Charles Nelson Reilly (born January 13, 1931) is an American actor, director and drama teacher best known for his comedic roles in movies, children's television, and animated cartoons. He has achieved somewhat of a cult status for his the good-natured zaniness of his characters. His signature chuckle is easily recognizable to his fans, and is often parodied and imitated.

Biography

Reilly was born in the Bronx, New York in 1931. In 1944, at the age of 13, Reilly became a survivor of the Hartford Circus Fire in Hartford, Connecticut.

He made his first appearance in a motion picture in 1957 in an uncredited role in A Face in the Crowd .

In 1965, he made regular appearances as himself on The Steve Lawrence Show , which aired for a single season. From 1968 to 1970, he appreared as Claymore Gregg on the television series The Ghost & Mrs. Muir .

In 1971, he appeared as the evil magician "Hoodoo" in Lidsville, a psychedelically-flavored live-action children's program produced by Sid and Marty Krofft that aired on Saturday mornings on NBC. The show was about a boy who falls into a magician's hat. It is through these roles that Reilly's voice and mannerisms were probably embedded into a generation of young fans, as well as his playing the titular role in Uncle Croc's Block .

During the 1970s, Reilly was perhaps best known for his appearances as a celebrity panelist on the television game show Match Game.

In the 1990s Reilly made guest appearances as eccentric writer Jose Chung in the television series The X-Files ("Jose Chung's From Outer Space") and Millennium ("Jose Chung's Doomsday Defense").

Filmography

• A Face in the Crowd (1957)
• The Tiger Makes Out (1967)
• Cannonball Run II (1984)

Television roles

• The Steve Lawrence Show (1965)
• The Ghost & Mrs. Muir - Claymore Gregg (1968-1970)
• H.R. Pufnstuf (1969) - Hoodoo
• Lidsville (1971-1973) - Hoodoo
• SpongeBob SquarePants (1999-present) - The Dirty Bubble

Cult status

Mr. Reilly is referenced in the song "I Like Hubcaps," featured on The Brak Album by Brak. Additionally, he is mentioned in the song "Serrated Edge" by the Dead Milkmen. A sample of him playing Hoodoo on Lidsville is used by Marilyn Manson in the song "Dope Hat".

Mr. Reilly was parodied by Alec Baldwin in a sketch on Saturday Night Live.

Though he has never publicly acknowledged it, part of his popularity stems from his effeminately homosexual personality. This has made him a gay icon, frequently referenced in gay themed books, films and television programs.

External links

• Rotten.com biography with photos
• Reilly on the Match Game Homepage