Frank John Gorshin, Jr. was born on April 5, 1933, in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania, to a family of railroad workers and seamstresses, with roots in Novo Mesto, Slovenia. During high school, he worked as an usher at the Sheridan Square Theatre and began doing impressions of his screen idols, including Al Jolson, James Cagney, Cary Grant, and Edward G. Robinson. He won a local talent contest at 17 and landed his first paid job as an entertainer at Jackie Heller's Carousel nightclub.
After attending local Catholic schools and Carnegie-Mellon Tech School of Drama, Frank continued to act in plays and perform in nightclubs in Pittsburgh. In 1953, he was drafted into the United States Army and served for two years, during which he met Maurice A. Bergman, who would later introduce him to a Hollywood agent.
After his military service, Frank quickly landed roles in films such as The Proud and Profane (1956) and television dramas. In 1957, he was scheduled to audition for Run Silent Run Deep (1958) but decided to drive to Los Angeles instead, only to crash and wake up in the hospital four days later, missing his chance at the role.
Frank appeared in several B-movies for American-International Pictures, including Hot Rod Girl (1956) and Invasion of the Saucer Men (1957),before landing a substantial role in the A-movie Bells Are Ringing (1960) with Dean Martin and Judy Holliday.
He also performed in Hollywood nightclubs, including the Purple Onion, and had a dozen guest shots on The Ed Sullivan Show. In 1966, he gave his breakout performance as The Riddler on Batman, earning an Emmy nomination, and went on to play the role in the movie Batman: The Movie (1966) based on the television series.
Frank continued to work in television and film, appearing in over 70 movies and making over 40 guest appearances in television series. He made his Broadway debut in 1970 and starred in several touring company productions. In the 1980s, he served as Honorary Chairman, Entertainment Division, for the American Heart Association.
Frank Gorshin died at age 72 in Burbank, California on May 17, 2005, due to complications from lung cancer, emphysema, and pneumonia.
