Tim Conway
American comedian known for The Carol Burnett Show and physical comedy.
Tim Conway, born Thomas Daniel Conway on December 15, 1933, in Willoughby, Ohio, and raised in nearby Chagrin Falls, was a comedian, actor, writer, and director. His father, Daniel, a groomer for polo ponies, emigrated from Ireland to the U.S. in 1927 and was of Scottish descent; his mother, Sophia, was a first-generation Romanian-American. Conway changed his stage name from Tom to Tim early in his career, joking that he "dotted the O" to avoid confusion with British actor Tom Conway. He studied television and radio at Bowling Green State University, worked as a disc jockey, joined the Phi Delta Theta fraternity, and served in the U.S. Army from 1956 to 1958.
After the Army, Conway returned to Cleveland and collaborated with Ernie Anderson at KYW-TV from 1958 to 1959. They acted in TV commercials and created a comedy album. From 1960 to 1962, he worked at WJW-TV on a morning film show, writing comedic skits for intermissions. He was fired in 1962 after misleading station management about his directing experience, which led Anderson to host a horror film show as Ghoulardi. Conway later made guest appearances on Cleveland TV shows and at Ghoulardifest events. In 1961, actress Rose Marie saw tapes of Conway and Anderson’s skits and mentored him, helping him land a spot on ABC’s *The Steve Allen Show* after he moved to New York City. He also appeared on *The Garry Moore Show*, *The Mike Douglas Show*, and *That’s Life*.
Conway gained national fame as the bumbling Ensign Charles Parker on the WWII sitcom *McHale’s Navy* (1962–1966), earning a Primetime Emmy nomination for Outstanding Supporting Actor. He starred in short-lived series like *Rango* (1967) and later helmed his own shows: *The Tim Conway Comedy Hour* (1970) and *The Tim Conway Show* (1980–1981). His most famous work came as a regular on *The Carol Burnett Show* (1975–1978), where he played Mister Tudball and the Oldest Man, known for physical comedy and ad-libs that made castmates break character. He co-starred with Don Knotts in films including *The Apple Dumpling Gang* (1975), its 1979 sequel, *Gus* (1976), and *The Private Eyes* (1980). He played Dorf in eight films (1987–1996) and voiced Barnacle Boy on *SpongeBob SquarePants* (1999–2012). Conway won five Primetime Emmys, including two for guest roles on *Coach* (1996) and *30 Rock* (2008), and a Golden Globe. He received a Hollywood Walk of Fame star in 1999 and was inducted into the Television Hall of Fame in 2002. Conway died on May 14, 2019.
- born
- December 15, 1933, Willoughby, Ohio
- died
- May 14, 2019
- field
- Comedian, actor, writer, director
- nationality
- American
- known_for
- The Carol Burnett Show, McHale's Navy, physical comedy
Verified Timeline
Lore & Background
Tim Conway started his career in local television in Cleveland as Ernie Anderson's collaborator. He gained national exposure on The Steve Allen Show, The Garry Moore Show and The Mike Douglas Show and then wider recognition for his role as the inept Ensign Parker in the World War II TV situation comedy McHale's Navy from 1962 to 1966. The role garnered him a nomination for the Primetime Emmy Award for Outstanding Supporting Actor in a Comedy Series. Conway starred on The Carol Burnett Show, where he was admired for his ability to depart from scripts with humorous ad libs and gestures, which frequently caused others in the skit to break character with laughter. Conway helmed his own series twice, The Tim Conway Comedy Hour (1970) and The Tim Conway Show (1980–1981). He also co-starred with Don Knotts in several films including The Apple Dumpling Gang (1975), its 1979 sequel, Gus (1976), and The Private Eyes (1980). He played Dorf in eight films from 1987 to 1996, and voiced Barnacle Boy in SpongeBob SquarePants (1999–2012). He received two Primetime Emmy Awards for Outstanding Guest Actor in a Comedy Series for his roles in the ABC comedy series Coach in 1996 and the NBC sitcom 30 Rock in 2008.
Reader's Guide
Tim Conway's significance lies in his enduring impact on television comedy, particularly through his work on The Carol Burnett Show, where his improvisational skills and physical comedy became a hallmark of the series. A prime example of his ability to make co-stars laugh uncontrollably involved Lyle Waggoner as a captured American airman, with Conway as a stereotypical blond-haired Gestapo agent. Conway produced a small Hitler hand puppet and, in a falsetto voice with German accent, sang "I've Been Working on the Railroad," causing Waggoner to finally laugh hysterically when puppet-Hitler screeched, "FEE-FI-Fiddely-I-O!" Another example is the "Elephant Story" outtake from a "Family" sketch, where Conway tells an increasingly absurd story about his visit to the circus, leading Vicki Lawrence (in character as Mama) to reply: "Are you sure that little asshole's through?", causing everyone to break out in hysterical laughter. Conway's earlier role on McHale's Navy established him as a comedic actor, and his later voice work on SpongeBob SquarePants introduced him to a new generation. His accolades, including multiple Emmy Awards and a star on the Hollywood Walk of Fame, reflect his influence.
Did You Know?
- Conway changed his stage name from Tom to Tim to avoid confusion with British actor Tom Conway, quipping he 'dotted the O'.
- He used a Romanian accent for his character Mr. Tudball on The Carol Burnett Show, learned from his mother who was a first-generation Romanian-American.
- Conway's father immigrated to the United States in 1927 from Ireland, born to Scottish parents.
- He served in the United States Army between 1956 and 1958 after graduating from Bowling Green State University.
- Conway's 1970 sitcom The Tim Conway Show paired him with Joe Flynn of McHale's Navy as owner-pilots of a one-plane airline.
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