Jimmy durante biography wikipedia

1. Biography of Jimmy Durante
2. Early Life and Career
3. Film and Television Career
4. Philanthropy and Later Years

Biography of Jimmy Durante

Jimmy Durante was an American singer and actor known for his distinctive raspy voice, unique sense of humor, jazz compositions, and prominent nose.

He was born in Brooklyn, New York, as the third of four children of Bartolomeo Durante and Rosa Durante, Italian-Americans.

Early Life and Career

For a time, Jimmy served as an altar boy at the "Actor's Chapel," a well-known Catholic church in New York.

In eighth grade, he dropped out of school to pursue a career in piano playing. Initially, he performed with his cousin, but it soon became apparent that Durante's talent deserved something more than just a family project.

Jimmy continued to perform in bars around the city until he was able to join one of New York's most famous jazz groups, t