Frederick Albert Travalena III[1] (October 6, 1942– June 28, 2009) was an American entertainer, specializing in comedy and impressions.
Early life
Bronx, New York-born and Long Island-raised,[2] Travalena moved to Los Angeles and developed a multifaceted career with his characterizations of visible public figures.
Career
His television credits began in the 1970s, as a regular performer on The ABC Comedy Hour, where he once did a split screen impression of John Lennon on one side and Paul McCartney on the other, and the Dean Martinroasts. He had several voice credits on cartoons, as well as appearances on nationally broadcast children's programs.
Travelena made many guest appearances on game shows and dramatic programs in the 1970s, 1980s and 1990s. In the mid-1980s he hosted the game show Anything for Money (1984–85), a game where contestants attempted to guess how much money it would take an ordinary, unsuspecting person to participate in a silly stunt.
He appeared at casino theaters in Las Vegas, Reno, and Atlantic City, as well as performing arts theaters, cruise ships, and private "in-concert" performances. He took part in a U.S.O. tour to entertain troops overseas, and was honored in 2004 by Club Italia with a Merit Achievement Award for his contributions to society.[citation needed] Also in 2004, he appeared on Bananas Comedy.
During his life, he and his wife credited his battle with cancer as a challenge of their Christian faith and a way to help others overcome the same conditions.[8]
