Known for movies

Short Info

Date Of BirthJanuary 13, 1931
DiedMay 25, 2007, Beverly Hills, California, United States
MarkManic personality.
FactIn addition to his Tony win for "How to Succeed...", Reilly also won a New York Drama Critic's Award for the same role. Moreover, he was nominated again for a Tony for playing Cornelius Hackl in "Hello, Dolly!" opposite Carol Channing in 1964. In 1997 he received a third nomination for directing Julie Harris and Charles Durning in a revival of "The Gin Game".


Charles Nelson Reilly was born on January 13, 1931 in the Bronx, New York. His parents were Charles Joseph Reilly and Signe Elvera Nelson. He had two sisters, Elaine and Marilyn. His father worked as an engineer for the New York City Transit Authority and his mother was a homemaker.

Charles Nelson Reilly was educated at the New York Military Academy, where he excelled in academics and athletics. He went on to study at the University of Connecticut and the Yale School of Drama.

Charles Nelson Reilly’s career began in the theater. He appeared in numerous Broadway productions, including “How to Succeed in Business Without Really Trying” and “Barefoot in the Park”. He also had a successful career in television, appearing on shows such as “The Ghost & Mrs. Muir” and “The Love Boat”.

Charles Nelson Reilly was married twice. His first marriage was to actress Liz Sheridan, with whom he had one child. His second marriage was to Beverly Ann Brown, with whom he had two children.

Charles Nelson Reilly died on May 25, 2007 at the age of 76.

Charles Nelson Reilly was a successful actor and comedian who enjoyed a long and successful career in theater, television, and film. He was born in the Bronx, New York on January 13, 1931, and was raised in a Catholic household. His father worked as an engineer for the New York City Transit Authority and his mother was a homemaker. He had two sisters, Elaine and Marilyn.

Charles Nelson Reilly was educated at the New York Military Academy, where he excelled in academics and athletics. He went on to study at the University of Connecticut and the Yale School of Drama.

Charles Nelson Reilly’s career began in the theater. He appeared in numerous Broadway productions, including “How to Succeed in Business Without Really Trying” and “Barefoot in the Park”. He also had a successful career in television, appearing on shows such as “The Ghost & Mrs. Muir” and “The Love Boat”.

Charles Nelson Reilly was married twice. His first marriage was to actress Liz Sheridan, with whom he had one child. His second marriage was to Beverly Ann Brown, with whom he had two children.

Charles Nelson Reilly died on May 25, 2007 at the age of 76.

General Info

Full NameCharles Nelson Reilly
Date Of BirthJanuary 13, 1931
DiedMay 25, 2007, Beverly Hills, California, United States
Height1.8 m
ProfessionComedian, Voice Actor, Film director, Teacher, Theatre Director, Television Director
EducationUniversity of Hartford Hartt School
NationalityAmerican

Family

ParentsCharles Joseph Reilly, Signe Elvera Nelson

Accomplishments

AwardsTony Award for Best Featured Actor in a Musical, Grammy Hall of Fame
NominationsPrimetime Emmy Award for Outstanding Guest Actor in a Drama Series, Primetime Emmy Award for Outstanding Supporting Actor in a Comedy Series, Primetime Emmy Award for Outstanding Guest Actor in a Comedy Series, Tony Award for Best Direction of a Play, Drama Desk Award for Outstanding Solo Performanc...
MoviesThe Life of Reilly, All Dogs Go to Heaven, A Troll in Central Park, Rock-a-Doodle, Tom and Jerry: Shiver Me Whiskers, Cannonball Run II, Babes in Toyland, An All Dogs Christmas Carol, The Wind in the Willows, The First of May, Gaydar, Body Slam, Pest of the West, The Tiger Makes Out, Lidsville: The ...
TV ShowsMatch Game, Lidsville, The Ghost & Mrs. Muir, Uncle Croc's Block, Millennium, Arnie, All Dogs Go to Heaven: The Series, Space Cats, The Flintstone Comedy Show, The Pink Panther Show, The Flintstone Funnies, The Pink Panther, Sweethearts, The Barbara McNair Show, It Pays to Be Ignorant (1973)

Social profile links

Marks

#Marks / Signs
1Manic personality.
2Glasses
3Often cast by Don Bluth

Quotes

#Quote
1You can't do anything else once you do game shows. You have no career.
2When I die, it's going to read, "Game Show Fixture Passes Away". Nothing about the theater, or Tony Awards, or Emmys. But it doesn't bother me.

Facts

#Fact
1He was known to be a very private person.
2While semi-retired and living in Beverly Hills, Charles occasionally directed opera, taught, and voiced cartoons (most recently "The Dirty Bubble" on SpongeBob SquarePants (1999)). The filmed version of his autobiographical one man play "The Life of Reilly" (The Life of Reilly (2006)) premiered at the South By Southwest film festival in March of 2006 to rave reviews. [May 2006]
3Not only was he performing his one-man show "Save it for the Stage: The Life of Reilly", Charles was an acting coach at Burt Reynolds Dinner Theater in Jupiter, Florida, and he had directed many Broadway and off-Broadway shows. (Reilly and Reynolds had been friends for years). [April 2002]
4Along with Lance Henriksen, Brittany Tiplady and David Fredericks, he is one of only four actors to play the same character (Jose Chung) in both The X-Files (1993) and Millennium (1996).
5''Weird Al' Yankovic' created and performed a song about 'Charles Nelson Reilly' entitled "C.N.R." in 2009.
6A very close friend of Burt Reynolds, Reilly moved to Florida in 1979 to teach at the Burt Reynolds Institute. He also ran an acting school in North Hollwyood and taught at the HB Studio headed by Herbert Berghof and wife Uta Hagen; among his students were Bette Midler, Liza Minnelli, Lily Tomlin and Christine Lahti.
7Once worked as a night mail boy at the Waldorf-Astoria Hotel in New York.
8On stage from age 9 in a school play.
9An only child, his father, Charles Joseph Reilly, suffered a severe nervous breakdown when Charles was young and eventually had to be institutionalized. Charles and his mother, Signe Elvera Nelson, moved the two of them to Hartford, Connecticut, to live with his mother's Swedish relatives.
10Reilly was quite candid about the problems he had during the production of "Hello Dolly!", particularly with director Gower Champion and star Carol Channing. He did, however, have the benefit of playing opposite Eileen Brennan, who was playing the role of Irene Malloy, and later performed with her in a cabaret act.
11Reilly's openly gay TV persona was quite ahead of its time. He recalled a network executive telling him, "They don't let queers on television." In rebuttal, he was a game show fixture on such shows as The Match Game (1962) and The Hollywood Squares (1965); was a guest on the The Tonight Show (1962) with Johnny Carson more than 95 times; earned an Emmy nomination for his second-banana work on The Ghost & Mrs. Muir (1968) and appeared on Saturday morning children's shows such as Lidsville (1971).
12His final work was an autobiographical one-man show, "Save It for the Stage: The Life of Reilly," about his family life growing up in the Bronx. The Life of Reilly (2006) was his last filmed project. He got the first part of the show's title from a patented remark his mother use to say to him when he said something clever. His longtime partner Patrice Hues was set designer for the film.
13Was a close friend of multiple Tony-winning actress Julie Harris, and directed her in many plays and one-woman shows (over 10), including "The Belle of Amherst". He met Harris while they were performing in the short-lived musical "Skyscraper" in 1965.
14In addition to his Tony win for "How to Succeed...", Reilly also won a New York Drama Critic's Award for the same role. Moreover, he was nominated again for a Tony for playing Cornelius Hackl in "Hello, Dolly!" opposite Carol Channing in 1964. In 1997 he received a third nomination for directing Julie Harris and Charles Durning in a revival of "The Gin Game".
15Alec Baldwin did a hilarious take-off on Reilly on a Saturday Night Live (1975) sketch in which he was being interviewed by an overly-fawning Inside the Actors Studio (1994) host James Lipton played by Will Ferrell.
16At age 13, he was in the audience during the Ringling Bros. Circus tent fire in Hartford, Connecticut on July 6, 1944, which claimed the lives of 168 people. The mother of his neighbor friend had taken the two boys to the show and the three managed to escape physically unharmed. Charles was saved by an older sister also in attendance, who lowered him from the side of the bleachers because the bottleneck below made it practically impossible to get out any other way. For the rest of his life, he had a fear of sitting in a large audience despite being a theater actor and director.
17He was born in The Bronx, New York, but was raised in New Haven, Connecticut. He was the only child of a Swedish mother and an Irish father.
18Reilly was a long-time teacher of acting at HB Studio, the acting studio created by Herbert Berghof and his wife Uta Hagen.
19Won Broadway's 1962 Tony Award as Best Supporting or Featured Actor (Musical) for portraying Bud Frump in "How To Succeed In Business without Really Trying". Was also nominated in the same category in 1964 for "Hello, Dolly!". Also earned a 1997 Tony nomination as Best Director (Play) for working with longtime pal Julie Harris in the revival of "The Gin Game". Reilly previously directed Harris in her Tony-winning role as Emily Dickinson in The Belle of Amherst (1976).
20Earned a Tony nomination as Best Featured Actor in a Musical for his role opposite Carol Channing in the original "Hello, Dolly!" in 1964.
21Appearing in his one man show at the Irish Repertory Theater in New York. (November 2001).
22Was Dick Van Dyke's understudy in "Bye-Bye Birdie" on Broadway, where they met.
23Partner of Patrice Hues. (1980 - 25 May 2007).

Pictures

Movies

Actor

TitleYearStatusCharacter
Tom and Jerry in Shiver Me Whiskers2006VideoRed Parrot Stan (voice)
Men's Mix 1: Gay Shorts Collection2004Video shortUncle Vincent (segment "Gaydar")
Gaydar2002ShortUncle Vincent
SpongeBob SquarePants: SuperSponge2001Video GameDirty Bubble
SpongeBob SquarePants2000TV SeriesThe Dirty Bubble
The Brian Benben Show1999TV SeriesPsychiatrist
The First of May1999Dinghy
The Drew Carey Show1998-1999TV SeriesMr. Hathaway
Boys Will Be Boys1999TV MovieMr. Rudnick
An All Dogs Christmas Carol1998VideoKiller (voice)
Hercules1998TV SeriesKing Minos
All Dogs Go to Heaven: The Series1996-1998TV SeriesKiller
Millennium1997TV SeriesJose Chung
Babes in Toyland1997Mr. Dumpty (voice)
Second Noah1997TV SeriesHarold Hamilton
The Larry Sanders Show1996TV SeriesCharles Nelson Reilly
Family Matters1996TV SeriesMr. Vreeland
The X-Files1996TV SeriesJose Chung
The 5 Mrs. Buchanans1994TV SeriesHugh
A Troll in Central Park1994Llort (voice)
Bandit: Bandit Goes Country1994TV MovieTeach
The Pink Panther1993TV Series
The Addams Family1992-1993TV SeriesAdditional Voices
Wind in the Wire1993TV Movie
Rugrats1993TV SeriesEdmund Haynes / Actor / Director
Goof Troop1992TV SeriesDutch Spackle
The New WKRP in Cincinnati1992TV SeriesBobby / Gay Butler
Spacecats1991TV SeriesD.O.R.C. (Disembodied Omnipotent Ruler of Cats) (1991)
Rock-A-Doodle1991Hunch - Duke's Nephew (voice, as Charles Nelson-Reilly)
Evening Shade1990TV SeriesAlan Roth
B.L. Stryker1990TV SeriesHarmon Potter
It's Garry Shandling's Show.1990TV SeriesCharles Nelson Reilly
All Dogs Go to Heaven1989Killer (voice)
Charles in Charge1989TV SeriesAbba-Kahn
The Three Kings1987TV MovieClerk
The Wind in the Willows1987TV MovieMr. Toad (voice)
Body Slam1986Vic Carson
Amazing Stories1985TV SeriesFather McClintley
Cannonball Run II1984Don Don Canneloni
Madame's Place1982TV SeriesCharles Nelson Reilly
The Love Boat1982TV SeriesJesse Dobson
The Flintstone Comedy Show1980TV SeriesFrank Frankenstone
Uncle Croc's Block1975TV SeriesUncle Croc
Hamburgers1974TV Movie
The City That Forgot About Christmas1974TV Short voice
The Karen Valentine Show1973TV MovieBuddy Loudon
Love, American Style1971-1973TV SeriesJeff (segment "Love and the Laughing Lover") / Albert (segment "Love and the Return of Raymond") / Chuck Erickson (segment "Love and the Detective") / ...
McMillan & Wife1972TV SeriesDavison
Call Her Mom1972TV MovieDean Walden
Arnie1971-1972TV SeriesRandy Robinson
Honeymoon Suite1972TV Series
The New Dick Van Dyke Show1972TV SeriesWalter
The Doris Day Show1971TV SeriesRalph Mantley
Decisions! Decisions!1971TV Movie
Lidsville1971TV SeriesHoratio J. Hoodoo / Bruce Hoodoo
Here's Lucy1970TV SeriesElroy P. Clunk
Nanny and the Professor1970TV SeriesThe Pathfinder
The Ghost & Mrs. Muir1968-1970TV SeriesClaymore Gregg
The Tiger Makes Out1967Registrar
The Patty Duke Show1963TV SeriesCoach Coglan
The Farmer's Daughter1963TV SeriesGuide
Car 54, Where Are You?1962-1963TV SeriesAbernathy / Harlow
Two Tickets to Paris1962Claypoole
The Broadway of Lerner and Loewe1962TV MovieTheatre-Goer
A Face in the Crowd1957Minor Role (uncredited)

Soundtrack

TitleYearStatusCharacter
An All Dogs Christmas Carol1998Video performer: "I Always Get Emotional at Christmas Time", "Clean Up Your Act"
All Dogs Go to Heaven: The Series1998TV Series performer - 1 episode
Babes in Toyland1997performer: "Toyland", "Mr Dumpty's Toyland / The Aerial Ballet"
MGM Sing-Alongs: Being Happy1997Video short performer: "Toyland", "Toyland Reprise"
The Wind in the Willows1987TV Movie performer: "Messing Around in Cars", "Mr. Toad", "Messing Around in Cars Reprise"
Dinah and Her New Best Friends1980TV Series performer - 1 episode
The 28th Annual Tony Awards1974TV Special performer: "Medley"
Lidsville1971TV Series performer - 3 episodes

Director

TitleYearStatusCharacter
Evening Shade1991-1992TV Series 4 episodes

Writer

TitleYearStatusCharacter
The Life of Reilly2006Documentary

Art Department

TitleYearStatusCharacter
The Belle of Amherst1976TV Movie artistic advisor

Music Department

TitleYearStatusCharacter
Rock-A-Doodle1991featured vocalist - uncredited

Self

TitleYearStatusCharacter
Greenwich Village: A World Apart2015Documentary shortHimself
Star Words2015TV SpecialHimself - Celebrity
Words and Music by Jerry Herman2007TV Movie documentaryHimself
Heart & Soul: The Life and Music of Frank Loesser2006TV Movie documentaryHimself
The Life of Reilly2006DocumentaryHimself
Dinner for Five2004TV SeriesHimself
Jimmy Kimmel Live!2003TV SeriesHimself
Broadway: The Golden Age, by the Legends Who Were There2003DocumentaryHimself
Hollywood Squares2002TV SeriesHimself - Panelist
75th Annual Macy's Thanksgiving Day Parade2001TV MovieHimself
E! True Hollywood Story1999-2000TV Series documentaryHimself
The 1999 Annual Los Angeles Ovation Awards1999TV SpecialHimself - Presenter
Theater Talk1997TV SeriesHimself
You Don't Know Jack: Volume 21996Video GameHimself - Celebrity Guest Appearance (voice)
AFI Life Achievement Award: A Tribute to Jack Nicholson1994TV SpecialHimself - Audience Member
Designing Women1992TV SeriesHimself
The 5th Annual Sterling Awards1991TV SpecialHimself
Match Game1990-1991TV SeriesHimself - Panelist
The New Hollywood Squares1986-1989TV SeriesHimself - Panelist / Himself - Center Square
Sweethearts1988TV SeriesHimself / Host
Blackout1988TV SeriesHimself
Out of This World1987TV SeriesHimself
The Annual Friars Club Tribute Present a Salute to Liza Minnelli1987TV MovieHimself
The Late Show1986TV SeriesHimself
Star's Table1986TV SeriesHimself
Joan Rivers and Friends Salute Heidi Abromowitz1985TV MovieHimself
All Star Blitz1985TV SeriesHimself
Body Language1984-1985TV SeriesHimself
The Tonight Show Starring Johnny Carson1970-1985TV SeriesHimself / Himself - Guest / Himself - Comedian / ...
All-Star Party for Burt Reynolds1984TV MovieHimself
Super Password1984TV SeriesHimself - Celebrity Contestant
The 36th Primetime Emmy Awards1984TV SpecialHimself
Match Game/Hollywood Squares Hour1983-1984TV SeriesHimself - Panelist
The 1/2 Hour Comedy Hour1983TV SeriesHimself
The New Battlestars1983TV SeriesHimself
Texaco Star Theater: Opening Night1983TV MovieHimself
The Merv Griffin Show1976-1982TV SeriesHimself / Himself - Guest
Baryshnikov in Hollywood1982TV MovieHimself
Match Game 731973-1982TV SeriesHimself - Panelist
Match Game PM1975-1981TV SeriesHimself - Panelist
Dinah!1974-1980TV SeriesHimself / Himself - Co-Host / Himself - Guest Co-Host
Dinah and Her New Best Friends1980TV SeriesHimself
Over Easy1979TV SeriesHimself
Good Morning America1979TV SeriesHimself
ABC Presents Tomorrow's Stars1978TV MovieHimself - Comedian
Happy Birthday, Bob1978TV SpecialHimself
The Jim Nabors Show1978TV SeriesHimself
Sha Na Na1977TV SeriesHimself
I've Got a Secret1976TV SeriesHimself
The Mike Douglas Show1971-1976TV SeriesHimself - Comedian / Himself - Comic Actor
Celebrity Bowling1976TV SeriesHimself
The Price Is Right1975TV SeriesHimself - Guest
The Gladys Knight & the Pips Show1975TV SeriesHimself
Tattletales1975TV SeriesHimself
Today1975TV SeriesHimself
The 28th Annual Tony Awards1974TV SpecialHimself - Performer
The Dean Martin Show1968-1974TV SeriesHimself
All-Star Baffle1973TV SeriesHimself
NBC Follies1973TV SeriesHimself
RCA's Opening Night1973TV MovieHimself
It Pays to Be Ignorant1973TV SeriesHimself / panelist
The Vin Scully Show1973TV SeriesHimself
The Bobby Darin Show1973TV SeriesHimself - Guest
The Hollywood Squares1970-1973TV SeriesHimself - Panelist / Himself - Center Square
Laugh-In1972TV SeriesHimself
Dean Martin Presents: The Bobby Darin Amusement Co.1972TV SeriesHimself
The David Frost Show1970-1972TV SeriesHimself
The Jerry Reed When You're Hot You're Hot Hour1972TV SeriesHimself
The Mouse Factory1972TV SeriesHimself
The Golddiggers1971TV SeriesHimself
The Don Knotts Show1971TV SeriesHimself
The Kraft Music Hall1970TV SeriesHimself
The Real Tom Kennedy Show1970TV SeriesHimself
The Barbara McNair Show1969-1970TV SeriesHimself
Dean Martin Presents the Golddiggers1970TV SeriesHimself
The Steve Allen Show1970TV SeriesHimself
You Don't Say1969TV SeriesHimself
Allen Ludden's Gallery1969TV SeriesHimself
Della1969TV SeriesHimself
Dream Girl of '671967TV SeriesHimself - Bachelor Judge
The Ed Sullivan Show1963-1966TV SeriesHimself / Himself - Sketch Actor / Himself - Comedian
The Steve Lawrence Show1965TV SeriesHimself
What's My Line?1964TV SeriesHimself - Guest Panelist
The 17th Annual Tony Awards1963TV SpecialHimself - Presenter
The Jack Paar Program1963TV SeriesHimself
Talent Scouts1962TV SeriesHimself
The Jack Paar Tonight Show1962TV SeriesHimself
The Tonight Show1962TV SeriesHimself - Comic
The 16th Annual Tony Awards1962TV SpecialHimself - Winner: Best Performance by a Featured Actor in a Musical
The 15th Annual Tony Awards1961TV SpecialHimself - Accepting Award for Best Performance by a Featured Actor in a Musical

Archive Footage

TitleYearStatusCharacter
Broadway: Beyond the Golden Age2017Documentary post-productionHimself
2009 Game Show Awards2009TV SpecialHimself
14th Annual Screen Actors Guild Awards2008TV SpecialHimself - In Memoriam
The 59th Primetime Emmy Awards2007TV SpecialHimself - In Memoriam
Turn of the Tide: Making 'Millennium' Season Two2004Video documentary shortJose Chung (uncredited)
Biography1999TV Series documentaryHimself
Johnny Carson's 21st Anniversary1983TV MovieHimself

Awards

Nominated Awards

YearAwardCeremonyNominationMovie
1999Primetime EmmyPrimetime Emmy AwardsOutstanding Guest Actor in a Comedy SeriesThe Drew Carey Show (1995)
1998Primetime EmmyPrimetime Emmy AwardsOutstanding Guest Actor in a Drama SeriesMillennium (1996)
1970Primetime EmmyPrimetime Emmy AwardsOutstanding Performance by an Actor in a Supporting Role in ComedyThe Ghost & Mrs. Muir (1968)

Source: IMDb, Wikipedia

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