Eddie Albert (born April 22, 1908) is an American actor.

Born Edward Albert Heimberger in Rock Island, Illinois, Albert spent his early years in Minneapolis, Minnesota. After graduating from University of Minnesota, Albert pursued a show business career through jobs as a stage actor, nightclub singer and trapeze performer in a Mexican circus.

In 1936, Albert became one of the first television actors when he performed live in RCA's first television broadcast, a promotion to their New York City radio stations. In 1938, Albert made his film debut in Brother Rat , playing cadet 'Bing' Edwards, a role he had originally performed on Broadway.

Albert served in the United States Navy during World War II as a Lieutenant. He was awarded the Bronze Star for his actions during the Battle of Tarawa in 1943, when he rescued a group of wounded Marines from under enemy fire.

Albert married actress María Marguerita Guadelupe Boldao y Castilla (better known by her stage name Margo) on December 5, 1945 and they remained together until her death on July 17, 1985. The couple have two children: Edward, an actor like his parents; and Maria, a businesswoman.

In 1965, Albert took the role of Oliver Wendall Douglas in the television sitcom Green Acres, which ran through 1971. Albert played the straight man to his co-star Eva Gabor and the rest of the cast in the series about an urban couple who moved to a surreal farming community.

Albert was active in a number of causes. He and his family help support Plaza de la Raza, a center for Hispanic arts and education. Albert produced a number of educational films for children and also organized City Children's Farms, a program for creating gardens in inner cities. Albert is also very active in environmental concerns. He was one of the first people calling for a ban on DDT and International Earth Day was designated on April 22, partly in honor of his birthday.

For his contribution to the television industry, Eddie Albert has a star on the Hollywood Walk of Fame at 6441 Hollywood Blvd.

A partial filmography:

• Four Wives (1939)
• On Your Toes (1939)
• A Dispatch From Reuters (1940)
• Four Mothers (1941)
• The Wagons Roll at Night (1941)
• Bombardier (1943)
• Smash-Up, the Story of a Woman (1947)
• The Dude Goes West (1948)
• Every Girl Should Be Married (1948)
• Carrie (1952)
• Leave It to Larry (1952) Albert first TV series
• Roman Holiday (1953) Albert was nominated for an Academy Award for best supporting actor
• Oklahoma! (1955)
• I'll Cry Tomorrow (1955)
• Attack! (1956) one of the first films in which Albert played a villain, he has said this was his favorite performance.
• The Teahouse of the August Moon (1956)
• The Sun Also Rises (1957)
• The Joker Is Wild (1957)
• The Young Doctors (1961)
• The Longest Day (1962)
• Captain Newman, M.D. (1963)
• The Heartbreak Kid (1972) Albert received his second Academy Award nomination for best supporting actor
• The Longest Yard (1974)
• McQ (1974)
• Whiffs (1975)
• Switch (1975-1978) TV series where Albert played a private investigator
• The Concorde: Airport '79 (1979)
• The Border (1979)
• Yes, Giorgio (1982)
• The Act (1982)
• Dreamscape (1984)
• Head Office (1985)
• Brenda Starr (1989)
• Return to Green Acres (1990) A TV movie reunion from the series
• The Barefoot Executive (1995) Albert's appearance in this TV movie was his last performance before he retired

External links

• A 1996 Interview