"I am too old to die young, and too young to grow up," Marty Feldman told a reporter -- a week before he died. This beloved comedian, who poked fun at himself, as well as others, was born Martin Alan Feldman on July 8, 1934, in London, England. His parents were of Ukrainian Jewish heritage in Mexico City, on December 2, 1982... he was only 48.
Died in Mexico City of shellfish poisoning on the last day of filming a scene from Yellowbeard , in which he was supposed to die. A double completed the death scene. His illness was discovered by filmmaker friend Michael Mileham who had also suffered from the same poisoning but survived.
Buried in Forest Lawn near his idol, Buster Keaton
Interred at Forest Lawn - Hollywood Hills, Los Angeles, California - Garden of Heritage, Lot 5420
When presenting the 1976 Live Action Short Oscar, he called the two winning producers to the stage, threw the statue to the floor, then handed a shard of the award to each one. He said, "It said, Made in Hong Kong on the bottom."
Despite persistent published reports. Marty Feldman was NOT the brother of actress Fenella Fielding. The two are not related in any way.
Biography in: "Whos Who in Comedy" by Ronald L. Smith, pg. 157-158. New York: Facts on File, 1992. ISBN 0816023387
In his DVD commentary for Young Frankenstein , director Mel Brooks provides a further explanation for Marty Feldmans early death. According to Brooks, who worked with him on Young Frankenstein and Silent Movie , Feldman smoked about half a carton of cigarettes (four or five packs) a day as well as drank copious amounts of black coffee (the tannic acid in coffee, which can be partly neutralized by milk, in some studies has been found to increase the risk of heart attack). Feldman was also a vegetarian and compensated for the lack of meat in his diet by eating large amounts of eggs and dairy products on a daily basis which may have clogged his arteries. The high altitude of Mexico City (over 7,000 feet above sea level) with the air about 10% thinner, where Feldman was filming most of Yellowbeard , would have added still more stress by forcing his heart and lungs to work harder. The food poisoning that Feldman and Michael Mileham contracted would only have been the final straw, which would explain why Mileham survived, and Feldman didnt.
Subject of a novelty song by Bruce Baum. The song was a parody of the hit "Bette Davis Eyes" by Kim Carnes ("All the boys think shes a guy / shes got Marty Feldman eyes").
His wife Lauretta asked him to marry her, when he supposedly made no move to do so, after nine months of daily dating.
Liked to play soccer and also enjoyed watching Baseball, calling it, "Cricket on speed".
Had a number of absurd and varied jobs in his youth. These included being a kitchen hand, message boy for an advertising agency, jazz musician in clubs, greyhound racetrack tipster, and an assistant to an Indian fakir in his side-show acts.
Was deported from Paris for vagrancy as a teenager when he pretended to be an innocent youth, impressed with the work of an American sculptor pretending to be French. Feldman, working on commission for the sculptor, lured gullible tourists as customers.
Liked to write poetry and, as a teenager, was even introduced to famous poet Dylan Thomas. Thomas reportedly told the young Feldman that he had talent, thus he continued to write.
According to various sources, Feldman was known to get physically sick when having to watch screenings of his own work or performance.
Befriended a young teen who crashed the Young Frankenstein set named Alan Spencer and offered encouragement to his writing career. The young scribe eventually created the TV show "Sledge Hammer!" .
In A Clockwork Orange, when Alex (Malcolm McDowell) returns home from prison one of the smaller headlines in the newspaper his father is reading says: "Marty Feldmans Wife Banned".
Suffered from Graves disease during his early childhood in which, after a botched surgical operation, his condition resulted in his eyes being more protruded and misaligned (strabismus).
Best remembered by American audiences for his role as Igor (pronounced "Eye-gore") in Mel Brooks spoof Young Frankenstein . Gene Wilder, who co-wrote the film with Brooks and starred as the titular Frankenstein, stated on numerous occasions that he considered Feldman the heart of the film. Brooks agreed completely with this sentiment.
The pen is mightier than the sword, and is considerably easier to write,with.
Comedy, like sodomy, is an unnatural act.
I like to be by myself, reading, wandering about art galleries. I like,solitude, walking.
I do not disbelieve in anything. I start from the premise that,everything is true until proved false. Everything is possible.
