Jackie Mason is a great British stand up comic who has had some big roles in films such as Bridesmaid, Star Wars and others. He was born in Sheffield in England and grew up in the Jewish community in that city. Many of his friends were also Jewish and he enjoyed a deep respect for their culture and traditions. He went on to study acting and went on to become one of the best known British comedians of the seventies.
He went into stand up comedy after some years in the theater, but his career spanned just two decades before his death in 1997 at the age of 33. His career spanned four British Film Awards and three Academy Awards including his best actor award for Bridesmaid. Other winners included Casino Royale, Patton, Ace Ventura: Pet Detective and Top Five. As an actor, he worked on such movies as Saturday Night Live, Blues Clues, Edward Scissorhands and Who Framed Roger Rabbit.
During his time as a comedian, he achieved a lot of success. Some of his most famous characters were Shrek, Donkey, Mike and the Mad Dog from the Princess and the Frog. He also had a role in the movie Rocky and Bullwinkle. Jackie’s acting prowess led him to work on screenplays for which he was nominated for such awards as Best Actor in a Leading Role and Best Comedy Series. In addition, he wrote several best selling books.
Besides being an experienced performer, Jackie also had a strong background in education. He was a trustee of one of the Jewish schools in London and he served as its vice-principal. According to one biography, he once said that while delivering a motivational speech at a synagoguion, the crowd asked for his advice concerning how to be better leaders. He then chose to lead his own business in order to help other Jews through his various charity projects.
As an entertainer, he enjoyed many triumphs and many failures. His first major break came when he was hired by Richard Nixon to do a comedy act at the Republican National Convention. The show, Which You Can Not Do With Kids, went long, but he was able to make some memorable appearances such as appearing alongside Chevy Chase and James Dean. More recently, he appeared in the movie Dumb And Dumber. Other notable roles include appearing in Bill & Ted’s Excellent Adventure and appearing in a number of other films including Paris Hilton’s Insomnia.
Though he suffered many personal tragedies throughout his lifetime, his career also produced many financial successes. He hosted his own talk show, spoke at the United Nations and was married to the actress Patti LaBelle. The couple had five children. Following his death, his family made an effort to help fund his favorite charity, the Jack Mason Scholarship Fund. The organization continues to provide financial support for students who pursue an education in the arts.
