Spoiler : Milton's was quite a story, running the gamut from Vaudeville through movies, radio, TV, etc. He began as a child star in silent movies and rose to become the most popular performer in the history of television, becoming known both as Uncle Miltie and Mr. Television. But just as he had, had ratings unmatched in history, perhaps predictably his reign was short. NBC at one point announced Milton had been signed to a life time contract, but then fired him, and Berle was reduced to finding work in syndicated shows like Bowling for Dollars. That lifetime deal was renegotiated, but NBC still wound up paying him sizable cash each year for 25 years to do nothing. But Milton would bounce back, remaining a major comedy force until his nineties. And he also would show great dramatic acting talent as well. Born as Milton Berlinger, he had the ultimate show biz mother Sondra, actually Sadie, who pushed him forward. And she virtually never missed any performance he gave, sitting prominently in the audience and encouraging, often intimidating others to clap vigorously for her boy. I met Milton once when he was on a book signing tour for a well received tome. Waiting in line for his autograph and handshake, I made up my mind that I had to say something to him to stand out, so when I finally got to the head of the line, I asked using a couple of Yiddish phrases if he could sign from an alte cocker (older person in a somewhat disparaging sense)) to a gansa knocker (a guy who thinks he's a big shot). Well Milton gave me a withering stare and said, Don't be a wiseguy, just tell me your name. But he did sign and was friendly. Here he is with Dean Martin, Walter Winchell, Jerry Lewis and Eddie Cantor.

Spoiler : Berle, Milton (birth name was Milton Berlinger) Born in New York City 7/12/1908; died 3/27/2002 in his sleep at his home in Westside, California, a suburb of Los Angeles. Berle had been in failing health since suffering a stroke in December, 1998, and was diagnosed with colon cancer in April of 2001. Brother of manager- producer-director Phil Berle. Married and divorced to Joyce Matthews (twice 1941-1947, 1949- 1950, she also married and divorced Billy Rose twice); press-agent Ruth Cosgrove (1953-1989 her death); Lorna Adams (1992-2002 his death). Berle worked in vaudeville at age five, won a Charlie Chaplin look-alike contest for kids a vaudeville theater, then for a short period of time was a model for Buster Brown children's clothes before playing bit-child parts in silent movies, making his debut as the kid thrown from a moving train in 1914's, "The Perils of Pauline." Last feature movie was playing a hotel clerk in 1991's, "Driving Me Crazy." Last television movie was playing Uncle Leo in 2000's Two Heads Are Better Than None." Emcee at New York's Palace Theatre in (1929). On stage in Ziegfeld Follies (1936).

Spoiler : Radio debut on The Rudy Valle Show for NBC (1934). Regular performer on Community Sing for CBS- Radio (1936-1937). In 1939 hosted his own NBC-Radio program sponsored by Quaker Oats, 1943 was on CBS-Radio show sponsored by Campbell Soups. Host of Let Yourself Go on CBS-Radio (1944- 1945). Host and judge on Kiss And Make Up for CBS-Radio (1946). Host of The Milton Berle Show on NBC-Radio (1947-1948); The Texaco Star Theater on ABC-Radio (1948-1949).

Spoiler : Berle made his television debut in 1929 with an experimental closed-circuit show in Chicago. When Berle's Texaco Star Theatre went on the air in 1948, there were less than 500,000 televisions in America, a year later there were a million, and by 1954 there were 26 million sets. Berle signed a 30 year contract (Berle called it a life-time contract) with NBC-TV in 1951 which paid him $200,000 a year until it expired in 1981. Nicknamed, "Uncle Miltie and Mr. Television." Host of television programs including The Milton Berle Show (The Texaco Star Theatre; Buick Show) on NBC (1948-1956; 1958-1959); ABC (1966-67); Milton Berle Starring On The Kraft Music Hall for NBC (1958-1959); Jackpot Bowling Starring Milton Berle for NBC (1959- 1961). Wise Owl the Indian on F Troop for ABC-TV (1965-1967). Host of The Magic Of The Stars for HBO (1981). Emmy Award in 1950 for The Milton Berle Show. Berle became the first person enducted into The Television Hall Of Fame (1984).