August 10: Singer Eddie Fisher - "Cindy, Oh Cindy, Oh My PaPa" - was born on this date in 1928 ...

... he died on September 22, 2010 at the age of 82 from complications after hip surgery.

Edwin Jack "Eddie" Fisher, was one of the world's most famous and successful singers in the 1950s, selling millions of records and having his own TV show. He was married five times including marriages with Debbie Reynolds, Elizabeth Taylor, and Connie Stevens. His divorce from his first wife, Debbie Reynolds, to marry his best friend's widow, Elizabeth Taylor, garnered scandalously unwelcome publicity at the time.

Born in Philadelphia, Fisher was the fourth of seven children of  Russian-born Jewish immigrants. His father's surname was originally Tisch or Fisch, but was anglicized to Fisher upon entry into the United States.

To his fily, Eddie Fisher was always called "Sonny Boy" or "Sonny," which may have been related to the song made famous by Al Jolson. It was known at an early age that he had talent as a vocalist and he started singing in numerous amateur contests, which he usually won. He sang on the radio in high school and was later on Arthur Godfrey's Talent Scouts, a popular contest that was broadcast over the radio before moving to television.

 

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The bands of Buddy Morrow and Charlie Ventura. He was heard by Eddie Cantor at Grossinger's Resort in the Cat of upstate New York in 1949. Upon joining Cantor's radio show he was an instant hit and gained nationwide exposure. He was then signed to a contract with RCA-Victor Records.

Fisher was drafted into the Army in 1951 and sent to Texas for basic training. He served a year in Korea. The photos of him in uniform during his time in the Service did not hurt his civilian career, after his discharge he became even more popular singing in top nightclubs. He also had a variety television series, Coke Time with Eddie Fisher (NBC) (1953)-(1957), appeared on Perry Como's show, The Chesterfield Supper Club, the George Gobel Show, and had another series, The Eddie Fisher Show (NBC) (1957)-(1959).

A pre-Rock and Roll vocalist, Eddie Fisher's strong and melodious tenor made him a teen idol and one of the most popular singers of the 1950s. He had seventeen songs in the Top 10 on the music charts between 1950 and 1956 and thirty-five in the Top 40, which included the 1955 song "I Love You."  In 1956, Fisher costarred with wife Debbie Reynolds in the musical comedy Bundle Of Joy. He played a serious role in the 1960 drama Butterfield 8 with wife Elizabeth Taylor.

His best friend was showman/producer Mike Todd, who died in a plane crash in 1958. Fisher's affair and subsequent marriage to Todd's famous widow caused a show business scandal because he and his first wife, also famous, had a very public divorce.

In the 1960s he changed recording labels, moving to Ramrod Records. He also recorded for Dot Records. He then returned to RCA and had a minor singles hit in 1966 with the song Games That Lovers Play, which became the title of his best selling album. His last album for RCA was an Al Jolson tribute, You Ain't Heard Nothing Yet.

In 1981, he wrote his autobiography, Eddie: My Life, My Loves. He wrote another book in 1999 titled Been There, Done That.

With Debbie Reynolds

Eddie Fisher has two stars on the Hollywood Walk of Fame, one for Recording,  and one for TV.

Fisher is the father of two children by Reynolds, actress Carrie Fisher and Todd Fisher, and he is the father of two children by Stevens, actress Joely Fisher and actress Tricia Leigh Fisher.

 

With Connie Stevens

Eddie Fisher's hit records included:

• A Man Chases A Girl (Until She Catches Him)


• Anytime (1951)


• Cindy, Oh Cindy


• Count Your Blessings (1954)


• Dungaree Doll


• Heart (1955)


• I Need You Now (no. 1) (1954)


• I'm Walking Behind You (no. 1) (1953) (with Sally Sweetland)


• I'm Yours (1952)


• Lady Of Spain (1952)


• Many Times (1953)


• Maybe (1952) (duet with Perry Como)


• Oh My Pa-Pa (no. 1) (1953)


• Tell Me Why (1951) (also a big hit for The Four Aces, whose Al Alberts co-wrote the song)


• Thinking Of You (1950)


• Turn Back The Hands Of Time


• Watermelon Weather ... (duet with Perry Como)


• Wish You Were Here ... (no. 1) (1952)