Person Biography:
Born in Omaha, Nebraska, the dapper American character actor and radio personality began his journey in showbusiness as a comedian with the renowned Ziegfeld Follies. With a unique talent for mimicking various ethnic dialects, he quickly gained popularity performing in vaudeville and nightclubs, and his comic creation, the "Greek Ambassador of Good Will", an English-fracturing Greek immigrant, became an instant hit.
Moving to radio, he worked alongside Jimmy Durante, and his character's enduring popularity led to appearances in two-reel comedies and feature films. By the end of the 1930s, Givot had planned to retire as a "gentleman farmer" on his estate in Tarzana, California, but a messy marital break-up and debts incurred from a failed business venture forced him back into the acting profession.
Givot continued to showcase his impressive dialect skills in various film roles, including Road to Morocco (1942),Behind the Rising Sun (1943),Captain Pirate (1952),and China Gate (1957). He also took time out from the movies to return to Broadway, starring in the musical comedy "Mexican Hayride" as Lombo Compos, partnering fellow vaudevillian Bobby Clark in a numbers racket.
In his later years, Givot returned to his roots as a voice actor, and is probably best remembered for voicing the gentle Italian restaurateur Tony in Lady and the Tramp (1955).
