1903 – 1978

Edgar Bergen

American actor, radio performer, comedian and ventriloquist (1903-1978)

ventriloquistfilm actorradio personalitypuppeteercomedian

Born

1903-02-16, Chicago

Died

1978-09-30

Birthplace state

Illinois

Biography

Edgar John Bergen was an American ventriloquist, comedian, actor, vaudevillian and radio performer. He was best known for his characters Charlie McCarthy and Mortimer Snerd. Bergen pioneered modern-day ventriloquism and has been described by puppetry organization UNIMA as the “quintessential ventriloquist of the 20th century”. He was the father of actress Candice Bergen.

Occupation

Edgar Bergen is recorded as a ventriloquist, a film actor, a radio personality, a puppeteer, a comedian, a writer, a actor and a screenwriter, born in Illinois (1903–1978).

Connections to Illinois

Edgar Bergen was born in Chicago, Illinois in 1903. Explore other notable figures from Illinois, historic sites connected to this era, and the full colonial and statehood history of the state using the links below.

Other notable figures from Illinois›Illinoishistory ›Historic sites in Illinois›

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Geology

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Conflict & War

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The Civil War

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The Soldiers

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Native Heritage

The Native nations who held this land, mapped across time from before European contact to today.

Settlement

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The Community

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Rivers & Rail

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Notable People

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Historical Maps

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Finds & Access

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Literature

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Spotlight

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Points of Interest

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More notable figures from Illinois

Other historical figures born in Illinois, ranked by historical prominence.

Ronald Reagan

president of the United States from 1981 to 1989 and actor (1911-2004)

Walt Disney

American animator, producer, director, screenwriter, voice actor and entrepreneur, founder of The Walt Disney Company (1901–1966)

Ernest Hemingway

American author and journalist (1899–1961)

Robin Williams

American actor and comedian (1951–2014)

Ray Bradbury

American author and screenwriter (1920–2012)

Bobby Fischer

American chess player (1943–2008)

James Watson

American molecular biologist, geneticist, zoologist and Nobel Laureate (1928–2025)

Frequently asked about Edgar Bergen

Who was Edgar Bergen?

Edgar Bergen was American actor, radio performer, comedian and ventriloquist (1903-1978), born in Illinois (1903 – 1978).

When and where was Edgar Bergen born?

Edgar Bergen was born on 1903-02-16 in Chicago.

When did Edgar Bergen die?

Edgar died on 1978-09-30.

What was Edgar Bergen known for?

Edgar Bergen is recorded as a ventriloquist, a film actor, a radio personality, a puppeteer, a comedian, a writer, a actor and a screenwriter.

Source

Biographical content adapted from Wikipedia under the Creative Commons Attribution-ShareAlike 4.0 International License. Source: Wikipedia.

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