 Best Coutnry and Western Recording
Rec'd 1963 Best Country and Western Recording (Decca) for Funny Way of Laughin'

Miscellany
Was the voice of Sam the Eagle at Disneyland's "America Sings" (1974-1988) at Tomorrowland (directly across from Star Tours)

A very loyal Freemason.

Personal Note:  In the early 70's, when I was a young girl, I had the fortunate opportunity of meeting Mr. Ives on several occasions (when he lived in Santa Barbara, CA) in what seemed like an unlikely spot. He and his wife Dorothy, their little white poodle and their bright red, '69-'70-ish, Cadillac convertible (with white leather interior) would venture down to The Home Improvement Center (like a really tiny Home Depot) in Santa Barbara, CA.  My parents frequented the place about as much as Mr. and Mrs. Ives did.  His Mason lodge (Magnolia  - now Magnolia-La Cumbre) was only blocks away from my home).   I found him to be quite pleasant and very much larger than life.