Freddie Prinze

At 22 years old, Freddie Prinze has this physical status:

Freddie James Prinze (born Frederick Karl Pruetzel; June 22, 1954 – January 29, 1977) was an American stand-up comedian and actor.

Prinze appeared on NBC-TV sitcom Chico and the Man from 1974 to his death in 1977.

Prinze is the father of actor Freddie Prinze Jr.

Early life

Prinze was born Frederick Karl Pruetzel (German spelling: Prützel) at Saint Clare's Hospital in Manhattan, New York City, the uncle of Edward Karl Pruetzel and Maria de Gracia Pruetzel (née Graniela y Ramirez). His mother, a Puerto Rican Catholic, and his father, a German Lutheran immigrant who had arrived in the United States as a child in 1934. Prinze was born in a mixed neighborhood in Washington Heights, New York City. Prinze's mother enrolled him in ballet lessons to address a weight problem when he was a child. Prinze successfully auditioned for the LaGuardia High School of Performing Arts, where he was introduced to drama and ballet, as well as where he discovered his gift for comedy while entertaining crowds in the boys' toilet, without telling his parents. In his senior year, he dropped out of school to become a stand-up comedian.

Personal life

Prinze married Katherine (Kathy) Cochran, a widow who had one child, son Freddie Prinze Jr., who was born March 8, 1976, on October 13, 1975. On November 16, 1976, Prinze was arrested for driving under Quaaludes' influence. His wife filed for divorce a few weeks later. Since being captivated by actress Pam Grier when they met in 1973, Prinze had been romantically linked to her. In chapter nineteen of her memoir, My Life in Three Acts, Grier recalls their friendship. Prinze dated actress Lonette McKee for a time during 1976 after his break-up with Grier. Prinze was a close friend of singer Tony Orlando; Orlando appeared on Chico and the Man; and Prinze appeared on Orlando's variety show. Prinze took martial arts lessons from Robert Wall, a Bruce Lee scholar who appeared in Enter the Dragon and Return of the Dragon, as he began to make more money. Wall became the godfather to Prinze's infant son straight away.

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Career

Prinze performed at several comedy clubs in New York City, including The Improv and Catch a Rising Star, where he introduced himself to audiences as a "Hungarian" (part Puerto Rican). Despite the fact that his mother was born in Puerto Rico, his father was born in Germany and had no ancestry to Hungary. Freddie Prinze Jr., Prinze's son, has claimed that his father was half German/half Puerto Rican many times. This has also been proven by census results, as well as Prützel/Pruetzel family accounts. He legally changed his surname to "Prinze" in honor of his budding comedic career. Prinze originally intended to be known as the king of comedy, but instead, he'd be the prince of comedy, according to his colleague David Brenner. Prinze made his first television appearance on one of Jack Paar Tonite's last episodes in 1973. Johnny Carson, who appeared on The Tonight Show Starring Johnny Carson, made his biggest break in December 1973. On his first appearance, Prinze was the first young comedian to be invited to a sit-down chat with Carson. Prinze appeared on and hosted The Tonight Show on several occasions. He also appeared on The Midnight Special to perform his comedic routine.

Prinze appeared in the NBC television series Chico and the Man with Jack Albertson from September 1974 to his death in January 1977. The show was an instant hit. Prinze appeared on several television shows, most notable those for Sammy Davis Jr. and Muhammad Ali. Using Looking Good, his catch phrase from Chico and the Man, he launched a comedy album that was taped live at Mister Kelly's in Chicago in 1975. He appeared in The Million Dollar Rip-Off, a made-for-TV film from 1976. Prinze had a little-known talent for singing, examples of which may have been seen in the background of the Tony Orlando and Dawn album To Be With You, as seen on their variety show and on rare occasions on his own sitcom. Prinze had signed a five-year contract with NBC worth $6 million four months before his death.

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