Jonathan Harshman Winters III (November 11, 1925 – April 11, 2013) was an American comedian, actor and artist.
Beginning in 1960, Winters recorded many classic comedy albums for the Verve Records label. He also had comedy albums released every decade for over 50 years, receiving 11 Grammy Award for Best Comedy Album nominations during his career, and winning the Grammy Award for Best Spoken Comedy Album for Crank(y) Calls in 1996.
Winters has also appeared in hundreds of television show episodes/series and films combined, including eccentric characters on The Steve Allen Show, The Garry Moore Show, The Wacky World of Jonathan Winters (1972–74), Mork & Mindy, Hee Haw and in It’s a Mad, Mad, Mad, Mad World.
Winters had a dramatic role in the The Twilight Zone episode “A Game of Pool” (episode 3.5 on October 13, 1961)
After voicing Grandpa Smurf on The Smurfs (1986–89) and Papa Smurf in The Smurfs (2011 film), Winters’s final feature film was The Smurfs 2 in 2013, which will be dedicated in his memory.
Jonathan Winters was inducted to the Walk of Fame on February 8, 1960 with 1 star.
Jonathan Winters cause of death
Jonathan Winters died on April 11, 2013, in Montecito, California, of natural causes. Jonathan Winters was 87 years old at the time of his death. He is survived by his two children: Jay Winters, and Lucinda Winters.
Jonathan Winters Montage Part 1 – Orinda Film Festival 2003