Eddie Albert

Three of the surviving cast members of Green Acres (1965) attended his funeral, on 26 May 2005, co-star, Tom Lester was not present. Albert once stated Lester was his closest and best friend.

Biography in: "The Scribner Encyclopedia of American Lives". Volume 7, 2003-2005, pages 5-7. Farmington Hills, MI: Thomson Gale, 2007.

After his guest-starring role on Extreme Ghostbusters (1997), he retired from acting at age 91.

Was a spokesperson for the National Arbor Day Foundation from 1985 to 1993.

Was a huge fan of Falcon Crest (1981) that starred his old friend Jane Wyman, and had a recurring role in 1987.

His future Switch (1975) co-star, Robert Wagner, had seen him in the movie Brother Rat (1938) at the time of its release. He said that even though he was only eight years old, he was impressed by Albert's talent.

An avid environmentalist, he shared his concerns on TV on the The Tonight Show Starring Johnny Carson (1962) and Today (1952) shows and lectured everywhere from high schools and industrial conventions. He produced films to aid in campaigns against pollution. He also helped to launch the very first "Earth Day" on April 22, 1970, his birthday.

He was very disappointed when Green Acres was canceled at the end of the sixth season, due to the infamous "rural purge" of American television network programming (particularly on CBS). The "rural purge" was widespread series cancellations, beginning in 1969 and lasting until 1972, and due to the inclusion of new statistical demographics from television ratings agency Neilsen, and sponsors alarmed by the older, "more countrified" audiences for the shows canceled. Of the cancellations, almost all were still popular rural-themed shows with similarly skewed rural audiences, and took place at the end of the 1970-1971 television season. Included in the purge were all three of Paul Henning produced country comedies, The Beverly Hillbillies (1962), Petticoat Junction (1963), and Green Acres (1965).

Buried not too far from his Green Acres (1965) co-star Eva Gabor at Westwood Memorial in Los Angeles, California.

Played Oliver Wendell Douglas, along with Eva Gabor as Lisa Douglas, on three shows: The Beverly Hillbillies (1962), Petticoat Junction (1963) and Green Acres (1965).

Turned down the lead series roles in My Three Sons (1960) and Mister Ed (1958) in order to actively pursue his movie career.

Hired by the United States government, he went on what appeared to be pleasure sailing expeditions in Mexican waters. What he was actually doing was gathering reportable information on Nazi and Japanese activities in and around the two Mexican territories on the Baja California peninsula of Mexico (since 1953, the Mexican states of Baja California and Baja California Sur). As part of the same effort, he also joined a Mexican circus act, owned by the Escalante Brothers, as a clown and "flyer" in a trapeze act, and while touring with the circus, gathered intelligence for the U.S. government.

Also presided over a game show and two variety shows in the early 1950s.

In 1946, he served as Executive Producer of Eddie Albert Productions.

Met his future wife, Margo, while on leave of duty. They were married in December 1945, after Eddie's discharge from the U.S. Navy.

He was an active participant in the battle of Tarawa (Nov. 1943). Tarawa was one of the many bloody island battles of World War II and in the history of the U.S. Marine Corp. Albert was credited with rescuing up to 70 wounded Marines while under enemy fire. He accomplished this while he was skippering a relatively large landing craft. He was part of the first wave of attack. And made several trips to and from the landing zone. He was awarded the Bronze Star with a combat "V" for his bravery on that day. He did not speak about this publicly until it was mentioned several times in the 1990's in television documentaries about the battle. At the start of the war he enlisted in the Coast Guard. But later resigned his Coast Guard commission to accept a commission in the U.S. Naval Reserve. And that's what led to him being a part of Battle of Tarawa.

He wrote the first original drama for television in 1936 as well as writing dozens of small scripts for RCA.

Classmate (Minneapolis Central High School, 1926) of actress Ann Sothern, then known as Harriette Lake.

Graduated from Central High School in Minneapolis, Minnesota in 1924.

To hide the fact that he was born out of wedlock, his mother altered his birth certificate to read 1908. However, his son, Edward Albert, confirmed Eddie Sr. was actually born in 1906.